What is an archangel?

In New Age spirituality, archangels (as well as guardian angels, demi-gods, and other non-human cosmic entities) are anthropomorphized personifications of specific classes of archetypal energies.

Each archangel archetype represents abstract concepts, ideas, and qualities and are perceived in a humanoid form. The archangel archetypes are used to represent various concepts in magick and alchemy, including the four cardinal directions, the four elements and the human qualities represented by them, and the colors of the seven chakras,

These are not literally beings, per se, but rather, concepts and qualities, or types of universal consciousness that we can tap into, inhabit, and work with. Calling upon one of these entities is the equivalent of intending to embody that archetypal energy within yourself.

Many people –– due to their belief systems, the human ego, and the illusion of separation –– perceive energies such as this as being intelligent entities external from themselves, but spirituality teaches us that duality (separation) is an illusion, and we are all in fact manifestations of a single “living” entity, which is referred to as “source” or “God.” In the most literal sense, source is the universe itself – nature, of which we are a part – and everything which makes it up, both known and unknown. 

As such, the personification of these as independent entities is a psychological projection created by an internalized belief system. When we realize that these things do not exist outside of ourselves, but rather, are aspects of our own psyche, we are integrating those archetypal energies and recognizing ourselves as divine beings.

[This is a complex subject to fully grasp as someone who is new to spirituality and it may take some time to reach a clear understanding. As with many aspects of spirituality, there is a great deal of nuance and many of the concepts are not as straightforward as they may be portrayed by popularized spirituality.]

Why do New Agers recognize these as biblical entities?

Angels as many people think of them in the West are a human concept rooted in Judeo-Christian mythology and it’s influence on Western culture. This religious character reference is embedded into our cultural psyche, and as such, it is how many New Age individuals who were raised under this societal influence filter and perceive an experience with this kind of energy.