Book excerpt: In this outline of the secret wisdom of the divine plan, Vera Stanley Alder uses her rare gift for condensing and synthesizing the essentials of esoteric teachings to reveal the many aspects of Ancient Wisdom and its relationship to presentday scientific knowledge. What makes this classic work so popular is Alder's simple and unintimidating presentation of the various forms of personal initiation. According to Alder, we each hold the key to Ancient Wisdom if we open ourselves to recognize the universal knowledge that resides within. This book is a guide to the conscious realization of the wholeness of life as we evolve throughout a lifetime.