The Path of Initiation: Spiritual Evolution and the Restoration of the Western Mystery Tradition

Description

As the precessional cycle transits from Pisces to Aquarius, great shifts in spiritual evolution are on the horizon - not for all of humanity as many in the New Age movement have generously hypothesised but for those who have undertaken the necessary spiritual preparation and initiatory work. Drawing from his deep immersion in the Mystery traditions of both East and West, author, J. S. Gordon, investigates the initiatic path from ancient times to modern day, detailing the step-by-step process of initiation and the sequence from spiritual aspirant to the highest Adeptship. He explains the natural logic and characteristics of each stage of initiation, including the associated problems and psychological issues that need to be faced in order to move forward to the next stage. He shows how humanity is naturally inclined to spiritual evolution and the development of higher consciousness. We are part of the overall evolutionary process of Nature, a system guided by the most highly evolved Adepts and extending beyond Earth to the entire kosmos. Exploring the long history of the Mystery schools beginning with ancient Egypt, Babylonia and India, Gordon examines the sacred metaphors and allegories of esoteric philosophy, metaphysics, occult science and the Science of the Seven Rays as well as the Adept-inspired theosophical works of H. P. Blavatsky and A. A. Bailey. He looks at the Adept Hierarchy of the Great White Himalayan Brotherhood and considers in detail two much-discussed mysteries: The Jesus-as-Christ mystery and the Maitreya-Buddha mystery. Revealing how advancement - spiritual, scientific and cultural - erupts out of tension, he explains how the Adepts have been increasing local and global tensions to prepare humanity for the Age of Aquarius, thereby creating the ideal preconditions for spiritual evolution and an eventual restoration of the Mysteries in our own modern era. * Explains the characteristics of each stage of initiation, including the associated psychological issues that need to be faced to move to the next stage * Explores the long history of the Mystery traditions from ancient Egypt, Babylonia and India to the modern Theosophy of Blavatsky and Bailey * Reveals how the Brotherhood of Spiritual Adepts is increasing global tensions to prepare humanity for the Age of Aquarius and spiritual revelation

J. S. Gordon holds a master's degree in Western Esotericism from the University of Exeter and is a senior fellow of the Theosophical Society of England. He is the author of several books, including Egypt: Child of Atlantis.

"Mr. Gordon writes about a mixture of personal experience and extensive research, and this book serves as an excellent step towards delving deeper into the rich Theosophical tradition. Readers will come away with a much broader understanding of the structure of existence - and humanity's role in an ever-evolving Universal Consciousness." Marc Star, New Dawn Magazine, February 2014 "The late John Gordon, who was a prominent member of the Theosophical Society in England has, in this book, provided a detailed exposition of the path of initiation, drawing from his extensive knowledge and understandings of the Mystery traditions of both East and West." The Beacon, January - March 2014 "Well-researched and provocative, this work will assist the spiritually inclined to understand and co-create the current shift in consciousness." Marcy E. Graham, Whole Life Times, October 2013 "The Path of Initiation: Spiritual Evolution and the Restoration of the Western Mystery Tradition is a powerful recommendation for any occult or new age studies collection and uses work from the Mystery traditions of East and West to examine the initiatic path from early to modern times. From step-by-step processes in initiation to underlying psychological and spiritual issues surrounding this journey, The Path of Initiation: Spiritual Evolution and the Restoration of the Western Mystery Tradition provides a lively survey packed with insights from all kinds of paths and choices, and is a fine reader for any considering the routines and ways of spiritual enlightenment." Midwest Book Review, November 2013