Planetary Angels: the Stairway to Heaven

Jacob’s Ladder, William Blake, 1799-1806.

Planetary Angels: The Stairway to Heaven

By Donna Woodwell

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ...... 3 MICHAEL, ARCHANGEL OF THE SUN ...... 4 GABRIEL, ARCHANGEL OF THE MOON ...... 4 RAPHAEL, ARCHANGEL OF MERCURY ...... 5 HANAEL, ARCHANGEL OF VENUS...... 6 CAMAEL, ARCHANGEL OF MARS ...... 7 ZADKIEL, ARCHANGEL OF JUPITER ...... 8 CASSIEL, ARCHANGEL OF SATURN ...... 9 EPILOGUE ...... 10 ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...... 10

Introduction

To indigenous cultures from around the world, the world was alive with Living Spirit. Everything had an animating force – places, objects, plants, animals, people and even ideas.

It was the shaman’s role to connect the tribe to the spirit realms, and thus maintain a healthy relationship between worlds. And they used various tools – psychic skills, working with dreams, creating art, drumming, chanting, and more – to cross between worlds.

But the central avatars of the divine realm were the seven visible planets. Called by the Corpus Hermetica the “seven governors of the world,” as the moving elements of the heavens, they were responsible for weaving the fabric of the material world into existence. In other words, they were the celestial midwives of the natural world.

The Greeks called the planets daimons – guiding Spirits.

But, with the coming of the institutional Christian Church, there was little room for animism and lesser spirits, only the One God. And so talk of daimons was – quite literally – demonized.

But Spirit always finds a way. And so, even in the darkest of ages, interest in angels blossomed.

The appellation angel derives from a Greek word meaning “messenger.” The Bible alludes to a vast heavenly host, chief among them the "seven angels who stand before god" (Revelation 8.2) or the "seven punishing angels." (Ezekiel 9.2).

These Arch-angels, govern all of the heavenly host. In short, in iconography and religious practice, the archangels take the place of the seven planetary daimons. To the Christian mind, allying with angels was far safer than what Renaissance scholar Marsilio Ficino would later call “star demons.”

We have dozens of angel-planet catalogues penned between the 6th and 19th Centuries; not all agree on which archangel represents each planet. But there’s enough consistency in the tradition that the planetary spirits still shine through the angel’s wings.

In the following pages, I’ve given you a quick sketch of the planetary angels. You’ll have to decide for yourself.

But, this is just the beginning of the journey. The links between astrology and angelology run deep. There were also lesser angels for other astrological sky-divisions – the 12 solar Zodiac signs, the 28 Lunar Mansions (the lunar Zodiac), the 4 triplicities (earth, air, fire and water), the 36 decans (10-degree divisions), and the 72 quiniaries (5-degree divisions).

To the Medieval mystics, for any moment in time, they conceived of an ever shifting heavenly host teaming up to infuse the world with spirit, and lift matter transcend itself.

It’s a beautiful vision worth recovering.

Michael, Archangel of the Sun

Michael, chief among angels, is a logical choice for the Archangel of the Sun.

As the brightest object in the sky, the Sun is associated with kings and leaders, light, fire and truth, as well as healing and vitality.

All these are attributes in Michael's angel lore. Both the 12th Century Arabic Scholar Averroës and the 13th Century Heptameron, and those authors following their tradition, associate Michael and the Sun.

As leader of the heavenly host of angels in their struggle against evil (darkness), Michael embodies a solar role. He's also said to act as a guardian angel to rulers and other leaders on Earth; it makes sense he should take the Sun under his wings.

The Sun, as the giver of light, is also associated with speaking the truth. Ancients used to swear oaths by the Sun; the Sun witnessed all, and was in the ideal position to guarantee the veracity of one's words. In this way, the Sun was also associated with prophecy and other true visions from the divine. (n.b. The Greek Sun God Apollo was also the god of the Oracle of Delphi.)

Some legends also grant Michael a special role in bearing witness to souls after death, conducting them to their just rewards.

Michael, along with the Archangel Raphael, is also known for his talents as a healer. The Sun, too, has an ancient association with healing arts, particularly by promoting vitality and dispelling disease and impurities. In a sense, the Sun symbolizes the divine spark and life-force energy which we depend on to thrive.

And so, ask the Archangel Michael for his aid in matters of leadership, protection, truth and healing. As the Archangel of the Sun, working with Michael is especially potent on Sunday, as well as in the hours of the Sun.

Gabriel, Archangel of the Moon

The Archangel Gabriel may be best known in the Western world as the angel of the annunciation, the one who brought the news to the Virgin Mary that she was to bear the Christ Child. As an Angel of messages associated with motherhood, childbirth, and the Virgin Mary, it is no surprise most authors since Averroes place the Moon in Gabriel's charge.

The Moon has been linked of motherhood and childbirth since the earliest days of human

4 history. Gabriel's ties to childbirth also run deep. A tale is told in Jewish folklore of a tree in the Garden of Eden, upon which new souls grow like fruit. Once ripened, these fall into a "treasury of souls." When it's time for a mother to conceive, it is Gabriel who reaches into the treasury and unites a soul with its mother.

The Moon also has a long history as a messenger. As the fastest moving light in the sky, it was the Moon that "translated the light" of the other celestial bodies down to the Earth (the source of the astrological concept "void of course moon," those times when the Moon has delivered its messages and is waiting to pick up more).

The Hellenistic name for the 3rd House of an astrology chart, the one associated with communication and messages, was known as the "House of the Moon Goddess." As one of the Angels of the Lord most often depicted carrying God's messages, associating Gabriel with the Moon is also a good fit.

As Michael (Sun) sits at the right hand of God, Gabriel (Moon) sits on the left. The Qabala associated Gabriel with the Sephirot Yesod, which was also associated with the Moon.

An angel of deep compassion, Gabriel is an angel of revelation, communication of all kinds, good tidings, new beginnings, motherhood and childbirth. Requests to Gabriel for aid are most appropriate on Mondays, the Moon's day, or in the Moon hour.

Raphael, Archangel of Mercury

The Archangel Raphael is a fitting choice for the Archangel of Mercury. Let's explore why ancient scholars such as Averroes and books like the Heptameron also made the association.

Much of our lore about the Archangel Raphael comes from the Book of Tobit. The text refers to Raphael as "one of the seven [angels], who stand before the Lord." Their number, seven, is most likely a reference to contemporary authors who sometimes called the seven visible planets the "seven governors" of the world.)

It was Raphael, in disguise, who led Tobit's son Tobias on a journey to fetch his father's money, which had been left with family in another town far away. Raphael became known as a patron of travelers of all kinds, as well as of young people. Mercury, of course, is a named after the "messenger of the gods," is also historically associated with both journeys and youths.

In the Book of Tobit, Raphael also uses his knowledge to create curative elixirs to heal Tobit and Sarah. As the angel of healing, Raphael reminds us that Mercury too has a long association with healing and transformation, even if modern astrologers don't think about it this way. The caduceus, the snake entwined staff, which would become the symbol of the medical community, was in ancient times also called the Staff of Hermes (Mercury).

Mercury also played a central role in the practice of alchemy, the aim of which was to bring healing at the deepest levels (and from which apothecaries and pharmacists are direct descendants). Apothecaries, pharmacists, physicians, nurses -- as well as the sick -- are all under the Archangel Raphael's patronage. So are studies and learning, especially the medical arts, alchemy and theology.

Along the journey, Raphael also arranged the marriage between Tobias and Sarah, and so became associated with matchmaking and marriages. Mercury is also the planet linked with negotiation and trade. In ancient times, matchmaking was certainly a form of negotiation and echoes Mercury's role as one who brings different parties to the table for mutual benefit.

Of course, all these adventures took place while Raphael was in disguise as Azariah, a human relative of Tobit. Thus, the world-savvy Raphael evokes the trickster meme. Hermes (Mercury) was also a notorious trickster, the quick-witted one who played tricks even on the other gods. His tricks are the kind that bring enlightenment by forcing a change of perspective.

Raphael is your ally in endeavors involving travel, the young, successful negotiations, any kind of study, as well as finding healing, right diagnosis and good doctors. As the Archangel of Mercury, requests to Raphael for assistance are especially fortuitous on Wednesdays, Mercury's day, or in the Mercury hour.

Hanael, Archangel of Venus

Hanael, the angel of joy, pleasure, beauty and nature, is the perfect fit for the Archangel of Venus. Meaning “Joy of God” or “Grace of God,” the name Hanael likely stems from the Hebrew words hana'ah plus the suffix –el. Other spellings of the name have included Haniel, Anael and Aniel.

In art and iconography, Hanael’s traditionally depicted dressed in dark, emerald green, and smiling or laughing. She appears more often in female form than in male. In various images, she carries a rose, a lantern, or a wand tipped with a pinecone, called a thyrsus. All of these symbols are deeply intertwined with the planet Venus.

After the Sun and Moon, Venus is by far the brightest object in the sky. So bright that she casts her own shadow, and can even be seen in the daytime, if you know exactly where to look. But, as a planet between Earth and the Sun, to observers on our planet, she never travels far from the Sun before she’s drawn back to its embrace. She is forever dancing between her guise as morning star and evening star.

To the Hellenistic Greeks, who invented our familiar form of astrology, Venus was the ideal icon of love and beauty; she captivates us. In their baser form, these become physical pleasures or the desire to create beautiful works. But in its highest expression, they draw us to union with the Divine, just as Venus is always drawn back to reunite with the Sun.

And so as the Archangel of Venus, Hanael helps us find joy and pleasure in all circumstances, to create beauty in art or music, or harmony in relationships. And, it’s Hanael who reminds that while earthly love is a gift, it’s in divine love that we find our ultimate fulfillment.

Hanael’s rose is also an ancient symbol of Venus. In relation to Earth, Venus’ orbit traces out a five-pointed star every eight years. This beautiful astronomical effect has been called the Rose of Venus, a reference to the five-petalled flower, a favorite of the love goddess.

Hanael’s emerald green tunic evokes the alchemical color of Venus – green – and the fecundity of Nature. It’s Hanael’s gift to make fruitful what was once barren.

The thyrsus carries a similar meaning. Carried by the followers Dionysus, the pinecone- topped wand conjures memes of fertility, pleasure, hedonism and renewal. But on a deeper level, it alludes to another mystery – the union of male and female energies activates the pineal gland, the so-called “third eye” that brings true spiritual vision.

And, we can’t forget Hanael’s lantern. One of Venus’ earliest epithets was “light bringer”; she lights our way back to the divine. In fact, in the Zohar, one of the foundational texts of the Qabala tradition, it was Haniel who was chosen to carry Enoch to heaven in the Merkabah to encounter God.

On the Qabalistic Tree of Life, Venus and Hanael are represented by the sphere Netzach – meaning “victory” or “eternity.” This Sephirot relates to divine immanence, the light of spirit infusing Nature and ordinary events, as well as our inner world of imagination, intuition and emotion.

When you crave the soothing balm of love and beauty in your life, or when you need to reconnect to the sweetness of the divine, seek Hanael’s aid and counsel. The most auspicious time to call upon her is Friday, Venus’ day, or in the hour of Venus.

Camael, Archangel of Mars

In the world of the ancients, there are no tame angels. Of course this is especially true of the Archangel of Mars, who is sometimes called Camael (Chamuel) and sometimes Samael.

In modern astrology, Mars is called the action or energy principle. But traditional interpretations of Mars go deeper. It's Mars that represents the strength and fortitude to do what must be done, no matter the cost. The stories of the angels Camael and Samael both evoke these themes.

The Archangel Camael (sometimes spelled Chamuel or Kamael) has been called the "Archangel of Divine Justice." As a warrior angel, he's been named as the leader of the angelic rank of Powers, who guard souls from demons on the path to heaven. Camael also been linked with the leader of the forces that expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden, the angel who wielded the flaming sword.

But he's also said to be one of the angels, with Gabriel, who comforted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. Gabriel would have brought comfort, Camael fortitude and strength.

A second angel linked to the planet Mars is the Archangel Samael. He, too, tackles the hard jobs. In some accounts, it's Samael in the form of a snake who tempts Eve with the apple, and Samuel who slaughtered the first-born in Egypt during the Passover.

In his role as the "adversary," Samuel wrestles with Jacob in the desert, testing his resolve. The Jewish mystical text the Zohar quotes Samael: “my entire domination is based on killing.

And if I accept the Torah, there will no longer be wars. My rule is over the planet Maadim [Mars] that indicates spilling of blood."

The myths surrounding both Camael and Samael depict them doing what must be done, even knowing the cost may be high, or that they will be reviled for it. The Angel of Mars brings the strength to do it anyway, out of the deepest compassion and love.

When you need strength to do what is hard, or to speak out no matter the cost, or to practice some "tough love," it's the Archangel Camael (or Samuel) who is your ally. As the Archangel of Mars, asking for his assistance on Tuesday, Mars' day, on in the Mars hour is especially fortuitous.

Zadkiel, Archangel of Jupiter

Zadkiel, the Archangel of Jupiter, is one you may not have heard of before. Unlike Michael or Gabriel, his images don’t often adorn the walls of art museums or stained glass windows. But among all the planetary Angels, his name gives the most suggestive evidence that there’s a long tradition linking angels and planets.

In Hebrew, the name for the planet Jupiter is Zedek, which translates as “righteousness.” Righteousness conveys the sense that one has been “justified by God” — something that has integrity, is true, or in alignment with the cosmic pattern. One who is righteous can see clearly, and is therefore able to act with justice and mercy, as well as to reveal the truth or prophesy. These happen to be some of the oldest associations with the astrological Jupiter.

Angel names often end with the suffix –el, which simply means “of God.” There’s a tradition of appending –el to other terms to signify the angel associated with the word. Consequently, in Hebrew the angel of righteousness, or the angel of Jupiter, would be called Zedek-iel. And so the name of the order of Melchizedek translates as “my king is righteousness” or “my king is (the planet) Jupiter.”

Zedekiel, Zadkiel, or one of its various other spellings, is found mentioned in some of the earliest references to angels. The earliest Christian compilation of the seven archangels, written in the 5th Century by Pseudo-Dionysius in his Celestial Hierarchy, incudes Zadkiel among their number, as does Pope Gregory’s list from the 6th Century (spelled either Sachiel or Zachariel.)

In his 12th-Century writings, the great Spanish-Arabic scholar and scientist Averroës (Ibn Rushd) named Zadkiel/Sachiel the archangel of Jupiter, a tradition that was copied by authors in later Medieval and Renaissance magic and angelology.

As an angel of mercy, some Talmudic texts claim that Zadkiel is the unnamed angel who stays Abraham’s hand, preventing him from sacrificing his son Isaac. Because of this Zadkiel is sometimes shown holding a dagger.

Given his association with Jupiter, it’s not uncommon for New Age authors to associate Sachiel with rituals of abundance and prosperity. The Archangel Zadkiel brings abundance and prosperity when we are acting with justice, fairness, and generosity ourselves. He teaches that when we are in right relationship with the cosmic order, our needs will be met.

Or, if we have a need or a lack, as the Archangel of mercy, Zadkiel will aid us in our efforts to obtain what we seek when we ask for his assistance. Zadkiel also brings us luck, when we are doing our best, and forgiveness, when we’ve fallen short of the mark, in order to start again.

As the Archangel of Jupiter, an auspicious time to make request to aid from Zadkiel is Thursday, Jupiter’s day, or in the Jupiter hour.

Cassiel, Archangel of Saturn

Unlike other angels, Cassiel is depicted as detached from worldly affairs, more inclined to watch events unfold without interference. Medieval angelologists named Cassiel the Archangel of Saturn.

These angel-scribes knew Cassiel by many names -- including Kaziel, Cafziel, Quaphziel, Qaspiel. The Qabalistic text Sefer Raziel, pseudo-Peter d’Abano’s 13th Century Heptameron, and the scholar Averroës all list Cassiel as Saturn’s angel, as do numerous later magical texts following in their tradition.

But assignations of Saturn’s angel are by no means universal. Perhaps that’s to be expected from the Archangel of Saturn. Saturn is the faintest of the visible planets; to the ancient astrologers, he separates the world of Nature from the mysterious world of Spirit.

And, for astrologers, Saturn finds his joy in the 12th house – the so-called “house of hidden things.” Cassiel’s been called the “angel of solitude and tears,” appropriate for one who sets himself apart from others.

The classical virtue associated with the planet Saturn is sophrosyne, a complex concept evoking temperance, moderation, prudence, and self-control. In mythology, Saturn ruled over a golden age where all were possessed of such self-discipline, there was no need for laws or punishment.

And so, calling Cassiel the “angel of temperance” essentially names him the Archangel of Saturn.

The astrological Saturn’s also wrapped up with the concept of time. As the slowest moving planet, Saturn has had to do with maturity and the aging process. The Greek’s name for the planet Saturn was Kronos, the father of the god Zeus (Jupiter). But their god of time, Chronos, has such a similar pronunciation to Kronos, it’s unsurprising the two were already being conflated by the Roman era.

And hence, Cassiel became known as the “angel of time.” There’s also a deep, esoteric tradition associating time with the veil between worlds; it’s when we were entangled in Time, that Nature fell from Grace.

It’s also been said that Cassiel presides over the deaths of kings. The reference might be obscure, until you remember that it’s the Sun that represents kingship in astrology.

In the astrological metaphor, the Sun’s Zodiacal sign Leo governs the height of summer, when the norther hemisphere has the greatest light and heat. On the other hand, the Saturn- ruled signs Capricorn and Aquarius rule the darkest months of winter. The Winter Solstice marks the “death” of the Sun, or the death of kings.

But where there’s death, there’s always rebirth. And so celebrations of the Sun’s “rebirth” are often held just after midwinter, including the Christian celebration of Christmas.

When you need to step back from life’s emotional roller-coaster, or when you need self- discipline and focus to accomplish great things, invite Cassiel to come to your aid. The most auspicious time to connect with Cassiel is Saturday – Saturn’s day – or in the Saturn hour.

Epilogue

I’ve given you scholarship to consider. But in the end communing with the Planetary Angels is a mystical vision, one you must experience for yourself.

Astrology was designed to help you find the optimal times to connect to the planetary spirits. But, for the majority of our history, only the educated, affluent few had access to the tools needed to create astrological charts – maps of the sky.

Instead, they relied on the days of the week, each one named for one of the seven planets. Or they used the planetary hours. Each day was subdivided into two halves – beginning at sunrise and sunset – of 12 hours each. Each hour was assigned a planet, cycling through all seven visible planets again and again. (The days were actually named after the first planetary hour of the day, the one begun as the Sun rose.)

If you would like to investigate the planetary hours further, you can easily find a table of planetary hours from the Internet.

And, of course, there’s an app for that; I have one on my iPhone called Hours, by Sirius Lab Ltd.

About the Author

Though Donna Woodwell attended grad school to become a foreign correspondent, she had no idea how foreign she’d get. After exploring ancient and modern magical and mystical practices for more than 20 years, today she uses astrology to help folks discover – and live – their unique genius.

In addition to her private consultations, Donna’s taught astrology and esoteric studies at Kepler College and the University of Texas Informal Classes. She’s also written for major astrological websites including Astrology Hub, where she now serves as Managing Editor.

Currently, Donna's penning a book about the modern-day applications of astral theurgy, how to work with celestial intelligences to enhance your life.

She can be reached at her website donnaphilosophica.com.