A Mystery School is an institution that teaches esoteric and magical spirituality in a direct and experiential way, as opposed to the symbolic and intellectual approach of the modern esoteric groups . This wisdom of the Mystery School is based on a core set of philosophies and spiritual principles that guides the student to contact their own Spirit, their divinity within themselves. A Mystery School is often structured in its approach to this task by a series of Initiations with corresponding teachings that must be mastered by the student before moving on to the next Initiation. These Initiation Cycles, or Degrees, are often centered around a central theme, or set of Mysteries. Often these Mysteries are concerned with the Underworld. These Mysteries are kept secret from the uninitiated, who would misinterpret them without the proper experiential knowledge gained by the Initiation and other rituals which accompany it. These Mysteries and their Initiatory steps increase the student’s spiritual awareness and powers in gradual steps, towards Adeptship, which is total self-mastery by the Spirit.