There is one Universal Plan of Redemption and this Plan is contained in an omnipresent radiation, which we call "The Universal Doctrine". It is a radiation emitting from the Immovable Kingdom. It is Absolute, and not subject to limitations such as time and space. This radiation is present at every conceivable point in the Universe and in every plane of existence. It has been present, unchanged, since the dawn of time, and always will be present, exactly the same, until the end of time.

It is present on earth also; it always was and always will be. Because dialectical humanity is in a crystallized, degenerated state, it is not capable of "reading", or "interpreting" that radiation and therefore unable to respond to it because of the radiation's extremely high frequency. For this reason there have always been messengers who have embodied the Universal Doctrine in words.

The Universal Doctrine is Absolute, it has no limitations! This means that the whole Universal Doctrine can never be wholly written down. Even if a thousand Holy Men converted the Universal Doctrine into words for a hundred thousand years, they would not have finished. And these words are severely limited in transmitting the Truth, because they speak in relative terms. The written versions of the Universal Doctrine can be only mere shadows of the Truth.

We can compare the Truth, as radiated in the Universal Doctrine, to a Spiritual Sun, which, because of its extremely intense light, is invisible to the nature-born human.

There is still evidence that this invisible sun exists! The evidence is its shadow, which can be seen. And that shadow is analogous to the written version of the Truth. Thus all people who truly seek a way out of the universe of relativities can find it by means of this ‘shadow' of the Universal Doctrine.

All shadows move. Such movement may be hardly detectable to the casual observer. The principle of the sun-dial is based on the movement of shadows. In this instance the movement of shadows is caused by the rotation of the earth. The Spiritual Sun - the Universal Doctrine is stable. Its ‘shadow' is constantly on the move; hardly noticeably, but nevertheless it is moving inexorably.
 

The written or spoken manifestation of the Universal Doctrine is constantly changing and this changing is necessary because humanity itself is constantly changing. Humanity undergoes many changes in consciousness, and so the ‘shadow' of the Universal Sun changes, keeping up with humanity.
 

On the surface, the Universal Doctrine as written down, in ancient India or China, will seem quite different than a more recent writing, like the New Testament, or the "Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosycross". Careful examination will reveal their basic similarities, the similarities which point to the one, unchanging Source of all Truth. The genuine seeker after Truth can always find a rich source of it written down throughout the ages.
 

Man can always recognize the Truth by means of the Rose in his heart. Many of the ‘shadows' cast by the Divine Truth Itself - the Spiritual Sun, have been preserved and are available today and many are mutilated by adversaries of Truth, and the seeker whose Rose is opening can find his personal experiences on the Path confirmed in them.

It is obvious that some written versions of the Universal Doctrine will speak more strongly to us than others. This is so because of the changes in emphasis required to adapt to the changes in man's own consciousness.

Probably the most vivid, the most "radiant" example of any of the written versions of the Universal Doctrine is the New Testament.
 

We are talking about the Universal Radiation of Truth, in order to emphasize that the New Testament is not an historical account. It is a ‘shadow' of the Universal Sun, the Absolute Light, the Source of All Power, the infinite, ever-lasting center of all things. That Sun is invisible to us, but the evidence that it exists is in the Holy Scriptures, in its ‘shadow'.

Of course we must understand that this analogy has its limitations. Although the ‘shadow' itself is relatively new, the light that casts the ‘shadow' was, is and will be in eternity.
 

Long before the New Testament was written, the Truth behind it existed! The purpose of that Truth is to enable man to liberate himself from the darkness and sorrow of this vale of tears and to enter into the full and visible light of the Universal Sun.

Before the New Testament was written, the concepts of the birth and the life of Jesus and the crucifixion of Christ existed within the Universal Doctrine. And so we can understand that the symbolism of the Birth of  Jesus is a significant part of the Universal Doctrine, which always has and always will exist to redeem fallen mankind.
 

Long before the year 0 the birth of Jesus was known about and celebrated and we are confident that in other parts of the Universe where fallen humanity dwells, the birth of Jesus is known. Only the words are different - the terminology, the symbolism, the details, the emphasis - but these things form only the ‘shadow' of the Truth.

The Truth itself is the same. When one reflects on the fact that all main religions believe in the second coming of a Divine Son of God, we see that all sacred writings have the same origins. That particular belief is founded on the fact that it is the Divine Son of God in each of us who must come back.
 

For an example of how the birth of Jesus, i. e. the Son of God, was taught long before 2000 years ago, let us look at the birth of Krishna. According to some records, he must have been born 5000 years ago. It is said that Krishna, like Jesus the Lord, was born of a virgin. Krishna was also born in a stable or a cave, and His birth, like that of Jesus, was announced by a star.
 

These similarities are not coincidences, they occur because both events are aspects of the Universal Doctrine. That Doctrine is not old and not young, that Doctrine always was, as Jesus says, "yesterday and today the same". We are not speaking of Christian theology; we are referring to the Universal Christ concept. The Krishna of 5000 years ago and the Jesus of 2000 years ago are, as a manifestation of God, one and the same.
 

We don't regard the legend of Krishna as conclusive proof of our statements. It is merely an example of the Universality of the Doctrine of the birth of the Son of God. For who is the Son of God? It is the original Divine Man, present in every seeker. The birth of Jesus (or Krishna) is not to be understood as an historical event, but as an event which every human being must realize for himself.
 

Perhaps now we have made clear the meaning behind the words of the sage Silesius: "Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, but not in thee, thou shalt be yet forlorn".
 

That is the true Christmas - the birth of Jesus in man.
 

Every true seeker has in his heart, the glorious, imperishable Rose. When the pupil has truly commenced his Path of Liberation, this Rose begins to open. At that moment Jesus is born. He is born - in a stable - in the heart, a heart which has become a stable full of animals. A heart that is crowded with all our dialectical passions and desires.
 

Above the stable shines the five-pointed star. The five-pointed star is the symbol of the original man. The five points of the pentagram correspond with the head, the feet and the hands. These are the five distinguishing marks of the true pilgrim.
 

In this way each character, each event in the nativity is a Holy symbol in the process of true human genesis that every human being must sooner or later undergo. One day, everyone will be able to celebrate Christmas in the most personal, the most joyful, most ecstatic way possible: by taking the first step on the Path of Transfiguration, the opening of the Rose of the Heart, the Birth of Jesus.
 

May you all celebrate Christmas in this way.

Lux Libertat

Diligentia

 

The horizontal beam of the cross symbolizes this mortal existence in the nature of death, the vertical beam is the symbol of the liberating power descending from the original field of life. As human beings we are subject to the influence of both worlds. Where the two intersect is where the rose of the heart, as the divine soul, is placed. This is the path of the Rose and the Cross. Ultimately we want to attach the rose of the divine soul to the cross of imperishability.

The mystery of the Endura is pictured in the image of the 13^th Tarot Trump, Death. The Magicians, the true Brotherhood of the Grail, recorded their sacred teachings in these pictures for the sake of posterity. Even now, after many centuries, there are few individuals who can bear to view this image without becoming afraid because of what the image implies about our mortal existence. The 13^th Tarot trump reveals the mystery of life and death, the ultimate mystery. Locomotion is the "key" word used with this image.

Locomotion - the act or the power of moving from place to place - from the Latin locus and the English motion. Death is the ultimate change of location. The question is do we move on to the true life of the spirit-soul man or do we return to the reflection sphere and suffer the ‘second death'?  We must experience a change in location of our center of consciousness. The New Mercury has to begin to operate in the head sanctuary. This makes it possible for one to speak of the victory over death referred to by Paul in Corinthians as well as in 1 John 5:4.

Following the Path that Jesus walked is the change in location that will lead to immortality. We must take up our cross.  Have the courage to stand at the junction point of the two beams and attach the rose to the cross. That is ‘taking up our cross'. The perfect Rose - the Jesus man - must be nailed to the cross. In order for the golden rose to bloom, we must perish. We must bear our karmic burden to the very end until we are allowed to die on the hill of Golgotha, the place of the skull. This death leads to the resurrection of the original Spirit-soul human being.

 

Mercury's staff or caduceus has always been associated with healing and health and it does in fact represent the true state of perfect health-that of the divine man. The caduceus also symbolizes the perfect balance of the two currents of the Kundalini. This balanced Kundalini is the power used in attaining our immortality. It is the regenerated serpent fire, the force of the spiritual sun, the Kundalini of the heart. The caduceus of Hermes or Mercury holds the key to all activities of Spirit as it operates in relation to the renewing of the mind.

Through the Kundalini of the heart the Gnostic Light, the New Mercury becomes active in a microcosm. The Light streaming into the microcosm is directly impacting the Rose of the heart and feeding this Rose so that it will unfold in perfect beauty as a living soul-principle that is the only remnant of the true divine immortal human.  We must attain purity of heart. This is not meant in any mystical or sentimental way. The purity of the heart is a matter of the unfolding Rose in the heart receiving the Gnostic Light.

By means of the Endura a person, who has decided to break the chains of bondage to this nature-order, can be transformed and attain immortality. Daily he walks the path moment to moment and is awake and alive in the Life giving Light of the Gnosis. The purity of heart comes from living the path without pretense. Paul reminds us to acknowledge each others respective abilities and to be modest about our own.

When we follow the enduristic path we receive the true vitality that comes from the divine field of life and not the highest aspects of this nature-order.  This leads to the ultimate transfiguration when the full blown rose is attached to the cross, the place where the divine realm meets this nature-order, in total sacrifice, completely for the sake of the "other one", the true heavenly man, so that he may return home.

Lux libertat

Diligentia

 

The ego is driving the intellect and this causes the self-centered thought processes where the main focus is on the "I" and its welfare. We discern our abilities and consider them separate and apart from others and also we consider our abilities superior to others' abilities. We are critical beings by nature. Paul reminds us to "not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment". So we must gain insight. This insight is not a matter of just gaining understanding or knowledge. It involves the clear vision gained through the power of the ‘un-masking' light of the Gnosis.

Mercury, the Messenger of the Gods, is associated with the mind and the mysteries speak of old mercury and a new Mercury. The old mercury of the earthly nature is the critical mind, the mind centered on survival at all costs.

Mercury is also called the god of thieves and criminals. The mercury of this earthly nature is actually taking away the opportunity for liberation by luring us into seeking a life of ease, a life with no cares, worries or fears.  This produces a very selfish personality expression, one expressing the brute force of personal will and a destructive use of the power to accomplish personal aims. It is unbridled volition [untempered mortar] it is the complete expression of self-centered thinking through acts of self-maintenance.

We are not to think so much of ourselves. This is the remedy for criticism. It is the key to realizing a consciousness that expresses true humility. We must break these chains of criticism, these chains that are wrapped around our hearts. Paul shows the way to realize purity of heart, and a method of removing the ‘log' from the eyes so that we can see God's plan - His good and perfect Will. 

The "I" consciousness must be demolished. This is the living sacrifice. Our minds must be wholly prepared to receive the force of the spiritual sun, the power of the new mercury and thus the power to become immortal, renewed.

Transfiguration is a gnostic method of accomplishing the "Endura". It is the path of completely replacing the mortal, alienated, earth-born human being with the original, immortal, divine being, the true Spirit-man according to the divine plan of creation - ‘Will of God'. The atoms and cells of the entire personality are changed by being charged with Mercury power [new Mercury] it is the power by which a human being attains immortality.

 

C Day

"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamations, to save those who believe... but we proclaim Christ crucified - a stumbling block....but to those who are called, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God..."

1 Corinthians 1:21 -24

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

2 Corinthians 2:2

"As it was agreed upon in the beginning, they spread throughout all countries. In this way not only would it be possible, in secret, for their axioms to be examined more profoundly by the learned but also, if they perceived any error in some country, they might inform one another. Their agreement ran as follows: 'Every year on the day C, each brother would appear at the House Sancti Spiritus, or report the reason for his absence'...."

Fama Fraternitatis R.C.

"When, in conformity with his talents and character, the pupil of the Western mystery school has assimilated the most important values of gnostic philosophy; when, as the Fama Fraternitatis puts it, he understands perfectly both the secret and the revealed philosophy, he is sent out as one of the prophets, one of the heralds of the Great Work. Just as Christ sent out His disciples as workers in the great vineyard, so the workers of the Rosycross can be found in all countries, performing their service in the great house of the human life wave in all possible ways.

"Every year on the day C each Brother would appear at the House Sancti Spiritus, or report the reason for his absence."

 Although the chosen group of spiritual pioneers is spread throughout the world, there is nevertheless daily contact between them all. There is a constant life com­munion that sweeps away borders and spans continents.

                

The day C. is the Dies Crucis, the day of the cross, the day of Christ; it is every day that God gives. We live every day in the hands of God: out of Him, through Him and for Him are all things. A meeting in material circumstances is not meant here, but rather a meeting in the House Sancti Spiritus, the building of the Holy Spirit. This House can be found by all who have gained soul quality, who have woven something of the golden wedding garment. It is beautiful and glorious to dwell in the Jupiter garment. It is the magic garment of the brothers; it is spiritualisation; it is the wondrous garden of the House Sancti Spiritus.

Those who cannot appear when the call is heard on the Dies Crucis, those who are bound to their work when the soul community of the brothers is celebrated in blessed joy and they give each other the love-power that surpasses all understanding, write a letter in which the reason for their absence is given. This means that no one may leave the work with which he is occupied; no one may leave his post before his work is finished. With his heart's blood, his soul's blood, the worker writes why he is prevented from coming. The daily soul-continuity of the brothers of the Rosycross is not one of dreams and mystic exaltations, while the world bleeds to death in misery. Your concrete deed, your unceasing sacrifice is your letter, written with the characters of love."

The Call of the Brotherhood of the Rosycross

Jan van Rijckenborgh

 

The Renewing Intelligence

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."   Romans 12:2

When we read Paul's words in this chapter to the Romans, we find that Paul is pointing out the way leading to liberation from this nature-order.

His message provides a key to the path that leads to liberation for nature-born man who is in bondage to this dialectical nature-order because of his I-centered thinking, and who is totally immersed in materiality.

Nature-born man is chained to delusion and does not see that he is deluded; he judges everything based on surface appearances. He is "conformed to this world."

If we are to be free from bondage to the wheel of birth and death, we are to have a renewal of our minds.  We must come to see our own foolishness. A new thinking faculty must develop that is able to perceive the divine plan of salvation for those in bondage and utilize the force of the spiritual sun to help carry out that divine plan and to bring that plan to fulfillment.  

The transformation that Paul speaks of is made possible by way of a process. The transforming power comes from the living fountain of renewal. That is to say, a spiritual force that belongs to the new mercury of the divine man - [not the Roman-type]. It is a force that is ever renewing, a literal well-spring of life. The materialistic, I-centered personality must be transformed - must experience a transformation - then it is possible to see in what way we are deluded and how we are in bondage to this nature-order. This spiritual force breaks the chains of delusion and clears the path for the process to take place.

We must gain insight if we are to have any hope of seeing that we are deluded and to what degree we are chained to lies and falsehoods.

 

There is an axiom that states "the treasure that you journey afar to find, is in truth the Jewel of Eternity in your own heart of hearts". In the Lectorium Rosicrucianum this "jewel" is referred to as the Rose of the Heart. This rose of the heart is the last remaining fragment of the original divine human being. In the majority of people this fragment or vestige of the original man is in a dormant state. In others this rose is in a state of awakening or becoming awake. A mystery school assists those people whose ‘rose' is in a non-dormant state, to implement their search with the real possibility of success. This assistance is given all according to a plan. This is the plan that the preacher is telling us to remember, call to mind. It is the plan of the creator to restore the fallen microcosm by rebuilding the original man from "the bottom up". The plan is to rebuild with the one piece of original substance, divine substance, the rose.

In various legends associated with Freemasonry, this idea of building or restoring the original man is the central theme. The reference to Jesus being a carpenter's son also directs the thoughts to the ideas of planning and building and the result [the Jesus man]. This brings to mind a proverb favored by The Builders, "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." The reconstruction of the original man is not accomplished by the personality being. It is only through the intervention of a higher [divine] force that one attains to the true life, the life of the spirit-soul human being.

Another theme that appears to run concurrent with the ideas of building is the fact that a death is involved in this process. Jesus' death takes place at Golgotha, "the place of the skull". Osiris is slain and sojourns in the underworld for a period before returning to life. The Buddha dies and is said to now reside on Mars. Hiram Abiff is slain and raised from the dead, by means of a new word. The Cathars practiced or underwent the endura [the total death of the I-being of this nature] and realized the transfiguration into parfaits.  Here we have death and rebirth, restoration and relocation or real change of condition, a regaining of that which was lost, all portrayed in these mystery stories.

Hiram Abiff was a master architect and builder. It was his job to place on the trestle board everyday the plan for the building of the temple. Without him the workers were unable to do the necessary tasks, perform their jobs, they were without instruction. This situation is true for most people today. Even though they may know a plan exists, they have no access to it; it is not available to them. The problem lies in the belief that the plan involves the restoration of their nature-born personalities. This is a major error in thinking on their parts. The plan is for the original man; it is for the restoration of the divine fragment, the ‘rose'. So we have the Christ reminding us that "flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom'.

There is the magical image of a priestly figure, robed in ecclesiastical garments, with a staff surmounted by a cross in one hand and making a gesture ( of benediction ) with the first two fingers and thumb of the other hand. Also in this magical image, there are two figures dressed as subordinates, kneeling before him. Here we have an image depicting, among other things, the means, the way that the instructions regarding the plan are transmitted to the candidate, the individual who is seeking to cooperate with the building of the new man.

The cross is of a special type. It has three horizontal bars crossing one vertical bar; also there is a circle on top of the vertical bar. This brings to mind the cross of the Gnostic Christians, the Cathars. The two figures are in receipt of the benediction of the Gnostic forces. The figures have some distinct markings on their vestments. One figure is adorned with white lilies and the other has red roses on his garment. They represent the renewed head and heart sanctuaries. They indicate also, by their posture, the means to achieving that renewal. All accumulated intellectual knowledge and all cherished notions and desires must be relinquished, abandoned, before instruction regarding the building [ the inner instruction regarding the path ] can be received.

Diligentia

 

"Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; .... Ecclesiastes 12:1

This particular admonition from the preacher [teacher] has a very special message of instruction for us as it directs our attention to the mystery of the Rose of the Heart and the rebirth of the spirit-soul human being.  For some who are acquainted with Free Masonry, it will be evident that this chapter of Ecclesiastes forms the foundation for the central theme and teachings of the most venerated degree in Masonry. It is here that the legend of Hiram Abiff, the master builder and the master Architect for King Solomon, is relayed to the candidate.

The ‘preacher' is addressing a certain type of human being. Those who are seeking and perhaps approaching the Path to renewal. His instruction is precise and direct. We are confronted with a warning - "Do not waste this life [remember your creator] ... Act before [in the days of your youth] the weight of dialectics burdens you [the days of trouble] and the chance to allow the rebirth of the soul passes you by!"

A superficial consideration of this chapter of Ecclesiastes may leave the impression that the ‘preacher' was giving the standard "fire and brimstone" type sermon to a congregation of faithful adherents. This may perhaps be true to a degree. However the preacher's address is intended as a ‘reminder' of sorts to the seeker, a reminder to be aware that there is a purpose to this life, a goal to be achieved, and a plan to be executed. There is also a certain time frame in which to complete this work ... "before the days of trouble come..." this is referring to the ‘rising, shining and fading' nature of dialectics.

The task is to be done before the fragile link between the blood-soul of the personality and the microcosmic entity hosting it is broken [the silver cord].

We are presented with a picture of turmoil and trouble in a repeating cycle of escalation. None of this is new or news to anyone who has observed the workings of dialectics, "there is nothing new under the sun". And thus the conclusion was reached that ‘all is vanity', in realization that the purpose of life lies in another direction.

Where do we direct our search? Where is the true meaning and purpose of this life to be found? History is replete with stories of people and their great searches for the meaning of life: the search for the ‘Fountain of Youth' by de Leon, the search for the ‘Lost Word', a quest undertaken by Freemasons, there is the search for the ‘Secret Word' the so called "Abbra Cadabbra" of the magicians and the quest for the Holy Grail by the Knights Templar, just to name a few.

 

In the Hermetic teaching there is an axiom, "As Above, so below  ..." Also other philosophies speak of the correlation between "heaven and earth", Man and the universe, the influence of the stars and planets and the cosmos in general. There is no disagreement that a correlation exists but, there are various schools of thought on exactly what the relationship is.

The Gnostic teaching regarding this relationship is founded on the recognition that there exist two nature orders. One is a divine field of Life and eternal generation and the other is an undivine (no knowledge of God - therefore in a state of "sin" - so not in harmony with divinity) temporary abode for ‘fallen' microcosms.

There are two earths. There is the divine earth which is the original Alchemical work place for the true man. This is the man who has dominion over the works of God. They are the microcosms that did not ‘fall'. And there is the earth on which we dwell with its astral counter part. This is what we refer to as the reflection sphere. The divine earth is still connected with the realm of Light, the sixth cosmic domain. The undivine earth is the region of night (a kind of cosmic suspension), the world of dialectics.

The two earths exist simultaneously. The two nature orders exist now together for a time. There is the true nature of Life and the emergency-order of dialectics which is constrained within the divine earth, ["shut-off" from the divine earth].

The animating Logos, the Christ, the Word is the manifested expression of the Life-Breath of the divine soul. This divine soul expresses as the Holy Seven-Spirit. The Christ is the intermediary between the divine soul and the rest of manifestation. The Christ is directly connected to the divine soul and it is the Christ force that radiates the Light of the Seven-spirit into this world much like the sun radiates light over the earth.

It is this Christ-force, operating in the undivine part of the earth and upon the fallen microcosms, which creates the possibility of the regeneration of these fallen microcosms. In the very center of the fallen microcosm there exists the last remaining fragment of the essence of the true original man. In the Lectorium Rosicrucianum this divine remnant is called the Rose of the Heart. The spiritual radiance of the Son of Life and Light [Christ] will bring this fragment into ‘full bloom' through its power. In fact it is only this ray of true life that can awaken and renew the Rose of the Heart.

In Magic there is a picture of a figure in a chariot being pulled by two sphinxes. The figure is described by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians 6:13-17. Depending on the language of the particular version of this passage it is more or less evident to the seeker that what Paul is talking about is indeed depicted in this magic image, (the transfigured personality expressing itself through the regenerated microcosm). The figure in the chariot has "put on the whole armor of God" and therefore gained the victory.

The ideas of influence and immanence of will are also connected with this image of the rider in the chariot. The indwelling presence of the Spirit of the Christ is the breath of life that animates and lives the regenerated microcosm. It is the direct link to the divine Soul. This divine presence has been referred to as the divine Soul, the cosmic womb, the Eternal Mother and the Door-way that leads to all of creation, the great Sea or the Ocean of life.

When it is said of Jesus the Christ that He spoke "I am the water of life" this is profoundly true. The Christ is directly connected to the divine Soul. It is this water of life that feeds the Rose of the heart and brings it to full bloom.

Diligentia