rosicrucian digest, july 1958

7/27/2019 Rosicrucian Digest, July 1958

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ROSICRUCIAN1958J U L Y

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ri?A6TMNCEofthe?0lfThe ancients attributed directly to divine source everything wh

to the human senses seemed perfectthe perfume of flowers, the sw

smelling early morning air, the tang of the sea, the mysterious scent

strange herbs. These pleasing odors were associated with the div

being of the gods. Even the soul was thought to have a fragrance of

own far superior to anything else which man could ever smell. In

sacred temples, herbalists would mix secret potions and compound r

incenses which were thought to approach the divine fragrance of the so

It was believed that an inhalation of the scented fumes would lift

soul to greater heights. It is known that rare incenses will aid in pducing harrriony of the senses, and for this reason, the Rosicrucians h

had especially preparedan incense that is soothing and most helpful meditation purposes.

Rosicrucian incense is of India Moss Rose scent. It is longburn

half a brickette is sufficient for the average sanctum period.


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DR. H. SPENCER LEWIS

August the 2nd is the anniversary of the transition of the late Rosicrucian Imperator, Dr. H.Spencer Lewis, which occurred in 1939. He founded the second cycle of the Rosicrucian Order(AMORC) in America which has since spread its influence throughout the world. On Satur-day August 2, the brief, annual ceremony in respect to his memory will be held at RosicrucianPark. For details, see page 249.


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^PRTHF c p rTHE ROSICRUCIANS, AMORCSAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.

Please send me the Free Book. I am inter-ested in knowing how I may obtain the master-ful Rosicrucian teachings.

Name ..................................................................................................

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Do you realise that each hour of your life you

stand upon the brink of such a chasmthe chasm ofeternity? The span of your life is suspended betweenthe vast mystery preceding your birth and the greatone still to come. Are you satisfied to endure yearsof conscious life in ignorance of the purpose of lifeitself, or the end toward which life is moving?

THIS FREE BOOK

Life is what you make it. Are you content totramp with the multitude, head bowed by pettyfears, moved by blind hopes, years slipping by, to

pass into oblivion, having lived, but having neverknown the joys of living?

Would you prefer to be one of life's directors,mastering each play ol the game, avoiding its cor-ners, marching into the king row of personal power,

security, and attainment? If you seek to direct theaffairs of your life intelligently, we offer you an ageold method, preserved by the Rosicrucians (not areligious organization) and used by thousands inrealizing their ideals. Use the courtesy coupon op-

posite, and receive the Free Book of interestingparticulars.

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ROSICRUCIAN DIGESTCOVERS THE WORLD

T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E W O R L D - W I D E R O S I C R U C I A N O R D E R

XXXVI JULY, 1958 No. 7

Dr. H. Spencer Lewis (Frontispiece)................... 241

Thought of the Month: Your Philosophy is Showing.. ................. 244

Color and You........... 246

In Memoriam 249

Islam, the All-Inclusive........................................................................ ............ . 250

There Is No Infant Mind ..................................... .............................................. 252

About Weeds 255

Cathedral Contacts : Overtaking Time.......................................... 257

Superstitions, Old and New ......... .... 259

The Higher Standard of Living ..... .......... ............... .............................. 262

Seven Steps to Wisdom .......... ........ .................... 264

W hat Concentration W IL L Do...................... 267

Temple Echoes .............. ................................... .... ............. ......... 270

Something about Craftsmanship........... .... 272

World-Wide Directory ....... 276

Subscription to the Rosicrucian Digest, $3.00 (1/2/- sterling) per year. Single copies

30 cents (2/3 sterling).Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office of San Jose, California, under Section

1103 of the U. S. Postal Act o f Oc t. 3, 1917.

Changes of address must reach us by the first of the month preceding date of issue.

Statements made in this publication are not the official expression of the organization orits officers unless stated to be official communications.

Published Monthly by the Supreme Council of

Rosicrucian Park THE ROSICRUCIAN ORDERAMORC San Jose, California

EDITOR: Frances Vejtasa

The Purpose of the Rosicrucian OrderThe Rosicrucian Order, existing in all civilized lands, is a nonsectarian fraternal body of men

and women devoted to the invest igation, study, and practical applicat ion of natural and spiri tual

laws. The purpo se of the organiza tion is to enable all to live in harm ony w ith the creative, con-structive Cosmic forces for the attain m en t of health, happiness, and peace. The Ord er is inter-nationally known as "AMORC (an abbreviation), and the A.M.O.R.C. in America and all otherlands cons titutes the only form of Rosicrucian a ctivities united in one body. The A.M.O.R.C. doesnot sell its teachings. It gives them freely to affiliated memb ers togeth er with many o ther benefits.For complete information about the benefi ts and advantages of Rosicrucian associat ion, write alette r to the address below, and ask for the free book, The Ma stery of Life. Add ress ScribeS. P. C.. Ros icrucia n O rder , AMORC, San Jose , Californ ia, U. S. A. (Cable Ad dre ss: A.MOUCO )

Copyright, 1958, by the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMO RC , Inc. All rights reserved.


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THOUGHT OF THE MONTHYOUR PHILOSOPHY IS SHOWING

i f f is to live! Exact theutmost from every con-scious minute. In sub-stance these thoughts, if

not the exact phrase, arebecoming very commontoday. Many young peo-pleand those of middleage as wellare disin-

clined to show a speculative interest inany idealistic purpose of life. To the

3uery, Why is man here and what isle ultimate aim of human existence?

they slung their shoulders in an atti-tude of disinterest. Any attempt to en-gage them in a discussion on subjectsof a formal philosophy or metaphysicalnature will elicit from such persons the

frank reply that philosophy does notinterest them.The more unreserved individual, who

expresses his dislike for philosophy, willreply that he wants to enjoy life, thathe wants to find pleasure wherever hecan and, therefore, does not wish toacquire any philosophical views. Heimplies or says directly that philosophyis not for him. lie makes philosophy arestrictive system of study. To him itconsists of certain limited subjects only.It is obviously presumed that if onedoes not indidge in such particular

teachings, he is then freed from, or atleast outside of, the influence of phi-losophy.

The whole presumption on die partof such individuals today is that pld

The losophy is only a formalized subject.Rosicrucian They dunk of it as consisting of the

organized dioughts, die particular con-cepts, of certain thinkers only. Conse-quently, if the specific ideas of thosethinkers do not appeal, if they seem

Digest

July

1958

uninteresting or inapplicable to one'sway of life, such individuals then thinkof themselves as being disinclined to-ward pliilosophy.

To reject the particular ideas of afield of thought does not. however, ex-clude one from the farreaching effectsof that field of inquiry upon his life.There are millions of persons, for anal-ogy. who do not even know the differ-ence between the art terms of abstractand representative. They are unfamil-iar with die divisions of art and theleading opposing schools. Formal art,its classifications and techniques, mayhave little or no interest for them. Theymay never have attended an art lectureor visited an ar t gallery. Yet such per-

sons cannot escape die aesthetic in-fluences of art upon their lives.Visual beauty, the symmetry of line

and nuances of color do bring a re-sponse within the individual. Womenwho profess no interest in art do select

particular colors for die ir draperies.The man of die house prefers a certainstyle of design for his automobile. Hecan readily tell you why he desires thisshaped fender or contour of body rathe rdian another.

All such characteristics or preferencesare aesdiedc. They stem from an in-

herent sense of physical beauty whicheach individual expresses to some de-gree. Art, in which llie individual pro-fesses no interest, is founded upon dieseaesthetic qualities of the human being.It is not art that such a person dislikes

but ra ther certain expositions of it. Un-fortunately, he condemns all systemsand techniques of art because of hislimited contact with a few unappealingones. Suppose one were to declare that

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he cared nothing for music because hefound rock n roll offensive and dis-turbing to him. We would know that,psychologically, the individual couldnot actually be unresponsive to all as-

pects of musicof organized sound.

The natural quality of the auditorysense is such that certain different com-binations of sounds bring about an emo-tional and rhythmic response in everyindividual and impress him with pleas-ing sensations.

Our conscious actions, those whichare specifically determined by us, asour course of living, constitute our per-

sonal philosophy. We may not be ableto express it or define our desires orreasons for acting as we do. We may

just have the urge or inclination to actand live in a particular manner. Wemay find, for example, that the indulg-

ing in sensuous pleasures is our greatestsatisfaction in life. Eating, drinking,dancing, pursuing every avenue ofgratification of ones senses as oppor-tunity affords, may be ones dominantinterest in mortal existence. But is suchan individuals manner of living andhis manifest objective in life remotelyremoved from philosophy? Has he thenactually no interest in philosophy and,in fact, no personal philosophy as hemay believe?

The Chosen t lehavior

To the individuals amazement, hewould learn that in his behavior he isactually subscribing to a definite sys-tem of philosophy. He is, in fact, whatis philosophically described as a hedon-ist. Let us go back about 2500 years orto approximately 500 B.C. A Greek

philosopher, Aristippus, was the pr in-cipal exponent of a school of philosophyknown as the Cyrenaics. It was so calledafter Cyrene, tne place in which Aris-tippus resided. He expounded that thewise man will take pleasure as it comesand make it his objective in life. Xeno-phon has Aristippus say to Socrates:

. . . but for myself I beg to be en-rolled amongst those who wish to spendtheir days as easily and pleasantly as

possible.The sensuous today are motivated by

similar impulses that have moved menfor centuries. The modem hedonist,the hypothetical person to whom wehave made reference, may not be able

to define his behavior. He may not beable to formulate it into an ideal orexpound it intellectually, but his phi-losophy shows in his conformity tothose acts which philosophers ex-

pounded centuries before his time.

Let us take the individual who ridi-cules philosophy and asks, Why pos-tulate noble declarations, resort to in-volved dialectics and attempted analysesof the experiences of life? All thesethings are just a matter of the mindof the individual.

Then there is the one who says, forfurther example, Philosophy cannotgovern my life for I have no definitecertainty about anything, and I am notsure that others do either. Unknow-ingly, he is discoursing upon the doc-trines of a philosophy that preceded

him by twenty centuries. His verywords echo statements attributed toPyrrho, the Skeptic. Pyrrho is relatedto have said: We determine nothing;we are not determining even that. Weadmit the apparent fact without admit-ting that it really is what it appears tobe. WTe also perceive that fire bums;as to whether it is its nature to bum,we suspend our judgment. We see thata man moves, and that he perishes; howit happens we do not know. We merelyobject to accepting the unknown sub-stance behind phenomena.

Then, there is today the one whoassumes a pessimism toward life. Hebelieves that all living is futile, thatknowledge is laborious, and that toshow happiness or any emotion dis-closes a weakness in the individual. Heconceives any philosophical study as

being an attempt to placate man, tocause life to assume an unreal nature.Philosophy, he contends, is a pastimefor fools.

All those who speak thus todaywould need only to attire themselvesin the ancient Greek himation whichgarment wrould then be as suitable tothe Stoics of ancient Athens as wouldthe presentday words. For Seneca said,What is pleasure for which men fightand die? Transitory, tiresome, sickly,it scarce outlives the telling of it.

As for enduring life when it gets tooburdensome, Epictetus said: The houseis smoky and I quit. The door is open;be not more timid than little children

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but, as they say when the thing doesnot please them, I will play no longer,so do you, when things seem to you ofsuch a kind, say, I will no longer play,and be gone. . .

There is no attitude in lifewhich youcan assume, no course of conduct, no

relationship to others or society, that isnot a philosophy. Your philosophyshows in your living and in your ex-pression of thought. Since, by your life,you have chosen a philosophy, a valuethat you place upon your existence,why not learn of it more fully? Turnto the history of philosophy and findout how great minds preceding youhave, even more clearly, perhaps,formulated what you hold to be thefunction of your personal existence. If

what you do you believe to be the gooor feel it to be, then gain from otheevery experience and thought that maheighten such good. There is also thpossibility that you may profit frotheir lives without the pitfalls whicthey encountered.

Time often tempered the earliest coceptions of the philosophers. Realitoften ran counter to what men extolled as tru th in their youth. Manfound their thoughts later to be tem

pered with the bitterness of sufferingMen have trod your way of life lonbefore. Learn whether it is worth youwhile to follow in their steps. Yes, youphilosophy shows, whether you makthe effort to know its content and wortor not.

V A V

doLoi an d d jo uBy C a r l y n W a r n e r , F. R. C.

TheRosicrucianDigestJuly1958

o l o r s can change onesmoods, desires, anddreams. Since knowledgeis power, the proper useof color can give health,happiness, and success.Colors should be careful-ly chosen in decoratingones home because every

family has a variety of personalitieswith differing sensitivities. The colorone person bices may not be pleasingto another. Also, it seems that men arenot so sensitive to color vibrations asare women.

Red is an active, aggressive color; itgives strength, warmth, and cheer. It is

the color of life, of warm rich blood,of healthy cheeks and bps, of health-giving fruits. It is also known as thecolor of courage, mercy, and valor.

Red paint is often used on barns,houses, schools, and boxcars because itstays on longer and can be seen farther.Being brilliant, it is excellent for sig-nals, lire engines, and stopsigns; itshows up readily and can be easilyseen where there might be danger. Red

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paint has the pecubar characteristicwhen painted over by another color, obeing able to work through the tocolor. The reason for this is that it ia strong color and seeks the light. Reis used extensively in childrens toyA child will reach for a red object firbecause it is a bright and pleasing coloand vibrates to his eyes more easily.

As red mixes with the White Lighof the Absolute, it becomes the mortender and beautiful rose pink of human love, with warm feehngs towarmankind at large, which we call looking at the world through rosecoloreglasses. As it embraces the WhitLight more fully, it becomes the hgh

pink of allenfolding mother love, othe warm love of devotion or adorationHowever, just as in all other man

festations, colors have their oppositcharacteristics as well. The fartheaway from the spiritual a color getthe darker it becomes, so when red iof a dark, muddy shade it is the coloof baser emotions such as lust, sensuousness, murder, hate, envy, and wa

Modern physicians use color therapy


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realizing that color can change the vi-brations of the human body, can in-crease the vitamin and mineral content,change the blood count, purify and heal.Red can be used as therapy in casesof poor circulation, constipation, weak-

ness, sluggishness, or congestion. Red isthe health aura and may be seen arounda sleeping body when the consciousnessis gone, or traveling.

Orange is the next strongest color.It is the color of the sun, which is themasculine or positive orb of light. Thedriving, masculine power of the sun

blends with the peaceful, receptive pas-siveness of the feminine rays of themoon during the Vernal Equinox, whenthey are closer together than at anyother time of the year. This union ofopposite lights brings forth all that

glorious wonder we know as spring.When mixed with gross vibrations,orange becomes a dark, muddy brownwhich depicts the emotions of greed,miserliness, and acquisition withoutreason.

Moving toward the White Light, wehave the bright orange of mental pow-er, or the desire to acquire mastery ofmind to use for purely scientific or

business reasons. When Yogis have at-tained selfmastery and mental power,they don the orange turban.

Advancing farther toward the spir-

itual, orange becomes the beautiful yel-low of universal love, or the unselfishlove of serving others, which is attestedby artists as shining forth in the aurasand halos of saints and avatars. Kingswere crowned with gold, it being themasculine color and metal for purityand power, symbolized by the sun, orRa, as expressed in Egypt. Silver, thefeminine metal, is expressed by themoon, which is the feminine or motherorb, affecting those under its soft lightwith restfulness and romance.

Orange can be used as therapy for

weakness, sluggishness, torpid liver andgall bladder conditions, and for growthsand congestions, or mental depression.Orange is a vivid, arousing color, andshould be used sparingly as wearingapparel. It is not a restful color forinterior decorating, but both orangeand yellow are used successfully out-doors, predominantly for awnings and

porch and lawn furniture.Yellow can be worn next to the skin

as night wear; yellow blankets andcoverlets can be used to instill pleasingvibrations.

Dark green indicates low forms ofenvy, jealousy, and selfishness; brightergreen, falsehood and deception; and, as

it ascends the scale, diplomacy, andthose obvious efforts of polite societygraciousness and tact.

The medium shades of green attractmoney and success. The lighter, morerestful shades can be used for therapyin high blood pressure, in nerve condi-tions, rapid heartbeat, and fevers. Greenis excellent for interior decorating gen-erally, especially for rooms of westernor southern exposure.

Dark blue symbolizes religion, butthe religion of superstition and preju-dice, persecution and tyranny. As it

lightens, it becomes faith, devotion andpurity, and is symbolized by the colorworn by the Virgin Mary as Our Ladyof Fatima. Blue is a quiet, peacepro-ducing color and is extensively used intherapy to induce sleep and restfulness.

Violet is the color of mysticism. Inits darker shades, it becomes the colorof the black magician. At the other endof the scale is the spiritual bluevioletwhich extends in the aura of highersouls, as evidenced by a Master.

In olden days, kings were considereddivine, and purple was chosen for theirrobes. It was a crime punishable bydeath for anyone else to wear the pur-

ple of royalty. Blinded slaves lived anddied on the treadmill, stamping out the

purple coloring from shrimplike buds,to make dye for the royal rohes.

Violet is used in therapy as a nervetonic by letting the violet light shineover the head and shoulders duringsleep. This color is beneficial in casesof hysteria and mental disorders, aswell as in neuritis, bursitis, and neural-gia, or other inflammations of thenerves.

We speak of having the blues, butactually we have the grays. Thosewho can see the colors of the aura notethat the aura of a depressed person isa dismal gray.

Black is called a nocolor because itis the absence of light. It is a depres-sant; black clothing causes poor circu-lation, pensiveness and sober feelingswhere there should be joy. Black is acontracting color, much favored by

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stout people because it gives the im-pression of slimness. It lets in heatwaves, while white shuts out the burn-ing rays; therefore, white is worn intropical countries and climates.

White, the color of purity and virtue,was chosen for weddings, baby gar-

ments, CTaveclothes, and the robes ofsaints. The members of the EsseneBrotherhood, to which Jesus belonged,were known by their white robes.

Planets also have their distinct colors.Mars is a mottled red; therefore, wecall it the planet of war. Venus, being

pink, is called the planet of love.Uranus, the symbol for science andworld enlightenment, is a dazzlingwhite; the moon, yellow; the sun,orange; and so on.

Ancient mystics studied the planets,their colors and the colors of the days

of the week, and used them to advan-tage, watching the prevailing colorsand forecasting by them.

Miracles of color are everywherearound us. In the far North, the AuroraBorealis, or Northern Lights, are caused

by the magnetism of the earths poles.It is said that Eskimos let these lights

play over them, obtaining an exhilara-tion of mind and body which almostcauses intoxication for a time. Somesay there is healing in these vibrationsof lightsthat this is the Christ vibra-tion spreading over the earth. In close-ly settled areas, the vibrations of colorare dissipated and lost to our sight andsenses.

More common, yet no less inspiring,is the formation of the familiar rain-

bow, the beautiful colored arc extend-ing across the heavens after a storm.But we need look no farther than ourown doorstep for the most aweinspir-ing of all blending of colors, for who

has not thrilled to the birth of a newday, or the familiar yet ever new gloryof a sunset?

V A V

COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

The subject of Cosmic consciousness has for a long period of time interested students

of philosophy, mysticism, and psychology. The topic is one which is inclusive of more

tha n philosophical speculation. Although primarily assigned to the field of psychology,

it can be approached from the objective standpoint. One of the most complete works on

the subject resulted from the research of an eminent physician and surgeon who headed

a large hospital in Canada for many years. Dr. Maurice Bucke made an objective and

scientific study of the subject not only as a hobby but also in connection with his work

in medical and psychological research. His book is now published by a large publishing

company in the United States and is available to all students interested in psychology,

metaphysics, mysticism, and philosophy. By special arrangeme nt with the publishers,

you may order your copy through the ROSICRUCIAN SUPPLY BUREAU for $5.50

(2// sterling), postpaid.


POSTAGE RATES IN THE UNITED STATES

We wish to call the attention of members, residing in the United States and itsPossessions, to the increase of firstclass postage effective Augus t 1. W ill you pleasedetermine the amount of postage needed on your letters directed to Rosicrucian Park.Firstclass mail will require four cents for each ounce, and air mail seven cents foreach ounce, effective August 1. By ascertain ing the proper amount of postage for eachletter, you will save yourself and us delays and inconvenience.

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3 n j R e m o r t a m

TJL h e prophetic vision of man is not always revealed in his words,spoken or written. Many men whom the world has never ac-claimed as prophets have proved themselves to be so. Their powerof prognostication consisted in causing the present to shape thepattern of the future. In their minds eye they could see thetenuous lines of their endeavors reaching into the amorphousfuture. W hat they set into motion would, by accretion, draw toitself elements that would become a definite future reality. Inactuality, they were not really perceiving the future as an estab-lished thing. Rather, they were forging a chain from which thefuture could not escape becoming a definite link.

The late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, was such a man.His creative ability was cumulative in its efficacy; his plans wereso laid that like a rushing mountain stream, they gouged theirown channel. It is one thing to create something which figurative-ly remains immobile after it leaves the consciousness of its creator.It is yet another to give existence to something which subsequently

becomes selfgenerating, perpetuating the thought of its creator.

Today, the many new ventures upon which AMORC embarksare, in fact, but transformations or continuations of basic planslaid by Dr. Lewis several decades ago. Much of what AMORCdoes today, though modern and apparently original in function

and dress, is but an unavoidable development of the earlier visionof Dr. Lewis. These thoughts are impressed upon us as we ap-proach the anniversary of his transition which occurred Wednes-day, August 2, 1939.

In accordance with an honored custom on each anniversary ofhis transition, a simple ceremony is held in the Egyptian Shrinein Rosicrucian Park. It is beneath a triangle in this Shrine thathis earthly remains were placed, at his request. On the occasionof this ceremony, Supreme and Grand Lodge officers and a num berof members gather at the exact hour for the simple ritual andthe one minute of meditation. The exact time is 3:15 p.m. (4:15p.m., Pacific Daylight Saving Time), Saturday, August 2. All

members everywhere are asked, if it is convenient, to join inthis one minute of silent tribute to Dr. Lewis memory. Markthe date and time on your calendar now.

All Rosicrucian offices and buildings will be closed on that day,as is the custom.

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Islam, theAll-InclusiveBy D r . M u b a r e k A l i Kh a n

Editor, Am erican Islamic Review; SecretaryGeneral, Muslim League of America, Inc.

The

h e n doubting people ask-ed the Prophet Moham-

med for miracles, hepointed to the wonders ofcreation, the stars mov-ing in their orbits, therecurring seasons, sayingAre these works notproof enough?

Islamic philosophy shares with mys-tics throughout the world the funda-mental belief that God is everywhere.God is with man; God is with animals

in forests, in grass, in mountains,oceans, in everything; nothing is apartfrom God; God is reality.

Mohammed was born in 570 A.D.,and Moslem calendars are dated fromthe Hegira, Arabic year of the flightfrom Mecca, 620 A.D., so that the year1958 A.D. corresponds to the Islamicyear 1377.

Not satisfied with the existing paganreligion of his people, nor with thesocial, economic, and political condi-tions under which they lived, Moham-med pondered deeply upon these vitalmatters. Until the age of forty he wasa shepherd and merchant. During hisjourneys as a trader he became ac-

quainted with the philosophies of Juda-ism and Christianity.

In 610 A.D., in the lunar month ofRamadan (the ninth month of the Mos-lem year) in a cave in the hills of Hira,

Kosicrucian Mohammed saw the vision of an angel

DigestJuly

1958

and was inspired with the first sen-tences of the Holy Koranto the effectthat: Knowledge will show man thathe was created by a great power which

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is God. All men are created in the sameway by the same power. Knowledge

will raise man to a position of equalitywith other men.

Mohammed did not call himself thefounder of Islam because Islam, beingthe message of God, has, in the teach-ings of Mohammed, existed since Godrevealed himself to men, through thefine of great men who were the proph-ets, avatars, and teachers.

Mohammed declared himself to be aprophet who furthered the missions ofearlier prophets. Islam not only recog-nizes Judaism, but takes the concept ofthe Unity of God as revealed to Moses.

The Koran enumerates the Hebrewprophets and considers Abraham to bethe first Moslem. Islam considers JesusChrist as the Spirit of God. Moslemsbelieve in the immaculate conceptionof the Virgin Mary. To Moslems, Islamcompletes Christianity, as Christianitydid Judaism.

The Holy Koran is the divine mes-sage which Mohammed was inspired todeliver to mankind. Since Moslems be-lieve that the messages of God as re-vealed to great thinkers throughout theages, in different lands and in different

languages, are the truth, these veritiesmust be the same in all religions.

The Koran was memorized by agroup of secretaries of Mohammed,as it was recited, and was gatheredshortly thereafter in book form. Thetext has been kept intact for the past1300 years.

As the Koran establishes the relation-ship between man and man, as well as


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between man and God, it is the sourceof Moslem Law. The Koran and theexamples and rulings of Mohammed(called the Sunna) govern the dailylife of the Moslem community.

Within a few hundred years afterMohammeds death, Islam spread likewild fire throughout Arabia, across

North Africa, into Spain, into South-eastern Europe, and across Asia as faras the Philippines. Because of its sim-

plicity, its adaptability, its high, yet at-tainable standards, its respect for thedignity of man, its emphasis on social

justice and individual liberty, its stressupon fraternity, equality and justice,and because of its accent on the roleof the intellect in life, and its respectfor knowledge, Islam was adopted by

millions of men and women, in allwalks of life, of diverse races and na-tionalities.

In summary, therefore, it can wellbe said that Islam is not only a religiona theologybut a way of lifeadap-

table to changing circumstances, and,as its name implies, to the Will of God.The basic principles of Islam, as

preached by the Prophet Mohammed,are the unity of God and the unity and

brotherhood of the human race. InIslam every human being is createdfreeendowed with the right to reg-ulate his life and property to the bestof his judgment. The most sacred Mos-lem ideal is to serve God through serv-ing ones fellow men.

The basic religious duties of Mos-lems everywhere are (1) prayer, (2)charity, (3) fasting, (4) cleanliness,and (5) a pilgrimage to Mecca, if

possible.Without a doubt, Mohammed, by his

works and teachings, has added much

to the thinking of the World. He hasleft a definite and lasting impressionupon mans universal or overall con-sciousness of the Cosmic Lawandmost particularly he has stressed theOneness or Unity of all Life.

V A V

DECALCOMANIA TRANSFERS

In answer to hundreds of requests, the Rosicrucian Supply Bureau now has availabledistinctive redandgold decals pat terned after the smaller Rosicrucian seal. Size, ap-

proximately 3 inches in diameter. Quickly and securely applied to the inside or outsideof your car window, bumper, luggage, house window, or on other smooth surfaces.They neatly and adequately identify you as a Rosicrucian wherever they are seen.When ordering, ask for the Rosicrucian Decals. Price postpaid, 25 cents each (1/9sterling), or 5 for $1.00 (7/ sterling).

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The Talmud speaks of the profound astronomical learning of Samuel the Bab-ylonian, who made a special study of the moon. He is the one who asserted tha the was as well acquainted with the paths of the heavenly bodies as with thestreets of Nehardea; but he was wholly unable to explain the nature of comets.We know only by tradition, he added, that the comets do not cross Orion,else they w'ould shatter the world, and if they appear to cross it, it is the lightthey cast that traverses the constellation, not they themselves.

From The Talmud by Arsene Darmesteter, p. 36,translated from the French by Henrietta Szold

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Ok iJi d\fo {Jnj-ant A/[indBy Fr a n c e s V e j t a s a , F.R. C.


T

h e human body,not the mind, is

the visible perennialinfant. The soulful

self upon acquiring anew body cannot iden-tify itself by worldlyspeechat least not atthis stage of humanevolution. Its languageis the wordless intui-tive one. As the densi-ty of the earth worldcloses in and blocksthe newly inborn fac-ulties, the child grad-ually loses its silentcommunication, which is of the natureof the universal mind. In time the en-vironmental language is learned; artic-ulated words, symbols of impressions,are projected impulsively or responsive-ly into the outer world.

With the inner awareness promptinghis mission, the infant practices minuteobservation and intent interest in the

objects of the world about him, in hiseffort to integrate the propelling mentalself into the form of matter acquiredas his birthright. The body is the toolby means of which he may learn tocontrol and then master his adventureinto the earth life.

In modem times we have arrived atsome understanding of the various ratesof expression of the fourth dimension,the creative dimension. It should notnow be difficult to comprehend that thenonphysical soulful self accepts at itsbirth a lower consciousness of aware-

ness. But the slower rate of frequencynatural to earthliving has not the pow-er to impede permanently the potentialhigher consciousness. For this reason, ifno other, God the Invisible is closer tochildhood. His language is intuitive andalways ready to express through its af-finity, the undying spiritual phase ofearth life which serves in matter as theredeeming quality. We of the earthmentally interpret the sloweddown

[ 2 52 ]

frequency as a separation from God, thAllWisdomfood inot immediate, anslow footsteps registethemselves as space itime.

This extension intmatter is unacceptablas a temporal manfestation, an illusionuntil one day the individual in his selexplorat ion touchethe invisible, deathless motivator behinmatter, the fourth d

mension of his known self. It is herthen that the spiritual explorer listenfor wisdom. Here speaks the innechild that ages ago experienced his fir

birth into the physical world. In ouchild life, or middie life, or even withiour aged exterior, lives this deathlesyouth.

He who seeks to find the spiritua

mentality in the infant seeks God iman. He who finds in the adult thobjectified infant mentality that is noof the spiritual discovers the root oconflict in todays man. To emancipathimself, the human being must correct his spiritual recessionthe matured mind can return to, and evaluateits childhood immaterial possessionsSelfknowledge is the guide to selattainment.

The Godstarved infant, the bambinof ancient literature, residing withievery adult awaits to be freed. Th

emancipator is the outer personality othe adult himselfnow searching inwardly for the infant, his soulful self.

The infants need from birth, as hfits himself into his progressing towaradulthood, is that he be taught to recognize, and be allowed to retain, hikey to spiritual freedomby way olove and memory, the double attraction between him and his Maker. Thiresponsibility rests upon the world o


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adults; for such duty, demanded by theNew Age, many are now hoping toqualify.

Mind is immortal; therefore, shouldit seem strange that a newly arrivedone (an infant) may draw guidancefrom the AllWisdom? Before you or Iindividually were, mind was. The proc-ess of coming into adulthood, the man-ner in which it generally takes place,causes the child to lose its immediatecommunion with the soulful source.

In the present stages of evolution,the objective or outer phase of livingtakes over too completely. For this lim-ited knowledge, the brain is the baseor center. Neglect of extrasensory per-ceptions has led to ages of spiritualretardation. Only the objective intellecthas prospered and that not adequately

because the inner self of greater in-spiration has been kept submerged. Thetime for rediscovery is the presentthrough effort and desire.

The vibrational nature of the physi-cal body is too slow to act as an affinity,as a receiver, for the full expressionof the soul which incarnates therein.Therefore, no one in this physicalworld adequately represents his trueself. The day is coming, however, whenfiner, more highly purified, physical

bodies will emerge from the presentpattern. The incoming soulful person-

alities, the children of the New Age,will then have an opportunity to ex-press more of the Godliness which isrightfully theirs. The equality and thenobility of men will then more easilyrise to the worldly view, to prominence.

To aid this revelation is to attaintrue knowledge. There is hope forgreater progress through todays in-terest in various extrasensory phenom-ena and in the progress of science as it

penetrates into the intangible.Centuries ago teachers penetrating

into truth recognized the soul within

the phenomenon of light. The modernEinstein mathematically placed lightinto a comprehensible equation of en-ergy, thus paralleling modern scientificknowledge with ancient mystical knowl-edge. The invisible universe mirrors it-self in the visible. The ageless soulfulmind awaits the human will to set thestage for Godlike expression.

If allowed to evolve soulfully, the in-fant physical bodies, the earthworld

vehicles, will become properly condi-tioned by the mind of the soul, whichhas accepted for its use this physical

process in the spiritual progress of hu -man evolution.

The spiritual adult speaks throughthe child, but unfortunately Mommy orDaddy seldom hears. They have failedto retain those listening powers beyondthe physical. A few minutes of friendlyconversation with the child, preferablyat bedtime, helps to assist parents to acompanionable understanding of theinner childthe universal expressionof child life. May not our modembabysitting hold unexpected poten-tialities for adult observation?

Many an infant is not fortunateenough to be able to put into speechwhat he feels, but nottoobusy parents

could detect from the childs mannerand facial expression that something isneeded. Occasionally a child is able toform words and a parent is able tolisten:

Such was the case of the threeandahalfyearold girl who solved the prob-lem called by adults child jealousy.The arrival of a new brother imbal-anced her routine of living. Her solu-tion was expressed in this announce-ment to her mother: You are twomamas. You are my mama, and your

breast is little brothers mama.

This analysis was inspired while shewas watching the baby nursing. It may

be better explained by the little girlsconscious association with the timewhen to her the mothers breast meanther allcomfort and hunger satisfac-tion. Now seeing herself in perspective,she secured her own release or eman-cipation. In other words, her own con-sciousness had evolved to a higher

plane, and she was now speaking fromthere, viewing her little brother, as oc-cupying the place of her own recent

past, and seeing herself and her mother

in a different relationshipand cor-rectly so.Another recorded story is that con-

cerning a threeandahalfyearold boy,suffering from an undiagnosed case ofmuscular dystrophy, muscle starvation.Having reached the point of disabilitywherein he began to stumble and turnhis ankles, he one day found words toannounce to his mother: Mommy, Ibeen talking to my ankles but they

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dont hear me. The dead nerves wereno longer receptive to the motivatingforce, the Goa power, of his being.Could any learned physician havestated it better! In this case, the motherlistened and took this bit of wisdom toa psychologist for his enlightenment.

No doubt, the greatest book thatcould ever be written on child psy-chology would be one of collected bitsof wisdom from the mouths of childrenthemselves. In the case of this little

boy, the astonishing thing is that hewas able to put his problem into words.(Speaking from the memory of myown childhood, I know that often intrying moments words did not comeeasily.)

If one is observant, many evidencesof selfhelp in children can be recog-

nized. A little boy carrying water inhis sandpail stops to watch a bonfirein a neighbors back yard. He standsfascinated by the flames, the warmth,the crackling. A spark flies up and fallsinside the cuff of one leg of his pants.A moment or two and the boy glancesdown. The spark has burned a hole inhis pants leg and is making progress.Surprised and frightened, he wants torun to Mother, but an idea detains him.The little pail of water which he holdsin his hand has arrested his glance.He pours water on the firethe fire

dies out.Trembling, Stanley hurries home totell his mother. The little pail, the wettrouser leg, the hole in the fabric, verifyhis story. Suffering from emotional dis-integration, shock and fright, the fouryearold asks to be put to bedthe bedmeans security, rest, the regaining ofselfcomposure. Twice, this child hadsolved his problem: he knew what todo with the fire, and he knew what todo to regain his equilibrium.

No, I didnt make up this storyitactually happened. There are many ofthem. Just for emphasis here is onemore.

Two brothers were playing by throw-ing sticks into a duck pondseveral

The feet deep. In reaching over to retrieveRosicrucian ?ne floating stick, the twoyearold fell

m and would have drowned had it notbeen for the quick action of the olderboy in grabbing the sinking coattail.The soaked and shivering little one was

[ 2 54 ]

DigestJuly1958

then taken home and ushered indoorfor drying. Cold too and shivering, thfiveyearold hero, fearing disapprovalwent into hiding.

Of course, there are many instancewhen children fail to solve their ownproblems. We adults in charge coulmake it a duty to discover why. Iguidance inadequate? Or does the chiloperate on a lower level of consciousness? How much of this is a necessityof evolution?

Teachers learn that the task of discipline is simplified when a child i

{)ermitted to assist in analyzing probems involving himself, and also when

he is invited to help pass upon the matter of his own discipline. Emotions between adult and child do not clashhere; such relationship carries in itsel

an inexplicable compensation.Both the adult and the youngster canlearn through confidential discussionsA tenyearold boy considered going tothe movies a choice recreation. He confided to an adult that he learned aschool from a magazine as to whichmovies are not good. I like movies somuch that I go anyway. I cant makemyself stay at home Saturday nights,Willard frankly related.

You mean that you like the moviewhich the magazine says are not good?inquired the curious adult.

Well, some partsI guess are badBut when those parts come up that feel will be bad I just close my eyes.

The adult stood disarmed. Might thibe interpreted as the guidance of conscience? and could any adult do better

A tenyearold girl was delvinthoughtfully into the pages of The Parents Magazine. In time, she made a bifor adult companionship. Im readingabout all these movies they say arengood for children.

Do they say why they arent good?asked the adult.

Oh, some they say make the children too excited, and some they donsay, explained the tenyearold. Its long list. Ive been looking it overMany of these movies which they sayarent good Ive seen and I liked them,was Beverlys conclusion in all earnestness.

Here was an opening for frank, direct information. How many adult


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take time to recognize and utilize sowholesome and invaluable a source oflearning? The child is of course un-conscious of its own potentials or directapproach, and the adult with all hismaturity often fails to take advantage

of such a lead. Thus, an opportunityfor discovering tru th is lost. We aretoo busy.

Explanation of lifes phenomena canbe found in the invisible aspect, the in-ner sphere of the human consciousness

that is, back of the visible curtain.It is not too late in adulthood to pene-trate into ones buried childhood bymeans of memory and selfdirectionand the great desire to live within the

spiritual, attainable through the redis-covery.

The reliving of ones early childhoodconsciousness will help in adult orien-tation, and is a purifying process. Byseeing ourselves in perspective, we at-

tain a realization of causes. We rediscover the soul self and begin to utilizethe uninhibited mind. W ith this knowl-edge, we learn to conform to the orig-inal soul ideal, the inborn moral laws,and thus keep expanding our conscious-ness into the AllPerfection. Inspirationdeeply imbedded in the universalitywithin us, and not so deeply imbeddedin the universality of the children aboutus, is ours for the finding.

V A V

About WeedsBy E l o i s e F r a n c o , F. R. C.

e c e n t l y I wTas diggingvigorously at one partic-ular weed that persists incoming up in my garden.Weeds [ I muttered inexasperation. Then sud-denly the thought camethat even this weed is aliving thing. What right

lave I to despise it ana deny it theright to live?

I knew this was something thatneeded thinking through. So rightthen and there, abandoning any furtherdigging for the time being, I settledmyself under a tree to meditate onweeds. These are the thoughts thatcame:

Yes, even a weed is a living thing,expressing itself in accordance with thelaws governing this World of Phenom-ena. Furthermore, like everything elsethat God has sent into this World, itrepresents a particular Thought of theCreator. Then what right has mereman to say it must cease to exist?

Still, it is true that man was givendominion over the earth. So what doessuch dominion really mean? Does itmean that we may make the rules, thatwe shall be the judge of what shouldinhabit that earth? We know a goodruler is one who governs with under-standing. What is it, then, we have tounderstand?

Simply this: Thought is the CreativePower and God the Great Thinker.Since God is All, His Thoughts can beabout Himself only. Therefore, everyexpression we see in the world of na-ture represents some Thought that Godis trying to Realize. In fact, that is thereason He brought forth the Universeto reach SelfRealization. To help withthis project, God the One then sent intoexpression a representation of theThought of His Thinking, RealizingInfinite Self. That Pattern or Imageis man, whose will and love are alsoultimately to be synchronized withthose of his Creator.

With this understanding we must

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recognize, first, that order does prevailamong all the things God has placedupon the earth. Next we must appre-ciate the fact that the place of every-thing within that order is relative. Godis One and His Energy is One, express-ing in multitudinous patterned ways

the infinite variety of His Thoughts.Therefore, no thing exists for itselfalone without regard for the thingsaround it.

This means that cooperation is thekey to existence itself. Electrons mustwork together with protons in order forthe Atom pattern to express. Atomsthemselves have to cooperate to expressthe Molecule pattern. Varieties of Mole-cules are obliged to combine in a cer-tain way for the Cell pattern to express.Specialized cells must un ite their effortsto express a particular Organ pattern.The aifferent Organs in their harmoni-ous function allow the Body pattern toexpress. Similar bodies form the bio-logical strata which in themselves rep-resent further Thoughts of the Creator.

What is to be the criterion, then?I thought. In a flash the answer came:

Purpose! Yes, that was it! Everythingis brought forth with a purpose. Only

the importance of that purpose in rela-tionship to the purpose of other objectsdetermines the right of one thing totake precedence over another in thestruggle for existence.

Since there is nothing existing out-side the Cosmos that God has formed

out of His own Nature, its parts mustdepend upon one another for subsist-ence. Therefore we see up through thestrata the higher always feeding upon the lower. Even in the begin-ning the Vegetable Kingdom wasevolved out of the Mineral while theAnimal Kingdom in turn was evolvedout of the Vegetable. And now man,the highestexpression of allwho com-bines all within himselfis not onlygiven dominion over these Kingdomsbut is also dependent upon them for thefurther evolution of his own Body form.For this reason we are privileged toselect for our use the things that will

best serve our purpose. And we maygratefully grow in our gardens the

plants which will produce the necessi-ties to fill our tables, eliminatingwithout ill willthose whose purposedoes not coincide with our needs, thosethat we call weeds.

V A V

FRENCH ROSICRUCIAN MANUAL

One of the most essential aids to study for every Rosicrucian is the RosicrucianManual. This illuminating text is now available in French. Like its English andSpanish counterparts, the French Manual carries a complete outline and explanation ofall of the customs, practices, and terminology of the Rosicrucians; it is replete withdiagrams, illustrations, and rare portraits of prominent mystics. Well printed, beau-tifully bound in red bookcloth, and stamped in gold.

Copies of this book may be ordered directly from THE ROSICRUCIAN ORDER,AMORC, 56 Rue Gambetta, VilleneuveSaintGeorges (SeineetOise) or from theROSICRUCIAN SUPPLY BUREAU, San Jose, California, U. S. A. Price postpaid,

only $5.60.

The ' V A VRosicrucianDigestJuly Radio Farm Forums organized in 150 villages in Bombay

1958 State, India, are teaching new and useful things to the people.

[ 2 56 ]


19/44

1The Cathedral of the Soul is a Cosmic meeting place for all minds of the

most highly developed and spiritually advanced members and workers of theRosicrucian fraternity . It is the focal point of Cosmic radiations and thoughtwaves from which radiate vibrations of health, peace, happiness, and innerawakening. Various periods of the day are set aside when m any thousandsof minds are attuned with the Cathedral of the Soul, and others attuning withthe Cathedral at the time will receive the benefit of the vibrations. Those whoare not members of the organization may share in the unusual benefits as wellas those who are members. The book called Liber 777 describes the periodsfor various contacts with the Cathedral. Copies will be sent to persons whoare not members if they address their requests for this book to Scribe S. P. C.,care of AMORC Temple, San Jose, California, enclosing three cents in postagestamps. (Please state wfiether member or not this is important.)

OVERTAKING TIME

By C e c i l A. P o o l e , Supreme Secretary

h e major point of em-phasis in the present cen-tury has been on speed.From the examination ofrecords on peoples be-havior, and from actualcontact with those whohave lived during the lastturn of the century, it

wmdd seem that the emphasis to ac-complish things in a hurry began withthe dawn of the twentieth century.Much activity has taken place that in-volves speed and the efficient use oftime. Many of the advances in me-chanical fields that we enjoy todayhave come about directly or indirectlyas a result of this emphasis. The accom-

plishments in the field of communica-tion and transportation are particularlysignificant.

We have learned to travel betweenpoints in space and to accomplish vari-ous activities with a saving of time thatwould have seemed unbelievable lessthan seventyfive years ago. Probablymany of us who live in this centuryremember the experience in childhoodof being urged by parents, teachers, andemployers to hurry and accomplishwhatever was our duty or obligation

at the particular moment. Many of uswould nave preferred to have been alittle more idle; to have taken thingsmore slowly; or not to have been soconcerned with time.

I remember from my own experiencethat I liked to take my time in cominghome from school, spending probablythree or four times as much time asshould have been spent in walking acomparatively short distance. I was

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constantly reprimanded for taking somuch time, and not coming directlyhome and assuming the duties and ob-ligations tha t were supposed to be mine.As I think back now, while I respectthe judgment of my elders, I am in-

clined to believe that if children werenot pushed so much in terms of time,that there might today be fewer dis-eases and physical ailments which mod-em science tells us may be traced totensions and pressures that exist in themodem world.

Tensions and pressures are furtherillustrations of conditions which areproblems of today and are indirectlyrelated to the attempt we make to over-take time. Twenty years ago, I wasquite satisfied to make a transcontinen-tal trip on a train that took three nights

and four days. Now I become impatienton an aircraft that travels from SanFrancisco to New York in less thaneight hours. So it is that the concept ofspeed in relation to time has alteredour viewpoint, and so it is also thatwe seem to be always involved in thestress of attempting to arrive some-where, and it is to be hoped that wewill not lose sight of where it is wedesire to go.

With the great emphasis on speedand efficiency which nas become ac-cepted as commonplace today, we

should also remind ourselves and thoseabout us that the attainment of speedalone, or efficiency in the doing of any-thing, is not in itself a virtue. Speedand efficiency are tools, as are manyother tilings that are useful only whenapplied with a degree of wisdom andthe desire of a purposeful attainment.What can we claim to be accomplishedby speed if the exercise and use of thatspeed takes us more quickly to thewrong place.

Today of all times we should askourselves frequently as to what may be

accomplished by a system of efficiencyif it is applied to a mechanical philosophy or is so applied that it willlead prim arily to systems of degradationand destruction. It was the desire toend the second world war with speed

that led to the unleashing of the mostpowerful weapon that man has known.This weapon has brought more com-

plications into the world since the eventthan had anything prior to that timein the cause of previous conflicts.

It is well to remember that time isa segregated element in eternity. Eter-nity is the span of being. It is moreclosely related to forces higher thanour own. Time does not exist in theeternal mind, it is only an isolatedevent in the environment of man. Webelieve th at the human life is an ex

pression of the eternal, and, therefore,it is well to respect that fundamentalvalue of eternity . It is well to realizethat no matter how much we attemptto crowd into the life that is ours, wecan actually live tha t life no faster thanthe passing of this artificial element oftime which exists in our material environment.

Our viewpoint of time depends agreat deal upon what we aim to ac-complish. In this day of speed, re

gardless of the importance that it mayave to us, the enduring values for

which man has always sought areworth much more than his arriving no-where fast. It is not the rapidity withwhich man travels that should give usour primary concern. What is the con-cern of man in his individual life, inthe life of his family, that of his country and of humanity is the ultimatedestination that man has in view. Ifman seeks eternal values then the pas-sage of time will become secondary,and the attainment of speed will seemonly as it should seem, a useful tool touse when necessary.

V A V

TheRosicrucian

Digest

July1958

You can always retire into yourself. There is no retreat more peaceful, lestroubled, than the one a man finds within his own soul.

Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor ofthe second century.

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tSlljlZZ&HtLOni., m andBy Jo h n C a r l s s o n T a u s s i g , F. R. C.

(Copyright J. C. Taussig, Bathurst, N.S.W., Australia)

widely circulated news-paper distinguishes thenumerous rotary presseson which it is printed byan appropriate numberof white dots inside thebold letters forming itstitle. This seemingly in-nocuous checkingaid

caused one of the most astounding su-

perstitions in our time.Immediately after its discovery by

the punters, it gave them the unshak-able conviction mat it meant to conveyracing tips.

Three small white dots in the letterA for instance were assumed to in-dicate that in the third race on thatday a horse whose name commencedwith A was the likely winner.

What originated as a mere suspicionrapidly assumed the size of a generalsuperstition when one day a group of

fmnters, noticing four white dots in theetter M, backed a horse whose name

began with M in the fourth raceand the horse indeed won.

No matter how violently the pub-lishers shook their headsthey werereluctant to issue a statement and thusdispel the new magic charm of their

paperthey could not stop the spreadof a new superstition occasioned by afanatical belief, not in the omniscienceor the infallibility of newspapers, butin miracles and magic.

Superstition, the greatest single knownobstacle to the progress of mankind,

pins its faith on new objects as soon asthe established ones fail.

Many people refuse to admit it.Some candid few concede that thereis something in it. Almost all of us,to a lesser or larger degree, pay homageto what is somewhat sweepmgly de-scribed as superstition. We dread tobe thirteen at a party , to spill salt, tobreak a mirror, to walk under a ladder.Why?

Ask a man whether he is superstitiousand his reply will be brief and to the

point: Dont be silly! The averagewoman, more likely than not, will blushand cautiously inquire: Why? Did Ido anything stupid?

You certainly did not. You perhapsmerely observed a simple rule of com-mon caution. You instinctively or de-liberately followed some timehonouredadage of superstition, consoling your-self with the truisms that sayings, prov-erbs, warnings, and generally acceptedacts were not handed down from gen-eration to generation unless there wasa serious reason at the root, such as theexperience of a multitude.

To spill salt, as everyone knows, willresult in arguments.

Investigations into the origin of this,one of the most widely known of allsuperstitions, have discovered that itdates from the times when salt was arare commodity, imported at high costfrom foreign countries. This it no long-er is, and yet spilled salt is still be-lieved to cause arguments. Many ofthem have simple beginnings, as forexample

Nancy: Oh, look how clumsy I am.I spilled salt all over the dinner table.Thats bad.

Ken: Why? Whats so bad about it?You can brush it off.

Nancy: I know I can. But I spilledit, and well quarrel.

Ken: Youre superstitious, thats all.

Nancy: Who is superstitious? Spill-ing salt means quarrel. Any fool knowsthat.

Ken: Well, I dont. Youre the foolif you do.

Nancy: Do you call me a fool?

Horseshoes and Cornucopias

To find a horseshoe, particularly onethat has just been cast off a horseshoof, is considered a fortunate portent.

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People who pick up horseshoes on theroad still think they have been favouredwith an exceptionally lucky symbolexcept motorists, of course, who findone of its nails in a tire.

Several centuries ago when largecountries of today still consisted ofsmall dukedoms, counties and king-doms, ruling princes thought it advis-able, at times, to rejuvenate their fad-ing popularity by sudden gestures ofgenerosity. To this end, they shod theirhorses and those of their entouragewith horseshoes of pure silver or gold,according to the position of the ex-chequer, and ensured that the preciousfootwear was loose enough to come offwhen crowds of loyal or curious sub-

jects were around. The finders of suchnorseshoes were fortunate indeed, be-

cause their value, both as a keepsakeand in plain materialistic terms, wasoften considerable.

Horseshoes are no longer made ofprecious metals, indeed they are gettingperceptibly rarer, yet the old super-stition persists.

It does so because there is a symbolicand a heraldic relationship between thehorseshoe and the cornucopia, the hornof plenty.

Dame Fortune is traditionally pic-tured as a pretty young woman holdingin her arms a cornucopia, overflowing

with flowers, fruit and grain, thus rep-resenting abundance and wealth. Thecommon horseshoe resembles the frontopening of a cornucopia and, both inheraldry and symbolism, has assumedthe la tte rs place. But, to do the samein superstition, the ends of the horse-shoe must point upwards.

When Tliomas Dewey, then Gover-nor of New York, was running forpresident in 1944, photographs depictedhim on the front porch of his home.The pictures clearly showed, directlyabove his head, a horseshoe with its

ends pointing downwards. People then

Eredicted that Dewey would fan, whiche did, and the popular explanationwas:

Why, just look at his horseshoe!His luck is running out!

B r o k en M i rr o r s

Persons who hold that a broken mir-ror portends bad luck are liable to beaccused by more liberalminded con

[260 ]

temporaries of being superstitiousim-ply ing a moral deficiency.

Yet this deficiency is probably nomore than an exaggerated adherence toa tradition, steeped in an occult rela-tionship, whereby the shadow of a per-son as well as his reflection is consideredto be part of his soul.

To injure the substance upon whicha shadow or a reflection is cast, in oc-

cult tradition, means to do damage tothe soul itself. Th e magic rites of cer-tain Polynesian tribes prescribe that,to render an opponent harmless, all youhave to do is to obtain the surface inwhich he last observed his own reflec-tion and break it.

The belief that the image is part ofthe soul was prevalent for many cen-turies in parts of Northern Bohemiaand Carpathia. The German mysticErnst Th. A. Hoffmann (17761822)dramatised it in a story which, as anovel, stage play, and as at least three

motion pictures under the title TheStudent of Prague, has done its meas-ured bit to perpetuate this belief to aremarkable degree.

A materialistic interpretation of thesaying that broken mirrors mean illfortune points to the fact that reflect-ing surfaces of both glass and metalwere, in times not very long ago, ratherexpensive objects, and their breakingentailed a substantial loss.


23/44

Thir teen

How far superstitions of bygone ageshave penetrated into our days is per-haps most strikingly illustrated by themanner in which me almost universalfear of the number thirteen has beenkept alive.

Few hotels, if any, have rooms num-bered 13, and there are scores ofotherwise quite sane people who refuseto be seated as the thirteenth at a table.The instances offered as the origin ofthe sinister, malignant power of thenumber thirteen are legion, but themost frequently heard is that JudasIscariot was the thirteenth person atthe Last Supper.

All this persists even though statis-ticians have established the fact that

in 89 out of 100 cases the presence ofthirteen persons at a table has had noconsequence whatever, and that personsspending one or more nights in a roomnumbered 13 have met with no sig-

nificant untoward experience otherthan would have occurred had theyspent the night in any other room.

Have mechanisation, electronics, andartificial satellites made any materialcontribution to the mental progress of

mankind? Aeroplanes and televisionhave not stopped people from becomingupset when someone opens an umbrellainside the house; the atom has beensplit and new stupendous sources ofenergy discoveredand man continuesto touch wood (first practised by theancient Hebrews when, by touching theArk of the Covenant, they hoped to off-set inevitable punishment followingvain boasting) to exorcise evil.

Persons wno consult and accept theveracity of astrological forecasts areperhaps less believers in magic than

those who work out other predictions.Both subscribe to the existence of otherthan materialistic reasoning.

The more we flatter ourselves as hav-ing knowledge, the less we know.

V A V

MORE ON LONDON RALLY

An added interest to last months announcement, regarding the Rosicrucian Rally inLondon, is that members in the United Kingdom are being informed that this eventwill be held Saturday and Sunday, September 6 and 7, at THE VICTORIA HALLS,BLOOMSBURY SQUARE, LONDON W. C. 1. All AMORC members in good standingare cordially invited to attend. For more particulars, write to the Rally Chairman, Mr.Albert Cawton, 66 Regents Park Road, London N. W. 1.

SPECIAL EVENT: On Sunday, September 7, the Ninth Temple Degree Initiationwill be conferred upon eligible members, those who have studied up to and beyond thispoint. Reservations must be received two weeks in advance at the London Adminis tra -tion Office, Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, 25 Garrick Street, London W. C. 2. Whenwriting, please give complete name and address, key number, and the Degree andnum ber of your last monograph. A fee of 1 must accompany your reservation, andfinal details will be sent you with the acknowledgment of the fee.

For admission to the Temple quarters on that day, each candidate must present hismembership card and the last monograph received. No exceptions.

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The Higher Standard of LivingBy Ra l p h M. L e w is , F. R. C.


e c e n t l y , w e attended agraduation ceremony ata large college. Over athousand young men andwomen were receivingtheir degrees. There werealso many thousands offriends and relatives pres-ent as spectators. The

principal speaker of the day was aprominent politician from Washington,D. C. Most such commencement ad-dresses follow a traditional pattern. Thespeaker first endeavors to inspire ad-miration for the countrys past prog-ress. He refers to the early beginning

of its society, and then to the develop-ment and achievements of the people.Such a speaker then generally enum-erates the glories of the future whichawait the young men and women, andconcludes by delineating the responsi-bility of the youth of today.

Over and over again, this particularcommencement speaker emphasized theAmerican standard of living and itssuperiority in the world today. Thisstandard he continually couched interms of material advantages. Hestressed the fact that, in less than one

century, the world has moved from thehorseandbuggy to the jetplane stage.He pointed out how, in America andmuch of the Western world, we haveour airconditioned homes, modem il-lumination, and television. Yet theglories of the future, he predicted,would surpass all these miracles, theseadvantages, leisure and luxuries. Ourautomation would reduce the cost ofthe production of all things. In the

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decades to come, he emphasized, theyouth could have two or three televisions, or their equivalent, for the costof one on todays market. He stressedthat we would be able to travel byrocket to Paris or London in perhapsjust a matter of minutes. He did notstate, however, what advantage this increased tempo would have in terms ofhappiness.

The impression left with the listenerwas that democracy meant reaching ahigher standard of living. In tu rn theimplication was that a higher standardof living meant more leisure and a

plenitude of ease. From such remarks

the listener could infer that the ultimate standard of living was a kind ofstate of suspended animation. Man waseventually to just realize a freedomfrom any kind of demand and aggravation.

It should hardly be necessary topoint out to the thinking person, andparticularly to Rosicrucians, the fallacyof such a philosophy. There is an ancient metaphysical aphorism which declares As above, so below. Thistraditional doctrine is that man is amicrocosm. He is a small universe in

himself. It states tha t man in his organism and mind is a miniature of themacrocosm, the great universe. If thisthen be a truism, man should not becontent with merely the security of hisexistence. It is also incumbent uponhim to find his relationship to the otherrealities of the universe.

In nature, complex things indicatea refinement, a balance, and certain

proportion. We call such complexi


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ties growth, development, maturity.The secret of such socalled develop-ment is the harmony of those elementswhich enter into complex things. Thehuman being, as a small universe,should understand the harmonies ofthose forces and energies of the cosmicwhich are for the furtherance of therefinement of self. Man, as a purpose-ful being, should establish a purposefullife. Such a purpose should be the in-tegration of his being with all the ex-

pressions of na ture which he can ex-perience.

There is an old philosophical query:Whence, whither, why? The expres-sion is rather hackneyed but it doesdepict the true standard of living forwhich men should strive. Through re-

ligion, philosophy, and science, we mustdetermine our ontological and cosmo-logical beginnings as represented by theword whence.

Man must further determine what isbest for mankind and for its society.Such an ideal should not be limited tomaterial things. This type of inquiry

is depicted by the word whither. Thethird word, or why , may be beyondhuman comprehension. It supposes thatthere is a divine purpose. At least manmust find some lasting reason for want-ing to live that satisfies his whole na-ture.

John Dewey, the American philoso-pher, said: The democratic ideal is acontinual reconstruction or reorganiza-tion of experiences. The true standardof living, then, is the integration ofhuman experience. Through such inte-gration comes the acquiring of a newenlarged perspective of life. Experiencesare not separate. They compose an or-ganic whole. Each experience is an out-growth of those which precede it. Wegrow as we comprehend. We mergeone experience with another. Wisdomis the intelligent organization of experi-ence. Thus the true standard of livingis not merely leisure or a sort of sus-pended animation; it is a unificationof all the experiences of all individualsand classes of people. Finally, it is arefinement of self, not just a refine-ment of things.

V A V

WHERE WE STAND

These are troubled times. Words and statements are often misconstrued in the heatof strife and passionsometimes intentionally. Loyalties are challenged, liberalism,and breadth of mind are often slandered as radicalism. Internationalism is often distortedto appear as lack of patriotism. For this reason, it is best for everyone to be frank,and to make his position clear.

The Rosicrucian Order is an internationa l, fraternal Order. Its objective is the ex-pounding of a mystical and metaphys ical system of philosophy for the improvementof the individual intellectually, physically, and spiritually. The Rosicrucian Order,AMORC, has no religious nor political affiliations.

The Great Oath of the Rosicrucian Order, to which every member is obliged to sub-scribe, is not a secret document. It requ ires the cand idate to pledge to . . . . live a

better life, accomplishing good for myself and mankind, and build to the Glo ry ofGod . . . The Order seeks to make every memb er a good and useful citizen. In thisregard, the Great Oath further requires him to pledge: I promise . . . that I willhonor and respect the Flag of my country and the country in which I live; that Iwill never be guilty of treason; that I will be a good and useful citizen, contributingto the advancement and welfare of the country in which I enjoy the privilege of beinga resident.

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JSzuzn to WiiaonzBy H a r o l d P . S t e v e n s , F.R . C.

Grand Councilor of A.M.O.R.C., for Eastern Canada

TheRosicrucianDigestJuly

1958

Mu c h of the diffi-

culty and frus-tration experienced bystudents of occult sci-

ences in the applica-tion of the laws and

p rin c ip le s , encount-ered in such literature,are due to the unwar-ranted assumption

that, having studied,they know. If thiswere all that is re-quired, then any per-son capable of readingand gaining an intel-lectual grasp of whathe reads would be ableto become an adeptalmost overnight. Weknow that that is not

f)ossible. Wisdom requires completeearning.

The student must understand thatregardless of how much he has read,the real grasp of the teachings can comeonly through contemplation, and theintegration of the results of that ex-ercise into the active lifeconsciousness.We become adept in the use of theselaws and principles as we practise themin our daily lives, and especially inservice to others. The practical and in-telligent student will know that hemust have a deeper insight into Realitythan intellectual analysis can give, andthis can only come as true knowledge.

Such complete learning cannot beconferred upon us, nor can it be en-forced by outside coercion. It must re-sult from an inner change compelledand accomplished by an inner force.In its completed form such learningmanifests as a perfect attunement orharmonization of the outer or objectiveself with that inner force, the MasterWithinor, more concisely, as wisdom.

Wisdom, by its very nature and defi-nition, implies action. Thus, our knowl-

edge of truth which ia prerequisite to success must be, at firstan inner realization

but knowledge musbe o b jec tiv e ly andharmoniously expressed or manifested inour active life beforit becomes what w

call wisdom. No matter how much a student may know,such knowledge canonly contribute to hisuccess in life if h

puts it into action inhis living.

The process of learning and of convertingthat learning eventu

ally into wisdom has been variouslydescribed. Jesus, the great Master, toldhis disciples that they must take uptheir crosses and follow him to attainto success. Remember that this teaching came before the crucifixion, beforthe cross had attained to the meaningit now carries for the Orthodox Christian sects. At that time the cross waa symbol of lifeof the process of living. So (in plainer words) Jesus watelling lias disciples that they musemulate his technique in the livingof life; and that technique is actionwhich manifests objectively the innelight of the soul force.

This process of learningtobewisewe can more analytically describe as series of seven steps: observation, comprehension, evaluation, aspiration, application, integration, and completion.

Nobody becomes allwise at onceComplete wisdom is beyond the reachof our finite minds. But we can attainto many aspects of Wisdom, one byone, just as we can finally appreciatthe true beauty of a great buildingsuch as the Taj Mahalby seeing i

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from many vantage points, within andwithout, one after another, whereas itwould be impossible to see it objectivelyfrom all of these points at once.

These seven steps must apply notonly to the whole course of learning,

but also to any particular aspect of tha tcourse which we choose to consider. Inany single aspect of our learning theOccult Doctrinefor example, the tech-nique of mystical concentrationlet ussee how these steps are taken.

First comes observation.We read theliterature and observe what is saidabout the matter. From reading we canget a collection of facts, laws and (pos-sibly) directions for use. If we readagain, and study carefully, we beginto get a more analytical picture of thematerial being presented. This is anal-ogous to taking a piece of machineryapart and examining it to see what itis like and how it appears to be useful.We notice the obvious relationships be-tween parts. This process is quite neces-sary to a thorough understanding, butobviously in its analyzed conditionthe machine cannot rim, nor do thework it was designed to do. Likewise, inlearning the technique of Concentra-tion, we cannot expect success as longas that technique is realized in ourminds as a group of separate parts. Inorder to get a real understanding, we

must synthesize those separate parts in-to a single, workable unit.

Comprehension, through synthesis,comes as a result of thinking about thematteranalogous to the assembly ofthe various parts of the machine. In a

purely mental machine, or synthesisof separate but cognate ideas, the as-sembly must be done by conscious in-tellectual activity. We must think.

Thinking appears to be one of themost difficult and painful processes ofwhich man is supposed to be capable.

The average man or woman does notwill notthink if it can be avoided.Successful industries and businesses are

built on that premise. Advertising ofall kinds, newspapers and magazines,radio and television, and also salesmenof all sorts offer almost hourly to doour thinking for us. The average manwill spend his money willingly to avoidthe necessity of thinking. If all elsefalls he is quite likely to inhibit by

means of alcohol or other drugs hisability to think, and thus also hedeadens the voice of his inner selfwhich prompts him to think. I know,of course, that this does not apply asaptly to students of mysticism as to

most others, but it is well that we un-derstand how the rest of the world lives.

If we are to be successful in the liv-ing of life, we must think in order toget a comprehension of what we ob-serve. If we are to be successful in ourconcentration, we must synthesize thattechnique in our minds by thinkingabout it. If we want the machine towork, we must assemble the parts intoa workable unit. Having done this weare now in a position to decide whetherit is worth working on further. Wemust evaluate.

Evaluation of anything involves theeventual weighing of cost against need.Of course you can, if you wish, acceptsome other persons evaluation. If youdo, you may or may not contribute toyour own success, but you almost cer-tainly will contribute to that other

persons successas he conceives it.When you yourself decide to buy, ornot to buy; to believe, or not to believe;to study, or not to study; to practise,or not to practise; to do, or not to do,you have mentally weighed the costagainst the need, and your evaluation

or basis of decision was so derived.How much is the technique of con-

centration worth to youin terms ofeffort (in this case)? This is an evalu-ation which only you can make if youare to be successful, because if youaccept my evaluation as a basis of de-cision to continue, it is doubtful thatyou will succeed. You may lack thenext necessary ingredientaspiration.I can, perhaps, convince you intellec-tually that you should proceed on thebasis of my own evaluation, but I can-not transfer into your consciousness the

aspiration to success which you musthave. That aspiration must be bomwithin you.

Having assembled the machine wehave had under analysis, we must alsolearn to operate it, or discard it asuseless.I f you have, by your own efforts of

comprehension and evaluation, decidedthat the technique of concentration can

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be of real value when learned, you will,if you are normal, aspire to learn it.From now on your aspiration mustfurnish the motive force which willcarry you forwardand you will needas much of it as you can muster.You must drive forward with such zeal

toward your goal of learning that noneof the difficulties you will encounter,none of the temptations to rest or turnaside which will surely come to you,will stop you from reaching the com-pletion which will mean success.

At this point you will know all ofthe parts or aspects of the techniquethat you will ever know, or need toknow. But that is obviously not enough.You must so want to use tnat techniquewith masterful art, aspire so stronglyto such use, that you will immediatelyproceed to apply it wherever and when-ever you can.Application of what we know leads

us into the most difficult part of theprocess of learning. We are tyros, neo-phytes, beginners. We shall be clumsyand make mistakes, but we must not

be careless. We shall be unsuccessful insome of our efforts, grow tired and longto rest, but we must not lose faith inourselves or succumb to the temptationto return to the older easier ways. Ifwe persevere, which we must, thensooner or later we shall findall of a

sudden, it will seemthat this practice,this technique, has become a part ofus, has been integrated into our life-consciousness. It has become a wellknown and easily used tool with whichto shape our mastery of lifes problems.This constitutes a psychic compre-hensionnot merely an objective one.

The accomplishment of this integra-tion comes as a final landmark on theroad to success. It is a signal of ourapproach to our destination. It is anal-ogous to the formation of any habit, orI should say any other habit, because

that is what we have done; at last, wehave formed a complex habit which is

nonetheless completely subject to ourwill. Concentration has become a partof us which can be used at will, justas the socalled passing gear of somemodem cars can be used to solve a prob-lem of road traffic. It is something wecan turn on or off as needed, and when

turned on it will work for us automat-ically. We no longer need to think ofthe machine parts of which the assem-bly is made, nor to labor to achieveresults. We have completed the course.

However, we find that the final step,completion, is not a place to rest. Nordo we desire to stop. The stage ofcompletion is not an end, but a wayof life, a changed way of life, and thatis our success.

How long will it take a student toaccomplish this process of learning? Noone can say. With some students, thelearning of some laws may be accom-plished in the length of time requiredto read what the literature presents onthe m attera few minutes. Others mayrequire longerdays, weeks, months,or even years, especially for practice ofApplication.

Why this difference? Well, somehave had die course before. If youlearned to swim as a child, swimmingwill come easier to you in later yearseven though you may not have prac-tised it during the interim. If you

learned to some extent in a previoustime and place, the relearning will bequicker, depending on how much andnow well you learned formerly.

Obviously, too, the ability to analyzesynthesize, and evaluate will vary.Some will fail or be delayed becausetheir zeal of aspiration is not strongenough. This can require much time.But if the student perseveres, he mustfinally integrate and reach Completion

With completion comes power andresponsibility. Because of the forcewhich is now at our command, we have

the choice of a forceful life, and thedeep responsibility that goes with it.


V A V

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LAW OF TRANSMUTATION

Wood alcohol in itself is not poisonous, but in the body anenzyme turns it into formic acid, which is extremely so.


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What Concentration WILL DoBy D r . H. Sp e n c e r L e w i s , F.R . C.

(From the Mys tic Triangle , May 1925)

Since thousands of readers of the Rosicrucian Digest have not read many of thearticles by our late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, we adopted the editorial policy of

publishing each month one of his outs tanding articles, so that his thoughts would continue toreside within the pages of this publication.

say will do, with greataccent on the word will;for, in the ultimate anal-ysis, will is the powerthat is used whenever re-sults are attained throughconcentration. This state-ment is the key to mywhole argument.

I am being very frank. After twentyyears of experience as teacher, lecturer,writer, ana advisor to and for variousschools and systems of metaphysics andnewer thought, I speak with knowledgeand demonstrable facts.

Will power is the motive power. It iseven more than this: it is the true, cre-ative power in the universe. In the be-ginning God spoke the WORD. Itmatters little, in this argument, whatthat word may have been, but it wasan expression of will. It was a decree,a command, a law, a fiat, and as suchit was creative. By its very nature, be-cause of its origin, and as a result of itsconception, it was electrical, controlling,directive.

Also, it was mental power! Its ema-nation from a Superior, Divine minddoes not imply that it was a uniquemanifestation or beyond the probabilityof human repetition. For, man has allthe Divinity of mind that God couldgive of Himself: the same will; thesame creative power; the same justifi-

cation to use the will power of mind.Gods very nature and plan assures usof our immediate and intimate relation-ship with God. And that relationshipis of the mind and inner selfthe onlyDivine part of man that can conceive.

Where does concentration come in?You ask this question just as thousandshave, and still do each day. Most of

rosicrucian digest, july 1958

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