Jan van Rijckenborgh translates the Nuctemeron of Apollonius of Tyana as “The Day of God Shining in the Darkness”. He explains that the Day is divided into twelve hours or steps, and every hour gives an indication of the way the Day of God may be realized by every candidate.  In fact, it is a method of liberation, a path towards complete liberation.

The teachings of this ‘Master’, who lived at the beginning of our era, have been lost to us, and all that remains is the ‘Twelve Hours’, as heavily veiled and symbolic as they are. In his explanations, the author opens up to the reader the logical and systematic reality of the universal path, once hidden within the ‘Nuctemeron’ and now given to all of humanity as a shining light to illuminate their path.  

Not only is the complete path to liberation contained within the twelve hours, but the significance of the twelve ‘steps’ as stages of spiritual growth are revealed in clear light, giving the reader the necessary insight into both the tasks and challenges of each ‘step’.