14 September 2007

Alchemy, divine science, and the stars

The Rosicrucian Order is a legendary esoteric order with its roots in the western mystery tradition. The Rosicrucianists were known as a "College of Invisibles" composed of great Adepts, aiming to give assistance in humanity's spiritual development.

One of the main Rosicrucian purposes is to discover the purpose of life. Rosicrucians believe that a good “inner reformation” in the way a person thinks and behaves will bring about a much more successful life for that person. Basically, once people forget about the troubles in their lives, they will be more successful. Ignorance is bliss.

But the origins are a hazy shade of winter.

The "Brethren of the Rose Cross" is perceived by students of metaphysics as an important part or even the source of the hermetic-Christian tradition of the western alchemy treatises period subsequent to the publication of Dante's The Divine Comedy the years 1308-1321.

One legend tells of a pilgrim who studied in the Middle East under various occult masters and founded the Rosicrucian Order, which aimed to bring about a "universal reformation of mankind." That pilgrim was Christian Rosenkreuz. We'll get to him in a moment.



A lesser-known legend of the 18th century Rosicrucian group called the Golden and Rosy Cross says the Rosicrucian Order was created in the year 46 when an Alexandrian Gnostic sage named Ormus and his six followers were converted by one of Jesus' disciples, Mark. From this conversion, Rosicrucianism was supposedly born, fusing early christianity with Egyptian mysteries.



Christian Rosenkreuz who lived 1378 -1484, is widely accepted as the legendary founder of the Rosicrucian Order presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century.

It is on the foundation of these teachings that Rosenkreuz conceived the plan for simultaneous and universal religious, philosophic, scientific, political, and artistic reform. To implement his plan, he united with seven disciples to whom he gave the name of Rose-Croix.

According to legend, Christian Rosenkreuz discovered and learned Esoteric Wisdom among Arab sages as a pilgrim to the East, supposedly in the early 15th century ; returned and founded the "Fraternity of the Rose Cross" with himself (Frater C.R.C.) as Head of the Order. Under his direction a Temple, called "The House of the Holy Spirit", was built.

More sketchy shit...

It is legend that Rosenkreuz's body was discovered by a Brother of the Order, in a perfect state of conservation, 120 years after his death which occurred in absolute secrecy - just as Rosenkreuz had predicted - in a chamber erected by himself as a storehouse of knowledge.

Rosenkreuz's crypt seems to be located in the interior parts of the Earth, recalling the alchemical motto VITRIOL: "Visit the Interior Parts of the Earth; by Rectification Thou Shalt Find the Hidden Stone." I'll spare you the Latin mumbojumbo.

Alchemy (the ancestor of modern chemistry), is often thought to mean the science of creating gold from base metals. The true alchemists, or philosophers of the fire, often disparagingly refer to people attempting such a feat as blowers, meaning all those who were simply interested in the creation of gold and the purely material aspects of alchemy.


A. Lange & Sohne Luna Mundi rose gold Southern Cross watch which shows the Ursa Major constellation

In his laboratory, the alchemist works on the materia prima and uses, among other tools, a furnace called an athanor but in Spiritual Alchemy, the materia prima is the human soul, and the athanor is the physical body and the subtle bodies. The latter maintain the life of the most dense one and assure the connection with the soul. The laboratory is human existence during which the soul can learn to perfect itself, achieving the transmutation of vices and defects (the vile metal) into virtues and qualities.



The first Rosicrucians practiced alchemy in the laboratory, which was in vogue at that epoch, of interest even to popes and kings. The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz is a major written work which clearly makes reference to this work. Current-day Rosicrucianists (like modern Freemasons, who do not construct cathedrals anymore) direct their concentration toward the work of spiritual alchemy.

According to the early Manifestoes, the Rosicrucians were a "secret" Order. Their members believed or could demonstrate healing powers that were seen as a gift from God: Spiritual Healing. In the outer orders these powers were explained by Egyptian mysteries and again, differently in the hermetic Order. Members were admitted on this basis alone and the "membership" was very selective. The writers, philosophers and people of the time became curious and infuriated because they were excluded. Most of the writings of the time are biased or speculative for this reason. Many modern Rosicrucian organisations hold the belief that these God-given powers may be used to help others.

A large majority of modern Rosicrucians believe in the study of Spiritual Astrology as a key to the Spirit, to aid spiritual development and self-knowledge, as well as an aid to healing through Astro-Diagnosis.



Beethoven's in on it, too.

A way through which the alchemical work on the "Path of Initiation" has been expressed to the world, according to occultists such as Corinne Heline (1882-1975), is through classical music. To wit, the nine symphonies of Beethoven (1770-1827) were divided into two groups. The first, the third, the fifth, and the seventh are vigorous, powerful and of command, representing the intellect. The second, the fourth, the sixth and the eighth are elegant, ternurent, gracious and beautiful, representing the heart (intuition). They culminate in the symphony with human voices, the ninth symphony, in which the equilibrium between mind and heart or the "Chymical Wedding" ritual, where the Christ Within – the Adept – is born ("consumatun est"). Johan Herde speaks of Beethoven as "... God acts on earth through evolved men..." and Beethoven speaks of himself as "... I do not have friends, that is why I must live alone, but I know from the deepest of my heart, that God is closer to me than to others. I come close to Him without fear, because I have always known Him...". Oh, Ludwig, you're such a romantic.

The Rosicrucians took the union of the rose and the cross for their symbol because this union embodies the meaning of their effort and emphasises the fact that that effort must be made by all men, as the aim of humanity on earth is to attain divine wisdom. Only two ways lead to this divine wisdom: knowledge and love. By the rose blooming in the middle of the cross, the whole meaning of the universe is explained: in order to realize its possibilities and become perfect, mankind must develop the capacity for love to the point of loving all creatures and all forms perceptible to the senses; it must enlarge the capacity for knowledge and understanding to the point of comprehending the laws that govern the worlds, and of being able to proceed, through intuition and the loving intelligence of the heart, from every effect to every cause.

Modern day groups...

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, various groups styled themselves Rosicrucian. Almost all claimed to be authentic heirs to a historical Rosicrucian tradition.
The diverse groups who link themselves to a "Rosicrucian Tradition" can be divided into two categories: Esoteric Christian groups, which profess your boy christ, and para-Masonic groups.

There has never been any connection between these two streams.


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