Bøger af Ron MacFarlane

When Christ-Jesus walked the earth, over two thousand years ago, he established a two-fold division in his teaching that has continued to this day. To the general public, he simplified his teaching and presented it in pictorial, allegorical and figurative imagery in the form of stories, parables and lessons that could be imaginatively and intuitively understood. To his inner circle of disciples (who were sufficiently prepared), however, he taught more plainly and directly in the form of intellectual concepts, clear ideas and logical reasoning that could be understood on a much deeper and wider level of comprehension. As biblically explained: Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them [general public] in parables?" And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given ... This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." (Matt 13:10, 13) Moreover, in union with the divine, Our Saviour was able to reveal sacred knowledge that had never been previously presented in the entire history of mankind: "I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world" (Matt 13:35). This sacred and revealed knowledge has been termed "Christ-mysteries" or "mysteries of the Son." After his glorious resurrection and ascension, Christ-Jesus institutionalized his two-fold mystery-teachings through St. Peter and St. John (the Evangelist, not the apostle). Through St. Peter, Our Saviour instituted a universal, Christian religion and theology to preserve, promote and convey the more basic and simplified mystery-teachings that are intended for the general public. Through St. John, Christ-Jesus instituted a universal, Christian philosophy and theosophy to preserve, promote and convey the more comprehensive and complex mystery-teachings that are intended for the more advanced disciples (Christian initiates). In esoteric terminology, the institutionalized teachings through St. Peter are known as the "lesser mysteries of exoteric Christianity." The institutionalized teachings through St. John are known as the "greater mysteries of esoteric Christianity." While both mystery-teaching approaches are equally sacred, profound and intended to complement each other, corrupt and intolerant authorities within the universal institution (Church) of St. Peter, for many centuries, persecuted and attacked any public expressions of esoteric Christianity. Consequently, genuine historical forms of esoteric Christianity, such as the Knights of the Holy Grail and the Fraternity of the Rose-Cross, were forced to be secretive and publicly-hidden during the past two thousand years. Thankfully today, the social, political and intellectual climate has progressed to the point where the greater mystery-teachings of esoteric Christianity can begin to be publicly revealed for the first time. This modern-day outpouring really began with the twentieth-century establishment of anthroposophy by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). The information and approach presented in The Star of Knowledge: The Five Guiding Mysteries of Esoteric Christianity, is intended to augment and continue the mystery-teachings of Christ-Jesus as safeguarded by the Rosicrucian Fraternity and publicized through anthroposophy. Consequently, this particular discourse delves much more deeply and comprehensively into the cosmos-changing, salvational achievement of Christ-Jesus: the historical and cosmic preparations; as well as his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension. While much of this mystery information may be unfamiliar, unknown and unexpected to mainstream (exoteric) Christianity, it in no way is meant to criticize, denigrate or displace the profound teachings of the universal Church; but rather, to complement, to enhance and to enlarge - for the betterment of true Christianity and, thereby, the betterment of all mankind.

The Divine Trinity - the greatest of all Christian mysteries. How is it that the one God is a unity of three divine persons? Christ-Jesus first revealed this mystery to his disciples when on earth. Later, around the sixth century, the Trinitarian mystery was theologically clarified and outlined by the formulation of the Athanasian Creed. Conceptual understanding of the divine Trinity has changed very little in Western society since then. Similarly with the theological understanding of the Logos-Word as mentioned in the Gospel of St. John. The traditional understanding that has remained essentially unchallenged for centuries is that the Logos-Word is synonymous with God the Son. As for creation, the best that mainstream Christianity has historically provided is an ancient, allegorical account contained in the Book of Genesis. Out of the hidden well-springs of esoteric Christianity, and as the title indicates, "The Greater Mysteries of the Divine Trinity, the Logos-Word and Creation" delves much more deeply into the profound mysteries of the Trinitarian God, the Logos-Word of St. John and the creation of the universe. The divine Trinity is here demonstrated to be the loving union of Heavenly Father, Holy Mother and Eternal Son. The Logos-Word is here evidenced to be the "Universal Man," the primordial, cosmic creation of God the Son. Universal creation itself is here detailed to be the "one life becoming many" - the multiplication of the Logos-Word into countless, individualized life-forms and beings. The depth and breadth of original and thought-provoking information presented here will, no doubt, stimulate and excite those esoteric thinkers who are seriously seeking answers to the deeper mysteries of life, existence and the universe.

For countless esoteric students today, the Mystery centres of ancient times have retained a powerful and fascinating allure. Moreover, there is often a wishful longing to revive and continue their secretive initiatory activity into modern times. Unfortunately, this anachronistic longing is largely based on an illusionary misunderstanding of these Mysteries and the real reasons for their destined demise. The primary reason for the disappearance of the ancient Mysteries is that they have been supplanted by the superior new mysteries - the mysteries of the Son. These new mysteries were initiated by Christ-Jesus himself. In order to better understand these Son-mysteries in a spiritually-scientific way, Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) established the Anthroposophical Movement and Society. Unfortunately, anthroposophy today has become unduly influenced by members and leaders who long to transform spiritual science into a modern-day Mystery institution. Moreover, contrary to his own words and intentions, Rudolf Steiner is even claimed to be the founder of some new "Michael-Mysteries." By carefully establishing a correct esoteric understanding of the ancient pagan Mysteries, as well as a better appreciation of the new mysteries of the Son, this well-researched and readable discourse convincingly shows that all current and past attempts to revive the ancient pagan Mysteries regressively diverts human development backward to the seducer of mankind, Lucifer, rather than progressively forward to the saviour of mankind, Christ-Jesus. Moreover, by additionally tracing the intriguing historical development of esoteric Christianity (particularly the Knights of the Holy Grail and Rosicrucianism) alongside Freemasonry, the Knights Templar and Theosophy, this important and necessary study illuminates the correct esoteric position and true significance of anthroposophical spiritual science.

There is a puzzling and pervasive misconception in present-day thinking that the existence of God cannot be intellectually determined and that mentally accepting the existence of God is strictly a matter of non-rational belief (faith). As such, contemplating God's existence is erroneously regarded as the exclusive subject of faith-based or speculative ideologies (religion and philosophy) which have no proper place in natural scientific study. The fact is, there are a number of very convincing intellectual arguments concerning the existence of God that have been around for hundreds of years. Indeed, the existence of God can be determined with compelling intellectual certainty - provided the thinker honestly wishes to do so. Moreover, recent advances and discoveries in science have not weakened previous intellectual arguments for God's existence but instead have enormously strengthened and supported them. Intellectually assenting to the existence of God is easily demonstrated to be a superlatively logical conclusion, not some vague irrational conceptualization. Remarkably, at the present time there are only two seriously competing intellectual explanations of life: the existence of God (the "God-hypothesis") and the existence of infinite universes (the "multiverse theory"). The postulation of an infinite number of unobservable universes is clearly a desperate attempt by atheistic scientists to avoid the God-hypothesis as the most credible and logical intellectual explanation of life and the universe. Moreover, under intellectual scrutiny, the scientifically celebrated "evolutionary theory" is here demonstrated to be fatally-flawed (philosophically illogical) as a credible explanation of life. In this particular discourse, five well-known intellectual arguments for God's existence will be thoroughly examined. In considering these arguments, every attempt has been made to include current contributions, advances and discoveries that have modernized the more traditional arguments. Prior to examining these particular arguments for God, the universal predilection to establish intellectual 'oneness' - "monism" - will be considered in detail as well as the recurring propensity to postulate the existence of one supreme being - "monotheism." Once intellectual certainty of one Supreme Being is established, a number of divine attributes can be logically deduced as well. Eleven of these attributes will be determined and examined in greater detail.

THE PREMATURE DEATH in 1925 of Austrian philosopher and esotericist―Rudolf Steiner―at the age of 64, was a devastating "body-blow" to the newly-constituted General Anthroposophical Society and to its world-wide members.Even though Steiner had been seriously ill, and often bed-ridden for six months prior to his death, everyone expected that this extraordinarily-gifted individual would fully recover. After all, Steiner was widely recognized as a highly-developed Christian initiate with demonstrated supernatural abilities.Besides that, throughout his worsening illness, Steiner himself talked and acted as though he expected to fully recover. Not only had he assumed the presidency of the Society and taken up the leadership of the School of Spiritual Science just nine months before becoming ill; but even after becoming seriously afflicted, he continued to dictate letters, to record new supersensible research, to work on his autobiography, to write weekly essays for the newsletter Das Goetheanum, and to provide personal counseling for a constant flow of members and non-members. Hardly the funerary activities of a man who was preparing to die. The shock, surprise, disbelief and despair that anthroposophists experienced with the death of Rudolf Steiner similarly echoed that of the apostles and disciples of Christ-Jesus immediately after his own premature death at 33 years of age. No one expected that the Messiah, with his demonstrated divine power, would be cruelly put to death by Roman execution (despite his repeated prophetic indications that this would occur). In the case of Christ-Jesus, his unwavering compassion to rescue fallen humanity was placed far above personal concerns for his own physical safety. For this reason, he willingly sacrificed his own physical life despite the enormous spiritual power at his command. Nevertheless, notwithstanding his untimely death, he positively left behind the strong foundation for a future universal church, and the promise that he would one day return to earth.In Rudolf Steiner's case, as a devoted follower of Christ-Jesus, he similarly minimized and disregarded the seriousness of his own physical health in order to compassionately continue to assist those around him, and to help struggling humanity in general. Unfortunately, this too resulted in his own sacrificial death. And similar to Our Saviour, Rudolf Steiner positively left behind the foundation for a world-wide esoteric society; and the indication that he would return to earth in less than a hundred years. Also noteworthy in both cases―with Christ-Jesus and Rudolf Steiner―their predicted return to earth was not what was generally expected to occur; but something that was quite different in fact. While briefly touching on the unique earthly return of Christ-Jesus that occurred in the twentieth century, this publication―The Return of Rudolf Steiner and the Renewal of Anthroposophy―will focus on explaining and understanding the predicted return to earth of Rudolf Steiner that quietly (but profoundly) occurred at the beginning of the twenty-first century; and the positive impact this will have on future anthroposophy.

AS FAR BACK AS 1906, in a lecture entitled "Redemption and Liberation," Austrian philosopher and esotericist Rudolf Steiner (1861‒1925) indicated that there have been seven extraordinary mysteries of life that have been secretly guarded and exclusively preserved by the Mystic Brotherhoods throughout the centuries. He also indicated that for the first time in history―beginning with the twentieth century―these especial, preeminent life-mysteries are able to be publicly revealed, elaborated, explained and clarified. In Steiner's own words: There are seven mysteries of life which up till now have never been spoken of outside the ranks of Occult Brotherhoods. Only in our age is it possible to speak of them openly. They have been called the seven "inexpressible" or "unutterable" mysteries ... These mysteries are as follows:1.The mystery of the Abyss.2.The mystery of Number (which can be studied in Pythagorean philosophy).3.The mystery of Alchemy (We can learn something of this mystery in the works of Paracelsus and Jacob Boehme.)4.The mystery of Death.5.The mystery of Evil (to which reference is made in the Apocalypse).6.The mystery of the Word, of the Logos.7.The mystery of Divine Bliss. (This mystery is the most occult.)Since Rudolf Steiner was himself a highly-advanced initiate and eminent associate of the true Rosicrucian Fraternity, he was obviously familiar with the seven "unutterable" mysteries of the Mystic Brotherhoods and their secret history. During his own lifetime, Steiner was able to reveal a great deal of previously-hidden wisdom regarding the seven life-mysteries. Unfortunately, due to his untimely death at sixty-four years of age, Rudolf Steiner was only able to briefly touch on some of these mysteries; particularly the Abyss, the Logos-Word and Divine Bliss.Since ancient, pre-recorded times―now obscured by the vast stretch of human history―there have always existed sacred centres of advanced spiritual knowledge and wisdom. These learning centres, later known in Graeco-Roman times as "Mystery Schools" (from the Greek mystai = initiates), were closely guarded and highly secretive. As evolving mankind gradually lost the instinctive clairvoyant ability to perceive the spiritual world, the ancient Mystery Schools were temporarily able to retain experiential access to the spiritual world. Unfortunately, over time, even the Mystery Schools lost direct contact with the spiritual world, and were unable to overcome the acute spiritual darkening that threatened the entire evolutionary existence of mankind. Hence the incarnation of the God-Man, Christ-Jesus, that was critically necessary to overcome the death-dealing spiritual darkness overtaking mankind; and to provide re-access to the heavenly-worlds of existence. In consequence, the need and function of the ancient pagan Mystery Schools were rendered obsolete by the life of Christ-Jesus; and replaced by Christ-centred brotherhoods such as the Knights of the Holy Grail and the Rosicrucian Fraternity.The seven great life-mysteries were not kept publicly hidden by the Mystic Brotherhoods for hundreds of years because of selfish possession, elitist privilege, or clannish ownership. Instead, it was because humanity as a whole hadn't undergone the profound spiritual preparations that were crucially necessary to intellectually access and comprehend such deeply-supernal spirit-wisdom. Thankfully at the present time, despite the widespread hindrances of atheism, secularism and materialism, the intellectual access to the spiritual world is the greatest it has ever been in human history. The profound, intellectually-comprehendible spirit-information contained in "The Seven Great Mysteries of the Mystic Brotherhoods" should be ample testament to this celebratory truth.

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY, the world religion established by the God-Man, Christ-Jesus, and founded on the revelatory-principle that "God is love," is hardly the shining example of ideological unity and universal brotherhood that it was intended to be. There are approximately 41,000 different Christian denominations in the world today, many of which are fervently hostile to each other. Atheistic and anti-Christian polemicists have concluded that there is something inherently wrong with Christianity itself and, in consequence, it is doomed to failure and eventual extinction. Discerning Christian advocates, however, know that any apparent failure to realize the high ideals of Christianity is not due to the profound teachings and the illustrious life-example of Christ-Jesus, but instead to the limitations of wounded human nature. Corrupt, power-hungry, destructive and evil-minded human beings have twisted, distorted and fragmented true Christianity for the past two thousand years, and continue to do so today. Moreover, on a much deeper spiritual level, since Christianity is indeed a divinely-initiated endeavor to help restore "fallen" humanity, powerful and demonic beings have attempted to destroy nascent Christianity from its very inception. But thankfully, according to Christ-Jesus himself, "the powers of hell will not prevail against it [Christianity]" (Matt 16:18). Sadly contributing to the injurious fragmentation of Christianity - the "religion of divine love" - is the sectarian hostility between certain proponents of anthroposophy and select members of the Catholic Church. In both cases, this is largely due to ignorance; that is, an almost complete lack of understanding about the true significance and mission of the other: anthroposophical critics know almost nothing of Catholicism; and Catholic critics know almost nothing about anthroposophy. The wonderful reconciliatory fact is that anthroposophy and Catholicism are not conflicting polar opposites, but are instead like two sides of the same golden coin - different, but complementary. Instead of only one side or the other being the only true approach to Christ-Jesus, both are uniquely necessary and both positively contribute to the complete truth of Christianity. Since this author is happily and harmoniously both an anthroposophist and a Catholic, "The Greater and Lesser Mysteries of Christianity: The Complementary Paths of Anthroposophy and Catholicism" earnestly seeks to correct the misinformation and lack of understanding that each partisan critic has for the other. As in almost every significant dispute, increased knowledge and familiarity about each other will in time bring both sides closer together for mutual growth and benefit.

SINCE THE DAWN of mankind, human beings have unquestioningly accepted the self-evident biological truth that there are only two distinct sexes - male and female. Furthermore, this truth was understood to be divinely established, as indicated in the ancient Hebrew writings of Moses: "So God created man in his own image ... male and female he created them. And God blessed them" (Gen 1:27, 28). Similarly with the concomitant truth that there are only two distinct genders - masculine and feminine. Moreover, in ancient times the dual genders were seen as fundamental and complementary universal principles that infused and fashioned everything in the created cosmos. One familiar expression of this ancient metaphysical belief is the Chinese Taoist principles of yin and yang. Throughout history, stable and productive family units, tribal groupings, social communities, and even vast empires were globally established on the exigent foundational truths of sexuality and gender - that is - until very recently. Beginning in the mid-1950s, what had been perennially and universally accepted regarding sex and gender began to be academically questioned and challenged. This ideological heterodoxy quickly accelerated in the 1960s with the inception and radical cultural impact of the sexual revolution and the feminist movement. Increased and well-organized gay and lesbian activism in the 1970s also did much to publicly reject the traditional dichotomies of male-female and masculine-feminine in order to promote a novel range of non-normative sexualities and exotic gender categories. By the early 2000s, sociological theorists, academic institutions, media organizations, civil rights groups, medical associations, political parties, national governments and international agencies were all becoming involved in a cultural drive to "mainstream" this radically-new and socially-transformative gender ideology. While even to casual observation, it is evident that this contemporary sexual revolution is causing fierce political and social upheaval, what can be perplexing to a deeper spiritual analysis are questions such as: "What exactly are sexuality and gender; and are they synonymous or different? What is causing the current sexual revolution? Why is it occurring at this particular time in world history? Is this sexual revolution progressive or regressive; beneficial or harmful? Are there spiritual forces and beings involved in this upheaval; and are they godly or evil?" This particular discourse, then - Gender and Sexuality in Light of Esoteric Science - heavily relies on ancient Yogic teachings, age-old Egyptian Hermetic philosophy, hidden Rosicrucian wisdom and the anthroposophical research of clairvoyant investigator, Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) to profoundly and penetratingly address these important questions. In order to rationally embrace the binary truth of gender - masculine and feminine - it will be necessary to first understand the Trinitarian nature of God, and then perceive how the divine nature is faithfully reflected throughout the created universe, including human existence. After which, in order to similarly embrace the binary truth of human sexuality - male and female - it will be necessary to clairvoyantly trace the history and development of mankind on earth, back to far-distant primordial ages. The much-celebrated "freedoms" brought about by the sexual revolution will be seen and understood to be an inimical supernatural assault on reason, reality, nature and progressive human evolution, particularly by Luciferic and Ahrimanic beings and forces. The current state of sexual and gender confusion, therefore, is not regarded as a positive development by esoteric science; but rather a seriously-harmful and seductive delusionary entrapment that must be challenged, arrested and positively corrected.

IN THE LIGHT of spiritual science, never before in the history of the world has there been such an assailment of supernatural evil upon humanity as extensive and intense as there exists at the present time. Subconsciously pouring into the human soul are the seductive whisperings of Luciferic beings and fallen angels; the perceptual distortions of Ahrimanic (Satanic) beings; the lurid, egocentric promptings of corrupt spirits of personality (asuras); and the violent inducements of blood-lust rising up from the subterranean "beast of Revelation" (Sorath the sun-demon). The tragic and bitter irony of all this, however, is that because of today's pervasive atheistic and secular culture and the materialistic worldview of natural science, individual human beings are correspondingly the most oblivious to supernatural evil than they have ever been at any other time in world history. To be sure, people today are certainly aware of the effects of supernatural evil - extensive and increased natural disasters; horrific instances of mass genocide; the prolific use of torture and brutality by government agencies; individual acts of sudden cruelty and murder; pathological selfishness throughout the world's business and financial markets; strange, globally-infectious viral contagions; the devaluation of human life through abortion and euthanasia; and a world-wide pandemic of dehumanizing drug addiction. What most people today fail to realize is that the invisible fomenting agents - the causes - of all these life-threatening, destructive physical events and pathologies are ultimately rooted in the impulses of supernatural evil. To be sure, mankind would have completely and totally succumbed to this tsunami of supernatural evil if it weren't for the protective and opposing intervention of powerful, benevolent celestial beings, such as St. Michael the Archai, Yahweh-Elohim (the spirit of the moon), and the Solar-Christos (aka: "Christ" - the regent of the sun). More than ever, it is crucially important in today's world to understand the nature of evil, and to become more aware and cognizant of the various perpetrators of supernatural evil. Thereby, conscious cooperation with the compassionate protectors and guardians of mankind can be increased and strengthened, so that supernatural evil is better resisted and eventually overcome. To this end, "From Darkness to Light: Divine Love and the Transmutation of Evil," delves deeply into the thorny questions of "What exactly is evil?", together with "How and when did evil begin?", as well as "Why does God allow evil to exist?" Once the nature, genesis and purpose of evil is better understood, then various influential superphysical perpetrators of supernatural evil will be examined in closer detail. Correspondingly, the superphysical proponents of cosmic holiness will be identified and better understood as well. Wherever possible, the spiritual-scientific research of anthroposophy - an independent offshoot of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, and the modern-day expression of esoteric Christianity that was established by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) - will be included and referenced. Following this profoundly-esoteric background, the destined human struggle with continuing and obdurate evil - far into the future development of the earth - will also be mentally envisioned and supersensibly examined. It is sincerely intended that upon completion of the entire written discourse, concerned individuals will be better armed and shielded in order to become actively engaged on the side of holiness and spiritual light in the prolonged cosmic battle against evil and material darkness.

NO DOUBT, anyone interested in Christian esotericism will have noticed that there is a widespread modern-day revival of interest in the ancient gnostic concept of "Sophia" amongst a strange diversity of groups: wiccans, neo-pagans, New Agers, neo-gnostics, Catholic mystics, Orthodox Christians, radical feminists, and anthroposophists. Adding to this ideological melange is the exotic variety of Sophia designations and conceptions: the Divine Sophia, the heavenly-sophia, the earthly-sophia, Hagia Sophia, the goddess Sophia, the Aeon Sophia, the Virgin Sophia, Sophia-Achamoth, Pistis Sophia, Isis-Sophia, Jesus Sophia, theo-sophia, philo-sophia and anthropo-sophia. Not surprisingly, then, this cacophony of Sophias is very often contradictory, confusing, distorted, invented, erroneous, and (sadly) rarely enlightening. It is not difficult to detect that "esoteric entrepreneurs" have seized this current "thirst for Sophia" to offer up a potpourri of books, courses, conferences, workshops, lessons, websites, video clips, internet articles - even worship services - to inundate, titillate and financially captivate any novice Sophia seeker. So, what is a sincere Christian esotericist to make of this fervent Sophia phenomenon: "Is it a positive and healthy spiritual development, or is it a regressive and outmoded religious diversion?" This particular discourse - "Mary and the Divine Sophia" - delves deeply and genuinely into this important question in order to establish spiritual fact from unspiritual fiction. In order to adequately answer this question, however, profound esoteric investigation into the Trinitarian nature of God, as well as the universal being of the Logos-Word, together with the fundamental underlying principles of the created cosmos will need to be detailed and discussed. Some of this previously-guarded esoteric information may be quite new and unfamiliar to many readers; but every effort has been made to present it in clear, understandable concepts. Furthermore, since the mother of Jesus is very often intimately associated or connected to historical and present-day conceptions of Sophia, a comprehensive study will also be undertaken regarding Mary and her special relationship to the Divine Sophia; relying heavily on the spiritual-scientific research of Austrian philosopher and esotericist, Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). Once again, a great deal of this information will be startlingly new to those unfamiliar with anthroposophy; but, as before, great care has been taken to present this possibly-unfamiliar information in a comprehensible, intellectually-accessible way. It is sincerely intended that this discourse will provide the earnest esotericist with reliable, trustworthy and objective spiritual knowledge in order to confidently know and understand the mystery-truth of the heavenly-sophia; and thereby extricate her from the distortions and falsifications of Lucifer and Ahriman.

THROUGHOUT THE MODERN age there has been a strong, commonly-held misconception (among religious and non-religious persons alike) that if there truly exists a spiritual world beyond the physical, it is impossible to know anything for certain until after death. And unfortunately (it is believed), no one has come back from death to verify spiritual existence or not. Surprisingly and happily, however, this popular belief turns out to be entirely untrue. According to esoteric science, mankind has always had the capacity to not only contact the spiritual world before death; but on certain rare occasions, the soul is able to exit the physical body prior to death, briefly sojourn in the spiritual world and then safely return to the physical body afterwards. Since the historical incarnation of Christ-Jesus as World Saviour, there have been two paths of initiation that are suitable for the modern age in order to enter the spiritual world during life (and not simply waiting until death): (1) the path of Mystic-Christianity, and (2) the path of Rosicrucian-Christianity. Both initiatory paths were established though St. John the evangelist (not the apostle). What many esotericists are unaware of at the present time is that there exists a third avenue of conscious entry into the spiritual world made available by Christ-Jesus―specifically offered to non-initiates. This unique path has been made possible because of two profound superphysical developments: (1) since his world-altering ascension into the heavenly realm, Christ-Jesus has become the new "lord of karma" governing human evolutionary destiny; and (2) for the past two thousand years Christ-Jesus has been slowly raising the vibratory level within mankind's collective subconsciousness. As a result, a relatively small number of present-day individuals―with no current initiatory training―have spontaneously experienced brief moments of supersensible perception. To some, Christ-Jesus has fleetingly appeared in his etheric, angel-like resurrection form; while to others he has been perceived as an internal, all-wise spirit-voice. And on even rarer occasions, Christ-Jesus―acting as spirit-guide (or "hierophant")―has consciously escorted non-initiates into the spiritual world for a brief sojourn while still alive, and then safely returned them to physical life on earth.In all these instances of unexpected and unplanned spiritual encounters, there is a strong karmic (destiny) component involved. Though the individuals involved may not have knowingly undertaken initiatory training in their present lifetimes, in most cases their inner souls were sufficiently prepared in previous lifetimes to enable these extraordinary experiences to occur. Moreover, Christ-Jesus―as the new lord of karma―has the power and authority to grant special dispensation to non-initiates whom he considers worthy of receiving extraordinary spiritual development. This publication―"Following Christ Across the Threshold: The Non-Initiate's Guide to Entering the Spiritual World"―is not, therefore, a manual of initiatory training. But rather, it is intended as a step-by-step preparatory guide (in the form of a sequential series of "lessons") for non-initiates; in order to assist them as to "what to expect, how to react and what to do" if they are ever granted the opportunity―while still being physically alive―of entering the spiritual world under the inner direction of Christ-Jesus. Hopefully, this intellectual preparation will help alleviate some of the horrific, terrifying and soul-shattering experiences associated with consciously crossing the threshold into the spiritual world during life (and also after death).