Stories of Survival

The Angel Effect: We Are Never Alone
John Geiger
Harper Collins, 2013

Angels are mentioned more than 270 times in the Bible; yet, they tend to get short shrift in many Presbyterian congregations and homes.

We read scripture passages about angels, we sing hymns about angels, and we delight as our own little cherubs dress up as angels for Christmas pageants.

Despite this, we don’t often discuss angels or whether they play an active role in our lives.
Do angels intervene during times of tremendous crisis? Or, are encounters with “guardian angels” simply neurological responses to extreme distress? These topics are examined in John Geiger’s compelling book, The Angel Effect.

Geiger first explored the topic of unseen presences in his best-selling book, The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible. The book investigated a phenomenon experienced by explorers and mountain climbers: a benevolent “third man” mysteriously appears during life-or-death situations and encourages individuals to survive. After the book’s publication, Geiger was flooded with first-hand accounts of guardian angels and otherworldly presences. At the same time, Geiger experienced his own spiritual encounter as he mourned the loss of his infant son. Intrigued, he compiled testimonies about “the angel effect” and researched possible scientific rationales behind such experiences.

The Angel Effect contains remarkable stories of survival, each featuring the presence of a supernatural being that made the difference between life and death. Geiger’s subjects describe how guardian angels, spiritual beings, or the voice of God saved their lives during car accidents, violent assaults, genocide, plane crashes, and other traumatic situations.

He follows up each story with a scientific theory that may explain why a benevolent presence was sensed. Messianic ecology, externalized second self and right hemispheric intrusions and other neurological conditions could explain why so many individuals feel an angelic presence is guiding them during times of crisis.

And yet…

How to explain that a being wholly created within the mind is able to offer life-saving advice? If these benevolent beings are neurological in nature, why are so many people convinced they have been in the presence of a power much, much greater than themselves?

Almost every person Geiger interviewed described overwhelming feelings of comfort and love during terrifying ordeals. Most define their encounter as a turning point in their lives. In one case, the survivor of a brutal assault says, “I would prefer to endure the awful experience I went through in order to live my life with the spiritual awareness I gleaned from the encounter.”

Is it possible to reconcile such powerful emotions with an event conjured up by our minds? Or, could it be that our Creator is using the wiring of our brains to communicate with us exactly when we most need to hear from Him?

For Christians, perhaps the most fascinating theory Geiger explores is that we can train ourselves to experience the angel effect. Human history is rife with stories about spirit quests, meditation, fasting, and other rituals used to summon spiritual beings. Geiger writes of early Christian ascetics whose practices were designed to focus their minds, overcome physical needs, and bring them closer to God. Geiger discusses the modern Christian practice of “centring prayer.” Adherents of this movement believe we can use such prayers to experience God in profound yet subtle ways.

The Angel Effect is a compelling read. The book stays with you long after you have closed its pages. Reading the personal accounts in this book raises many questions. Why are some blessed with a life-saving encounter, while others perish? Are we surrounded by a host of angels who can intervene in our lives for good? If so, can we train ourselves to be more aware of their presence?

The Angel Effect makes it clear that angels should not be confined to ancient Bible stories, hymns or Christmas pageants. They should inspire profound discussions about God in our families, our communities and in our churches.

Have you experienced the “angel effect?” Write a letter or share your stories at pccweb.ca/presbyterianrecord!