(Suggestions for a title welcome.)

SJ attended the local spiritualist church on the Friday night as usual for her open circle session. It all started normally with chat with the other mediums etc. The clock finally struck nine and all the doors were locked as usual. Once started there was no escape from the circle. SJ liked that though, it gave her a sense of security, hey nothing going out means nothing coming in right? Well the prayers were said, and the music started and everyone had gone into their deeper meditation, supposedly working with their spirit guides, helpers, gate keepers etc, for their individual path work before gathering the messages from spirit for their fellow mediums. After all the open circle is for the development of mediums.

SJ was calm and peaceful meditating as usual and finally decided to call for her guide to come closer. Suddenly she felt strange, like the ground was falling from under her. As she had learnt many times before it is best to keep relaxed and your eyes closed, and just request that it all stop. Calming the sensation of nausea that comes with a sudden fall, she mentally looked around her,...All she could see was black, there was no ground, no where to stand. Determinedly stifling the panic that was swelling within her heart she shouted in her head as loud as she could for it all to stop. Suddenly she felt her self land in some kind of thick viney plant. The vines started to wrap around her and pull her deeper within. Again she shouted for it all to stop, this time there was no abate in this seemingly mental torture. So she changed her demand. She shouted " by the power given me by the way of the light I demand you to stop this instant!" stunned by the air of authority and conviction she felt within her self SJ watched as all the vines vanished to nothing and she again felt herself sitting within the open circle. Breathing slightly rapidly she peeked through half closed eyes to confirm her position. All seemed well with those around her , so she calmed and closed her eyes again, determined to get through this time. Again she called for her guide, then again she felt herself falling. SJ couldn't believe this, once was bad enough but twice in a row was just too much to bare. Without even thinking she felt her mouth open and heard her voice calling words she would never have dreamed of her self saying "Angels of Love and Light, aid me, remove this being of darkness from my energy and set me free!"
with the same suddenness of which it began she found herself lying on a sunny warm beach and a calm see around her.

SJ slowly stood up shading her eyes from the bright sun whilst she adjusted to her new surroundings. Nearby she heard a voice, though she didn't hear it in the normal way people hear things, through their ears, it was simply in her head, as though someone was talking within her. She spun around searching for the source to defy her logical reason, to proof she wasn't going mad, that there must be a source for this voice. There, on her left she saw a tall person with long wavy hair, she couldn't tell if it was a man or woman. They were wearing a long floor length shift, which reminded her of the pictures of Jesus walking through the streets greeting his followers. Again the voice came, "Azriel, you called and I came. " Puzzled SJ just looked at the person before her. There was a faint glow of white and gold around them. They took a step towards her, SJ could now see the expression upon his face, she assumed this person was a male, they had some very male like features, though at the same time seemed very feminine. She justified to her self that she had to assign them some gender as she couldn't keep referring to them as an 'it' or 'them' etc, and so settled on male. Seeming to sense her confusion the voice spoke again, "You don't recognize me at all do you Azriel?" SJ answered in her thoughts, "No I don't" this made her feel guilty and humble, but she didn't wish to examine her emotions at the moment, not in front of a stranger and in an unknown place. "We guessed this may happen , though we had hoped you would remember some of the reason for your being on earth and your roots" he looked pained as this thought entered her mind. "I am Michael, you as you have rightly guessed; are whom I call Azriel. I call you Azriel as that is your true name. I was your closest friend and partner until you were assigned this mission, and I vowed that I would help with all you face whilst you complete your path. Come take my hand and I will take you home to explain all this." SJ was reluctant at all this, to take his hand, not knowing exactly what he was (oh she had guessed that he was an angel but without knowing for sure it wasn't just a malicious entity impersonating an angel she couldn't be sure) could be suicide. She was vulnerable in her present state and by going willingly to anyplace she could be forfeiting her life. Seeing her hesitance Michael soothed her with calming thoughts, he explained that he would bring her back and that by making that promise he was bound by the rules of spirit. He repeated the promise three times. SJ knew this was the only sound way of knowing that he was bound, and slowly took his hand. The second their fingers were clasped they flew smoothly into the air. SJ could see the ground disappearing below her as they passed through the clouds, and lowered again onto lush green grass. A feeling of peace and tranquility washed over her as she took stock of her new surroundings. It was like a large park with paths leading through large swathes lush dark green grass, and gardens rich with almost every plant imaginable. Children where running around playing happily with others, couples both old and young wondered hand in hand oblivious to the mass of children running in front of them, people sat on benches reading, others flew kites, It was the happiest scene SJ could possibly have imagined; And there in the centre of it all was a large building, with no exterior fences or walls, and yet no one seemed to notice it, not a single person wandered within the invisible boundary. Still holding her hand Michael guided SJ along the path and into the grounds of the impressive but understated castle. Not a soul noticed them pass. They approached the large double fronted old oak style doors and they opened as though by magic to reveal within a bright marbled floor and great pillars. Walking through the doors they entered a large spacious hall containing nothing but the marble floors and pillars, a grand staircase of the same delightful marble and a single portait on the wall. Micheal didn't wait for her awe to subside or to answer her questions, he simply rushed her through to the staircase and guided her gently up the wide winding succession of steps.

At the top of the stairs Michael told SJ to wait for him, he disappeared down a small side corridor to her right and left her to gaze at the 12 portaits on the wall. Each was a portait of a being that had similar features to Michael. They all had long flowing hair, of various colours and shades, eyes that seemed to sparkle from the the paint from which they had been placed onto the canvas. These were beautiful, magnificent creatures, of that SJ could not deny, from the corridor SJ heard raised voices. There were some people arguing. Guiltily she listened a little closer to the voices:

"It is too soon to bring her here, she does not yet have the understanding to see the mission through"
"You will scare and confuse her to the point of being useless"
"Actually no I think it is possibly just the jolt she needed, If we are very careful we may just be able to help her see this through yet. How else could she have been safely awakened?"
"she would have awakened herself gradually, this will be too great a shock!"
"Well she's here now so I guess we'll just have to explain as best we can and minimize the damage."
"Bring her in Michael"

SJ didn't know what to make of this. She felt again very nervous, and apprehensive when Michael appeared at the doorway and gently called her to him, but he did not wait for her to say anything he again rushed her through , they walked quickly for some way down the corridor until at last they came to a smaller room to they're left, where she was ushered in.

The room was small but bright, and very bare. There was nothing but the four walls, floor and a very large window overlooking the garden. Inside were 6 very tall people, all had the same glow about them as Michael. SJ recognized the people by their portraits on the wall outside, but did not know they're names. The one standing closest to the window had dark curls cascading to his shoulders and eyes so blue you could drown in them, he spoke to SJ first:
"Please excuse Michaels haste in bringing you here, you see he's just so excited at seeing you again after such a long time, we all are. It is a wonder indeed that you have taken so long to return to us though, we expected you to reawaken much sooner than this."
The angel (for SJ now had no doubt that this was what this beings are) on the furthest side now took over;
"You're still confused though Azriel, you still have no recollection of any of us or this place, ....your home, and you still neglect to use your true form here"
SJ couldn't stifle her response and shock at this, with all that she had seen she was in a state of awe and filled with questions to the point of bursting,
"true form, what do you mean?"
To this Michael replied
"your true form is like ours, you see you are one of us, you are an angel too"
SJ could no longer believe what she was hearing, she didn't want to be an angel, the responsibilities such a position holds are just too enormous. She started to rebel against all of it, started to convince herself it was all just a dream and that she must wake up.
Michael continued,
"Please Azriel, do not fight this, please stay calm and let us explain."
The first angel, the one by the window spoke again, though more to the others than SJ,
"Bring in the mirror, you will not be able to explain any more of this until she sees for herself, and do it quickly before she damages her mind beyond your help."

SJ didn't see the movement of those around her or the mirror being placed in front of her, she was absorbed by her own thoughts, attempting to sort out the confusion of them all.
an unknown voice boomed in her head, it sounded slightly panicked though seemed to be attempting to calm her, it worked, it brought her back to the situation about her.
"look in the mirror, look at yourself, you see you are still as you were when you left you body at the circle."
SJ looked and calmed a little at seeing her own reflection staring back at her.
"Now relax your mind, forget the image of yourself, push it far back into your mind and allow your spirit to flex and choose it's natural shape."
SJ done as she was told. It took all her will to try and push her self image from her consciousness but she did it. Slowly she felt her body relax and tingle, the feeling of freedom started to soar within her, she looked back at the mirror and saw not her reflection but just a bright white orb of light, the voices of those around her started to chatter among themselves. Finally one spoke to her directly,...She could not figure out which person it belonged to and did not care, the freedom was so exhilarating.
"that's good, you always were the show off" there was some giggling then the voice returned,
"Please forgive us, but you see, you are the only one of us that could return to the form we had in the beginning, before we angels ever took on physical shapes. None of us can return to that form, we are stuck forever in the spiritual body's we created for ourselves, eons ago. Now concentrate on creating a form. Do not give it features, just imagine the general shape of a body."
A little put out at having to restrict herself from the freedom SJ again done as she was asked. Finally she peered back into the mirror. This time staring back at her she saw a tall person, with the same glow of the others around them, she had straight black hair and eyes so dark you could almost see the troubles of the world reflected within their depths.
"Welcome home Azriel" came the chorus from behind her and she found her self being hugged by all 7 of the surrounding angels. They were all weeping, but SJ had no need to ask why, she could now feel their every emotion. Memories of past events came flooding back to her, she remembered every name of those around her. The one that was by the window was Gabriel; the one on the furthest side to him was Sandolphon, Metatron was also there, and Raphael, and Uriel.
Michael started to speak to her again,
"Azriel you have to remember your reason for being on earth, you have not been exiled from here, you have been sent to reawaken the humans, to show them the path back to us, to reopen the lost link we all once shared. They are finally ready to re-establish that link but they need guidance and you are the only person that can help with this task. You offered yourself for this knowing it would be the first time any angel had attempted it and that you may lose all that you knew and held dear, but we are here to help you. All you need to do is have faith that you will succeed and call us when ever you need our aid. We will constantly be watching you Azriel, Know you are not alone. Now you must return, remember all that has happened here."

SJ felt her self being constricted and felt the familiar surroundings of her own body within the open circle. A last voice popped into her head.
"Azriel remember, we are not a dream"


At that second SJ heard the music being switched off and the soothing calm voice of the chair person calling everyone back to reality. Slowly all the mediums in the circle gave forth their messages, unusually there where none for SJ, though again she was thankful for that, it left her to her own thoughts, to ponder what had happened. SJ left the church quietly and returned home, to ponder over what she should do next. The rest though is another tale that may come later in another entry. Just remember angels do exist, and they are always available to help.