Welcome!

You are welcome here regardless of religious affiliation or lack of affiliation. You are welcome regardless of any belief system that you may hold or not hold. Andreas does not represent any creed or denomination and does not hold that any are necessary.

The only thing that is necessary here is an openness to new ways of thinking that exceeds mere tolerance. The only thing that is unwelcome here is intolerance in any form.

Each of us is unique as an individual, of course, but we also share some things in common. What we share in common most universally are those things most fundamental to our being. What is being sought here is that which is most fundamental of all—our relationship to the universe.

Because we are individuals, each of us faces our own challenges in carrying forward this inquiry. Our challenges are at least partially defined by what we already believe. We have accumulated, through the necessities of living, many assumptions, misconceptions, and misunderstandings. This is why we must open ourselves to new modalities of thought: in order to overcome what we already know to be true.

Everything that is stated here must be verified by personal experience, thus it is not correct to call it merely belief, which may refer to ideas that are held without regard to evidence. This emphasis on verifiable knowledge may appear to be scientific, but it is not. The scientific method demands that we all be able to agree on every aspect of an experience, that is to say, the experience must be objective. By definition, this limits scientific inquiry to the material world. What we are exploring here is not verifiable to the standards of science, it is subjective rather than objective, immaterial rather than material. Still, it is nonetheless real, though its realness must be verified individually.

It is expected that every person that comes to this site will be challenged at some level. The very nature of existence, of life, is continual challenge. Since we are dealing here with those issues most fundamental to our nature and existence, challenging ourselves is the essence of what we do here. This means that we will feel uncomfortable. It cannot be helped. Truth is uncomfortable; that is its nature.

Being challenged often means becoming aware of our own ignorance. We are all ignorant at some level because there is no end to learning. Most of what we do here will involve new concepts and activities. Very little that is discussed here is immediately obvious and, if we think we know something, that is probably where we are mistaken. Therefore, in this forum and in our lives, doubt is not a sin but a blessing, and recognizing our limitations is humility.

Often our misconceptions and misunderstandings arise from language itself. Language is an imperfect tool of communication, although it is often the only tool that we have. We should not aggravate the situation by using language carelessly nor on the other side by relying too heavily on the accuracy of language. Frequently, it is our own inflexibility that allows words to trap us in error. If we insist, however, on verifying bodily what is discussed, then words will ultimately not matter.

If nothing should be obvious, it follows that everything will sound strange to us, at least in the beginning. This is to be expected, but it will not last forever if we are flexible in our understanding. Eventually, we will learn. Still, much of the time, we will find ourselves perplexed and suspicious over ideas that are challenging to us. Only with patience can we overcome our rigidity and become accustomed to being surprised by our inquiry. For secret knowledge is by its nature surprising.

Perhaps you are already surprised that no qualifications are necessary to receive secret knowledge. Even atheists can learn, but that does not mean it will be easy. As a practical matter, it will be near impossible for an atheist to overcome their prejudices against "spiritual nonsense." Yet, there are many different ways to be an atheist, so some may succeed. By the same token, as a practical matter, it will be near impossible for a Christian to accept that belief is not the real issue. Each of us brings our own personal obstacles to the quest.

The Secret Knowledge of Jesus

Jesus was a real person who lived at the beginning of this era. He lived in a particular place and time, among certain people with a very definite culture and religion. But his teachings were not exclusively limited to Israelites of the first century. He spoke also to the issues that we are investigating here and that are of universal value to all.

Jesus was not the only person to teach on these issues. Many teachers, ancient and more recent, have spoken on spriritual knowledge, but none have addressed the issues with the power and clarity that Jesus did. He taught secret knowledge to those who could understand. We know his teachings from the New Testament and other ancient Christian writings. The purpose of secret knowledge is to live better.

In the book, The Secret Knowledge of Jesus, Andreas summarizes what the secret knowledge is and the most salient details on how to realize a personal connection with the Spirit, the source of everything. The Spirit itself, however, is beyond words and cannot be described. It can only be experienced through following the Way.

The book provides a useful introduction and guide to the principles of the Way. This site is designed to complement the book and to further elucidate the principles. Hopefully, the discussion generated here will result in a greater understanding of the Way and improved methods of teaching its principles.