Often time, and for many people, the path to liberation appears elusive, incomprehensible, something that is out there and unreachable for most. It may especially appear so when we discover that many legends and myths of the world refer to stages of this same path, trodden by some famous figures of the past. All of this could be somewhat discouraging, though at the same time inspiring to consider that it might be possible to walk on that path and discover things that have been passed on for centuries in the form of folk tales, things such as fights with dragons, rescuing the lost treasure, long and distant journeys that were filled with adventures, large battles within one’s own family line etc. Even though this might seem far fetched and out there, it is referring to the inner journey that every aspirant (and later on an initiate) goes through on the path to awakening.

When someone decides to give this inner work a try and see how it goes, if they are serious in their efforts and really apply the techniques for self-development in the way that it is indicated, they may soon come to have experiences of the path, firstly in dreams and later on in waking life also. It does not take a lot to pass the first threshold of the path; the only thing needed is overall understanding of the work and of the necessity to eliminate the egos, and therefore to liberate the consciousness that is trapped inside it. This understanding is brought by the initial inner work that is done, a work on the egos, which brings someone to the point where they face what is esoterically referred to as the Guardian of the Threshold.

This is the first test that is taking place in the astral plane; if passed then one enters on the probative path. The guardian represents the entirety of the egos and often time has a shape of a monster. To pass it, it is necessary to have the above mentioned understanding about the necessity to die to egos. If we are serious with the work and the inner change, we are going to confront that monster and will pass the threshold that will then take us into other tests and tribulations of the probative path. And then as the other tests unfold, such as the tests of the four elements and the nine minor initiations, our life starts to take on a different quality; we see clearly based on our dream life that some important things are taking place, and that we are beginning to change inwardly in a serious way, all this as the result of the inner work that is done from moment to moment.

Eventually we may reach a point, whether that be somewhere on the probative path or right before entering the path proper, where we are tested in an intense way, so to prove that we are ready and worthy to receive the massive amount of help that is needed when on the path. Also our faith is tested, our inner virtues are tested; it seems as if our entire inner Being is tested to show to divinity its strength and determination to guide and help its essence on the path.

This is the time when we have to stay courageous, and remember why is it that we even started with this work in the first place. We have to stay truthful to ourselves, stay firm and use whatever force we mustered up so far to go through that test, or series of tests, whatever the case may be. If we manage to do that, we are ought to learn something that we haven’t know before, such as an understanding about ourselves or a skill that will be of tremendous help throughout the path, but something valuable we do get out of such tribulation. And then we see the path in a new light, we see how immense it is and the transformative effect it has on us. After that point we understand that the path, the daily life, and the dream life, are not really three separate things that we allocate a certain amount of time to for each, but rather we see how they intertwine and are merging together, and how they are integral part of the deeper purpose to our life on Earth.

After that point there is no turning back. We can if we want to, but it would be akin to someone who throughout their life has been living in a small house, not knowing that there is anything else besides it, and upon discovering the outdoors and all of its mysteries goes out and experiences it, though in the end decides to live in that small house for the rest of their life. But those who are brave enough would go further into that great outdoors, walking on the defined path and experiencing more and more of themselves, their true nature, and the reality of existence.

HDP, May 2020.