CONTENTS

  1. Cover Image
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Prologue
  6. Introduction
  7. Part 1: Consciousness and the Evolutionary Instinct
    1. Chapter 1: On Spirit, Soul, and Consciousness in General
      1. NEW AGE AND SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF SUBTLE STRUCTURES
      2. SPIRITUALITY AND EVOLUTION
      3. ESOTERIC PHILOSOPHY AND OCCULT SCIENCE
      4. SO WHAT EXACTLY IS MATTER?
      5. SO WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?
      6. MIND, INTELLIGENCE, SPIRIT, AND SOUL
      7. THE SOUL PRINCIPLE
      8. PLANES AND SUBPLANES OF EXPERIENCE AND FACULTY
      9. THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HIGHER AND LOWER MIND
      10. THE NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF THE SOUL AURA
      11. THE TRUE NATURE OF MIND
      12. SOME ANCIENT CORRESPONDENCES
      13. THE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE OF “DIVIDE AND RULE”
      14. PLATO’S CAVE
      15. THE APPEARANCE OF SELF
      16. MYSTICISM AND THE FACULTY OF SIGHT
      17. THE PHENOMENON OF LIGHT
      18. CONCERNING ANGELS AND DEVAS
    2. Chapter 2: Human Consciousness
      1. THE TWIN SOULS OF THE HUMAN BEING
      2. INTUITION AND THE BRIDGING PRINCIPLE
      3. THE NATURE OF THE DEVA AND WHAT HUMANKIND CALLS “GOD”
      4. HUMAN PSYCHIC CONSTITUTION
      5. THE TERRESTRIAL SOUL AND ITS ORGANIZATION
      6. THE CHAKRAS AND THEIR EVOLUTIONARY FUNCTION
      7. THE THREE SOULS OF THE HUMAN
      8. EVOLUTIONARY TRANSITION
      9. THE CONTROL OF THE LOWER NATURE BY THE HIGHER
      10. THE IMPORTANCE OF CYCLES
      11. EVOLUTION AND THE SPIRITUAL PATH
      12. PLANES AND STATES OF BEING AND CONSCIOUSNESS
      13. GLAMOUR AND ILLUSION
      14. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
      15. THE INNER VOICE OF THE SILENCE
      16. THE GREATER PERSPECTIVE
      17. LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
    3. Chapter 3: The Unseen Kingdoms of Nature and Their Roles
      1. INVOLUTIONARY AND EVOLUTIONARY PROGRESSION
      2. CENTRIPETAL AND CENTRIFUGAL SOUL FUNCTION AND FACULTY
      3. GODS, DEVAS, AND HUMANS
      4. SEVENFOLD HIERARCHIES
      5. DEVA NATURE AND PLANES OF BEING
      6. “INHABITANTS” OF THE UPPER SPIRITUAL WORLD
      7. THE UNDERWORLD
      8. INDIVIDUALIZATION AND THE CAUSAL SOUL
      9. KOSMIC, SOLAR, AND PLANETARY STATES
      10. THE FIVE AND SEVEN SENSES
      11. DEVA/ANGELIC FUNCTIONS
      12. INTERACTION BETWEEN DEVAS AND HUMANKIND
      13. APPEARANCES OF THE SUBTLER KINGDOMS OF NATURE
      14. ELEMENTALS AND NATURE SPIRITS
      15. THE ILLUSION OF FORM
      16. THE CONJUNCTION OF DEVA AND MAN
    4. Chapter 4: On Karma and Reincarnation
      1. THE NATURE OF KARMA
      2. THE PROCESS OF REINCARNATION INVOLVING KABBALISTIC CORRELATIONS
      3. THE COMPOSITION OF THE HUMAN PERSONALITY
      4. THE REINCARNATING SKANDHAS
      5. THE MACROCOSMIC PARALLEL
      6. THE REASON FOR REINCARNATION AND ITS PROCESS
      7. WHAT HAPPENS AT DEATH
      8. THE CAUSAL SOUL BODY
      9. THE PERMANENT ATOMS
      10. KOSMIC INFLUENCES
      11. GOOD AND EVIL
      12. NEW AGE VIEWS ON GOOD AND EVIL
      13. KARMIC RETRIBUTION
      14. ACTS OF GOD
      15. THE PERIODIC DESTRUCTION OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION
    5. Chapter 5: Evolution and Initiation in Nature
      1. THE DOCTRINE OF PLANETARY ROUNDS, CHAINS, AND GLOBES
      2. THE VARYING QUALITY OF MATTER
      3. THE IMPACT OF THE GREATER CYCLES ON HUMANITY
      4. THE CYCLIC RETURN OF THE “GODS”
      5. THE FIELD OF PLATONIC DUALITY
      6. THE RECURRENCE OF THE SENSORY FACULTIES
      7. THE USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF FACULTY
      8. THE ILLUSION OF FORM
      9. EVOLUTIONARY “MISSING LINKS”
      10. EVOLUTION IN THE LOWEST KINGDOMS OF NATURE
      11. HUMAN EVOLUTION
      12. THE HIGHEST HUMAN FACULTIES
      13. THE LOWEST SPIRITUAL FACULTIES
      14. THE ATMIC STATE
      15. CONCLUSION TO CHAPTERS ONE TO FIVE
  8. Part 2: Historical Background to the Mysteries and Path of Initiation
    1. Chapter 6: Sacred Metaphor and Allegory in Relation to the Ancient Mystery Traditions and Associated Initiation
      1. THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MYSTERY SCHOOL
      2. THE ANCIENT ASSYRIAN AND CHALDEO-BABYLONIAN MYSTERY TRADITION
      3. THE ANCIENT INDO-PERSIAN MYSTERY TRADITION
      4. THE ANCIENT VEDIC MYSTERY TRADITION
      5. THE ANCIENT GREEK MYSTERY TRADITIONS
      6. BUDDHISM
      7. THE JAIN TRADITION
      8. THE HEBREW/JUDAIC TRADITION
      9. PYTHAGOREAN TRADITION
      10. THE SUFI TRADITION
      11. THE PLATONIC TRADITION
      12. THE HERMETIC TRADITION
      13. THE TRADITION OF THE CHALDEAN ORACLES
      14. THE “GNOSTIC” TRADITION
      15. THE SCANDINAVIAN TRADITION
      16. THE EARLY CHRISTIAN TRADITION
      17. MANICHAEISM
      18. ISLAM
      19. OTHER SACRED TRADITIONS
    2. Chapter 7: The “Dark Ages” and the Rise of Western Esotericism
      1. A FRESH APPROACH
      2. THE TIME OF REORIENTATION
      3. THE SUBCYCLE OF NECESSARY DISINTEGRATION
      4. THE EFFECTS AND THEIR DISTORTED REPORTAGE
      5. ST. PAUL AND THE NEO-PLATONISTS
      6. THE EFFECTS ON NEO-PLATONISM, NEO-PYTHAGOREANISM, AND GNOSTICISM
      7. THE POST-SEVENTH-CENTURY ERA
      8. THE MEDIEVAL ERA
      9. MODERN OVERSHADOWING INFLUENCE OF THE ADEPT BROTHERHOOD
      10. ORIENTAL INFLUENCES AND THE SPREAD OF KNOWLEDGE
      11. THE MODERN ENLIGHTENMENT
      12. NINETEENTH-AND TWENTIETH-CENTURY OCCULT MOVEMENTS
      13. THE FUTURE
      14. PRESENT DAY POLITICO-RELIGIOUS CONFLICT
  9. Part 3: The Stages of the Initiatory Path
    1. Chapter 8: Modern Spiritual Probation and Discipleship
      1. REQUIREMENTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
      2. THE NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP AND ITS REQUIREMENTS
      3. SELF-DISCIPLINE AND THE CONDITIONING RAYS
      4. EASTERN AND WESTERN APPROACHES
      5. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POWERS
      6. THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICS AND JOURNALISM
      7. THE RESPONSE OF HUMANITY IN THE MASS
      8. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW WORLD RELIGION
      9. UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS
      10. FUTURE INTENTIONS
      11. CRISES OF DECISION
      12. MEDITATION AND SPIRITUAL TENSION
      13. DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS
      14. THE ISSUE OF FAITH
    2. Chapter 9: Initiations of the Threshold
      1. THE SEVEN RAY INFLUENCES
      2. THE DIFFICULTIES OF SELF-CONTROL
      3. TECHNIQUES OF SELF-DISCIPLINE
      4. THE STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS CONCERNED
      5. THE FIRST INITIATION
      6. THE SECOND INITIATION
      7. LOWER MIND CHARACTERISTICS
      8. ACHIEVING COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THE ASTRAL NATURE
      9. RAY GROUP CONSIDERATIONS
      10. SOME EFFECTS OF THE SECOND INITIATION
      11. PROBLEMS CAUSED BY OVERINTENSITY
      12. THE “DWELLER ON THE THRESHOLD”
      13. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHIC POWERS
      14. SPIRITUAL TRAINING
    3. Chapter 10: The Great Transition
      1. THE ISSUE OF INNER REORIENTATION
      2. WAR BETWEEN THE “DWELLER ON THE THRESHOLD” AND THE SPIRITUAL EGO
      3. THE AFTERMATH OF THE INNER BATTLE
      4. THE NEED FOR SUBJECTIVE COMPARTMENTALIZATION
      5. THE PRELUDE TO THE FOURTH INITIATION
      6. INITIATORY PREPARATION
      7. THE FOURTH INITIATION AND ITS IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH
      8. THE RAY ASSOCIATION
      9. THE “LEAP OF FAITH”
      10. THE FACTOR OF SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM
      11. LEAVING BEHIND THE FOURTH KINGDOM IN NATURE
      12. ASCETICISM AND PAIN
      13. THE DERIVATION OF HIGHER KNOWLEDGE
    4. Chapter 11: The Various Stages of Adeptship
      1. THE “DIVINE SPARK”
      2. THE MASTER SOUL
      3. USE OF THE HIGHER AND LOWER SENSES
      4. THE RAY ASSOCIATION WITH THE FIFTH DEGREE
      5. THE REQUIREMENTS OF MASTERSHIP
      6. ASSOCIATION WITH THE STAR SIRIUS
      7. ASSOCIATION WITH THE PLEIADES AND URSA MAJOR
      8. UNDERSTANDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF LOGOIC PURPOSE
      9. THE CHOHAN OF THE SIXTH DEGREE
      10. THE INFLUENTIAL WORK OF THE CHOHANS
      11. THE RAY ASSOCIATION WITH THE SIXTH DEGREE
      12. THE SEVENTH INITIATION
      13. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF BUDDHAHOOD
      14. LIBERATED PLANETARY SPIRITS
      15. THE SEVENTH DEGREE RAY ASSOCIATION
      16. GNOSTIC ASSOCIATIONS
      17. THE EIGHTH AND NINTH INITIATORY DEGREES
      18. FURTHER GNOSTIC AND KABBALISTIC CORRELATIONS
      19. THE TRANSFER OF HIGHER POWERS
      20. MAN BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY DIVINE
      21. INITIATION AS A CELESTIAL FORCING PROCESS
  10. Part 4: The Adept Brotherhood and the Mysteries
    1. Chapter 12: The “Masters” of the Modern Theosophical Movement
      1. THE “NEED TO KNOW” OF THE ADEPT HIERARCHY
      2. DISAGREEMENT OVER THE CHRIST
      3. MODERN THEOSOPHICAL TEACHING AS A MERE INTRODUCTION
      4. THE SEVEN RAY GROUPS
      5. OTHER ADEPTS
      6. THE BRANCHES OF THE HIERARCHY
      7. NIRMANAKAYA ADEPTS AND SHAMBALLA
      8. ADEPTS AND INITIATORY CEREMONIAL
      9. THE REORIENTATION OF THE SPIRITUAL HIERARCHY
      10. THE ADVANCEMENT TO ALL-KNOWLEDGE
      11. THE WORK OF THE SPIRITUAL HIERARCHY
      12. THE NIRMANAKAYAS
      13. THE “CHARACTER” OF THE ADEPT BROTHERHOOD
      14. EXTERNALIZATION OF THE HIERARCHY
    2. Chapter 13: The Jesus-as-Christ Mystery
      1. THE BREAKUP OF THE GREEK MYSTERY SCHOOLS
      2. THE ESSENES AND THE EGYPTIAN RELIGION OF SERAPIS
      3. THE NAZARENES AND THE PHARISEES
      4. THE FORMATION OF THE EARLIEST CHURCH
      5. CROSS-CORRESPONDENCES
      6. CONCERNING THE CHRIST AVATAR
      7. BUT WHO WAS JESUS?
      8. THE GNOSTIC ALTERNATIVE
      9. OTHER ADEPT TEACHERS OF THE TIME
      10. MESSIANIC DISCIPLESHIP
    3. Chapter 14: The Christ–Maitreya Buddha Mystery
      1. MANUSHI BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS
      2. OF FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH ROUNDERS
      3. THE LORD MAITREYA
      4. THE ESOTERIC ROLES OF GAUTAMA AND MAITREYA
      5. THE LOVE-WISDOM PRINCIPLE
      6. THE SPIRITUAL ROLE OF HUMANKIND
      7. FOURTH AND FIFTH RACE BODHISATTVAS
      8. THE PROBLEM OF CHRISTHOOD PRESENTATION
    4. Chapter 15: The Modern Restoration of the Mysteries
      1. THE HIERARCHICAL “CRISIS”
      2. THE FURTHER EVOLUTION OF OUR HUMANITY
      3. CONSIDERING THE WIDER EFFECTS
      4. THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS FACING ORTHODOX RELIGION
      5. THE PROBLEM OF “GOD”
      6. WHAT FORMS WOULD THE FUTURE MYSTERIES TAKE?
      7. RACE DIFFERENTIATION AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE
      8. EFFECTS OF EXTERNALIZATION OF SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE HIERARCHY
      9. THE VITAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MASS EDUCATION
      10. ACTUAL REINTRODUCTION OF THE MYSTERIES
  11. Epilogue
  12. Appendix A: Planetary Chains and Rounds
    1. THE TRUE NATURE OF THE SUN
  13. Appendix B: The Issue of Shamballa
    1. THE KUMARAS
    2. THE PUZZLE CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARTH AND ITS MOON
  14. Appendix C: The Evolution of the Human Racial Type
  15. Appendix D: The Three Solar Systems and the Failure of the Moon Chain
  16. Appendix E: Spiritual Avatars
  17. Glossary
  18. Footnotes
  19. Endnotes
  20. Bibliography
  21. Index
  22. About the Author
  23. About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
  24. Books of Related Interest
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