Did I see an angel or something else?

[LouiseP]

Hello, I'm looking for a religious perspective on a vision I saw when I was a child, that I have been unable to find out more about. Although Christened, I do not know the Bible in detail and I wonder whether it might hold clues?

I was very upset when I was at least 8 years old, crying in my bed. My childhood was quite unhappy at times. I turned and saw a figure surrounded in a bright white light. It was only about 1.5ft in height, but hovered in the air, in front of the window. My instincts told me that she was female, although I could not see her face because she was dressed head to foot in a long white cape/gown, with a hood. Her head was down and her hands were at prayer. I remember I was not frightened, because a calm feeling washed over me. At first, I thought I could be imagining it, so I closed my eyes and waited. But when I opened them again, she was still there. I just lay staring at her. I remember being puzzled that I could not see her face due to her hood and because she was looking down.

I have searched for information about this on the internet. Images and descriptions of angels tend to talk about faces/hair, etc. I can't find descriptions with a hooded cape, except for some (probably fantasy) descriptions of supposed dark/evil angels. However, my angel was in a bright, white light and made me feel very calm and content.

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels or explanations for this please? Or could it have been something else?

 

[Brickjectivity]

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels

None that I am aware of.

or explanations for this please?

It is a symbol, symbolizing self improvement and self sacrifice. What you are seeing is possibly the virgin mother, 'Mary' or the church. Gather information, take care of the poor the vulnerable, the stubborn, the lost. Educate, placate, innovate, bless and do not curse. You won't be able to do this alone, so it is a very challenging vision. If it is a vision then it is challenging you to do a difficult thing and to be a living sacrifice.

Or could it have been something else?

Sure. I didn't see it, so I don't know. Let us suppose that this vision is the product of a young mind. It is known that children take time to individuate from their mothers, and before age 1 they tend to view their mother as part of themselves. Gradually over time babies learn to take on a separate identity. If you were 8 when you had this vision, then its possible that the vision was influenced by that ancient self-mother connection. Perhaps you were seeing yourself. But this is a huge leap for me to guess. It is really up to you to figure out what the vision means.

 

[Brian2]

It is a symbol, symbolizing self improvement and self sacrifice. What you are seeing is possibly the virgin mother, 'Mary' or the church. Gather information, take care of the poor the vulnerable, the stubborn, the lost. Educate, placate, innovate, bless and do not curse. You won't be able to do this alone, so it is a very challenging vision. If it is a vision then it is challenging you to do a difficult thing and to be a living sacrifice.

I don't remember any such thing in the Bible. Where did you get this explanation from?

 

[HonestJoe]

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels or explanations for this please? Or could it have been something else?

Are you aware that many of the angels described in the bible aren't even humanoid, and are described with either multiple heads/faces or none at all? People who believe they see angels tend to describe them in line with contemporary artistic depictions rather than Biblical ones for some reason.

I'm also curious why you've gone straight to angels, even within the context of a religious perspective? Obviously there are all sorts of other things it could have been but you dismiss most of those out of hand, especially by asking for that exclusively religious perspective.

 

[Kenny]

Hello, I'm looking for a religious perspective on a vision I saw when I was a child, that I have been unable to find out more about. Although Christened, I do not know the Bible in detail and I wonder whether it might hold clues?

I was very upset when I was at least 8 years old, crying in my bed. My childhood was quite unhappy at times. I turned and saw a figure surrounded in a bright white light. It was only about 1.5ft in height, but hovered in the air, in front of the window. My instincts told me that she was female, although I could not see her face because she was dressed head to foot in a long white cape/gown, with a hood. Her head was down and her hands were at prayer. I remember I was not frightened, because a calm feeling washed over me. At first, I thought I could be imagining it, so I closed my eyes and waited. But when I opened them again, she was still there. I just lay staring at her. I remember being puzzled that I could not see her face due to her hood and because she was looking down.

I have searched for information about this on the internet. Images and descriptions of angels tend to talk about faces/hair, etc. I can't find descriptions with a hooded cape, except for some (probably fantasy) descriptions of supposed dark/evil angels. However, my angel was in a bright, white light and made me feel very calm and content.

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels or explanations for this please? Or could it have been something else?

I am not aware of any hooded angels.

What it does mention is that we don't worship angels Revelation 22:7-9 (an others) and shouldn't seek them since we are suppose to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Once we have a personal relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we have the peace that you felt at that moment.

The Bible also mentions that even Satan can appear as an angel of light (not saying that was you saw was Satan but rather we can't go by looks)

 

[Brickjectivity]

I don't remember any such thing in the Bible. Where did you get this explanation from?

I just see it this way. I'll put forward an explanation, but really it behooves us if there is disagreement to probably port this over to another area, or we could start to derail.

First of all there are mysteries:

[1Co 13:2 NIV] 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
[1Co 12:7 NIV] 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.​

Jesus could have had a human father, such as Joseph; and that would have been fine. He was in my understanding still considered to be imperfect up until his death. The mother being a virgin matters for other reasons and does not confer special non human traits although in pagan stories it would do so. In pagan stories it would make him different from other humans, but we are not pagans. We are humans given inspiration from the Father, which gives us the ability to become children of God. In the NT what the virgin birth implies is that Jesus has been given inspiration by God, not that he is only half human. Its what is in his lungs, his mind, what animates him. It is not his genes or his appearance or blood type. Recall that when Elizabeth and Mary meet, John also becomes inspired in the womb. The difference between Jesus and any other person is that inspiration -- which we term the spirit of Christ, the spirit of adoption and the holy spirit. This sets one person apart from others.

So why the virgin mother, and how would I think of her as the church? We know from Paul that the church is Christ's bride, yet we also know that Jesus is the first among many brothers. We know the church is both the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. This takes us out of a logical framework, because we cannot logically both be his brother and his wife and his body. But this is Ok. We are given in the NT a collage of meanings, and collages of meanings are common in the NT. The church is many things to Christ but it is not the Father. It is never the father, because we inherit the spirit from the father not the other way around. The Father inherits nothing from ourselves, nor can we give the spirit. Hence we are a virgin mother. We can give birth but cannot give the spirit.

 

[Brickjectivity]

If I could go back I would shorten that post a lot and just say that its because the church can give birth but cannot give anyone the spirit. Sometimes it takes me a long time to get to the point.

 

[VoidCat]

Hello, I'm looking for a religious perspective on a vision I saw when I was a child, that I have been unable to find out more about. Although Christened, I do not know the Bible in detail and I wonder whether it might hold clues?

I was very upset when I was at least 8 years old, crying in my bed. My childhood was quite unhappy at times. I turned and saw a figure surrounded in a bright white light. It was only about 1.5ft in height, but hovered in the air, in front of the window. My instincts told me that she was female, although I could not see her face because she was dressed head to foot in a long white cape/gown, with a hood. Her head was down and her hands were at prayer. I remember I was not frightened, because a calm feeling washed over me. At first, I thought I could be imagining it, so I closed my eyes and waited. But when I opened them again, she was still there. I just lay staring at her. I remember being puzzled that I could not see her face due to her hood and because she was looking down.

I have searched for information about this on the internet. Images and descriptions of angels tend to talk about faces/hair, etc. I can't find descriptions with a hooded cape, except for some (probably fantasy) descriptions of supposed dark/evil angels. However, my angel was in a bright, white light and made me feel very calm and content.

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels or explanations for this please? Or could it have been something else?

I think it's likely this was a spirit or a saint or Virgin Mary or the goddess Sophia. Cuz you said they were praying. I've heard many deities, demons, and other beings with hoods. But the fact they were praying is telling.

That is if it weren't a hallucination.

 

[VoidCat]

I deleted my last reply cuz I realized it was not a good question. Here's a better one... Can you remember what the nightgown looked like? Might be hard given how long ago it was...If you look up different nightgowns from different time frames if it was a human spirit you might be able to figure out the time frame the spirit is from.

 

[PureX]

As someone that has had a childhood experience of a similar inexplicable nature, I have learned to let the mystery be. I was not harmed by it ... just the opposite. It happened during a time of stress for me as well, and gave me a sense of great warmth and love. And there is no way for me to explain it, or to explain it away. So I have decided to just let it be what it was; a wonderful and mysterious experience that I cannot explain. As far as I knew at the time (I was only 6 years old) I spent an afternoon with a God. And it was amazing. Looking back, I have no idea what happened. Nor do I feel any great need to figure it out.

 

[Brian2]

I just see it this way. I'll put forward an explanation, but really it behooves us if there is disagreement to probably port this over to another area, or we could start to derail.

First of all there are mysteries:

[1Co 13:2 NIV] 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
[1Co 12:7 NIV] 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.​

Jesus could have had a human father, such as Joseph; and that would have been fine. He was in my understanding still considered to be imperfect up until his death. The mother being a virgin matters for other reasons and does not confer special non human traits although in pagan stories it would do so. In pagan stories it would make him different from other humans, but we are not pagans. We are humans given inspiration from the Father, which gives us the ability to become children of God. In the NT what the virgin birth implies is that Jesus has been given inspiration by God, not that he is only half human. Its what is in his lungs, his mind, what animates him. It is not his genes or his appearance or blood type. Recall that when Elizabeth and Mary meet, John also becomes inspired in the womb. The difference between Jesus and any other person is that inspiration -- which we term the spirit of Christ, the spirit of adoption and the holy spirit. This sets one person apart from others.

So why the virgin mother, and how would I think of her as the church? We know from Paul that the church is Christ's bride, yet we also know that Jesus is the first among many brothers. We know the church is both the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. This takes us out of a logical framework, because we cannot logically both be his brother and his wife and his body. But this is Ok. We are given in the NT a collage of meanings, and collages of meanings are common in the NT. The church is many things to Christ but it is not the Father. It is never the father, because we inherit the spirit from the father not the other way around. The Father inherits nothing from ourselves, nor can we give the spirit. Hence we are a virgin mother. We can give birth but cannot give the spirit.

Hmm interesting

 

[Brian2]

If I could go back I would shorten that post a lot and just say that its because the church can give birth but cannot give anyone the spirit. Sometimes it takes me a long time to get to the point.

I probably would have inquired further if you had just said that, but now I'm satisfied and too scared to ask further.

 

[Brian2]

Hello, I'm looking for a religious perspective on a vision I saw when I was a child, that I have been unable to find out more about. Although Christened, I do not know the Bible in detail and I wonder whether it might hold clues?

I was very upset when I was at least 8 years old, crying in my bed. My childhood was quite unhappy at times. I turned and saw a figure surrounded in a bright white light. It was only about 1.5ft in height, but hovered in the air, in front of the window. My instincts told me that she was female, although I could not see her face because she was dressed head to foot in a long white cape/gown, with a hood. Her head was down and her hands were at prayer. I remember I was not frightened, because a calm feeling washed over me. At first, I thought I could be imagining it, so I closed my eyes and waited. But when I opened them again, she was still there. I just lay staring at her. I remember being puzzled that I could not see her face due to her hood and because she was looking down.

I have searched for information about this on the internet. Images and descriptions of angels tend to talk about faces/hair, etc. I can't find descriptions with a hooded cape, except for some (probably fantasy) descriptions of supposed dark/evil angels. However, my angel was in a bright, white light and made me feel very calm and content.

In the bible, are there any descriptions of hooded angels or explanations for this please? Or could it have been something else?

My grandson, when he was young, said he saw something like that sitting on the curtain rail (I think it was) above his bed.
He is now about 16 and I had forgotten about it. I'll have to ask what he remembers of it.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I deleted my last reply cuz I realized it was not a good question. Here's a better one... Can you remember what the nightgown looked like? Might be hard given how long ago it was...If you look up different nightgowns from different time frames if it was a human spirit you might be able to figure out the time frame the spirit is from.

That's a good suggestion, RayofLight. I'm not suggesting that this is the case with the OP, but it could have been the spirit of a loved one. As a matter of fact, it's quite common for a recently deceased person to visit their loved ones soon after their death, either by visually manifesting or in dreams. On the other hand, spirits (both human and non-human entities) are drawn to children because they are more sensitive to the spirit realm and haven't been taught not to believe in ghosts or other paranormal phenomena yet. For instance, a child's imaginary friend isn't imaginary. It's an earthbound human spirit who has befriended the child.

Here’s Why Children Are More Sensitive To Spirits Than Adults

12 People Detail Their Shockingly Vivid Encounters With The Ghosts Of Dead Loved Ones

 

[sun rise]

I was not frightened, because a calm feeling washed over me.

The image you noted reminded me of a nun at prayer. I take what you have written as you having been given a gift of the taste of the "peace which passes all understanding" to comfort you. Whether the figure was an angel or not, I have no opinion. But to me the meaning of the vision comes from the gift not the messenger, angelic or otherwise.

 

[LouiseP]

Thank you for all of your answers so far and the perspectives you've given. I do not know what it was - I have been trying to investigate for a while. Obviously, the fact that she was at prayer, was surrounded in white light (she was very bright too) and came with a feeling of calm, makes me think it may have had a religious connection. That's why I thought I'd get your opinion. To me it was very real and I have a clear memory of what she looked like. I say I was at least 8 - I don't really remember exactly, I could have been older.

Strangely enough, the closest image I've seen that resembles it, is some of the thumbnails people have used on this site of the Virgin Mary - in some of them she wears a white hood. However, she has her face showing. It's never crossed my mind before that it looked a bit like the Virgin Mary. I'm not Catholic and not very religious anyway, so not really used to seeing images of her.

Somebody asked about her gown - it covered her completely. Long in length, wide sleeves, large hood, and the material was abundant and heavy enough that it made pleats/folds as it fell.

I feel that the 'vision' or whatever it was, is significant to me in some way.

 

[LouiseP]

The image you noted reminded me of a nun at prayer. I take what you have written as you having been given a gift of the taste of the "peace which passes all understanding" to comfort you. Whether the figure was an angel or not, I have no opinion. But to me the meaning of the vision comes from the gift not the messenger, angelic or otherwise.

Hi, please can you explain this a little more? This is interesting. What is "the peace that passes all understanding", and what do you mean by it coming 'from the gift'? Thank you

 

[syo]

You saw a vision. It has nothing to do with religion. You could decode the vision, if you like. It's a personal procedure.

 

[Ashoka]

My first thought is that it may have been a spirit guide or an ancestor. Some friendly spirit that is watching over you. But I wasn't there, so I don't know. Maybe do some introspection and look inward. Only you can really answer that question.

 

[sun rise]

Hi, please can you explain this a little more? This is interesting. What is "the peace that passes all understanding", and what do you mean by it coming 'from the gift'? Thank you

Since you are a Christian, I used a Christian quote. The peace quote is from the Bible, Philippians 4:7. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

I'm not a Christian but I take that verse to speak to what the heart knows that the intellect can't understand (passes all understanding).

What does it mean to "keep" or "guard" your heart and mind? I'm sure there are much better ways to express it, but I take it in the ordinary sense of "protect". From the strength of the experience it strikes me that you have been protected by that "calm feeling" being so memorable that it is always with you in one way or the other and is helpful when you face the troubles we're all subjected to.

"Through Christ Jesus". This is of course an explicitly Christian perspective. Other religions have different ways of expressing it, but to me it's a way of saying that such experiences are divine gifts.

"from the gift": Someone who loves you wants to send you a gift because it will be helpful. A gift is sent by a messenger (think FedEx or UPS). The messenger delivers the package and you open it, find it to be wonderful and hold it to your heart with joy and thankfulness. The gift was the experience which carried "light" to you.

I hope this is helpful.