Rosicrucian Fellowship
Encyclopedia
The Rosicrucian Fellowship – "An International Association of Christian Mystics" – was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel
Max Heindel
Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...

 as herald of the Aquarian Age
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...

 and with the aim of publicly promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians.

The Rosicrucian Philosophy is Esoteric Christian
Esoteric Christianity
Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...

 and claims to present the mysteries, in the form of esoteric knowledge, which the Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

 spoke of in Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...

 13:11 and Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...

 8:10. This Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 mystic philosophy presents deep insights into the Christian Mysteries
Mystery religion
Mystery religions, sacred Mysteries or simply mysteries, were religious cults of the Greco-Roman world, participation in which was reserved to initiates....

 and establishes a meeting ground for art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....

, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

, and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...

. It seeks to prepare the individual through harmonious development of the mind (occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

ist) and the heart (mystic
Christian mysticism
Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...

) in a spirit of unselfishness service
Selfless Service
Selfless service is a commonly used term to denote a service which is performed without any expectation of result or award for the person performing it.-Religious significance:...

 to mankind and an all-embracing altruism
Altruism
Altruism is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of 'others' toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of...

.

The Rosicrucian Fellowship conducts Spiritual Healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....

 Services and offers correspondence courses in Esoteric Christianity
Esoteric Christianity
Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...

 Philosophy, Spiritual Astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...

, and Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 Interpretation. Its work is described to be conducted according to the commands of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

-Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

, namely, "Preach the Gospel and Heal the Sick." Its headquarters are located on Mount Ecclesia
Mount Ecclesia
Mount Ecclesia is the location of the international headquarters of the fraternal and service organization The Rosicrucian Fellowship, located on grounds in Oceanside, California...

 in Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...

, and its students are found throughout the world organized in centers and study groups.

Origins and foundation

In 1908 its founder, Max Heindel, was reported to have been chosen and prepared by the Elder Brothers of the Order of the Rose Cross (the Rosicrucian Order), in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, to reveal the Esoteric Christian teachings of the Rosicrucian Philosophy, also known as Western Wisdom Teachings
Western Wisdom Teachings
Western Wisdom Teachings may refer to:*The Western mystery tradition*The Esoteric Christian philosophy of the Rosicrucians as expounded by Max Heindel in The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception and subsequent books, lectures and lessons....

. Back to the United States, he started, during the hot summer of 1908 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, the work of rewriting, typing on an old Blickensderfer typewriter
Blickensderfer typewriter
The Blickensderfer Typewriter was designed by George C Blickensderfer in 1893. It was originally intended to compete with Remington desk typewriters, but ended up being known for its portability. Blickensderfer's typewriter contained only 250 parts compared to the 2,500 parts of a standard...

, the previous draft in German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

 of those teachings, an outline written while under the personal instructions of the Elder Brothers in their Temple near the border between Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...

 and Germany. Meanwhile, Heindel moved to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

, where he finished the typescript about September 1908. With the help and support of valuable friends he had made during the year of 1906 in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...

, this work containing the basic tenets of the Rosicrucian Philosophy, The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel - Western Wisdom Teachings :The first edition was printed in November 1909...

, was revised and printed in November 1909.

The first edition of 2500 copies, printed in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, was exhausted in six months, and then it was learned that most of the edition, 2000 copies, had been given by the publisher as payment of the debts of the publishing house to other publishers. Immediately, a large second edition was ordered to meet the demand that had been created by the peculiar distribution of the first edition and, facing problems to finance it, a first payment was made to the printer with the help of Augusta Foss, who would become Max Heindel's dedicated wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...

; however, the demand was so great that before it was off the press, two booksellers had already bought one-third of the quantity. These teachings were subsequently developed in other books, lectures and lessons. Heindel also founded a Christian Esoteric magazine titled Rays from the Rose Cross
Rays from the Rose Cross
Rays from the Rose Cross is a Christian esoteric magazine established in June 1913 by Max Heindel, author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception and founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship; its original name was Echoes from Mount Ecclesia. It is issued bimonthly by The Rosicrucian Fellowship in the...

 in June 1913.
The Rosicrucian Fellowship's formal constitution occurred on August 8, 1909, in Seattle, Washington, at 3:00 p.m. It is described that, during the simple ceremony, the Brothers of the Rose Cross manifested their presence. The first Rosicrucian study center had been already previously formed in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

 (November 14, 1908), where Heindel lectured and taught for a number of successful months. After each lecture he distributed free mimeographed copies to the audience; those twenty lectures would be subsequently printed in 1909, along with the first edition of Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception, under the title The Rosicrucian Christianity Lectures. The Columbus Center was followed by centers in North Yakima, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...

 (November 1909), Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

 and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

 (February 27, 1910), the city where Heindel reencountered his theosophist friend Augusta Foss. In Los Angeles, Max Heindel gave conferences, three times a week to replete auditoriums of near one thousand people, from November 29, 1909 till March 17, 1910.

Later, on October 28, 1911, its international headquarters, till today, were physically launched at Mount Ecclesia in the city of Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...

. The ceremony of ground-breaking consisted in planting a large Cross with the initials C.R.C. (meaning Christian Rose Cross
Christian Rosenkreuz
Christian Rosenkreuz is the legendary, perhaps allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order , presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century...

, the Head of the Rosicrucian Order) painted in gilt letters on the three upper ends and with a climbing rose. Among those gathered at the ceremony, around C.R.C., the Founder's Cross, there were reported three invisible leaders, beyond the stage of ordinary humanity, and nine members of the Rosicrucian Fellowship.
The Healing Temple "The Ecclesia
Mount Ecclesia
Mount Ecclesia is the location of the international headquarters of the fraternal and service organization The Rosicrucian Fellowship, located on grounds in Oceanside, California...

" was erected, for the purpose of affording more powerful means for the healing of disease, and dedicated on December 25, 1920. Spiritual Healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....

 meetings are held in this holy place at a regular time each day by the Probationers who have consecrated their lives to this work.

According to Max Heindel, the invisible Order of the Rose Cross is an Order in the inner worlds founded in the year 1313 and composed of twelve high spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...

 beings gathered around a thirteenth, whose symbolic name is Christian Rosenkreuz
Christian Rosenkreuz
Christian Rosenkreuz is the legendary, perhaps allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order , presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century...

. These great Adept
Adept
An adept is an individual identified as having attained a specific level of knowledge, skill, or aptitude in doctrines relevant to a particular author or organization.-H. P. Blavatsky:...

s are presented as belonging to the human evolution but have already advanced far beyond the cycle of rebirth
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...

; their mission is explained as aiming to prepare the whole wide world for a new phase in religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

—which includes awareness of the inner worlds and the subtle bodies—and to provide safe guidance in the gradual awakening of man's latent spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...

 faculties: "to prepare a new phase of the Christian religion to be used during the coming age
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...

 now at hand, for as the world and man evolve so also must religion change.
"

Admission of men and women into the Rosicrucian Fellowship is free of membership dues or fees, as no price is set upon its teachings, and its funding is based upon voluntary giving
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...

 as one is able to contribute; however, the Fellowship does not admit professional astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...

s, medium
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...

s, divinators
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...

-palmists or hypnotists. After a preliminary period, and although the Fellowship – which acts only as a preparatory school in the physical world – recognizes a sum of seven (7) grades, the Fellowship's study progress is primarily based upon a system of three grades: regular student, probationer and disciple. After a two-year term of being a Regular Student of the Fellowship, a person who abstains from all flesh food
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...

, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...

, mind-altering drugs
Psychoactive drug
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior...

, and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

 may apply for probationership
Academic probation
Academic probation in the United Kingdom is a period served by a new staff member at a university or college when they are first given their job. It is specified in the conditions of employment of the staff member, and may vary from person to person and from institution to institution...

. When the Probationer has complied with the necessary requirements and completed the term of probation he may send request for individual instruction. Access to the Disciple grade is granted upon merit
Merit
The term merit constitutes a desirable trait or ability belonging to a person or an object.It may refer to:* Merit * Merit * Meritocracymerit may also mean:...

; once admitted into the discipleship, where "Purity is the key by which alone he [the aspirant] can hope to unlock the gate to God." (Heindel, Ancient and Modern Initiation, p. 52), the subsequent Spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...

 unfoldment of the advanced soul, the neophyte, within the Order of the Rose Cross is conducted through the process of the nine Lesser Initiations (9 strata) of the Christian Mysteries.

Life as a School: doctrine of Rebirth and Law of Cause and Consequence

These teachings advocate the dualistic view: on one hand, they hold that man is a Spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

 enfolding all the powers of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

 and that these powers are being slowly unfolded by a series of existences in a gradually improving earthy body; on the other hand, that this process of development has been performed under the guidance of exalted Beings who are yet ordering our steps, though in a decreasing measure, as man gradually acquires intellect
Intellect
Intellect is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and about how to solve problems...

 and will
Will (philosophy)
Will, in philosophical discussions, consonant with a common English usage, refers to a property of the mind, and an attribute of acts intentionally performed. Actions made according to a person's will are called "willing" or "voluntary" and sometimes pejoratively "willful"...

.

Man is then seen as a Spirit attending the school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...

 of life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...

 for the purpose of unfolding latent spiritual power, and that for this purpose he lives many lives in earthly bodies, "Rebirth
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...

", of increasingly fine texture which enable him to express himself better and better and improving his character
Moral character
Moral character or character is an evaluation of a particular individual's durable moral qualities. The concept of character can imply a variety of attributes including the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits...

. Connected to rebirth there is the "Law of Cause and Consequence" – the most fundamental law in human destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...

, that it is not a static law – through which we constantly set new causes into operation which will create new destiny to balance and improve the old destiny brought from the past, it teaches that all the causes set into action in one life cannot be ripened in one existence, but "Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap".

Evolution

According to the Rosicrucian Philosophy, also known as Mystic Christianity, the evolution of man, in our present Great Day of Manifestation, is divided into seven Periods:
  • involution: the Saturn Period, the Sun Period, the Moon Period;
  • the Earth Period (firsthalf was still involution, secondhalf is towards evolution);
  • evolution: the Jupiter Period, the Venus Period, the Vulcan Period.

According to it, we are presently in the secondhalf of the Earth Period: we have just passed the end of our involution and are beginning our evolution
Spiritual evolution
Spiritual evolution is the philosophical, theological, esoteric or spiritual idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve, extending from the established cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-established potentials...

, or the spiritualization of matter and our return to God our Father.

In this scheme of evolution, Christ is the highest Initiate of the Sun Period. This means that this Initiate, Christ, has completed His union with the Second aspect of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

, or WISDOM. According to Mystic Christianity, the three Aspects of God are WILL, WISDOM and ACTIVITY. The entity we call The Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...

, has completed His union with the First aspect of God, WILL; then comes the Son, also called Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

; then Jehovah
Jehovah
Jehovah is an anglicized representation of Hebrew , a vocalization of the Tetragrammaton , the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible....

, the Highest Initiate of the Moon Period, who has completed His union with the Third aspect of God, or ACTIVITY.

The Seven Worlds & the Seven Cosmic Planes

The sevenfold constitution of Man (see below) is related to five of the Seven worlds, different planes of existence having varying density
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...

 and vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...

. These worlds are not separated by space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...

 or distance
Distance
Distance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are. In physics or everyday discussion, distance may refer to a physical length, or an estimation based on other criteria . In mathematics, a distance function or metric is a generalization of the concept of physical distance...

, but, being states of spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

-matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...

, they permeate one another, so that God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

 and the other great Beings pervade every part of their own realms and realms of greater density than their own, including our world: "in Him we live and move and have our being". Some of the worlds are related to the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...

 and the higher ones to the whole Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...

. The Seven Worlds, each one susceptible to be subdivided in seven regions, are planes of evolution of each Solar System, where the threefold God in manifestation dwells, and constitute the seventh and lower Cosmic Plane; there are six superior Cosmic Planes, possibly each one of them with a different and larger structural and dynamic expression in the physical Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...

.
  • The World of God
  • The World of Virgin Spirit
    Spirit
    The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

    s: home of the virgin spirits, differentiated within God Himself as "sparks from a Flame" at the beginning of Manifestation, prior to the beginning of pilgrimage
    Pilgrimage
    A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...

     through matter
  • The World of Divine Spirit: related to the Ego's Divine Spirit aspect; home of The Father
    God the Father
    God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...

    ; inhabited by the Lords of Wisdom, a Hierarchy of Elohim astrologically associated to Virgo
    Virgo (astrology)
    Virgo is the sixth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 150th and 179th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between August 23 to September 22 each year...

     ()
  • The World of Life Spirit: related to the Ego's Life Spirit aspect; home of the Christ
    Christ
    Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

     (The Son
    God the Son
    God the Son is the second person of the Trinity in Christian theology. The doctrine of the Trinity identifies Jesus of Nazareth as God the Son, united in essence but distinct in person with regard to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit...

    , the Solar Logos); inhabited by the Lords of Individuality, a Hierarchy of Elohim astrologically associated to Libra
    Libra (astrology)
    Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Libra. In astrology, Libra is considered a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered an air sign and is one of four cardinal signs...

     (); higher Memory of Nature (events from the earliest dawn of our present manifestation, open only to Adepts and higher Spiritual Beings)
  • The World of Thought
    Mental plane
    The mental plane, or world of thought, in Hermeticism, Theosophical, Rosicrucian, Aurobindonian, and New Age thought refers to the macrocosmic or universal plane or reality that is made up purely of thought or mindstuff...

    , the world of tone
    Tone
    - Tone :* Tone , a literary technique which encompasses the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work* Tone , the pitch and pitch changes in words of certain languages...

    :
    • Region of Abstract Thought: inhabited by the Lords of Form, a Hierarchy of Elohim astrologically associated to Scorpio
      Scorpio (astrology)
      |Infobox align="right" style="border:3px solid white;"||style="text-align: center;"|Scorpio is the eighth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 210th and 239th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between 24 October and...

       (); the "Third heaven
      Third Heaven
      The Third Heaven is a spiritual division of the universe within Judeo-Christian cosmology. In some traditions it is considered the abode of God, and in others a lower level of Paradise, commonly one of seven.-Hebrew Bible:...

      " state of consciousness
      Consciousness
      Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...

      ; Germinal idea(s); related to the Ego's Human Spirit aspect; the home of Jehova, The Holy Spirit:
- this Great Hierarch is, from the viewpoint of these Esoteric Christian teachings, the evolved form of the third aspect of God, the creative energy in Nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...

, which is reflected in man as sex
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...

 energy; the misuse or abuse of that power, the holy creative force [of God] in man, for gratification of the passional nature, and particularly perversion (see also human sexual behaviour), constitutes the sin against the Holy “Ghost”;
- the great transgression, the abuse of sex function or generative force for sense gratification, must be expiated, under the Law (of Cause and Consequence), through suffering
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, is an individual's basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm. Suffering may be qualified as physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of intensity, from mild to intolerable. Factors of duration and...

 in diseased and incapacitated bodies and minds, mainly afflicted with developmental disabilities – as there is a close connection between sexual activity and mental activity, as well as the power of speech – and incurable cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 (see also carcinogenesis
Carcinogenesis
Carcinogenesis or oncogenesis is literally the creation of cancer. It is a process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells...

 and cancer treatment) for those who abuse the sex function in a very marked and bestial degree:

    • Region of Concrete Thought: related to the Mind
      Mental body
      The mental body is one of the subtle bodies in esoteric philosophies, in some religious teachings and in New Age thought. It is understood as a sort of body made up of thoughts, just as the emotional body consists of emotions and the physical body is made up of matter...

      ; inhabited by the Lords of Mind, a Hierarchy of Elohim astrologically associated to Sagittarius
      Sagittarius (astrology)
      Sagittarius is the ninth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 240th and 269th degree of celestial longitude...

       (); the "Second heaven" state of consciousness; Archetypes; Memory of Nature in the highest subdivision (covering the essence of a whole life or event); ocean of harmony: the Music of the Spheres
      Musica universalis
      Musica universalis is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies—the Sun, Moon, and planets—as a form of musica . This 'music' is not usually thought to be literally audible, but a harmonic and/or mathematical and/or religious concept...


« The Great Silence »
  • The Desire World
    Astral plane
    The astral plane, also called the astral world, is a plane of existence postulated by classical , medieval, oriental and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions...

    , the world of color
    Color
    Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...

    : related to the Desire body; home of the Archangels, astrologically associated to Capricorn (); the abode of deceased persons, for some time subsequent to the event of death
    • higher regions, Attraction, the "First heaven" state of consciousness
    • intermediate region, Interest and Indifference
    • lower regions, Repulsion, the "Purgatory" state of consciousness
  • The Physical World
    Physical plane
    The physical plane , physical world, or physical universe, in emanationist metaphysics such as are found in Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Hinduism and Theosophy, refers to the visible reality of space and time, energy and matter: the physical universe in Occultism and esoteric cosmology is the lowest...

    , composed of seven (7) regions:
    • Etheric Region
      Etheric plane
      The etheric plane is a term introduced into Theosophy by Charles Webster Leadbeater and Annie Besant to represent one of the planes of existence in neo-Theosophical and Rosicrucian cosmology. It represents the fourth[higher] subplane of the physical plane , the lower three being the states of...

      : related to the Vital body
      Etheric body
      The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...

      ; home of the Angels (seen as being one step beyond the human stage, as humans are a degree in advance of the animal evolution), astrologically associated to Aquarius (); Memory of Nature
      Akashic Records
      The akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described as containing all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...

       in the reflecting ether (pictures at least several hundred years back or much more in some cases, almost as the pictures on a screen, scene shifts backward). The etheric region is subdivided in four (4) regions according to the grades of density
      Density
      The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...

       of the aether
      Aether (classical element)
      According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...

       permeating our physical planet Earth
      Earth
      Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

      : Reflecting Ether, Light Ether, Life Ether and Chemical Ether
    • Chemical Region: the physical Earth
      Earth
      Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

       as perceived through the five senses enhanced by the current technological
      Technology
      Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...

       equipment, subdivided in three (3) regions according to the three main states of matter: gas
      Gas
      Gas is one of the three classical states of matter . Near absolute zero, a substance exists as a solid. As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point , boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons...

      eous, liquid
      Liquid
      Liquid is one of the three classical states of matter . Like a gas, a liquid is able to flow and take the shape of a container. Some liquids resist compression, while others can be compressed. Unlike a gas, a liquid does not disperse to fill every space of a container, and maintains a fairly...

       and solid
      Solid
      Solid is one of the three classical states of matter . It is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume. Unlike a liquid, a solid object does not flow to take on the shape of its container, nor does it expand to fill the entire volume available to it like a...

      . It is the current home of the self-conscious
      Self-consciousness
      Self-consciousness is an acute sense of self-awareness. It is a preoccupation with oneself, as opposed to the philosophical state of self-awareness, which is the awareness that one exists as an individual being; although some writers use both terms interchangeably or synonymously...

       mankind, astrologically associated to Pisces (). The Chemical region of the physical world is home to four life
      Life
      Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...

       waves, or kingdoms, at a different stage in the evolutionary
      Spiritual evolution
      Spiritual evolution is the philosophical, theological, esoteric or spiritual idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve, extending from the established cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-established potentials...

       path: mineral
      Mineral
      A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...

       life is the first and lowest level of spiritual
      Spirituality
      Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...

       evolution on Earth; then comes plant
      Plant
      Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...

      s, with actual life, then animal
      Animal
      Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...

      s (cold-blooded
      Poikilotherm
      A poikilotherm is an organism whose internal temperature varies considerably. It is the opposite of a homeotherm, an organism which maintains thermal homeostasis. Usually the variation is a consequence of variation in the ambient environmental temperature...

       animals, then warm-blooded
      Warm-blooded
      The term warm-blooded is a colloquial term to describe animal species which have a relatively higher blood temperature, and maintain thermal homeostasis primarily through internal metabolic processes...

      ), and finally the human being. The beings belonging to each life wave either evolve through the work of the individual Spirit
      Spirit
      The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

       (human being) or are yet evolving under a group spirit, have a different state of consciousness
      Consciousness
      Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...

      , and have acquired more or less subtle bodies, according to the development stage of each life wave.


The worlds of matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...

 (Physical world, Desire world and World of Thought/Region of Concret Thought) are considered to be a reverse reflection
Reflection (physics)
Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two differentmedia so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves...

 of the worlds of Spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

 (World of Thought/Region of Abstract Thought, World of Life Spirit and World of Divine Spirit).

The Seven-fold constitution of Man

It also teaches that man is a complex
Complexity
In general usage, complexity tends to be used to characterize something with many parts in intricate arrangement. The study of these complex linkages is the main goal of complex systems theory. In science there are at this time a number of approaches to characterizing complexity, many of which are...

 being who possesses (inverse order provided, from lowest or most dense
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...

 to highest or most subtle
Subtle body
A subtle body is one of a series of psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings...

):

A threefold body

  • a Dense body
    Human anatomy
    Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the human body. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by the naked eye...

    , which is the visible instrument he uses here in this world to fetch and carry (the body we ordinarily think of as the whole man);
  • a Vital body
    Etheric body
    The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...

    , which is made of ether
    Aether
    -Metaphysics and mythology:* Aether , the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere* Aether was the personification of the "upper sky", space and heaven, in Greek mythology-Science and engineering:...

     and pervades the visible body as ether permeates all other forms, except that human beings specialize a greater amount of the universal ether than other forms (that ethereal body is our instrument for specializing the vital energy of the sun and it is seen by clairvoyant vision to extend about an inch and a half outside our visible body);
  • a Desire body, which is our emotional nature and this finer vehicle pervades both the vital and dense bodies (it is seen by clairvoyant vision to extend about 16 inches outside our visible body, which is located in the center of this ovoid cloud as the yolk is in the center of an egg).

A mind (link or focus)

The Mind
Mental body
The mental body is one of the subtle bodies in esoteric philosophies, in some religious teachings and in New Age thought. It is understood as a sort of body made up of thoughts, just as the emotional body consists of emotions and the physical body is made up of matter...

, which functions like a mirror, reflects the outer world and enables the Ego to transmit its commands as thought and word, and also to compel action.

A threefold Spirit

On the other hand, it teaches the Ego (not to be confused with the ego
Id, ego, and super-ego
Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described...

 as defined by psychology) is the threefold Spirit, the God Within, which uses these vehicles to gather experience in the school of life. The three aspects of the Spirit are (from highest to lowest aspect):
  • the Divine Spirit
    Spirit
    The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

     aspect;
  • the Life Spirit aspect;
  • the Human Spirit aspect.

Evolving the "Astral body" (Soul body)

According to the Western Wisdom Teachings, the term "Astral body", a vehicle evolved from the work of transmutation
Philosopher's stone
The philosopher's stone is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal...

 upon the etheric body
Etheric body
The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...

 (the two superior ethers
Aether (classical element)
According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...

), is not to be confounded with the Desire body since during the soul flights
Astral projection
Astral projection is an interpretation of out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of an "astral body" separate from the physical body and capable of traveling outside it...

 the desire body molds itself readily into this prepared matrix and when the individual returns to the physical body, the effort of will whereby he enters it automatically dissolves the intimate connection between the desire body and the astral or soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...

 body. According to it, the term "Astral body" was employed by the mediaeval Alchemists
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...

 because of the ability it conferred upon the one who has it to traverse the "starry
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...

" regions. The "Astral body" is regarded, according to this esoteric philosophy, as the "Philosopher's Stone
Philosopher's stone
The philosopher's stone is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal...

" or "Living Stone" of the alchemist, the "Wedding Garment" (golden) that Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

 speaks of in the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...

, the "Soul body" that Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...

 mentions in the First Epistle to the Corinthians
First Epistle to the Corinthians
The first epistle of Paul the apostle to the Corinthians, often referred to as First Corinthians , is the seventh book of the New Testament of the Bible...

 or the "Diamond Soul
Vajrasattva
Vajrasattva is a bodhisattva in the Mahayana, Mantrayana and Vajrayana buddhist traditions...

" spoken of in some of the ancient philosophies ("for it is luminous, lustrous, and sparkling—a priceless gem"), and will eventually be evolved by humanity as a whole.

The Ten-fold constitution of Man

The human being is seen as a threefold Spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

, possessing a mind
Mental body
The mental body is one of the subtle bodies in esoteric philosophies, in some religious teachings and in New Age thought. It is understood as a sort of body made up of thoughts, just as the emotional body consists of emotions and the physical body is made up of matter...

, by means of which he governs the threefold Body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...

. This threefold body he transmutes into a threefold Soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...

, upon which he nourishes himself from impotence into omnipotence
Omnipotence
Omnipotence is unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence to only the deity of whichever faith is being addressed...

:
  • Conscious Soul: extracted as pabulum from the Dense body (which was emanated from the Divine Spirit aspect);
  • Intellectual Soul: extracted as pabulum from the Vital body (which was emanated from the Life Spirit aspect);
  • Emotional Soul: extracted as pabulum from the Desire body (which was emanated from the Human Spirit aspect).

Death as a Birth

As the physical body is a vehicle which the Spirit uses to gain experience
Experience
Experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in or observation of some thing or some event gained through involvement in or exposure to that thing or event....

 in this school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...

 day of life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...

, death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....

 is but a passing of the Spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...

 into a larger sphere: a birth, which should be prepared for with the greatest care. At the end of this life the Ego must assimilate what it has experienced. At what is called death the Spirit withdraws with the two higher vehicles
Subtle body
A subtle body is one of a series of psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings...

, which are tied to the etheric and physical bodies by a slender cord: the silver cord
Silver cord
In metaphysical literature, the silver cord, also known as the sutratma or life thread of the antahkarana, refers to a life-giving linkage from the Higher self down to the physical body...

 which the Bible speaks of in the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes
The Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...

.

At death the desire and mental bodies leave the physical, taking with them but one permanent etheric
Etheric body
The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...

 atom
Atom
The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons...

, which during life was deposited within the left ventricle of the heart. This atom, like the negative film of the camera, has been impressed with all the experiences of the life just ended. At death the force of this atom leaves the body and all these impressions are transferred from the vital body
Etheric body
The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...

 (which is the storehouse of these experiences) into the desire body, which then forms the basis of the man or woman's life in purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...

 and the first heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...

. This transfer is done by the Spirit during the first three and one-half days (84 hours) after the rupture of the connection between the seed atom and the heart, ordinarily known as death: death is not complete until this transfer has been accomplished. During this time sensation is still present, and the Spirit suffers through inharmonious surroundings, including postmortem examination and embalming
Embalming
Embalming, in most modern cultures, is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and to make them suitable for public display at a funeral. The three goals of embalming are thus sanitization, presentation and preservation of a corpse to achieve this...

.

All in all, the Rosicrucian method of caring for the dead, regarding death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....

 as a birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...

 into the spiritual worlds
Plane (esotericism)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....

 which should be prepared for with the greatest care, requires a "post mortem interval
Post mortem interval
Post-mortem interval is the time that has elapsed since a person has died. If the time in question is not known, a number of medical/scientific techniques are used to determine it. This also can refer to the stage of decompostion the person is in....

", or preservation period, of the physical body for three and half days (84 hours), for life review
Life review
A life review is a phenomenon widely reported as occurring during near-death experiences, in which a person rapidly sees much or the totality of his or her life history in chronological sequence and in extreme detail. It is often referred to by people having experienced this phenomenon as having...

 purpose (in a pacific death; not in a sudden impact such as: shock, accident, catastrophe, heart attack or suicide), before cremation
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....

 or any other way of body disposal
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...

.

The Cosmic Christ and the Christ Within

According to the Rosicrucian Philosophy, the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 Teaching enables us to become aware of the fact that Christ must be born within. There is a very clear distinction between the Christ which is born within us, our true Saviour, and the Cosmic Christ, that is to say the Christ without. The Christ without, or the Cosmic Christ, helps us in the task of having Christ born within; however, it is our task to form the Christ within. The Christ within, or Soul body, is the vehicle mankind will need to live in the Sixth Epoch
Root race
Root Races are stages in human evolution in the esoteric cosmology of theosophist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, as described in her book The Secret Doctrine . These races were said to have existed on now-lost continents. Blavatsky's model was developed by later theosophists, most notably William...

 or New Galilee
New Galilee (Sixth Epoch)
The New Galilee is the name given in the Western Wisdom Teachings to the New Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible. According to these Christian esoteric teachings, the New Galilee represents the future Sixth Epoch in mankind's evolutionary path and will see the transition of humanity to the etheric...

.

Heindel's occult and mystic writings

Max Heindel
Max Heindel
Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...

, the founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship, suffering a severe heart condition and with an adverse financial situation, but with an indomitable will and great energy, was able to accomplish the great work for the Brothers of the Rose Cross. With the help, support and inspiration of his wife Augusta Foss, to whom in August 1910 he was joined in marriage, he gave successful teaching lectures; he sent correspondence lessons to the students, who formed groups in many of the larger cities and he wrote volumes which are translated into many languages all over the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....

:
  • The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
    The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
    The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel - Western Wisdom Teachings :The first edition was printed in November 1909...

    , first edition in 1909 (ISBN 0-911274-34-0) www www2 (1911 ed.) www3 (1920 ed.)
  • The Rosicrucian Christianity Lectures (ISBN 0-911274-84-7) www
  • The Rosicrucian Philosophy in Questions and Answers – Volume I (ISBN 0-911274-89-8) www www2
  • The Rosicrucian Philosophy in Questions and Answers – Volume II (ISBN 0-911274-90-1) www www2
  • The Rosicrucian Mysteries (ISBN 0-911274-86-3) www a review www2 www3
  • Letters to Students (ISBN 0-911274-09-X) www
  • Gleanings of a Mystic (ISBN 0-911274-87-1) www www2
  • Mysteries of the Great Operas (ISBN 0-911274-88-X) www www2
  • Teachings of an Initiate (ISBN 0-911274-19-7) www
  • Ancient and Modern Initiation (ISBN 0-911274-82-0) www
  • The Web of Destiny (ISBN 0-911274-17-0) www www2
  • Freemasonry and Catholicism (ISBN 0-911274-04-9) www www2 www3
  • The Vital Body (ISBN 0-911274-16-2) www
  • The Desire Body (ISBN 0-911274-03-0) www
  • The Rosicrucian Principles of Child Training (ISBN 0-911274-62-6) www
  • How Shall We Know Christ at His Coming? (ISBN 0-911274-64-2) www www2
  • The Mystical Interpretation of Christmas (ISBN 0-911274-65-0) www www2
  • The Mystical Interpretation of Easter (ISBN 0-911274-69-3) www
  • Nature Spirits and Nature Forces (ISBN 0-911274-70-7) www
  • The Message of the Stars (ISBN 0-911274-18-9) www www2
  • Simplified Scientific Astrology (ISBN 0-911274-01-4) www www2
  • Astro-Diagnosis – A Guide to Healing (ISBN 0-911274-06-5) www
  • Occult Principles of Health and Healing (ISBN 0-911274-81-2) www
  • Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine
    The Secret Doctrine
    The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, a book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Helena P. Blavatsky's magnum opus. The first volume is named Cosmogenesis, the second Anthropogenesis...

    , from his 1905/6 lectures (edited 1933; Introduction by Manly Palmer Hall
    Manly Palmer Hall
    Manly Palmer Hall was a Canadian-born author and mystic. He is perhaps most famous for his 1928 work The Secret Teachings of All Ages.-Early years:...

    ) www, an addendum
  • New Age Vegetarian Cookbook, 492 pages

Rosicrucian mission

It is referred that the mission of the Mystery School
Western mystery tradition
Western esotericism or Hermeticism is a broad spectrum of spiritual traditions found in Western society, or refers to the collection of the mystical, esoteric knowledge of the Western world...

 of the western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...

 known as the Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...

 Order, working through The Rosicrucian Fellowship, is to promulgate a scientific method of development suited particularly to the Western people where by the wedding garment may be wrought, so that mankind may hasten the day of the Lord.

See also

  • Christian Rosenkreuz
    Christian Rosenkreuz
    Christian Rosenkreuz is the legendary, perhaps allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order , presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century...



Lineage
  • Beloved Disciple
    Disciple whom Jesus loved
    The phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved or, in John 20:2, the Beloved Disciple is used five times in the Gospel of John, but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. claims that the Gospel of John is based on the written testimony of the "Beloved Disciple".Since the end of the 2nd century,...

  • Johannine literature
    Johannine literature
    Johannine literature is the collection of New Testament works that are attached by tradition to the person of John the Apostle. The collection is usually considered to include:*The Gospel of John*The First Epistle of John*The Second Epistle of John...

  • Lazarus
    Lazarus of Bethany
    Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Saint Lazarus or Lazarus of the Four Days, is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death...



School
  • Max Heindel
    Max Heindel
    Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...

  • Mount Ecclesia
    Mount Ecclesia
    Mount Ecclesia is the location of the international headquarters of the fraternal and service organization The Rosicrucian Fellowship, located on grounds in Oceanside, California...

  • Rays from the Rose Cross
    Rays from the Rose Cross
    Rays from the Rose Cross is a Christian esoteric magazine established in June 1913 by Max Heindel, author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception and founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship; its original name was Echoes from Mount Ecclesia. It is issued bimonthly by The Rosicrucian Fellowship in the...

  • The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
    The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
    The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel - Western Wisdom Teachings :The first edition was printed in November 1909...

  • The Rosicrucian Fellowship


Central concepts
  • Astrological age
    Astrological age
    An astrological age is a time period which astrology postulates parallels major changes in the development of Earth's inhabitants, particularly relating to culture, society and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in western astrology. At the...

    , Age of Aquarius
  • Christ (concept), Second Coming
  • God and the scheme of evolution


Miscellaneous Concepts
  • Afterlife
    Afterlife
    The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...

     – Life review
    Life review
    A life review is a phenomenon widely reported as occurring during near-death experiences, in which a person rapidly sees much or the totality of his or her life history in chronological sequence and in extreme detail. It is often referred to by people having experienced this phenomenon as having...

     – Silver cord
    Silver cord
    In metaphysical literature, the silver cord, also known as the sutratma or life thread of the antahkarana, refers to a life-giving linkage from the Higher self down to the physical body...

  • Astrology
    Astrology
    Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...

     – Epochs (Anthropogenesis)
    Root race
    Root Races are stages in human evolution in the esoteric cosmology of theosophist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, as described in her book The Secret Doctrine . These races were said to have existed on now-lost continents. Blavatsky's model was developed by later theosophists, most notably William...

  • Clairvoyance
    Clairvoyance
    The term clairvoyance is used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses, a form of extra-sensory perception...

     – Memory of Nature
    Akashic Records
    The akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described as containing all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...

     – Music of the Spheres
    Musica universalis
    Musica universalis is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies—the Sun, Moon, and planets—as a form of musica . This 'music' is not usually thought to be literally audible, but a harmonic and/or mathematical and/or religious concept...

  • Christian mysticism
    Christian mysticism
    Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...

     – Esoteric Christianity
    Esoteric Christianity
    Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...

  • Esoteric cosmology
    Esoteric cosmology
    Esoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. It almost always deals with at least some of the following themes: emanation, involution, spiritual evolution, epigenesis, planes of existence or higher worlds , hierarchies of spiritual beings,...

     – Planes of existence
    Plane (esotericism)
    In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....

     – Subtle bodies
    Subtle body
    A subtle body is one of a series of psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings...

  • Rebirth
    Reincarnation
    Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...

     – Law of Cause and Effect
    Karma
    Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....

  • Vegetarianism
    Vegetarianism
    Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...


Portugal
  • Coriel, Maria (pseudonym), O Céu dentro de Nós, ISBN 978-989-8032-04-1, Chá das Cinco (Parede), 207 pages, 2007
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, Catálogo da Exposição sob o Tema A Rosa, Rainha das Flores, Símbolo Mítico, Místico e Esotérico, Os Rosacruzes e o Primeiro Centenário da Fraternidade Rosacruz de Max Heindel, edição do author, Depósito Legal 293670/09, 24 pages a cores, 2009; de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, Vegetarianismo, a solução para uma vida e mundo melhor, ISBN 978-972-591-753-4, Editorial Minerva (Lisbon)239 pages, 2009; de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, A Quinta Via, Rumo à Cidade da Rosa, 2ª Edição, Revista, prefaciada, aumentada e comentada, ISBN 978-972-591-760-2, Editorial Minerva ( Lisabon), 184 pages, 2009;de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos " Paracelso e a Cosmobiomedicina", ISBN 978-972-591-749-7, Editorial Minerva (Lisbon) 142 pages, 2009 wwww
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, " Meditações de um Neófito", ISBN 978-972-591-741-1, Editorial Minerva ( Lisbon)139 pages, 2008 www
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, A Rosacruz e Portugal, ISBN 978-972-591-726-X, Editorial Minerva (Lisbon), 200 pages, 2007 www
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, Mozart, esse desconhecido, Editorial Minerva (Lisbon), 2007 www
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, A Flor da Esperança, Hugin Editores (Lisbon), 2004 www
  • de Carvalho, Delmar Domingos, A V Via Rumo à Cidade da Rosa, Hugin Editores (Lisbon), 2002 www
  • Macedo, António de, O Neoprofetismo e a Nova Gnose, ISBN 972-794-206-7, Hugin Editores (Lisbon), 172 pages, 2003 www
  • Macedo, António de, Laboratório Mágico – Ensaios Alquimísticos, ISBN 972-794-100-1, Hugin Editores (Lisbon), 474 pages, 2002 www
  • Macedo, António de, Instruções Iniciáticas – Ensaios Espirituais, ISBN 972-8534-00-0, Hugin Editores (Lisbon), 2nd ed., 346 pages, 2000 www
  • Monteiro, António, A Ordem Rosacruz, ISBN 978-972-1-01673-6, Edições Europa-América (Lisbon), 176 pages, 1981
  • Rodrigues, Francisco Marques (1899–1979), Estudos Bíblicos – Ensinamentos da Tradição Esotérica Cristã (Vol. I), Fraternidade Rosacruz de Portugal, ISBN 972-9381-13-5, 2005 (posthumous work)

United States
  • A Student, Etheric Vision and What It Reveals, ISBN 0-911274-59-6, 110 pages www
  • Bacher, Elman, Studies In Astrology (complete set of 9 volumes), ISBN 0-911274-99-5, 907 pages, 1990 www
    • Volume 1, The Accuracy of Astrology, ISBN 0-911274-50-2, 94 pages
    • Volume 2, The Outer Planets , ISBN 0-911274-51-0, 104 pages
    • Volume 3, The Astrologer, ISBN 0-911274-52-9, 94 pages
    • Volume 4, Aspects – "Bad" and "Good", ISBN 0-911274-53-7, 99 pages
    • Volume 5, The Astrologer as Scientist, Artist and Priest-Teacher, ISBN 0-911274-54-5, 98 pages
    • Volume 6, The Point, Line, and Circle, ISBN 0-911274-55-3, 98 pages
    • Volume 7, Astrology – The Art of Arts, ISBN 0-911274-56-1, 100 pages
    • Volume 8, The Wedding Chart and Marriage, ISBN 0-911274-57-X, 107 pages
    • Volume 9, The Light, The Astrological Path, ISBN 0-911274-58-8, 112 pages
  • Badibanga, Fox Ngandu, Global Warming and Al Gore Faustus Adventures inside the Earth, ISBN 978-0-615-28967-0, 2009
  • Heline, Corinne
    Corinne Heline
    Corinne Heline was an American author, Christian mystic and occultist born to the aristocracy of the Old South....

    , New Age Bible Interpretation, 1930s (magnum opus with various editions; various works: a list of books):
    • Old Testament
      Old Testament
      The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...

      :
      • Vol I Five Books of Moses and Joshua, 480 pages
      • Vol II Part I. Solomon and the Temple Builders – Part II. Books of Initiation, 469 pages
      • Vol III Part I. The Promise – Part II. The Preparation, 536 pages
    • New Testament
      New Testament
      The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....

      :
  • Glover, Elsa M., Science and Religion, ISBN 0-533-07048-1, Vantage Press (New York), 1987 www
  • Glover, Elsa M., The Aquarian Age, ISBN 978-0-533-07338-2, Vantage Press, 1987 www
  • Lewis, Robert C., The Sacred Word and its Creative Overtones, ISBN 0-88112-021-9, 163 pages
  • Lewis, Robert C., Silver Cord and the Seed Atoms, ISBN 0-911274-74-X, 49 pages
  • Parchment, Samuel Richard (1881–1946), Freemasonry at the Rosicrucian Fellowship, ISBN 978-1-4253-2214-4, 48 pages
  • Rich, Annet C., Christ or Buddha?, ISBN 978-0-7661-9165-5, 1914 www
  • Scott, John P., The Hidden Bible, ISBN 978-0-7661-8540-1, 1935, 372 pages
  • Scott, John P., Four Gospels Esoterically Interpreted, ISBN 978-1-56459-804-2, 1937, 176 pages
  • Scott, John P., Esoteric Bible Dictionary, ISBN 978-1-56459-913-1, 112 pages
  • Swainson, Esme, Rex and Zendah (Illustrated), ISBN 0-911274-61-8, 112 pages
  • Tucker, Prentiss, In the Land of the Living Dead, ISBN 0-911274-83-9, 1929 www
  • Tuttle, Amber M., The Work of Invisible Helpers, ISBN 978-1-56459-676-5, 1945, 644 pages link to .zip (14 TXT files)
  • Various authors, Aquarian Age Stories for Children (complete set of 7 volumes), ISBN 0-911274-94-4, 1951
  • Various authors, Sunday School Lessons (set of 6 volumes), ISBN 0-911274-63-4
  • Various authors, Complete Children's Collection (set of 17 volumes, including Aquarian Age Stories for Children and Sunday School Lessons collections, Rex and Zendah, plus "Rosicrucian Principles of Child Training" and two volumes of "Your Child's Horoscope"), ISBN 0-911274-26-X
  • Various authors, Rosicrucian Ephemeris 1900–2000: At Midnight, 0 Hour Tdt, ISBN 978-2-902450-20-6, December 1983
  • Various authors, The Rosicrucian Ephemeris: 2000–2100 12H Tdt (Noon), ISBN 978-0-911274-24-0, June 1992

Third-party comments

  • Bayard, Jean-Pierre, Les Rose-Croix (subchapter of third chapter: L'Association Rosicrucienne Max Heindel), M.A. Éditions, Paris, 1986
  • Lindgren, Carl Edwin, The Rose Cross: A Historical and Philosophical View (section of Chapter III: The Rosicrucian Fellowship), Journal of Religion and Psychical Research, Volume19, Number 3:143–152, 1995 www
  • Martin, Walter, The Kingdom of the Cults, Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1965, 1977, 1985, p. 507 (included in appendix)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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