The Key: A True Encounter

Whitley Strieber

May 2011 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

From the bestselling author of Communion comes the mysterious true story of how an unknown visitor barged into Streiber's hotel room late one night--and imparted extraordinary lessons in personal development and man's fate that challenge us to rethink every assumption about the meaning of life.

At two-thirty in the morning of June 6, 1998, Whitley Streiber was awakened by somebody knocking on his hotel room door. A man came in, and everything he said was life-altering.

This is the unsettling and ultimately enlightening narrative of what happened that night. Strieber was never really sure who this strange and knowing visitor was--a "Master of Wisdom"? A figure from a different realm of consciousness? A preternaturally intelligent being? He called him the Master of the Key. The one thing of which Strieber was certain is that both the man and the encounter were real.

The main concern of the Master of the Key is to save each of us from self-imprisonment. "Mankind is trapped," the stranger tells Strieber. "I want to help you spring the trap." In a sweeping exchange between Strieber and the stranger--which takes the form of a classical student- teacher dialogue in pursuit of inner understanding--the unknown man presents a lesson in human potential, esoteric psychology, and man's fate. He illuminates why man has been caught in a cycle of repeat violence and self-destruction--and the slender, but very real, possibility for release.

In its breadth and intimacy, The Key is on par with contemporary metaphysical traditions, such as A Course in Miracles, or even with the dialogues of modern wisdom teachers, such as D.T. Suzuki and Carl Jung.

Ratings and reviews

Surprisingly so this was a pretty good book. I may not believe everything mentioned but it definitely made me think and left me wanting to know more.

While I am generally not a fan of master/teacher books, The Key transcends the New Agey blandness of that genre and offers clear and actionable answers to it's readers. There are truths within it that anyone with a questing soul will recognize and, I believe, be forced to react to. Buy it, and then buy more for those who need it.

For those who might be tempted to prejudge this work based the author’s past writings, it should be noted that the book is unlike any of his previous works and has nothing to do with UFOs or abduction. Its central message dwells on the spiritual ascent of man. The author considers it to be valuable personal guidance that has proved itself year after year. The Key is a transcription of a two hour late night interview of a mysterious gentleman named Michael who the author dubs as Master of the Key. It took place in Toronto, Canada in 1998. It takes up about 100 pages. This interview provided the geophysical model for ecological collapse used in Global Superstorm. Unlocking the deeper meaning of The Key requires a closer reading and inborn metaphysic than most will bring to the book. Buddhists and Vedantists will be able to turn the key. The Aquarian consciousness described by Michael is that of the energetic body. Anyone who thinks they don't have one will make a "great discovery." This shift into new consciousness can literally happen at the flip of a switch in the brain. Authors like Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Jill Taylor and Jan Frazier have described the disorienting effect and the unexpected revaluing that can occur. The conversation speaks of the lifting of the veil between life and death. This is not a figurative reference. If you are afraid of communing with the dearly departed, it is time to regroup or you may end up creating a living hell for yourself. When Pisces pours "onto dry land" the mind may be pushed cold turkey into radically new territory. Forewarned is forearmed. Sorting this out is a tricky business. Taking a peek at books by Anthony Borgia may be in order. Life is about choice. If you neglect the Creator, and your own divine nature, there will be consequences—major short- and long-term consequences. The focus of the book is to clearly make this assertion and provide you with tools that will help. The book is many things—a prophecy, a warning, a seeming contradiction, but most of all a metaphysical message to crystallize the polarizing energies of this era. It’s time to ascend to the status of radiant beings or do nothing and sink into a doubting, self-satisfied existence of the status quo. If we unite in prayer, all things are possible, otherwise we are doomed to devolve rapidly into a condition so dire there will not even be an alphabet—a totally fresh start for those who need it. Big changes are coming, big changes in consciousness, climate, economy, you name it, it will change. Soon we will all have good reason to give passionate prayer a try. Start meditating now so you will be able to keep your cool with a quiescent mind. Time is growing short. Learn to break the links of societal conditioning and emancipate yourself from inappropriate and unforgiving thoughts and inbred condemning attitudes. It is possible to lead a loving life free of the fear that breeds separation. Though Whitley’s source, Michael, may be unconventional or uncommon, don’t forget authors like Gary Renard and Glenda Green--miracles are the spice of life. Extended discussions with mysterious beings are both possible and unforgettable. Some may find the message flawed, but what is most flawed is human perception. There are thousands of niche authors of the past decades like Helen Schucman, Ken Carey, and Whitley Strieber who have had the moral courage to stand up to ridicule and abuse in an effort to publish metaphysical gems on the faith and inner knowing that their sources are impeccable.

About the author

Whitley Strieber is the internationally bestselling author of more than 20 novels and works of nonfiction, among them the landmark work Communion, his account of a close encounter of the third kind that took place in December 1985. He is also author of The Wolfen, The Hunger, and The Coming Global Superstorm, all of which were made into feature films, most recently Superstorm as The Day After Tomorrow. He lives in California.