The psychic and spiritual events portrayed in this play are to be conceived as following, at about a year’s interval, those delineated in ‘The Guardian of the Threshold.’
I. Representatives of the Element of Spirit:
- 1. Benedictus, the personality in whom a number of his ‘pupils’ recognize the sage who knows the deep spiritual connection of earthly events. In my earlier soul pictures ‘The Portal of Initiation’ and ‘The Soul’s Probation,’ he is portrayed as the Hierophant of the Sun-Temple; in ‘The Guardian of the Threshold’ he manifests that particular phase of spiritual activity which aims to substitute the actual spiritual life of modern times for the merely traditional views upheld therein by the Mystic Brotherhood. In ‘The Soul’s Awakening’ Benedictus must no longer be conceived only as a sage who has authority over his pupils but also as having his own psychic destiny interwoven with their psychic experiences.
- 2. Hilary True-to-God, the adept in traditional spiritual life, which, in his case, is accompanied by individual spirit-experience. He is the same individuality who appears in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as Grand Master of a Mystic Brotherhood.
- 3. The Manager of Hilary’s business of sawmills.
- 4. Hilary’s Secretary. He appears in ‘The Guardian of the Threshold’ as Frederick Clear-Mind.
II. Representatives of the Element of Sacrifice:
- 1. Magnus Bellicosus named Germanus in ‘The Portal of Initiation.’ In ‘The Soul’s Probation’ and in the ‘Guardian of the Threshold’ he is the Preceptor of a Mystic Brotherhood.
- 2. Albertus Torquatus named ‘Theodosius’ in ‘The Portal of Initiation.’ He appears in the ‘Soul’s Probation’ as the First Master of Ceremonies of the Mystic Brotherhood.
- 3. Professor Capesius appearing in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as First Preceptor.
- 4. Felix Balde, representing in ‘The Portal of Initiation’ a kind of natural mysticism, but here, a subjective mysticism. He appears as Joseph Keane in ‘The Soul’s Probation.’
III. Representatives of the Element of Will:
- 1. Romanus who is here re-introduced under the same name used for him in ‘The Portal of Initiation’ because it expresses the inner state of being to which he has worked upwards during the years which elapse between ‘The Portal of Initiation’ and the ‘Awakening.’ In ‘The Guardian of the Threshold’ the name given him of Frederick Trustworthy is the one by which he is supposed to be known in the physical world, and the name is used there because his inner life has very little to do with the events represented. In ‘The Soul’s Probation’ he appears as Second Master of Ceremonies in the mediæval Mystic Brotherhood.
- 2. Doctor Strader the individual appearing in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as the Jew, Simon.
- 3. The Nurse of Doctor Strader the individual called Mary Steadfast in ‘The Guardian of the Threshold.’ In ‘The Portal of Initiation’ she is known as ‘The Other Maria’ because the imaginative perception of Johannes Thomasius constructs, under her guise, an imaginative picture of certain nature-forces. Her individuality appears in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as Bertha, Keane’s daughter.
- 4. Dame Balde who appears in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as Dame Keane.
IV. Representatives of the Element of Soul:
- 1. Maria whose individuality appears in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as the Monk.
- 2. Johannes Thomasius whose individuality appears in ‘The Soul’s Probation’ as Thomas.
- 3. Hilary’s wife.
V. Beings from the Spirit World: