In many cultures, an individual's personal qualities and actions are his ticket to paradise. Thus, for the Tibetans it is only the enlightened who are on the path to Shangri-La. Christians see a good life and forgiveness of sins as the path to paradise. The Germanic otherworld is open only to specially chosen warriors. The Celtic paradisical otherworlds are only open to seers, bards, and heroes who have proven great worthiness. The one exception is October 31st of each year, when the gates to the otherworlds are open. This tradition eventually became Halloween!

Most cultures saw the lost paradise or otherworld as the home of their gods. In Germanic mythology, Asgard was the divine stronghold of the Aesir, the younger and stronger branch of the gods. Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir, the other branch. Asgard was a mighty castle-city, housing Valhalla, the enormous hall, where slain warriors who were chosen by the god Odin to fight the final apocalyptic battle would go to wait. In order to enter the great hall of Valhalla, the newly slain warriors had to enter through a sacred gate, after passing through several obstacles.

			A map of the mythical land of Shambala, surrounded by its ring of peaks with the palace at the center. Musee Guimet Paris/Giraudon