ANGELS ARE EVERYWHERE

By Patrick Wanis

© 2003 WOW Media

www.patrickwanis.com 2 BOOKS & CDs BY PATRICK WANIS (Click on link to go to website)

M Get What You Want! M Get What You Want! -audio book

M Get The Man You WANT! -audio book

M The New Science of Persuasion…for men only -audio book

M The Art of Persuasion -coming soon

M What A Woman Wants –And how to give it to her M How To Connect With A Woman -Via her Astrological Sign

M -Are Everywhere M Encounters M Angels – Angel History, Encounters & How to Contact Angels M Soul Mates

www.patrickwanis.com 2 M Soul Mates –Find Your Perfect Match Now

M Finding God

M How to Find Happiness

M How to Get Over It –Breakups, Betrayals & Rejection audio book M How to Get Over It –Breakups, Betrayals & Rejection Volume II -Ebook and workbook

M Are You Psychic? -How to Tap into The Hidden Powers of Your Mind M Hypnosis & The Science of Seduction M How to Hypnotize Anyone

M Hypnosis CDs: -Be Happy, Rich & Wealthy -Feel Good About Yourself -Sleep Deeply -Relax Now -Quit Smoking -Weight Loss -Self-Confidence

www.patrickwanis.com 3 CONTENTS

Angels All Around Us 6

How Angels Appear 16

Angels And Saints 27

Angels At Work In Your Life 34

The Roles Angels Play 39

Angels In Human Form 44

Ask And You Shall Receive 52

How To Contact Angels 61

The Message That Angels Bring 68

About The Author 77

by Patrick Wanis www.patrickwanis.com

www.patrickwanis.com 5

ANGELS ALL AROUND US

www.patrickwanis.com 6 Angels are messengers from God. Angels are at work in all areas of our lives, and we often encounter them without even knowing it. We may have a near-death experience or encounter a miracle, a sign or a message they send us in visions or dream.

While there are many different kinds of angels, they fall into two categories: spirit creatures and humans who act as angels.

Angels are here to help us - but few people recognize them and even fewer know how to invite angels into their lives.

In this book, I explain how awareness of angels can help us find greater peace of mind, comfort, security, happiness and love. You'll learn how to recognize angels and to call on them for help.

RECOGNIZING ANGELS

In the 1996 movie , John Travolta plays the role of the

www.patrickwanis.com 7 Michael. In the film, two tabloid reporters set out from Chicago for rural Iowa to investigate the alleged sighting of an angel.

Michael's not the type of angel they're expecting - he has no halo, no long white flowing robe and no glowing light or aura. What's more, Michael isn't the least bit pure or saintly - he's unshaven, and slightly haggard. He smokes, drinks, chases women, dances, cusses and eats like a slob. What convinces the reporters that this man might be an angel are his feathery wings.

During a cross-country road trip with Michael, the reporters (played by William Hurt and Robert Pastorelli) and an angel expert (Andie Macdowell) rediscover love and life.

Many were offended by the portrayal of Michael as a less-than-perfect being, but the film's message is one of love, acceptance and forgiveness. The moral of the story is that you can't always

www.patrickwanis.com 8 recognize angels by their appearance.

ANGELS IN DAILY LIFE

Almost all of us can name at least one person that we consider an angel - a kind and lovable person, someone who has come to our rescue in time of need or inspired us. For me, that person was Traci.

Our meeting was pure chance - or was it? It was a hot summer day. A friend and I were walking along the pier and stopped at a restaurant to escape the heat, but we were refused entry because I wasn't wearing a shirt. Instead, we dined outside, where my friend started talking to a waitress - Traci.

Traci was a charming yet feisty individual, and somehow I knew this was an extremely significant encounter for me. Ultimately, Traci inspired me to be a better person and to express more of my spiritual nature.

www.patrickwanis.com 9 Within the first few days of our meeting, I felt compelled to play her songs from the CD Deepak & Friends - A gift of love. The CD contains music inspired by the love poems of the 13th century poet and mystic Rumi. Celebrities such as Madonna, Demi Moore, Goldie Hawn and Martin Sheen read the poems. Rumi believed that love is the way to God.

Traci brought out things in me that I didn't even know existed. On one occasion, I found myself playing to her my favorite version of the most popular hymn in the English language and probably the most powerful spiritual song ever written - Amazing Grace. Some people believe that an angel inspired John Newton to write it.

AMAZING GRACE

On the night of March 9, 1748, John Newton, captain of a ship in the slave trade, was awakened by a violent storm. The ship was quickly filling with water,

www.patrickwanis.com 10 and within a few minutes, the entire ship was a wreck. Almost resigned to his fate, Newton said, "If this will not do, the Lord have mercy on us!"

Then Newton was startled by what he had just said and questioned now, "What mercy can there be for me?" By his own admission, John Newton was an arrogant wretch, a slave trader. He wondered how it might be possible for anyone to forgive him.

Newton survived that storm he called his "great deliverance" but went on to experience further strong winds over the next four weeks. Later, he marveled at how he was chosen by God to be saved from the winds and storms. Newton was touched deeply because God opened his eyes that he might see and understand the many wrongs he had committed in his life.

Newton did not immediately end his participation in the slave trade but he realized that the slaves themselves were also made in God's image, and he began

www.patrickwanis.com 11 regular prayer and preaching to them. Later, Newton admitted his blindness when he wrote, "During the time I was engaged in the slave trade, I never had the least scruple to its lawfulness."

Newton regarded the storm and his deliverance as a day of humiliation. He subjected his will to a higher power and went on to write that famous hymn:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found Was blind, but now I see.

It was appropriate that I played this song for Traci, the only person in my life who was able to humble and inspire me, and later teach me one of the most important lessons in my life.

HEAVENLY MESSENGERS

The word angel comes from the Greek word "angelos" which means

www.patrickwanis.com 12 messengers.

Angels in the strict definition are celestial beings that were never human. They mediate between heaven and earth, between God and man, ministering over all living things, carrying out God's will. Angels are mentioned in almost all religions, cultures and mythologies, particularly in , , and Zoroastrianism.

Throughout history, people have been fascinated by the concept of angels. As a result, there are many varying and conflicting definitions of angels, their appearance, powers, hierarchy and names. Some say angels appear in human form. Others believe they appear as creatures of pure energy - fiery, brilliant light. Many believe angels - both the good and evil (fallen) varieties - can take human form to help or tempt humankind.

www.patrickwanis.com 13 THE ANGELIC HIERARCHY

There are nine orders in medieval Christian angelology - the study and doctrines of angels. From the highest to the lowest in rank, the orders are: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, and angels.

The 19th century British philosopher Francis Barrett listed each angel responsible for the movements of the planets throughout the heavens:

Sun Michael Moon Mercury Venus Anael Mars Jupiter Saturn Cassiel

According to metaphysical teacher, lecturer and author Ted Andrews, each Archangel has a particular focus:

www.patrickwanis.com 14 • Raphael is the healing archangel.

• Gabriel is the archangel of hope, light and love.

• Michael is the archangel of protection and balance.

• Auriel (also known as ) is the archangel of alchemy and vision.

There is one thing that most people agree on regarding angels - they are God's messengers who intervene occasionally to help us, particularly when we are at a crossroads in our life.

JK

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HOW ANGELS APPEAR TO US

www.patrickwanis.com 16 Angels can show up in our lives in many different forms, including signs, miracles, near-death experiences, dreams, visions, thoughts and voices.

AS PHANTOM SPIRITS

Charles Lindbergh became an American hero at age 25 after making the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris in 1927. Almost 26 years later in 1953, Lindbergh revealed the mysterious and mystical help he had received when he wrote about the amazing things he encountered during his flight.

Lindbergh claimed that spirit creatures advised him on his flight, discussed problems with his navigation, reassured him and gave him important messages that he believed were "unattainable in ordinary life." In human form

In the 1996 movie The Preacher's Wife - a remake of the 1947 classic The Bishop's

www.patrickwanis.com 17 Wife - the workaholic Reverend Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) finds his personal and professional life challenged. His church is under threat from a property developer and his marriage is in jeopardy because he is neglecting his wife Julia (Whitney Houston). The Reverend has lost his belief in his own power to make a difference and prays for help. His prayer is answered when an angel (Denzel Washington) appears. The Reverend is skeptical about the validity of the handsome, charismatic, well- dressed, smooth-talking angel.

IN VISIONS

I clearly recall an extraordinary event that occurred just a few months after Traci and I had met. She lived in another state. It was a warm sunny morning - typical Florida. I was driving along Interstate 4 on my way to the beach, one of my favorite pastimes - a way that I often to use to connect with God and nature. I felt the warm glow of the sun streaming through the driver's

www.patrickwanis.com 18 window and tingling my arm. The sky was clear and the sun was bright. There was peace and quiet in my car.

The thought of Traci came to my mind. I sensed this joy. Suddenly I had a vision, this flash. It wasn't a voice, just a thought and a sensation. It became clear to me that she and I were meant to be working on some humanitarian project together. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and in hers.

Unfortunately I didn't listen to this message. Instead I followed my fear, thinking what a stupid thought that was. I thought to myself, "How can I tell Traci when she will probably just think I am an idiot?" But the message was to have a powerful meaning and would return to show me the way and change my life.

IN DREAMS

My dear friend Melissa tells an extraordinary story that illustrates how

www.patrickwanis.com 19 angels appear to us in dreams:

"My neighbor was a very close and supportive friend to my father for many years, she says. "Following my father's death, I wanted to thank my neighbor for his friendship but, like so many things in life, I put it off.

"One night, I dreamt that my neighbor was sitting in an illuminated silver wheelchair in the center of a room. The room was surrounded in white light. The light was so bright and intense that you could barely see the walls. He was dressed all in white, and light emanated from him. He sat there in silence.

"I walked into the room and sat at the front of his wheelchair. I rested my head on his leg just as a small child would do.

"He continued to sit in silence, stroking my hair. I looked up at him, and I told him, 'Thank you for being such a good friend to my father.' He touched my hair one last time and I woke up. It was a

www.patrickwanis.com 20 little after four in the morning.

"Later that morning, my mother called me to tell me that our friend and neighbor - the same man I had dreamt about - had died, and that it had happened around 4 am.

"I will always be grateful for the blessing that I received that night because I was given the opportunity to make peace by telling him something that I had never gotten around to doing before," concludes Melissa.

* * *

Another friend of mine, Mandy, lost her father when she was just 20 years old. Six months later, Mandy was living in what was once a church and is now converted into two apartments.

One night, she had a dream that she was sleeping on the sofa. In the dream, she woke up to see a toaster on the desk in the living room. Two slices of bread

www.patrickwanis.com 21 slowly descended into the toaster, and when the bread was toasted, the slices slowly came up.

Then a woman in a long white gown walked through the wall and startled her. Mandy asked the mysterious woman, "Who are you and what are you doing?" The woman replied, "Don't worry. Your father sent me to look after you."

That was the end of the dream, which Mandy described as odd yet peaceful.

I interpret the toaster as representing the time we spend here on earth. Just like the bread, we descend onto the earthly plane, and when our time is up, we ascend once again. When we depart, we can leave behind a feeling of warmth for those that have come in contact with us. I also believe that the toaster was in the living room because that is usually where the family gathers.

More than 15 years after that dream, Mandy says she has always felt that there has been someone watching and looking

www.patrickwanis.com 22 after her.

IN MIRACLES

One of the advantages of performing as a stage hypnotist is that it has given me the opportunity to see the world. One of my all-time favorite places is Cozumel, Mexico's largest island. Cozumel is world renowned for its subtropical climate, white sandy beaches and the astonishing clarity of the multi-hued azure Caribbean Sea.

In 1961, Jacques Cousteau acknowledged Cozumel as one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas in the world, and today it's a famous international tourist destination. Cozumel features dazzling coral reefs and a variety of abundant tropical fish.

One afternoon, I went diving. I was with a small group exploring the famous Palancar Reef. The resort's dive photographer was with me, and we went away from the group for a moment to

www.patrickwanis.com 23 explore small caves where we saw sleeping sharks. He swam to the other side of the cave to take a photo of me from that end. It was truly spectacular.

Some time passed and we looked around. I was shocked to see we were all alone and the group had already gone. We decided to surface. We began the ascent when all of a sudden I realized I was out of air. I had not been keeping an eye on my air gauge. Waving my hands like mad, I tried to tell him I was out of air. He just calmly looked at me, then handed me his breathing apparatus. My panic subsided and we made it safely to the surface as I breathed from his tank.

When we got back, he begged me not to tell anyone what happened because he was not carrying a second breathing apparatus known as an octopus. If anyone found out, he would be in serious trouble because it's a major diving no-no not to have an octopus. I was so grateful that he saved my life I didn't care about how many octopi he had. I truly believe there was a guardian

www.patrickwanis.com 24 angel watching over the both of us.

It was truly amazing to realize just how fragile and sacred life is. This near- death-experience gave me the opportunity to gain a sense of appreciation for life.

AS VOICES AND IN THOUGHTS

In the years that I have been a hypnotherapist for clients, I have always been guided to know what to say. I believe the guidance and wisdom come from something much greater than myself. Although there are some basic techniques and principles in hypnotherapy, I never use the exact same techniques with any two clients, and my response is never predetermined. It just comes to me. I receive thoughts without thinking about them. I allow them to flow.

This is how angels operate. They show you the way but do not do the work for

www.patrickwanis.com 25 you.

If you ask for help from God and the angels, you will receive it. It may not come the way you expect it. God uses and works through each and every one of us if we allow it. Simply be aware that the answer to your call, prayer or plea may not be a mystical occurrence or encounter as experienced by the saints. It often comes in the form of ordinary people and everyday occurrences.

JK

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ANGELS AND SAINTS

www.patrickwanis.com 27 Saints are holy people who lived extraordinary lives. It is said that saints respond to God's invitation to use their unique gifts - mystical experiences, discernment, healing powers, visions, dreams, apparitions, voices and miracles.

Saint Theresa of Avila, Spain (1515 - 1582 A.D.), was one of the great mystics. She wrote many books on prayer and the Pope bestowed on her the title Doctor of the Church - she was the first woman to be granted such an honor.

In her childhood, many people thought she was crazy because she had mystical visions and intimate communications with God and Christ. She experienced raptures and even levitated. Eventually others recognized her unique experiences as genuine, mystical gifts from God.

Saint Theresa also had many experiences and visits by angels. Her greatest, most controversial experience with an angel occurred in 1559 when

www.patrickwanis.com 28 she was 44 years old.

She witnessed an angel in physical form and described him as of average height, beautiful and with his face aflame. In his hand he held a golden spear with its iron point on fire. The angel began to pierce her heart deeply several times, and when he pulled the arrow out, she moaned with pain - intense spiritual pain that Saint Theresa said left her "utterly consumed with the great love of God."

ANGELS OR HALLUCINATIONS?

Saint Theresa of Avila said she saw angels in both spirit form and physical form. Other people have reported angels as appearing in many different shapes and forms, from fire and bright lights to ghost-like apparitions and deceased relatives. So how can we distinguish between angel experiences and hallucinations or wishful thinking?

www.patrickwanis.com 29 Hallucinations are abnormal sensory perceptions that occur while we are awake and fully conscious. Common hallucinations include hearing voices when no one has spoken, seeing patterns, lights, halos around lights, creatures or objects, or experiencing intense feelings like the frantic endless itching of the skin due to the sensation of bugs crawling on top of or under the skin.

There are numerous medical causes of hallucinations such as delirium, dementia, fever, infection, alcohol and drug intoxication or withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. Severe illnesses including liver failure, kidney failure and brain cancer are also believed responsible for hallucinations. Some psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia, psychotic depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, are also believed to cause hallucinations. Often a recent death or traumatic emotional event may trigger hallucinatory experiences. People who are hallucinating may become agitated,

www.patrickwanis.com 30 paranoid, frightened and confused. They can also experience fever, headache or vomiting.

* * *

When I was 15, I had a bike accident that required an emergency operation. I was in surgery for more than four hours. I was heavily medicated and slept for hours, often not knowing whether I was asleep or awake. Sometimes I'd see and hear people in the hospital room when they weren't there at all.

Each day, the nurse came in to change the sheets on my bed. I got out of the bed and stood up while she changed the sheets. I would be tired and dizzy from standing and waiting. Then the nurse would come back in a few minutes later and ask me to stand up while she made the bed - again! I had hallucinated her first visit!

It was never clear whether my hallucinations were the result of the medication, the emotional trauma of the

www.patrickwanis.com 31 accident and the surgery or a combination of both.

It is believed that in some cases, having a hallucination of hearing or briefly seeing a loved one who has recently died can be a part of the grieving process. That, however, doesn't rule out the possibility that it is an actual experience and not a hallucination.

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

So what is the difference between a hallucination and a true angel experience?

Because angels are from God - divine creatures acting as intermediaries between heaven and earth - their effect on us will be completely different from the experience of hallucinations. Unlike hallucinations, which often result in fear, panic and confusion, angels deliver a peaceful, calming message.

www.patrickwanis.com 32 After an experience with an angel, you will feel humbled, aware of just how small you are in the realm of the universe and God - yet you will feel overwhelming love and peace. You will have a sense of comfort, reassurance, security and protection. You will sense the power of God and realize that you are not alone and that there is a Divine plan. You will experience a sense of gratitude, a greater appreciation and love for life and all living things. There may also be an overwhelming sense of joy and elation, of freedom, hope and a loss of the fear of death.

JK

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ANGELS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE

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GUARDIAN ANGELS

The 1946 movie It's a Wonderful Life has become a traditional family favorite at Christmastime. George Bailey (played by James Stewart) battles against all odds to keep his small hometown alive, ignoring his own dreams and aspirations of travel and adventure. Having no idea what a difference he has made in so many people's lives, and feeling low, hopeless and overwhelmed by life's challenges, George attempts suicide on Christmas Eve. But an angel intervenes and saves him.

The angel is Clarence Oddbody (played by Henry Travers) a sweet, endearing 70-year-old man who is trying to earn his wings. Clarence tells George that he is his and knows everything about him. George cries out that he wishes he had never been born, and in that instant Clarence shows him a vision of what his town and its people would have been like if he had never been born. It's a horrific vision of despair and

www.patrickwanis.com 35 emptiness. Because of the experience, George learns that his life has been worthwhile, that he is dearly loved and that "no man is a failure who has friends."

Each of us has a guardian angel who knows everything about us. It is believed that the guardian angel is with us from birth to death. This angel guards us, protects us and offers us companionship and guidance.

John Newton was delivered from death on many occasions. Before the age of 12, he was thrown from a horse and almost landed on a sharp branch that would have killed him. On another occasion in his teens, he and some friends were due to go aboard a ship. Newton arrived late and the others left without him in a small boat, which was to ferry them to the ship. The boat capsized and his friends drowned. Was it his guardian angel at work?

* * *

www.patrickwanis.com 36 One time, Traci told me of a poster that reads, "All I need to know... I learned from my guardian angel" and "an angel believes in you!" Traci then shocked me by saying she thought I might be her guardian angel because I encouraged her, advised her and reminded her of her great potential. Although I was deeply flattered by her comment that I might be an angel in her life, events were to unfold later that were to completely reverse our roles.

Many of us have experienced the feeling that our best friend, a family member or someone close to us is our guardian angel - someone we admire and feel we can fully trust and open up to. However, the strict definition of a guardian angel is a spirit creature - not a human being.

Our personal guardian angel inspires and influences us, guiding us in the direction of good and God-like thoughts and actions. A guardian angel also delivers our prayers to God, keeps us out of harm's reach and teaches us to praise

www.patrickwanis.com 37 God and do His will.

SPIRIT GUIDES

Spirit guides or helpers are different from angels, but spirit guides play a similar role to guardian angels, offering protection, advice and inspiration. Spirit guides are believed to be spirits of deceased relatives or friends who have lived many lifetimes and have gained wisdom. Some people believe that you choose these spirit guides before you are born.

JK

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THE ROLES ANGELS PLAY

www.patrickwanis.com 39 Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a celebrated German poet. Rainer believed that real life exists only within. His famous Duino Elegies is a series of poems recognized as one of the 20th century's great art works.

The poems represent Rainer's individual struggle to answer the questions "What are we?" and "What it does mean to be human?" Rilke's poems reflect the human longing to go beyond normal human existence and experience. Angels play a major role as unifying symbols and enlightenment throughout his poems. Indeed, many people attributed Rilke's visionary and artistic creations to the work of angels.

What also marked the Duino Elegies was Rilke's perception of angels and the roles that he believed they play in our lives.

EARTH'S GUARDIAN ANGELS

The 1987 German movie presents angels in a light similar to

www.patrickwanis.com 40 Rainer Maria Rilke's concepts. The angels in Wings of Desire can almost be termed earth's guardian angels. They are like God's eyes and ears, watching earth and humans since the beginning. They observe, record, compare notes, comfort, offer hope and sympathize - but not in the way we would expect.

These angels are men and women who dress in dark sweaters, slacks and long overcoats. They do not directly intervene in human affairs. We see them standing in high places looking down, contemplating the human condition. In one scene, we see an angel descend to comfort a car accident victim. In another scene an angel touches the shoulder of a young man contemplating suicide. But these angels are only spectators, and they are not here to change us. We still have free will - and the suicidal man in the film goes ahead and takes his life.

Wings of Desire is a powerful and thought- provoking movie. Some say it is life- changing because it asks "the big

www.patrickwanis.com 41 questions" - "Why am I me and not you? Why am I here and why not there? When did time begin and where does space end?" Yet the greatest feeling one has at the end of the movie is that of hope - hope amid all the human struggles we face. Hope is one of the most meaningful messages any angel can bring.

ANGELS TO THE RESCUE

Most of us believe that angels do intervene in our lives - especially when we are in dire circumstances. Karen, the mother of a dear friend tells a powerful and moving story that happened recently.

"I am allergic to all sulfa drugs," explains Karen. "I came down with an infection and turned to my doctor for help. The doctor prescribed some medication for me but never checked to ensure that the drug did not contain sulfa.

www.patrickwanis.com 42 "Upon arriving home, I took one of the tablets. It was a generic drug and didn't list all of its contents. The drug contained sulfa. In a moment, I collapsed in the bathroom. My heart stopped. I was having an anaphylactic attack.

"As I lay curled on the floor, I instantly sensed warmth, and all my fear was gone. I felt as if I was being embraced and enveloped by love and heard a voice internally telling me, 'You will be all right.' Suddenly, everything went black, and I became unconscious.

Karen did survive. She lay there for a day and a half before becoming conscious, and after a week made a full recovery. Karen says she knows it was her guardian angel that helped her through the ordeal.

JK

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ANGELS IN HUMAN FORM

www.patrickwanis.com 44 There are two types of angels in human form:

• Friends and people in your life who are angelic in nature • The "Mysterious Stranger" - the spirit angel that takes a human form and intervenes to help or rescue you in a time of need and then suddenly and inexplicably vanishes

HUMAN ANGELS

We all seek fulfillment and purpose in our lives. Those who find it are blessed and invariably say that they find it in serving others.

Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a social activist known as the "grand old lady of pacifism." Many people, particularly the poor she served, considered her an angel. Ironically, Dorothy treated everyone as if they were the angels, regardless of their socio-economic status

www.patrickwanis.com 45 or religious beliefs.

Dorothy led a less than virtuous life in the 1920s - she had a series of lovers, became pregnant and had a marriage that only lasted a year - but she was a seeker of truth. She found it in her service to the less fortunate. She underwent a spiritual transformation that changed her life forever and impacted the life of many others. She opened the House of Hospitality in the slums of New York, housing the homeless, feeding the hungry and comforting the poor.

There are many examples throughout history of people who in serving, helping, unselfishly tending to the needs of others and delivering the Divine message could be referred to as angels.

* * *

An extraordinary friend of mine, Sonya, helped and fed me at a time when I was desperate. She did it in such a humble way that I was always able to retain my

www.patrickwanis.com 46 dignity and laugh as we gathered to share meals and play with her dog Zim.

* * *

My relationship with another woman, Stephany, brought up a lot of unresolved issues, including anger toward my father. Her presence was a blessing and continues to be a blessing in my life these many years later. I know God put her in my life. She was a messenger, an angel, and an inspiration for me.

However, one of the lessons she offered me I didn't learn –having high expectations of others- and God will keep presenting you with the lesson until you get it. And if you don't get the lesson the first time, then the next one will be even harder and more painful than the first.

As you'll see, Traci was to take up the role of teaching me that lesson.

www.patrickwanis.com 47 MYSTERIOUS STRANGERS

My dear friend Melanie tells an amazing story of her encounter with a mysterious stranger that also illustrates the point that not all angels appear to us in the way we might expect.

"I grew up in a small beach town and community next to a military base in Florida," says my friend. "I was extremely naive and I had a bad habit of being too trusting. I had a very naive false sense of security. I believed that nobody had bad intentions. Almost every night I would wander around the college campus to take late night strolls. I always loved the outdoors.

"On one occasion I had a horrible experience. Thanks to my roommate and her boyfriend who drove by just in time, I was saved. Despite this close call I didn't get the wake-up call. I still didn't learn my lesson to be more careful and cautious. Just one week later I was sitting in my car when a nice-looking guy approached the driver's window to talk

www.patrickwanis.com 48 to me.

"I was enjoying his conversation and invited him to sit in my car. We drove about half a block away to enjoy the view of the lake and the moon. Soon after, he kissed me. I thought it was innocent. How mistaken I was to think that that was all that was going to happen.

"Suddenly he began to force himself on me. I became afraid. I kept telling him to stop, but he just refused to listen.

"I was becoming more and more afraid, and I started crying. I was begging him to stop, but he started forcing himself on me in the car.

"My sobbing turned to bawling. Suddenly he stopped. He calmly sat upright and then with the sincerest sympathy and concern in his eyes he sat back and said, 'Melanie, you are lucky that it is me.'

www.patrickwanis.com 49 "I was stunned, almost numb. He proceeded to give me a big-brother type lecture telling me that I shouldn't be so naively trusting of strangers. In the most genuine and caring way possible, he warned me that something bad could happen as a result of my recklessness.

"What made it all so particularly peculiar was that he held my hand the entire time he talked and he would occasionally wipe the tears from my face.

"Now that his speech was complete, he got out of the car. He walked around to the driver's window and gave me a kiss on the forehead. He touched my face, and told me one more time to be careful from now on.

"The strangest feeling came over me. I felt so spiritually close to this person. The fear left me. I didn't feel like he was a threat any longer, the way I did when he was kissing me. I was still crying. I was overwhelmed by the whole experience, and I asked him how I could get in touch with him. I know it sounds

www.patrickwanis.com 50 silly, but I just felt the need to stay in contact with him.

"With a warm smile he lovingly said, 'Whenever you really need me, I'll be there. That's all you need to know.' He turned to walk away, and for just a moment I glanced down at my lap and then back up again. He was gone," recalls Melanie.

Angels offer us security, protection, love, guidance and healing. They deliver prayer and messages from God. Angels appear at critical times and at turning points in our lives to inspire hope and healing and to redirect us.

JK

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ASK AND YOU SHALL RECIEVE

www.patrickwanis.com 52 In the 1951 movie Angels in the Outfield (remade in 1994), a little orphan girl Bridget prays for her favorite baseball team to win. The team's manager, Paul Douglas, is a blasphemous tyrant and brawler.

Bridget's prayers are answered, and the angel Gabriel speaks with the manager telling him that if he changes his ways, then the angels will help him win the pennant. Quite amusingly, the angels put together their own team of famous players who have passed on, and soon the orphan Bridget sees angels standing alongside the team's players.

Bridget's claims create quite a stir and eventually, when Douglas breaks his agreement and returns to his old ways, the angels pull out of the deal.

Many might ask, why would the angels help a team to win a pennant when they could be helping rescue someone from a loss greater than a sporting event? Angels in the Outfield illustrates the principle "ask and ye shall receive." A little girl's

www.patrickwanis.com 53 prayers are answered in the form of angels.

We must be careful of what we pray for, and be aware that the answer may not appear as we expected.

When I met Traci, I had been praying for God to show me that I am worthy and to set me free from the past - almost all of our problems in the present occur because we are still stuck in the past. Because my prayer was quite a broad request, I had no idea how that prayer was to be answered.

RECOGNIZING ANGELS

I had just returned from a business trip in the Bahamas when I received a call from one of my brothers in Australia, telling me that my mother had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. When I spoke with my mother, she sounded strong over the phone, and my typical response was to help her find a solution

www.patrickwanis.com 54 rather than just listen and be supportive.

Traci was the first person I called, and she told me that she had just lost a family member in an accident. We both included each other's families in our daily prayers.

I had been planning a trip to Australia and had invited Traci to accompany me. Almost three months had passed, and I had not yet set a date to go - and I had not heard anything from Traci. After leaving her a harsh voice-mail message accusing her of not caring about my mother, I realized that I was actually angry with myself. I realized I had not done enough for my mother.

It was just after Christmas, and Traci e- mailed me to tell me she wanted to come and visit me. She was seeking inspiration and seemed unhappy with her present circumstances and job.

I was excited yet nervous. I began to prepare the guest room for her. I went to great lengths to make sure that the room

www.patrickwanis.com 55 would be suitable for her, almost completely redecorating it. I wanted the room and her trip to be perfect. I didn't realize that I was trying to be perfect. I was seeking her approval and validation. I was trying to overcompensate for the feeling that I was not good enough.

It was the first time we had seen each other in almost 18 months, yet when I picked her up from the airport it seemed as if we had just seen each other the day before.

The following day, though, I felt that I was not such an important part of her life. She did not open up to me and I felt left out. I wanted to be her best friend. I wanted for her to trust me. I began to feel more and more insecure. I wanted her to reassure me that she cared.

I told her that I felt she didn't care and that I wanted her to tell me why she hadn't been in contact with me for almost three months and had not returned my calls. By confronting her, I made her defensive and she responded

www.patrickwanis.com 56 with hurtful remarks.

As we were talking, I felt a physical pain in my heart. I had never felt this pain before. My insecurity turned to self-pity and I fell into the victim role. With anger, I told her things I had never told anyone else. I told her about all the people in my life who had hurt me, wronged me or not cared about me. I tried to elicit her pity for all the suffering I had gone through as a child. I told her that I had always been there for everyone else but no one had ever been there for me, and the only person who I believed truly loved me - my grandmother - had gone and died on me.

My anger and intensity only served to overwhelm Traci and push her away. Traci was too hurt to understand me when I told her that all my anger was a cry for love.

I told her I didn't want her to leave, but Traci changed her flight to return home that evening. I felt even more ashamed

www.patrickwanis.com 57 than before. I had spoiled her trip. I had hurt and criticized her. I had failed her and myself. I cried all the way in the car to the airport. She had come to me seeking a friend and I wasn't able to be that friend.

Traci refused to take my calls, and three weeks passed before I received a harsh letter from her. In it, she expressed disappointment in me, and how her visit turned out. She told me that I was not the Patrick she had expected to see and that my expectations of her had been unrealistic. Then she asked me never to contact her again.

I had never before received such a condemnatory letter. I was devastated. I feel into a deep depression. I had never experienced this before in my life. For three days, I lay in bed and couldn't move. I accepted Traci's criticisms of me as true, and felt such emptiness over the loss of our friendship and her rejection. A person I respected put a mirror in front of me, and I didn't like what I saw.

www.patrickwanis.com 58 I kept praying and asking, "What is my lesson here? What am I supposed to learn from this?"

Then the answer came to me. It was about my mother. Other than phone calls, I had done nothing for her during her time of illness. I was in denial of her illness, I was angry with her for other things - her high expectations of me and the role and responsibilities I had been forced to take on as a child.

Now I knew I could no longer put off my trip to Australia. I had to see my mother - for her and for myself. There could be no more running, no more hiding, no escaping. I had to face the past and be set free.

So was Traci an angel? Typically, my friends didn't think so. But I saw the big picture. Everything happens for a reason and there is a divine plan. I had prayed to God to show me I am worthy and to set me free from the past. Of course, I wanted that prayer answered with sugar, candy, love and winged angels. The sign

www.patrickwanis.com 59 and the message don't always show up the way we want or expect. I had to fall to the lowest possible place so that I would stop running and now begin to face the past and myself.

The only way that I could learn was from someone I deeply cared about and respected, someone who humbled and inspired me. So God sent me Traci. I was at a crossroads. My choices and attitudes thus far had resulted in isolation, unhappiness and resentment. I needed Traci to give me the message to help me change. Traci was an angel in my life because she brought a special message that would change my life.

JK

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HOW TO CONTACT ANGELS

www.patrickwanis.com 61 Ancient saints are not the only ones to relate encounters with angels - children seem to have many stories to tell. Why is that? Children are more pure than adults. They have less fear, less doubt and skepticism. They love nature and all living things. They naturally express love and know who they are. Also, kids are not yet "adulterated" by materialism and its pursuit, nor by resentments, guilt, blame or shame.

Children give us insight into how to see and connect with our angels.

Being healthy on all levels - mental, physical, emotional and spiritual - opens the pathway for you to make contact. Eating healthfully and exercising are important. So is releasing any negative emotions - fear, guilt, blame, shame and resentment. To clear the way for communication with angels, ask yourself who it is you need to forgive - and do so.

www.patrickwanis.com 62 MEDITATION

Meditation aids in physical and mental relaxation. You can also use meditation to determine whom you need to forgive and work on forgiving that person in your heart, not just your head.

While meditating, imagine a white or gold light surrounding you. You may choose to repeat internally or aloud the word "love." Say the word as you slowly breathe out.

Finally, as you feel relaxed and at peace, feeling only love, let the sound of your voice slowly fade away to silence.

Now allow your mind to be free, and begin to mentally ask whatever question you want answered. You may ask for your angel to show you a sign, to appear to you or to answer a question for you.

Then sit quietly and listen and feel the answer. It may come to you in many ways - through a thought, a vision or a

www.patrickwanis.com 63 sensation.

If you have had experience with meditation, then this exercise will be easy. If not, then be patient and practice it daily. You must first succeed in learning to meditate before you can expect to see or speak with angels.

If you have no fear and a burning desire to see your angels, then it will happen. Don't try too hard, though. Let your intention and faith guide you.

THE MENTAL PICTURE METHOD

If meditation is not your cup of tea and you still wish to communicate with angels, there is another technique you might choose - the mental picture method.

One of the most peculiar and fascinating musical albums of the 1980s is called Dancing for Mental Health by "Will Powers." This 1983 release, now out of

www.patrickwanis.com 64 print and extremely rare, was a collective project involving a large group of musicians as diverse as Sting, Bob Dylan, Todd Rundgren, the Thomson Twins and Carly Simon.

The title of the nonexistent group Will Powers was a play on words about using our willpower to achieve mental health and realize our goals. The music and lyrics featured references to various techniques, attitudes and approaches for getting more out of life.

One of the songs, All Thru History, says that since recorded time, certain individuals have emerged from the crowd - people such as Socrates, Joan of Arc, King Arthur, Helen Keller, The Beatles- "like beacons illuminating the path each man must travel, reminding us of how far a human being can go."

According to the song, to use the mental picture method, select a great personage as your constant companion, "you get to know his handicaps and how he overcame them. He becomes a secret

www.patrickwanis.com 65 source of strength and inspiration."

The song cites examples of great leaders who drew strength from great leaders who preceded them.

To see or speak with angels, you might choose Mary, the mother of Jesus, her husband Joseph, St. Theresa of Avila, or any other spiritual role model you desire.

AUTOMATIC WRITING

In his book Wisdom of the Ages, self-help author Dr. Wayne Dyer turned to the wisest and most spiritually advanced ancestral scholars for wisdom and guidance, for teachings that we can apply to our lives. Dr. Dyer says he wrote 60 essays in just 60 days on "life's greatest lessons."

Dr. Dyer's technique may be regarded as being similar to the mental picture method. He says in the opening of his book that he would look at a portrait or photograph of the teacher he was

www.patrickwanis.com 66 highlighting and ask the individual, "What would you like those of us here today to know?" Dr. Dyer says he then would listen and feel the answer.

Dyer goes on to say that he "actually felt the presence of those writers and poets" with him as he wrote each of the 60 essays in the book. Some people also call this method automatic writing. Try it.

JK

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THE MESSAGE THAT ANGELS BRING

www.patrickwanis.com 68 When I was in Houston recently performing sessions of clinical hypnotherapy for some clients, I came to a major revelation. I was visiting my friend Karen. She and I had met in the Caribbean when she and her mother Alice were on vacation. They were responsible for encouraging me to move to the United States.

Karen and her mother believed in me, particularly in my ability as a hypnotist and performer. They felt that I could make great strides by moving to this country.

Over the years that we have known each other, Karen and I have spent many a long telephone conversation discussing God and spirituality, exploring love and relationships. We became teachers for each other.

Karen says I always seem to pop up in her life whenever she is at a crossroads. I was never astute or humble enough to say the same back. I guess I view everyone in my life as a teacher and

www.patrickwanis.com 69 reach out to him or her whenever I feel the need. God will send you or direct you to the person you need if you just ask. The challenge is that we ask but don't necessarily realize that God has answered our prayer because the answer doesn't appear the way we expected.

GOD, SAVE ME!

There is a great tale about a man whose boat is on fire just near a dock. Another boat pulls up next to him, but he refuses to board. "God will save me," he says.

Then a fire truck comes speeding to the dock, but again he sends them away. "God will save me," he says.

Finally, a helicopter arrives overhead and drops a long rope ladder, and yet again, the man in dire straits says, "God will save me."

The man drowns and arrives in heaven. He points to God and asks, "Why didn't

www.patrickwanis.com 70 you save me?"

God responds, "I sent you a rescue boat. I sent you a fire truck, and then I sent you a helicopter. What kind of help were you expecting?"

So often we think we know better than God what is best for us. Remember - John Newton's eyes were opened not by an angel with a halo but by a violent storm. This was the angel speaking to Newton to change his ways and offering him God's gift - amazing grace.

MESSAGE FROM AN ANGEL

Karen and I were sitting down in her house playing with - and enjoying the company of - one of her beautiful daughters, Skylar. This warm fall evening in Houston, Karen was turning to me for guidance, feeling that the challenges in her life might be the result of her not doing enough, maybe not being good enough. Karen has extremely high expectations, often

www.patrickwanis.com 71 demanding perfection of herself.

Karen humbled me as she sat there taking notes on what I was saying, when all of a sudden I said something that I know was inspired, and, deserved to be written down as well.

I said to her, "Every lesson that comes to us is not to affirm our badness - but to affirm our goodness."

I believe that this message –this revelation -was whispered to me by an angel.

Even when we do something wrong - if we hurt someone, make a mistake, a major error in judgment - our lesson is not to condemn ourselves for being human, for being imperfect. The opposite is true. The lesson is given to us so that we may learn to forgive - to forgive others and ourselves, and in turn, to realize who we really are and what our true essence is.

www.patrickwanis.com 72 THE LESSON

As a result of my experience with Traci, and despite the anxiety and resistance on my part, I made the trip to Australia to face my family, forgive them and love and accept them for who they are.

It proved to be such a healing time, not just for me but also for many of my family members. This was the first step towards healing my relationships with my family.

It was not easy. In fact, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and yet it was so rewarding.

I was able to get close to all of my family and for the first time be a real person and a brother instead of a role-player - healer, mentor and advisor. With my elder brother, I was able to bring about healing when, for the first time in my life, I showed him my vulnerability and humanness by crying and sharing with him my pain about my childhood. This was particularly freeing for him because

www.patrickwanis.com 73 he always felt that I had been the favored one and he the black sheep of the family.

When I finally sat down with my mother to speak with her, I remembered so clearly what happened between Traci and me, and therefore, I did not bring up any of my issues. I did not criticize my mother.

Without any anger or resentment I spoke as a warm friend and counselor. I spoke of the dynamics in our family, her relationship with my father and my brothers, her disappointments and her successes. I listened and I didn't judge nor condemn.

At the end of our talk, she cried and thanked me for listening to her. I realized for the first time just how fragile and sensitive she is.

I gently told my mother that she expects so much of her sons, other people and herself that no one - including her - could live up to those standards and

www.patrickwanis.com 74 expectations. This always sets her up for disappointment.

Suddenly, as I was speaking those words, I realized from where I learned to say those words - from Traci. She had taught me that lesson when she told me the very same thing about myself.

It is said that the measure of a healthy personality is the extent to which you can find good in everything that happens to you. In looking for that good, you will also find angels at work.

Look how much good came from what I thought to be such a horrible experience. I was amazed how much my angel, Traci had taught me in such a short time - forgiveness, love and acceptance of self and others. She helped me to heal my relationship with my family, and as a result of that vision that I had on Interstate 4, I knew this was what I was meant to be doing - serving and helping others, making a difference in their lives. And I expect one day to heal my relationship with Traci as well.

www.patrickwanis.com 75 And just as Dorothy Day and so many others like her have demonstrated, the greatest sense of fulfillment and satisfaction comes from serving others, never knowing if maybe one of them among you is an angel.

And I believe the message that every angel brings to you is the message of love and forgiveness. I believe our lesson in life on this earth is to learn to love and accept ourselves so that we may love others the same way. Our very essence is love. The apostle Paul wrote, "You are a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you."

The angels, in whatever form they may appear or speak to you, will give you a message of love. And in that message, you will learn the language of angels - the expression of joy and hope, helping you to see your inner light and to find happiness.

JK

www.patrickwanis.com 76 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Australia, Patrick Wanis is a life-coach and an expert in human behavior and relationships. He is an international speaker, clinical hypnotherapist, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming practitioner with degrees in communication, human behavior and journalism. He has appeared on television and radio and teaches around the world. Wanis has coached and worked with various celebrities such as Hulk Hogan. Wanis’ books have been read by more than four million people in English and Spanish: Click here. Visit him at www.patrickwanis.com

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