The story begins with Gordon and Jane, walking on a corridor, on the astral plane. Their two blue, regal tigers accompany them. The tigers are their spirit guides and guardians. Soon, they find themselves in a series of rooms, which have the internal appearance of a monastery. The rooms are located inside a rock formation. There are no doors or signs of an entrance. Huge pillars, with open spaces between, allow light to enter. They are standing in a large room, with a group of native American tribal elders, who are seated at a large table. Gordon is included in a group of twelve men, who are called the selected. Jane is in a group of twelve women, called the accepted. Each pair of the selected and accepted will have a role to play in the future, involving spiritual awakenings. Born in the same year, all of the selected of that year are male, and their accepted partners are female. On alternate years, it is reversed, with the females being the selected, and males the accepted.