Rosicrucian Digest, December 1958

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JiOSICRUCIAIV1958

D E C E M B E R

35^ per copyDIGEST

The Leonid

eteors

heir approaching

pea rane e.

V A V

he Divinityof Man

n un ex plo red

otential.

V A V

TomorrowsConquerors

ome basic essentials.

V A V

e a te v tin ty :

Mysticism Science The A rts

V A V

T U x t

>ve Y ou rs el f

V A V

f o w i:

he Cosynic Age


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PRIDE THAT GOES WITH BELONGING . .

M en's Style

(Illustration twice actual size)W om ens Style

* 7 ^ e / R o s ic c 'M C c tu t * n < U e m

HA VE Y OU ever felt alone in a crowd? Do

you realize that there is a silent way to avoid be-

ing a stranger among others?

Here is a practical way to meet those who fit

the mood of your life. This practical and special

means of identification, prepared especially for

you, is the ROSICRUCIAN EMBLEM.

It is a universal sign for Rosicrucians every-

where. This emblem is distinctive as well as con-

servativemade of 10k gold and inlaid with fine

coloredenamel. This small dignified insignia is

appropriately designed with a triangle surmounted

by an Egyptian cross with a rose inscribed in its

center.

Mens Style

with screw back

$2.50

Womens Style

with safety-catch pin

$2.75

Prices include federal

tax and postage.

Send y o u r o r d e r a n d

r e m i t t a n c e t o

R O S I C R U C I A N

S U P P L Y B U R E A U

San Jose , California, U. S. A .

This item, with simulated gold-finish,

available to Sterling members throug

the Lond on Rosicrucian Supp ly Bureau

25 Garrick Street, London, W.C.2, Eng

Price, 8/9 sterling.

(Each month this page is devoted to the exhibition of student supplies.)


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ANCIENT SPORTThe ancient Cretans had a hazardous sport which was performed in an arena watched by multitudes of the nobility and

commoners alike 1500 years B.C. Youths and maidens (legend says they were sent from Athens as tribute) met the charg-ing bull and grasping its horns, vaulted over its back to land on their feet. Great training and agility were required to accom-

plish this. A miss might prove fatal. The above is a mural on a palace wall in Knossos, ancient Cretan capitol.{Photo by AMORC)


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W h e n the hol iday t radit ions,

even if only lor a moment, fan

the flame of forbearance and tol-

erance within man, they carry

also a promise that the flame will

never die, hu t grow as man s

own knowledge of himself grows

with time.

It is our hope that the articles

and features of the Rosic rucian

Digest have helped you this past

year to better understand your-

self and the universe in which

you live. W e take this oppor-

tunity to wish all of you

H Merry

C h r i s tm a s

DU


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ROSICRUCIAN DIGESTCOVERS THE WORLD

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

XXXVI DECEMBER, 1958 No. 12

An cient Spo rt (Frontispiece) 441

Thought of the Month: A Utopia in Space ....... ... ........ 444The Vision of Guad alupe 448

Teen-agers Line-up in Counteraction ___ __ ... _____ 450

Spiri tual Highlights Recognized by Indians 452

The Leonid Meteors 455The Living Wor d 457

Obiag eli Sent her Love 460

The Laughing Philosopher 461

Cause and Effect 462

Cathedral Contacts: Can We Believe our Senses? ......... ................. 465

The Divinity of Man ..... ................... .................................. . 468

Relax . . . Breathe Slowly 471

Temple Echoes ............ 472

Tomorrow's Conquerors 474

The Appian Way (Illustration) 477

The Eleusinian Mysteries (Illustration) .. ...................................... 478

Subscription to the Rosicrucian Digest, $3.00 ( 1 /2 /- sterling) per year. Single copies35 cents (2/6 sterling).

Entered as Second-Class M atte r at the Post Office of San Jose, Californ ia, under Section1103 of the U. S. Postal A c t of O ct. 3, 19J7.

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

Published Monthly by the Supreme Council of

Rosicrucian Park THE ROSICRUCIA N ORDER A MO RC San Jose, California

EDITOR: Frances Vejtasa

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

and women devoted to the invest igat ion , s tudy , and pract ical app l icat ion of natural and sp i r i tuallaws. The purpose of the organization is to enable all to l ive in harmony with the creative, con-st ruct ive Cosmic fo rces fo r the at ta inme nt o f heal th , hap piness , and peace. The O rder i s in ter-nat ional ly known as "AMORC (an abbrev iat ion) , and the A.M.O.R.C. in America and al l o therland s consti tute s the only form of Ros icrucian activit ies united in one body. The A.M.O.R.C. doesnot sel l it s teach ings . I t g ives them freely to af f i lia ted mem bers togethe r wi th m any o the r benefi ts .Fo r complete in format ion about the benef i t s and advantages of Rosicrucian association, w r i te alet ter to the address below, and ask fo r the f ree book , The Mastery of Life. Address ScribeS. P. C.. Rosicrucian Order, A3IORC, San .lose, California, U. S. A. (Cable Add ress: AMORCO)

Copyright , 1958, by the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, Inc. Al l righ ts reserved.


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TheRosicrucianDigestDecember1958

THE

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH

A UTOPIA IN SPACE

m o n g the oldest dreamsof society has been thatof Utopia. Theoretically,a utopia is any place

where human amenitiesreign supreme and nobleidealism vanquishes allthe base qualities ofmans nature. When men

first became conscious of their own be-havior and their relations with oneanother, they discovered that certainconduct or acts of their fellows weredetrimental to their society. We maysay that at that time the rudiments ofmorals and ethics came into existence.

Morals are fundamentally utilitarianin their specific character. The motiva-tion of morality, however, is twofold.First, there is the inherent impulsationto do right. This right, in its earliestconstruction, was not the impulse to dogood as such or to avoid evil. In fact,it even preceded such words as goodand evil. Men want to subscribe to anactivity which has common acceptance,that is, whatever is for the general wel-fare of themselves and others. Psycho-logically, then, to do right is to notoppose that course of action which menseem to see as an advantage to theirkind. Socalled conscience, in its primi-tive state, is this compulsion to do theright.

The other aspect of morality is re-lated to the firstthat is, the desireto do the rightbut the right is con-strued in this instance as the establishedcustoms, the tabus and mandates of thesociety to which one belongs. This as-

pect of morality attempts no criticalanalysis of the conduct except to respectit for its age and tradition. The moral

[ 4 4 4 ]

substance, therefore, becomes the ralesand regulations of accepted authority.Since in most societies the rules of

proper relationship stem from a reli-

gious source as the priesthood, they aregiven a spiritual or implied divineauthority.

An analysis of most moral codesshows that at their bottom they have a

practical, utilitarian aspect. In otherwords, even if there were no religious

proscription against it, men could seethe practical disadvantage to society ofsuch conduct as murder, theft, false-hood, adultery, and abuse of the help-less.

The Mosaic laws and the code ofFTammurapi, ancient King of Babylonia,incorporated moral precepts, divineedicts, to counteract conduct which so-ciety had found to be detrimental toits material welfare. The eating of cer-tain foods, for example, was made asin only because hygienical!v such adiet was unhealthy. Attributing suchcodes to a divine source gave themgreater efficacy than they would havehad if thought to be only manmade,and they were, therefore, assured fur-ther obedience.

Men, however, saw that such codesof behavior were difficult, of fulfillmentor observance under the existing condi-

tions of their lives. Certain habits bringabout temptations which cause a viola-tion of moral and ethical codes. Conse-quently, if the emotions and passionsare not properly disciplined, man can-not avoid a display of avarice, jealousy,and hatred. Misplaced power or au-thorityin effect, tyrannyresults insmouldering hatred in the breasts ofmen and sets one against another in


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conspiracy. Inequalities of opportunityand status create jealousy and perfidy.

Thus it has been reasoned from theearliest civilizations that, if men are tolive noble lives, the seeds of righteous-

ness must be planted in a fertile soil.An environment must be selected anda way of living prescribed that bringsabout a complete transition in humanrelations, a utopia. One of the firstutopias is found in Platos Dialogue, theTimaeus. In this Dialogue a tale is re-lated that an Egyptian priest told Solon,the great Athenian statesman, about apowerful empire in the Atlantic Oceanthat had existed nine thousand years

before. This power came forth out ofthe Atlantic Ocean for in those daysthe Atlantic Ocean was navigable; and

there was an island situated in frontof the straits which are by you calledthe Pillars of Hercules. . . . Now in thisisland of Atlantis there was a great andwonderful empire which had rule overthe whole island and several others andover parts of the continent. . . .

The Arabs, too, had legends of anearthly paradise, a utopia, in the West-ern or Atlantic Ocean. This correspondsto the Atlantis of Platos Timaeus. It isinteresting also to read Plutarchs ac-count of the ideal life in Sparta under

the regime of Lycurgus. These aredreams wherein men conceived a lifefree of the frustrations, temptations andfoibles of their normal existence andwith all the rewards and virtues of a

paradise. Still later was the renownedutopia of Sir Thomas More (1566) andalso Sir Francis BaconsNew Atlantis.

M o d e r n C o n c e p ts

Today we are confronted with talesof new distant utopias, remote in spaceand equally as romantic as thoseclaimed by the ancients for Atlantis.The spaceship enthusiasts (the FlyingSaucer devotees), in much of their liter-ature and in popular lectures given bysome of their protagonists, claim theexistence of utopias on remote planets.These articles and lectures tell of com-municating with these celestial intelli-gences. This is accomplished, so it isrelated, either by talking with thespacemen who are said to have landedtneir craft on earth or by some esotericmental meeting of the minds throughspace. These visitors to earth, from the

planets of our solar system or someother, are purported to delineate per-sonally to earthmen the manner inwhich they live.

These civilizations of other worlds,

we are urged to believe, are not merelytremendously technologically advancedover our earthly achievements. Theyare also great in sociological, moral andethical improvements in comparisonwith our kind of civilization. It is inter-esting, however, to note that the de-scriptions of these space utopias are interms of values which are made totranscend conditions that humans thinkof as being faults in their own greatcivilizations. In other words, it isstrange that the beings of these planetsare said to have developed a transcend-

ent way of living, but which way ofliving has a relationship to our own.

This similarity exists in that the peo-ple of the space utopia would seem tohave deliberately sought to correct, insome remote place, all the faults ofthought and action in their way of liv-ing which we still retain. These space-men have a society that is not revolutionarily different from that of earth

but rather is only a remedial one. Thereutopia, then, fits a conception had byearthmen of what a utopia should be.

We are not concerned with the truth,falsity or even probability of these talesof life on other planets said to be re-vealed by the inhabitants themselves.What is of interest is that the humanswho describe the utopias of these plan-ets are quite apparently influenced bytheir own social, political, economic,and religious backgrounds. They aremaking their conception of a superiorspace people and their way of livingconform to an ideal which they, theearthmen, cherish. It is an ideal bornout of the consciousness of inferior ele-ments in the structure of the earthmens own social background and thatof the times through which the humanrace is passing.

What are the evils in society whichmen would dispose of? What sort ofrelationship or behavior do they imag-ine as a utopia which would preventthe recurrence of the evils and distrac-tions they now experience? Let us lookfor an answer through the eyes of someof those who have theorized upon theideal state, the utopia or paradise on

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TheRosier ucianDigestDecember1958

earth. Inequality and difference incaste has played a prominent part inthe description of life in the utopia.Some of these paradises have conceivedsegregation to be essential to the hap

iness to be had in a utopia. Still othersave insisted on desegregation as neces-

sary for harmony among men.Sir Thomas More thought of a com-

munity of about four million persons.The family relations were not to be dis-turbed. There were to be no distinctionsin the labors to be performed. Therewere to be no preferred classes of crafts-men, no permanent class of menial la-

borers. All persons in this ideal society,at one time or another, were to par-ticipate in the various tasks. Agricul-tural labor was considered the hardestbut all would have to take turns at that.The people elected the superintendentsof their tasks. The theory of the planwas apparently that no individual couldassume a supercilious attitude in regardto his task and thereby arouse the ireof those doing something less complexor arduous. A hierarchy of classes was,therefore, held by Sir Thomas More tobe a contributing cause of dissension inany society.

To avoid social parasites and the evilthat follows from them, Sir ThomasMore advocated that in his utopia allpersons should pursue tasks in the pres-

ence of others. Consequently, therecould be no sluggard for he would beobserved by others. If all personswould engage in work, Mores theory ofeconomy supposed that there wouldthen be no want and no greed woulddevelop. This is a theory that still pre-vails in some of the modern economiccircles. It all depends, however, uponhow one interprets the word want. Isit to be construed as a need, a necessity,or an unqualified desire?

There are the natural appetites thatare satiated by quantity. Then there

are other desires never having satisfac-tion; that is, they are never quite ful-filled, as cupidity, for example. It isthe nature of some men to find pleasurein possession, in accumulation, whethersuch is necessary to their livelihood ornot. Such men will always want to ex-ceed their fellows in something, no mat-ter how much each individual mayacquire. Men of this nature wouldnever know happiness in a state which

[ 4 4 6 ]

provided each man equally with hisneeds.

Plato was an aristocrat, coming froma wealthy and distinguished family. Hegave little consideration, in his idealrepublic, to the principles of economics.He and his family had plenty. They

never knew want. Others contributedto their needs for which they paid.Their efforts were intellectual. The in-telligentsia would be the philosophers,the highest caste in his proposed utopia.They were to be firm, inexorable, butjust in the exercise of control over theother divisions of society, as the agri-culturists, craftsmen, and warriors. Infact, at the very bottom Plato recog-nized and approved of slave labor, asystem already in effect. Plato pro-claimed a definite hierarchy of classesfor society and as a means to a peace-ful and happy state. We see, then, thatPlato, as so many others in the pastand also in the present, had viewswhich were limited by the times andtheir environment.

It was obvious to these theorists, asto many religious sects today, that thechildren were the foundation uponwhich their ideas needed to be built.Plato advocated that children be broughtup by the state. They were not to betold of their parents and were to haveno inheritance distinctions. The status

of each child was to be the same. Hewas not to be influenced by the varia-tions of parental habits, good or bad.The uniformity of state instruction, itwas held, would build strong charac-ters, make the individual more trac-table and amenable in the caste to whichhe was to gravitate.

As stated, Sir Thomas More, in theutopia he expounded, did not suggestdisrupting the family. The surplus ofchildren, where a family had more thanthey could support, were to be adopted

by childless families. There would then

be no want to disturb the tranquility ofthe utopia. The parochial school systemof the Roman Church and others sub-scribes to the indoctrination of theminds of children so as to perpetuatethe religious dogma and hierarchy. Byestablishing certain concepts and pre-cepts in the mind of a child at a forma-tive age, these take subconscious root.They come to form the moral habit.By definite impression they constitute


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the private conscience when the indi-vidual becomes an adult. Though latersubject in society to conflicting views,the childhood instruction, be it right orwrong, becomes the dominant influence

and guide. This assures support of thereligious or social system, be it, too,right or wrong.

Bacon, in his New Atlantis, envi-sioned a utopia where science would

be the key to universal happiness.Bacon, in Ms work, imagined an islandwhere men, free from the distractionsand prejudices of society, set themselvesin pursuit of knowledge. He went on torelate that most of the devices whichhave advanced men were accidental dis-coveries. How much more could be ac-

complished if men methodically soughtknowledge for itself.Sir Francis Bacon puts into the

mouth of the Second Counsellor, oneof the characters of his work, a definite

plan. I will commend to Your High-ness four principal works and monu-ments of yourself. First, the collectionof a most perfect and general library,wherein whatsoever the wit of manhath heretofore committed to books ofworth, be they ancient or modern,printed or manuscript . . . next, a spa-cious wonderful garden wherein what-

soever plant the sun of divers climates,out of the earth moulds . . . tMs gardento be built about with rooms to stablein all rare beasts and to cage in all rarebirds with two lakes adjoining, the oneof fresh water, the other of salt, for thevariety of fishes. And so you may havein small compass a model of universalnature made private. The third, a good-ly huge cabinet wherein whatsoever thehand of man, by exquisite art or engine,hath made rare in stuff, form or mo-tion . . . The fourth, such a stillhouse,

so furnished with mills, instruments,furnaces and vessels as may be a placefit for a philosophers stone (labora-tories) . . .

Plutarch, in his life of Lycurgus,describes the utopian quality of ancientSparta under that lawgiver. Lycurgusdefeated avarice bv following a strata-gem. He commanded that all the goldand silver coin be called in. In return,he issued money made of iron, a greatweight and quantity of wMch was ofvery little worth. To lay up any siz-able amount of tMs money meant hav-

ing a large storage space and wasexceedingly difficult to move about. Bydoing this, Plutarch states: a numberof vices were then banished from Spar-ta. In particular, it was difficult for

one to steal such coin, so theft ceased.Bribery, too, was banished becausesuch coin was too difficult for oneto hide. And since the weight andsize of the money made it difficult toaccumulate, we are told: The rich hadno advantages over the poor. Anothervice, the mad pursuit of luxury, waslikewise abolished because of tMs ironmoney.

Lycurgus also commanded that allpeople should eat in common of thesame meat and bread. This was re

Siired so that men would not fattenemselves at home like greedy brutes

and become enfeebled by indulgenceand excess. Another function underLycurgus was the removal of the super-stition and fear pertaining to the dead.The people were required to bury theirdead within the city and even aroundtheir temples. This was to cause themto become accustomed to such spec-tacles. They would, thus, not be afraidto touch a corpse or believe that theywould be defiled by treading upon agrave.

Sel l -Analf /lWhat is the advantage of a theoreti-

cal utopia? Psychologically, it consti-tutes a selfanalysis and catharsis. Onewho conceives the utopia is aware ofwhat he believes to be the malevolentand fatuous practices and habits in Msway of life. He not only desires totranscend the pleasures he now de-rives from life, Ibut is keenly aware ofthose things and circumstances thatseem to prevent his attaining evengreater happiness. The rational utopian

theory sets out a plan to avoid the ele-ments that seem to make the presentsociety an undesirable one.

Those who seek to bring about anideal society in their present world andenvironment are realists as well asidealists. Those, however, who only im-agine one for a remote land or on an-other planet are escapists. It is of littlehelp to the space enthusiasts to conjec-ture about a utopia on Mars, Saturn,Venus, or some other planet. It is firstnecessary that they recognize the con-tributing faults in their own natures

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TheRosicruciattDigest

December1958

and seek to rectify them. Otherwise,they would contaminate any utopia,out of this world or in it, that theymight visit.

There will never be a utopia where-in every man and woman will knowhappiness alike. Happiness is pleasure,

and pleasures are varied, as of the body,mind, and spirit. They are also relevantto the intelligence, nervous system,emotional nature and experiences of

the individual. By improving the wholeman and advancing society, we can as-sure each individual of some kind anddegree of happiness. This happinessis only appreciated, however, by ex

periencing to some extent its oppositestate, that of aggravation and anguish.

If happiness be the satisfaction of cer-tain desires, there necessarily exists insuch desires first an irritation, the re-moval of which gives rise to satisfaction.

V A V

QJii oyi o f ( f f f uac i a t i i f i z

By V i n c e n t P. Po s e l l a , as retold to him by a native girl,

too named Guadalupe and whose birthday is December 12.s legend relates the story:One night a small boyaged twelve decided toclimb the high and for-midable mountain sur-rounding Mexico City;he was filled with reli-gious feeling and prayedconstantly while he hiked

up the mountainside. His name wasPedro and the date was December 12,1810.

As he reached the summit, he lookedup at the billowy white clouds thathung as a garment around the high

peaks. A full moon allowed things tobe seen in spectrelike formation. Hiseyes were heavenward, and his heartwas filled almost to overflowing withjoyinspiring peace.

Here on this high mount he wasaloneintensely aloneand yet it didnot seem so. He had the unmistakablefeeling of another presencebeside him,

behind him, ahead of him, and outsideas well as inside his very being. He

was quiet now. His young childlikebrain did not attempt to analyze thesituation. Nor could it. And then, as iflike magic, or as an hallucination seenin dreams, a blinding flash of light onhis right side startled him; but the icecold wind of fear could not shake hisstrong fortress built on faith.

The unseen presence became visibleand stood beside him now. Her namewas Guadalupe.

The boy instantly threw himself ather feet and uttered prayers in reverentadoration. Here on this summit, shesaid, build a temple in my name, andwhosoever shall come here in goodfaith will have his prayers answered,unless they are selfish in nature; andthe sick who are deserving will behealed. Here on this site my spirit will

prevail always! In a wasp of wind thatmoved the branches of a lonely pinenearby, she was gone!

Pedro wondered whether he hadbeen dreaming, and looked at theground where she had stood in splendorous majesty. Lo and behold! Asevidence that this vision was not a fig-ment of imagination, she had left herserape. Pedro picked it up and ex-amined it. The material was odd, andseemed even heavenly spun. The de-sign was a depiction of tilings he couldnot interpret.

(Experts who have examined thisserape, which now hangs in an ornateframe in the temple, claim they can

find no earthly comparison, either inthe texture of the cloth, or the colorthat makes the design. A famous artistattempted to restore some of the tat-tered edges, but as soon as he touchedit with his brush it would deteriorate!)

Pedro ran down the mountain asfast as his young legs would carry him.He arrived at the house of the Bishopcompletely out of breath, and ex-citedly told of his experience. But his

[448 ]


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enthusiasm dimmed somewhat whenhis story fell on unbelieving ears. Real-ly, it was a fantastic tale, and such asmall boy like Pedro could create fromfairytale imagination. It was no won-

der the Bishop did not believe him.But young Pedro did not relent in hisefforts to prove the existence of Guada-lupe. Remembering the serape, he drewit from his blouse, and as the Bishopexamined it, he began to tremble. Hehad never before seen a serape of suchmagnificent beauty!

The boy then told him that Guada-lupe would appear on the mountain ona certain date, and the Bishop promisedto accompany him on the trek up themountainside. On the given date, asthey reached the summit they saw the

same blinding flash of light. The Bishop,awestruck at the glorious sight, fell tohis knees. Guadalupe stood before themas living proof of her reality.

Soon after, the temple was built ona sacred rock, and since that time count-less people from many miles aroundhave made pilgrimages to this site ofworship. This is the outcome of the

faith of a little boy and the honorableaction of a Bishop who had the templebuilt. Guadalupe the patron saint haskept her promise, too, and many havebeen miraculously cured of their nu-

merous afflictions.But Guadalupe expected not fanati-cism, nor favored those who pronouncedtheir faith by outward bodily action.The selfish in motive receive not, andhe who thinks his selfish thought in hisown private sanctum prays and wor-ships in vain. The spirit of Guadalupedwells inwardly as well as outwardly.

Many types of worshippers and dev-otees come here. Guadalupe regardsthem all in silent examination. Someclimb to the top of the steep stone stair-way on their knees, and some walk, not

thinking it practical to suffer pain inthe pursuit of its very opposite. Yes,many people ask for many things; somereceive and others do not. Pedro canstill hear Guadalupes sweet voice rever-berating from his faraway conscious-ness: Whosoever shall come here ingood faith . . .*

V A V

A Last i ng Gift . . .

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The covers are in maroon, buckramstyle leatherette, with name and symbols

stamped in gold. The telescoping pocketholds twelve issues of the Rosicrucian

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TheRosicrucian

DigestDecember

1958

2Jz8.n-agz.xs. J2i.n8.-ajx in dountzxaationBy Fr a n c e s V e jt a s a , Editor

Pe r h a p s they havebeen seen but not

heard, these thousandsof adolescents who arequietly forging intothe stream of purpose-ful living. Only re-cently, publicity head-liners have begun to spot groups for

publicinterest consideration. Suddenlyit is realized that many juniors havecollectively anchored their energies and

become thoughtfully selective in apply-ing themand also in interpreting their

personal longings for better living.These teenagers, expressing in group

consciousness (not in mass insanity)are not limiting themselves to the usualadultchanneled and supervised activi-ties. The impact of the newage cre-ative forces, symbolized by the adultin manmade satellites in his longingsfor soulfreedom, and by the preadultin hotrods and handmade explosives,is finding outlets in extricating fellow

beings from problembondage.

Many adolescent groups are resource-

fully thinking up new projects andmaking adaptations to socially acceptedways, bringing aid to the futile en-deavors even of adults. They are alsoseriously contemplating their own wel-fare.

Newspaper paragraphs, printed inboldface as if to exclaim in surprise,proclaim the constructive expressionswithin teenage capacity. These dem-onstrations sharply contrast with theworldwide juvenile delinquencies nowbeing propelled in the interest ofandmodeled aftermaladjusted adults in

crime and night life. Instead of hotrodsto torture eardrums on streets andhighways, the boys are looking to helppersons in distressthe balky engine,the flat tire, the confused tourist, re-ceive attentionand all service is freeof charge! The bewildered motorist iswished good luck and perhaps handeda courtesy card, reading You have

been assisted by a member of the Royal

Crabs of East Provi-dence, R. I., or theKnights of the Road,Bloomsburg, Pa.; theRoad Barons of Hack-ensack, N.J.; the Chev-aliers of Jackson,Michigan, the Road

Gents from somewhere else, and so onand on.

Off the highways, the youngsters tooare aiming to earn the title of usefulcitizenship, by offering assistance intimes of hurricanes, floods, fires, earth-quakes. They clean up playgrounds,mow lawns, wash dishes, run errandsand do odd jobs for folks who do notget around well; they help entertainchildren confined in hospitals.

They learn that there is a scienceof the good life called ethics, and thatethical laws respect the dignity of man.People are made equal through thepractice of mutual decency.

With this knowledge, junior men andwomen spotlight their own shortcom-ings. They sit on panels with teachers

and parents and enter into discussions.They help to decide their code of actionas to privileges, dressing, dating, be-havior in public places, at home, andat parties.

Cities and schools by the hundredsare adopting codes of conduct. At leastone state (Minnesota) has a statewideteenage code. At these conferences ofthe Governors Advisory Council onChildren and Youth, pointed questionsoften arise, as when a girl wanted toknow if there is a law to prosecute

parents who make alcoholic beverages

available to minors.Youth courts are fast springing up,in cooperation with police and judicialofficers. Court sentences are education-al, including sessions at traffic schooland the writing of articles on safety.

By learning responsibility, they real-ize that Youth Centers cost money. Un-der similar conditions an adult in hisselfpatterned mental fixation proceeds

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to cry for federal aid or some otherdonation through the medium of tax-ation. Perhaps it is fortunate that ourteenagers have not fully realized theadult ways, and therefore their mindsare open to more originality of thought.They realize the possibilities of emptybuildings and what the application ofconstructive imagination and work canaccomplish with such.

To help raise money, there are base-ments to clean, debns to be removedfrom backyards, buildings to paint, carsto wash and polish, janitors work toassist with.

Worthy endeavors attract financialassistance and anonymous donors provethat, after all, Santa Claus is not amyth. Sometimes, here and there in

the U.S.A., Teentowns spring up, cov-ering a large acreage. These ranchesor communities the teenagers help tobuild and maintain, as they operatebusiness ventures and shops. They fol-low small town customs of governmentand have police, fire stations, and firstaid.

Occasionally in the Editors mailthere appear newspaper clippings: onetells of a childrens Shanty Town on theeast coast of England, which sprang upon a piece of wasteland. Shanty Town,

named so by the youngsters themselves,serves especially well during summerholidays.

It all started when a small bandof teachers, social workers, and house-wives decided to try something new inthe way of playgrounds to attract chil-dren away from the streets. Soon

oungsters arrived with spades, saws,ammers, and a willingness to help.Another clipping describes a chil-

drens village in Switzerland, which amagazine editor helped materialize byan appeal for a village to care for desti-tute children. Here permanently needychildren, age five and up, come to re-ceive preparation for living and stayuntil they are 16.

This miniature world federation postsno linguistic, creedal, or national bar-riers. On record are representativesfrom Britain, Austria, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, andSwitzerland.

One clipping from South Australia isof a slightly different nature. It de-scribes a childrens theatre, the first ofits kind in Australia. The theatre playsare about children, for children, and bychildrenincluded are ballets and theopera.

However, from the Editors mail theteenage voice often speaks directly:

A 16yearold, conscious of the in-adequacy of her tooyoung shoulders,asksI know what I would like to be,

but am I strong enough to carry throughmy desires? . . . Could both parentsand teenagers work out a plan?

A 16yearold boy made suddenlyaware of his smallness against the im-

pact of the Universes immensity criesout, in poetry, his incomprehensibleanguish:

Ungrasped desire of earth, you comein varied ways, lonely, sadnew day,close my grasp, complete it. O horizonand sky, with all my might, I cant . . .

on the hillin the wind, nature inme fires my heart eternally. O earth,O sky, lift me, carry me, give me thedesired wantover trees, over hills, andleafy horizons . . . 0 want of earth andskyO unknown want of me.

By now, the Editors mail has

launched her into a new and differentteenage world. But the daily newspa-per intrudes, headlining the fact tnatthe failing element is with us yet. Westill have the boy speeding on the high-way in a stolen car who, when over-taken by the police, cries out his ap-

peal: I m only a teenagerIm only17.

What will happen, we ask, whenone day on the highway the 17yearold

pleading his age faces the other 17yearold in a counteracting role?the Knighton the highway; or when under the

skies, he hears that solitary crythewantof the awakening soul?

The Rosicrucian Digest is hoping toreceive more news of teenage activitiesfrom enough states and nations to en-circle the world in a demonstration ofyouthful builders, their awakened mindsengaged with, or reaching into, themuchneeded uplift toward human en-lightenment.

V A V

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TheRosicrucian

DigestDecember1958

Spi ri t ual H ighl i ghts Recognized by I nd i ans

By Br e n d a A n d e r s en

h e

Indians of the NewWorld lived close to Na-ture, observed her ways,and conducted themselvesaccording to her laws, ap-

plying that knowledge totheir physical bodies andenvironment. They wor-shipped God, the Father,

as the Great Spirit, and revered andrespected Nature in all its aspects asthe Great Mother. They regarded themboth as the givers of Life. They are theFather and Mother you must honor if

your days will be long upon the landwhich the Lord thy God giveth theea commandment shared by red menand white men alike.

We have Ten Commandments passedon to us by way of the Old Testament,

but, according to Ernest ThompsonSeton, the Indians had Twelve; andthree of those Commandments were re-lated to health. One declared, in effect,do not eat or drink anything that couldinjure the body. The second stated thenecessity for cleanliness, pointing outthat the body is a holy temple. The

third said to love Life itself and gloryin being a perfect instrument of Spirit.

At the time Ponce de Leon soughtthe magic elixir to regain the vitalityof his youth, the principles of sanita-tion were practically unknown in theOld World. Bathing was only an oc-casional practice. The Indians bathedregularly. The white men used foodand strong drink to excess. The Indianswarned against it. While plague anddisease were commonplace in the Euro-

pean nations, in our part of the worldthe Iroquois nation was indicative ofthe high standard of health and vitalitywhich became legendary. So Ponce deLeon looked for a universal panacea inthe New Worldthe Fountain of Youth.Today we still are searching for thatuniversal panaceain the New Worldof the Laboratory. In those days, too,the role of mind in the midst of matterwas unknown. Now, almost five hun-dred years later, we are just beginning

[ 452]

to understand truths about ourselvesthat the Indians could have taught usthen.

The science they perfected was thescience of divine ana human relation-ships. The relation of a man to thespirit within him could be observed

by his state of health, his clarity ofmind, the happiness of his home, andthe trust he engendered in others. To-day we call it personality and judgeits effects by exactly the same standards.

The Indians called the great lifeforce, which animated everything, the

Great Spirit. To them the Spirit, orFather, ruled the Life, while Nature,the great Mother, ruled the Formthrough which that life manifested. Itseemed logical to them that proper careof the Form, the body, was necessaryfor the proper action of Spirit, and thatThought was the balancing factor be-tween them.

The Indian way was not merely apattern of behavior or a series of reac-tions to environmental forces. Theirswas a way of life evolved after genera-tions of wise observation of the laws oflife and the ways of nature. Theirteaching encompassed every phase ofthought and action from the sacrednessof each Self to the duty of each mantoward his brothers. Their abounding


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health was a testimony to the harmonythey achieved through that knowledge.To them, health was a divine trust. Itwas theirs to guard, not to destroy, andthe methods they used to guard that

physical, mental and moral perfectionwere proved over long centuries. Theywere handed down by story and songand legend from one generation to an-other as a definite form of instructionfor the growth and stimulation of finecharacter. When the children weresmall, the mothers passed on to themthe stories that taught the ancient les-sons. Later, after proving themselvesin certain initiatory tests, they tooktheir places around the campfire as ma-ture members of the tribe.

In our language, Aesops fables givelessons in the same manner as theIndians lore wherein human charac-teristics are likened to certain animals,and today we use the same old clichesto convey the same old ideas: sly as afox, gruff as a bear, snakeinthegrass,or soft as a kitten. However, the In-dians understanding went even further.The animal nature, being just a partof Natures entire expression to them,was something they could tune intothrough their own senses.

They could orient themselves safely

in strangeplaces just like the birds andbeasts. They could hear over great dis-tances. Their senses were so acute theycould feel hostility and danger long be-fore its physical presence was manifest.Today that science is called merelyanimal instinct and is still an un-known factor in modern mans make-up.

These forces of nature were knownand named by the first Americans. TheIroquois called them Orenda, the Sioux,Wakanda, and the Shoshone, Pokunt.But, while all Indian people had knowl-edge of these things, it was their socalled medicine men who developed theinvocative powers.

Medicine man was the title wegave to any Indian priest. Erroneouslywe considered all of them to be healers.Actually, some were counselors, someprophets, others were artists or mu-sicians, and many were leaders in po-litical affairs. The healers were in aseparate class just as our doctors arein a different category from our lawyersor ministers.

The medicine man who was a healerhad as extensive an education, com-

paratively speaking, as our physicianstoday. His apprenticeship was just asstrict, his training just as careful, with

a study program lasting from ten tofifteen years. His knowledge of thecurative properties of herbs, where tofind them and their proper applicationfor certain ailments was as thorough,for the times, as the chemistry and itsapplication by prescription taught ourdoctors today. However, the greatestwisdom those healers had was what wenow term psychology.

When a man has done somethingunworthy, his sick body is a witnessto the aiiing Spirit. We call it a guiltcomplex.

Illness may be caused by an offenseagainst the Spirit sounds like Repres-sion or Suppression in modern termi-nology.

That they understood the relation-ship of cause and effect is testified to

by their philosophy that most ailmentsof body or mind are due to actualwrongdoing (now called destructivehabit or behavior patterns) or wrongthinking (motives or desires). Knowingthat mans thoughts have an effect onbody and wellbeing, they preceded

our scientific findingsby centuries.Anything you direct your attentionto makes it more potent is a sayingtheir wise leaders taught the people forgenerations. Freud would have beensurprised to hear the unschooled Senecasstate that severe illness can be due toa mind troubled by a strong desire forsomething or that cause and effectare not in a mans conscious thoughtsthey are an everpresent background ofconduct.

As an example of the way misdirect-ed attention can affect our daily life:mortality tables, insurance statistics,pension plans and forced retirement,added to an emphasis on yuth as the

prime of life, have made us agecon-scious, fearfully aware of the passingof time as a possible deterrent to activi-ty. The result is a merciless dissectionof society's useful citizens from thena-tional body. The Indians kept no rec-ords of a persons age. They didntconsider it very important. Accordingto the Hopis, no matter what your age,you always do whatever you are able

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to do. And they saw to it that every-one performed a useful task within hiscapabilities.

When the first explorers came to thisland searching for riches, they did notrealize that the only wealth a man canreally have is a healthy mind in a

healthy body. The rest is ashes. Menlike Ponce de Leon had the right idea,but they looked in the wrong direction.They sought health outside themselveswhen they should have searched within.

The Fountain of Youth is not a gush-er rising from the center of the earthin some remote geographical location,nor will it be found in a laboratorymixture of earths grossest elements.Within ourselves is where we must lookfor this hidden spring. It rises from

the well of our own common sense asto our bodys needs and is nourished bythe flow of ideas through our mindswhich teach us how to supply thoseneeds. Within ourselves is where wewill discover, in the words of JohnGreenleaf Whittier:

Health that mocks the doctors rulesKnowledge never learned of schools.

The earth is our university. Life isthe great teacher. The textbook forhealthful living is inscribed within us.If we could read it with the samereverent attitude as did the AmericanIndians, we would need no other guidesin our search toward more spiritualliving.

V A V

SAYINGS OF LAOTZU

Its name I know not. To designate it I call it Tao. Endeavoring to describeit, I call it Great.

Being Great, it passes on; passing on, it becomes remote; having become re-mote it returns.

The law of Tao is its own spontaneity. The mightiest manifestations of active force flow from Tao. Tao as it exists in the world is like great rivers and seas which receive the

streams from the valleys. Allpervading is the Great Tao. It can be at once on the right hand and on

the left. Tao is a great square with no angles, a great sound which cannot be heard, a

great image with no form. Tao produced Unity; Unity produced Duality; Duality produced T r in it y ;

and Trinity produced all existing objects Fie who acts in accordance with Tao, becomes one with Tao.

V A V


ROSICRUCIAN DIRECTORYA complete directory of all chartered Rosicrucian Lodges, Chapters, and Pronaoi

throughout the world appears in this publication quarterly. See the October issue for acomplete listingthe next listing will be in February.

T Y

(International Jurisdiction of North, Central, and South America, BritishCommonwealth and Empire, France, Switzerland, Sweden, and Africa.)

[ 45 4]


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(Z 7 /2 J 2 z O H LcI < ^ A / [ z t E O %

By M il d r e d Fie l d e r

Du r i n g a lull whenvarious flying ob-

jects are viewed withless excitement, Amer-icans can look back in-to the time of theirgrandfathers to realizethat the nineteenthcentury had its heav-enly fireballs, too. The

night of November 12,1833, knew a meteoricshower that made his-tory. This incident may be repeated,astronomers of today insist.

The year it rained fire was theway Moses Black Harris described it,but Black Harris was noted more as ateller of tall tales than as a historian.

ChittendensHistory of Early Steamboat Navigation on the Missouri Riverdescribes it as follows: This was thenight of the evertoberemembered me-teoric shower of 1833. La Barge was

waked from his sleep by the brilliantlight, and though not apprehensive ofany impending calamity, was naturallyawestruck at the extraordinary display.The meteors were flying, as it seemedto him, in all directions, and their num-

ber and brilliancy made the night aslight as day. The halfbreed companionwas absolutely panicstricken, and de-clared that the day of doom was athand. . . . As nearly as La Barge couldrecall, the heavier part of the showerlasted about two hours. A singular in-

cident occurred early in its duration. Adeer which had become frightened atthe unusual sight came boundingthrough the undergrowth and plungeddirectly into camp, coming to a deadhalt scarcely six paces from where LaBarge was sitting.

In an earlier volume, The AmericanFur Trade of the West,Chittenden tellsof the reaction of Joe Walkers party,while making the crosscountry tripfrom the Rockies to California, ex-

ploring and trading. On the nightof November 12th, Chittenden says,

occurred the meteoricshower of 1833, and itcaused great terror tosome of the more su-

perstitious of the par-ty; but Captain Walk-er, with the versatilityof Columbus when themagnetic needle wentwrong, explained it all

away for them. Earlynext morning theycame to where the tide

rose and fell and soon reached a bay,which was of course that of SanFrancisco.

Josiah Gregg in his Commerce of thePrairies supports Chittendens reports.Gregg says, It was very soon after thisaffair that the much talked of phenom-enon of the meteoric shower (on thenight of November 12) occurred. Thisextraordinary visitation did not fail to

produce its effects upon the supersti-

tious minds of a few ignorant people,who began to wonder whether, after all,the Mormons might not be in the right;and whether this was not a sign sentfrom heaven as a remonstrance for theinjustice they had been guilty of to-wards that chosen sect. (In northernMexico, as I learned afterwards, thecredulity of the superstitious was stillmore severely tried by this celestial

phenomenon. Their Church had beendeprived of some important privilegesby the Congress but a short time be-

fore, and the people could not be per-suaded but that the meteoric showerwas intended as a curse upon the nationin consequence of that sacrilegiousact.)

Greggs reference to the Mormonstouches on the time when they weregathering around Independence, Mis-souri, for a further western trek. Mor-mons and other settlers could not livetogether in peace, and around the year1833 there were pitched battles betweenone sector and another.

The temptation is strong to explain

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the attention given to the 1833 meteorsby the fact that men were alone in thewilderness, and therefore in a positionto notice natural phenomena in moredetail. The whole great half of thewestern United States was primitiveland, occupied by Indians and the con-

stantly increasing trickle of white trad-ers and explorers. Men penetrating thevast wilderness did so on horseback orby river boat, and they slept in theopen with the night sky over theirheads. It would be natural that fall-ing stars, meteors or comets, or anyunusual appearance in the night would

be noticed by frontiersmen trained tobe alert for their own survival.

The wilderness had had its lonelyexplorers for a century earlier, withno mention of meteors. This episodewas more than loneliness.

According to these few historians, itwould seem that the meteoric displaycovered at least the western half of theUnited States. The Joe Walker partywas on the West Coast. La Barge wason one of the lower Missouri trading

osts. Gregg was a caravaner on theanta Fe trail and, by his own admis-

sion, just back to the St. Louis countryfrom his fall trek to Santa Fe. but hementions that later he learned of theshower being seen as far south asnorthern Mexico. Actually, these werereports of firsthand experiences of thegreat Leonid shower that coveredAmerica.

Meteors and meteoric showers haveoccurred since time began, but untilthe appearance of the Leonids in 1833,scientists and astronomers disagreed asto their origin, some even denying thatthey existed. Inasmuch as the Leoniddisplay of 1833 furnished 200,000 me-teors for a given station between mid-night and dawn, there is small wonder

that witnesses were awed. There wereso many visible over so wide an area(one observer estimated the fall as10,000 per hour) that astronomers datemodem meteoric astronomy from No-vember 13, 1833.

Astronomers were able to ascertainand agree that the meteors really hada radiant in the constellation Leo; thatthe earth had passed through the Leonidorbit annually in lesser concentratedsections of the orbit and would continueto do so every November, with Leonidmeteorites varying in appearance andhaving the rate of at least a fewLeonids per hour; and that it was pos-sible there would be an encounter ofthe very densest part as in 1833. As-tronomers suggest that we may againgo through such a dense area of me-teoric activity between 1961 and 1967.

As for the discrepancy in datesbetween November 12 and the astrono-mers November 13, the simple ex-

planation is that any hour betweendusk and dawn following the day of

November 12 was still the 12th to themen on the prairies, while astronomers

point out that the meteorites occurredbetween midnight and dawn, thus be-ing dated November 13.

There is no doubt that the night ofNovember 12, 1833, or the dawn ofNovember 13, was a time of more thanusual meteoric activity. We will beseeing Leonid meteors every November.And since the heavier year 1961 is onlythree years away, we might as weilstart getting adjusted to the idea of

brilliant meteoric activity in Novemberskies.

These displays are no signals fromthe Martians, let it be clearly under-stood, but only the normal pattern ofthe constellation Leo.

V A V


DO YOU KNOW YOUR PRIVILEGES?Every AMORC member should be familiar with the contents of the Constitution and

Statutes of the Grand Lodgeknow his rights and privileges of membership. This in-formation may be obtained in a convenient booklet form. To save yourself correspond-ence, secure a copy from the ROSICRUCIAN SUPPLY BUREAU for only 25 cents(1/9 sterling), postpaid.

[ 456]


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jC tu in q

By S. L. Be r r y of Vancouver, B.C.

Th e meaningful Bib-lical phrase In

the beginning was theword has no specialsignificance to manypersons. The fault liesnot in the words butin our lack of compre-hension.

In the beginning

God spoke and sentforth his Love to com-bine Light with Life.Mind had to functionbefore the idea of cre-ation could come into

being, and both theIdea and the Wordemerged simultaneous-ly from feeling, for it is the essence offeeling to seek expression.

In the macrocosmmicrocosm conceptlet us recall that the origin of the Wordis in the first sound of life in a child.

Words then are acquired to achievea fuller expression of the emotionalnature of man, as he strives to reflectGod bv creating smaller worlds withhis Goagiven gifts.

When primitive man evolved hisgrunts and squeals to sign language,and his symbols in the dust to pictureson stone, he was striving to express hisfeelings to make others understand hisideas, hopes, and needs. Even in thegrunting stage, man found that the at-titude with which he expressed hisfeelings gave rise to a variety of in-tonations. An angry grunt soundedharsh, while a joyful vibration came tosymbolize the feeling of pleasure itinduced.

We may have a clue to the evolution-ary process of creation when we realisethat the word, once delivered, cannotbe taken back. The vibrations can bemodified only with more vibrations. Alie becomes a memory of severe regretwhile the inspired composition of abeautiful poem makes us conscious ofGods wonderful gift to man.

Words are capableof creating a chain re-action among a groupof people. J. n. Priest-ley in his play Dangerous Corner gives abrilliant illustration ofthe power of thechance remark. Thecharacters of the play

are laid bare beforeus, with one of thembeing driven to sui-cide, all because achance remark causeda chain reaction of

penetrating curiosity.In the final act, Mr.Priestley shows that

nothing unusual would have happenedhad it not been for the chance remark.

Every word, written or spoken, hasits unique vibratory pattern, but this

pattern is modified when we associate

one word with another and we becomeaware of a rhythm or music flowingthrough a group of words.

The need to keep records, to com-municate at a distance, and the needfor revising his thoughts, made mandevelop the written wordand with-out it the sages of the past would nothave sustained us so well.

In order to be better understood manbecame more precise in his selection ofwords. He wanted to express definiteconceptions rather than general ideas.Misinterpretations soon made him real-ize that he had yet to find better meth-ods of communication to express himself,for words too have a duality of life.

A word has a literal meaning, as wellas an implied meaninga generalmeaning and perhaps a specific one.Each personality, in his own privateworld, becomes attached to, and in-fluenced by, his unique past experiencewhich he preserves in word.

We need to be mindful of even fur-ther complications. English is not theonly tongue and it is by no means uni

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versal. Translation produces its owndifficulties and is never perfect in anylanguage. We do, after all, live in aworld where a new arrival in Americacan ask, quite legitimately: Vhat eesthe matter vid Americans? They callall their roads STOP.

Words carry emotional power to themind that feels them. A key to the LostWord is in the realization that wordschange their meaning with the passageof time. There is a rift between themodern usage and the vibratory qualityof the original feeling which inducedthe wordlike man, words continue todevelop.

The present usage of words makesmany people lose sight of the unity ofall. In order to regain the power ofwords it is necessary to be consciousof the ways they are used.

Every profession has developed itsown vocabulary. The format of a news-

paper demands a headline. If nothingsensational has happened, the editor isforced to select some event and blowit up to a headline level. The implica-tions of such behaviour would not beso serious were it not for the fact thatso many people believe that if a storyis printed it must be true. This dailydose of distorting our sense of propor-tion is not confined to newspapers. Thedisease spread naturally to magazines,

radio ana television, particularly withadvertising urging us to buy and buy.The constant repetition of advertising

proves the hypnotic power of suggestion.

In the political arena, particularly intimes of crisis, it has become the customfor politicians to deny something quitevigorously before they do it. In diplo-matic circles, it is the ultimate to sayone thing and mean another. The ques-tion of what diplomats really mean be-comes a matter for intrigue and specu-lation.

We need to realize that diplomats are

not interested in truth but in servingtheir governments. To achieve a par-ticular aim at a particular time meansloyalty. Carried to its logical conclu-sion, the diplomatic use often reversesthe original meaning of a word. GeorgeOrwells revealing satire Animal Farmstates: War is Peace. Freedom is Slav-ery. All animals are equal but some aremore equal than others. This is an

[458 ]

example of the deliberate misuse ofwords and it is not surprising that theyhave come to mean so very little tomany individuals.

For many centuries, only the wisemen and the mystics were aware of thegreat power of expressed thought. Writ-

ten words had little use because of thegeneral illiteracy of the period, butin a world where millions can read andwrite, and there is an abundance ofpaperback editions, mankind may bereaching a point of saturation in hismisuse of words. Perhaps the positiveway of looking at this is to realize thatthose who try to poison the minds ofothers inevitably succeed in poisoningthemselves.

Biologists tell us that the musicalstate is the last quality that civilised

man acquired. Primitive peoples havedrums but there is evolution in musicand it is our understanding of this evo-lution that helps us to evolve. Appreci-ation of fine music and its messagereveals attainment to a high level ofconsciousness. The music of words is

poetry. It possesses the music of theSoul, containing more fully the rich-ness and power of the Divine, with therhythm inspiring the meaning and thusenhancing the music. The word is sovital for all of us that it must alwaysremain a living, breathing, growing

entity.True mystics have special knowledgeof the power of the word. With it theylearn to surround themselves with vi-

bratory protection and with it they canbecome channels to help heal the sickand to make the world a better place.

The key word at the right time canbe an inspiration to a downcast soul togive it courage to rise again. The pierc-ing word spoken in anger can begin achain of destruction. It is our realiza-tion of a thing which makes it im-

portant, and word power is not onlywonderful but awesome.

The power of the word to heal mustever be ahead of its power to hurt. Weneed to remind ourselves, with humili-ty, that the creative power is not ourown.

Words which carry the weight ofthe inner Self express our feelings in asymbolic way. The language takes on a


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&bLaqzLL


23/44

nily familiar with the vicinity, andhad all Obiagelis mannerisms.

On the day that Tims brother ar-rived unexpectedly from 500 milesaway, for the first visit since little

Elizabeths arrival, she greeted himcorrectly by name, and inquired abouther cousins. But still her parentsthought that she might in some way

have acquired the knowledge she pos-sessed, and they were only half con-vinced.

They were finally convinced, how-everat the point of their departure

for England. As they were kissing theirlittle daughter goodbye, she said,

Give my Love to my White Mother,and my Big Brother David.

V

!ZTliz Jlauqfling

v

e m o c r i t u s is to be identi-fied with the group in-cluding Plato, Socrates,and Aristotle. His systemwas so vast and compre-hensive that it is con-sidered to rival those ofPlato and Aristotle. Hisdisposition was so cheer

became known as thelaughing philosopher. His reputationwas of high moral worth.

He was one of the earliest masters

to expound the atomic or monistic con-ception of the universe. Leucippus prob-ably gave the first clear statement ofthis philosophical materialism when hetaught that atoms were already inmovement. Democritus of the fourthcentury B.C. was familiar with theworks of Leucippus, but he went further

by expanding this conception wdth greatclearness, and we are grateful to himfor this addition to our common fundof knowledge. It is said that he receivedthis information Cosmicallywith littleor no demonstration or experimentation.

Nothing happens at random, butoccurs according to law and is deter-mined by necessity, said Democritus,the physical philosopher, who has beencalled the most learned thinker of hisage. His system of philosophy is re-

ferred to as the atomic system.Since Democritus had received his

monistic conception of the universeCosmically, he explained the soul as

being a combination of atoms. One canidentify it with the Heraclitean soulfire. The atoms making the energy ofthe soul by means of their high rate ofvibrations generate intense heat in thesoul movement. The particular atomsforming the soul go back at death intoa great reservoir, and not to destruc-tion or loss. The soul essence returns

to the Cosmic.The Master Democritus monisticconception probably led him to explainthe mind and the growth of knowledgeon the same terms. Life, consciousness,thought, too, were derived from thefinest atoms. He boldly declared thatgods themselves were aggregates ofatomsexpressing more powerfully thanmen.

According to Diogenes Laertius, al-though Democritus had written 72works, on subjects such as physics,mathematics, ethics, and grammar, only

a few fragments remain.Democritus system of ethics wasaimed at happiness, reflecting serenityof mind, undisturbed by fear or pas-sions. Temperance, uprightness, andnoble actions are to be cultivated.

V A V

The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth:that God governs in the affairs of m e n . Be n j a m i n F r a n k l i n

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o r every cause there is aneffect. Cause and effectconstitute a universal lawwhich is often referred toas the Law of Compensa-tion or action and reac-tion. The mystic, the phi-losopher, and the scientistare always greatly inter-

ested in this law. Research laboratoriesin one way or another are continuallyworking with the Law of Cause andEffect. We see the operation of the lawaround us a thousand times every day.Turn on a light switch in your home.This is a cause, and the resulting light

is the effect. Strike a match. This isanother cause, and the resulting flameis the effect.

With a little intelligent rationalthought, people can precipitate causeswhich will bring into their lives moreand more productive results. So many

people are continually battling effectswithout ever trying to get at the cause.

All of us at one time or another haveexperienced illness. It is the result oreffect of something we may have eatenor done thoughtlessly. Illness may bethe cumulative effect of a cause whichhas been, perhaps thoughtlessly, con-tributed to for a long period of time.In order to bring about complete heal-ing of your illness, your physician willusually try to help you determine the

77^e cause.Rosicructan Many superstitious concepts of early

times were the result of having no un-derstanding of the cause of such naturalthings as rain, thunder, lightning, andearthquakes. It was thougnt by early

DigestDecember1958

[ 4 6 2 ]

man that these effects were caused bygods, and that frequent disastrousstorms were brought about by displeasedgods. Since science has investigated thecauses of storms and earthquakes, fearconcerning them has been largely doneaway with. We know that storms arethe result of natural laws.

There is a universal law that gov-erns all matter and all the manifesta-tions of nature. Also, universal lawgoverns everything that we may do.The human being is somewhat like amagnet, in that he may attract anddraw to himself those conditions whichare predominant and pregnant in the

heart and mind. Looking for the worstto happen will invite disaster. This is anatural effect following a cause forwhich we ourselves are responsible. Itis the individuals awareness of thingsclosest to him that attracts similar con-ditions; therefore, it behooves one torealize that his desires and ideals, hisvery consciousness, may function as amagnet.

If one desires harmony within him-self and harmony in his environment,he must think, act, and create the con-

ditions which will bring about a stateof harmonium. In other words, hemust institute causes which will bringabout the effect of harmonium. It isessential that we be cognizant of thisimportant law. It need not work forus in a negative way. Conditions can becreated which will cause it to function

positively and constructively. This canbe done by our aspiring to lofty ideals.We will then be given the courage,confidence, and understanding to pro


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vide the means for our accomplish-ment. We will be strengthened andgiven the understanding to meet thedifficulties of the day and the probabili-ties which may lie ahead.

As a person cultivates a sound phi-losophy of life and has some knowledgeof the Law of Cause and Effect, he be-comes able to cope with nearly all situ-ations and to rise above seeming trialsand vicissitudes. Experiences that cometo us serve to bring knowledge for anew arrangement of life. The construc-tive effects which we bring into beinghelp to develop our strength and wis-dom. We profit from experience, andthereby are assisted in adjusting to life.We are aided in making proper de-cisions. The anxious fears of yesterdaywill vanish with the dawning light ofa new7day. Our problems appear in anew light and we institute adjustmentsor changes which will bring them un-der control.

Man must make a psychological ad-justment to his environment; he mustnot become discouraged by failure orthe unfulfillment of ambitions. He mustnot permit himself to become frustrated.As he grows in understanding, he willgrow in spirituality. How he nourishesthis growth will have much to do with

the end result or effect. Mans aspira-tions for growth are in accord withhis knowledge and understanding. Heshould endeavor to bring harmony tothe mind and body. When the body suf-fers from inharmony, ones thinkingand actions are affected. Thus we seethat as life expresses itself it reveals acontinuous flow of action and reaction,cause and effect.

An example of cause and effect ina negative and adverse way is shownin the emotion of fear. The instant that

one begins to fear something, that some-thing is being given power to manifest.Since the mind is saia to be magnetic ina sense, it draws to itself whatever itconstantly thinks about; therefore, thatwhich we fear can materialize if thenecessary steps are not taken to finda true understanding of the cause ofthe fear. Usually fear is based on anunknown factor or condition. Job said,The thing I greatly feared has comeupon me. Thoughts of the humanmind express themselves in action. Theprecipitation of wrong thoughts, when

transposed into action, will eventuallycause individual unrest.

U r g e s a n d D e c i s io n s

From the past we have the present,

and from the present we shall evolveall that is yet to come. This should bea part of our daytoday philosophy. Itinvolves the Law of Compensation. Asa man thinketh in his heart, so is he.Just as we sow or choose, so shall wereap. It is the Law of Cause and Effect.Our life is an endless battle betweenurge and decision. The urges fromwithin vie with the worldly tempta-tions from without. No man is moti-vated or at least should not be motivatedby urge; rather, he should always placehimself in the position of being free to

decide and to choose.Causes are like seeds planted in the

soil. As the seed is nourished by thesun, water, and earth, it germinatesand a green structure is pusned abovethe soil to become a stalk of grain, arose or a tree. In this analogy, the seedis the cause. What eventually becomesa weed, a flower, or a peach tree is theeffect.

It is necessary that man make apsychological adjustment to his envi-ronment. Every day you are experienc-

ing the effects of causes which you haveset into motion. Virtually every thoughtand act will function as a cause whichwill precipitate some kind of effect.Knowledge of cause and effect will helpyou to have greater success in yourchosen field of endeavor, to better con-ditions in your life, and to enjoy the

best of health.If one persistently experiences adver-

sity, he should endeavor to leave nostone unturned to determine the actualcause of so much misfortune. Once the

cause is determined, then possible ad-justments can be made. One would notthink of taking a long journey withoutmaking sufficient plans and prepara-tions beforehand. Without proper plansand preparations the journey might be-come a disastrous effect. In this in-stance, properly laid plans and prep-arations may be looked upon as anappropriate and necessary cause. Ifmore thought is devoted to the plansof anything we are contemplating, itwill minimize our errors.

Perhaps one of the least considered

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TheRosicrucianDigestDecember

1958

of all causes is our privilege of choice.There are times every day when every

person must make a decision, mustchoose one of alternate ways, mustmake a choice as to what is best to do.Sometimes we make the wrong choiceand therefore learn the lesson which it

brings. The lesson is the effect; thedecision or choice was the cause. Ra-tional thought helps to make properdecisions.

The effects of causes at times have achain reaction. If someone with whomyou are working aggravates you beyondthe point of patience and tolerance, youmay revengefully attack him and cause

physical injury. Perhaps the police arecalled, and you have to spend sometime in jail. Then you have to appearin court before a judge. You have beeninconvenienced, embarrassed, and your

pride has been hurt. You have involvedyourself in a series of causes and ef-fects which were set in motion by asingle thoughtless act. It was the firstcause.

From this cause came other unfor-tunate circumstances. Your pay stopped,inasmuch as you were not working.Perhaps you lost your job. As a conse-quence you not only disadvantageouslyexperienced many losses, but your fam-ily wras also caused to suffer. Thus wesee that our emotions, as well as ourthoughts and conduct, become involvedin cause and effect.

So that you may enjoy only the besteffects from the causes which you initi-ate, you can learn to control yourthoughts and acts. Thought leads toaction, thus thoughts must be lookedupon as causes. At the same time, ac-tions may very well bring effects. Thecontrol of causes must first begin withyour mind, with your perspective andunderstanding, with the way you ap-

proach things. Be sure you plant onlythe proper seeds in your garden. Sow

seeds of thoughtfulness. The yield fromyour harvest will bring you a sense ofachievement and peace of mind.

Another example of how someoneother than yourself may be affectedfrom a cause precipitated by you is atrue case of cause and effect whereinthe effect is entirely negative. A childin a family found a sharp knife on atable, and in playing with the knife

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cut himself severely. The injury causedthe child much pain, and was no doubta lesson to him in the handling ofknives. But the fact that the knife wascarelessly left on the table, by the par-ent, within reach of the child was thecause of the accident. The cause was

the parent who thoughtlessly left aknife where the child could reach it.The childs injury was the effect.

This incident shows how careful wemust be in everything we do so thatthe precipitated causes will bring onlythe best of effects. Our own careless-ness or thoughtlessness may often in-stitute causes which bring disastrous ef-fects not only to ourselves but to ourfamily and friends.

It behooves us to be thoughtful, toexercise our best judgment, to be wisein our decisions. Think before youspeak or act. Be sure that the causeyou are about to initiate will bringabout only the effect you desire. Makeyour decision today to live a pm dentlife, to utilize to the fullest your talents,to be healthier, to be more successfulin your profession, avocation, and themanagement of your home. Learn howto meet all situations, how to reasonthings out properly, and how to directyour efforts into worthwhile channels.

If you institute the proper causes,and conscientiously do everything pos-

sible to bring about desired changes andadjustments, you will see your problemscoming more and more under control;and, if you analyze these things, youwill see how they work for the best.In them, you will recognize lessonslearned and experiences gained. Many'of our difficulties provide blessings indisguise.

The past is important, for we buildupon the past. Today is the result ofyesterday. Yesterday is the cause; to-day is the effect. We know that experi-ences of the past contribute to our wis-

dom. It is said that nothing happensby chance; for every cause there is aneffect. Every manifestation has somemeaning or aim since there must befulfillment of the law; and it can be acompensating law for good fortune orotherwise, depending upon the cause.As you sow, so shall you reap. Theeffect is your compensation for thecause you create.


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

CAN WE BELIEVE OUR SENSES?

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

i l l u s t r a t i o n s indicatingthe unreliability of theobjective senses cause usto question as to whetheror not we can ever becertain of what we per-ceive. From a pu re ly

physio lo gic al poin t ofview, it can be conceded

that there is no way of ever provingthat what we perceive is actually a copyof what exists outside of us. For ex-ample, what we hear as a sound is theresult of vibrations that strike sensitivemembranes within the ear. These vibra-tions are not sound, but are translatedin the brain to be what we perceive assound.

A similar illustration is true in thecase of visual sensations. The eye is

equipped with a lens similar to a cam-era. It projects a picture of what isseen upon the back of the eyeball onthat portion of the eye knowm as theretina. The optic nerve carries this im-

pression to the brain where we experi-ence the sensation of sight. Due to ourmemory and reasoning wre are able to

put these impressions together and saythat we perceive an object outside our-selves.

It is a fact that we cannot provewhat we perceive to be a duplicate ofwhat exists outside. We draw the gen-eral conclusion and work upon the

premise that we do actually perceivewhat exists outside our bodies. This is

based on the observation that all humanbeings react in a similar manner to thesame type of stimulation to the senses.

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Nevertheless, it is true that our percep-tive organs are not completely accurate.We perceive objects differently thanthey actually exist in space. One of themost common illustrations of this is theappearance of parallel lines. For ex-ample, if we look at a railroad track,

we know that the rails are parallel,but they appear to run together andcease to appear parallel in the distance.Any textbook on psychology will il-lustrate a number of geometrical illu-sions in which the eye is apparentlyconfused by what it perceives. Thearrangement of lines and angles willcause the length of lines to be under-estimated or overestimated so that ourperception is in error. After measuringthe lines, however, we can clarify ourunderstanding through knowledge andcompensate for the error in perception.

Aside from these illusions with whichmost of us are familiar, the normalmind does not ordinarily confuse theimpressions that come to it. The mindis able, from knowledge and experience,to interpret sensations and to perceivelogically. The normal mind has a tend-ency to be systematic and to arrangeits impressions and perceptions in aform which gives them continuity anda logical meaning. These facts do notmean that the normal mind is not attimes subject to mistakes. Illusions aremistakes which are due partly to the

sense organ itself, and partly to ourexperience and understanding of thesensation.

Misinterpretations of sensations andof most illusions, regardless of how theyare explained, fall into this categoryof the normal mind making an errorin judgment. For example, if a personis walking along a path in the dark, hemay mistake a bush or a post for ananimal. Or, if he is carrying a largesum of money and having concern forthose funds, he may mistake an inani-

mate object for a bandit just as a childcan mistake a shadow in his room fora bear. This is simply an example ofa misunderstanding of sensations andis an illusion in which the normalmind may be temporarily deceived. Itis clear that these impressions are nota fault of the sense organ, but ratheran error in interpreting the sense im-pression due to other matters having a

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predominant control of consciousness atthe moment.

Another good example is the inter-pretation of sounds as we are listeningfor a particular sound. If we have anappointment at a certain hour and ex-

pect someone to call at our home at

that time, we will interpret every soundas possibly being an indication of thearrival of that caller, whereas normallythese familiar sounds would not im-

press themselves upon our conscious-ness. It is the ability of the mind tocorrect these mistakes and errors whichdistinguishes the normal mind fromthe abnormal. Regardless of the strengthof an illusion or the impression the mis-interpretation makes, the normal mindwill eventually correct this error, whilethe abnormal mind will firmly believethe perception and is unable to correct

the illusion.Closely related to illusions are other

traits of the mind known as hallucina-tions and delusions. A hallucination dif-fers from an illusion in that it is en-tirely subjective. By saying it is subjec-tive we mean that it is a disorder of

perception in which the external senseorgans do not participate. A person hav-ing a hallucination believes that heperceives an external object when ac-tually there is no object correspondingto the perception. The usual hallucina-tion is best illustrated by those associ-

ated with the sense of hearing andseeing.

If an individual hears voices whenthere are no voices, or sees objects whereno objects exist, he is definitely experi-encing a hallucination. It is the reverse

process of normal perception. In otherwords, the normal means of seeing isfor the vibrations from an object out-side of us to be projected on the retinaand then interpreted by the mind. Ina hallucination the opposite is true. Themind creates a perception and believesthat the perception has come from theretina of the eye. Visual and auditoryhallucinations are very common inmany forms of abnormal behavior butrarely exist in the mind of a normal

person.A delusion can be defined as a mis-

taken belief. It is the result of arrivingat an erroneous conclusion. A normalmind can have a delusion, but the ab-normal mind exaggerates a mistaken


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belief and accepts it as correct evidence.The delusion differs from an illusionor hallucination in that it is not a sen-sory disorder but a complete derange-ment within the mind or intellect. We

might say that a delusion exists becausethe mind mixes up its sensations andperceptions and draws a conclusionwhich is erroneous. This erroneous be-lief is due to wrong judgment or faultyreasoning.

Every individual is as subject toerroneous beliefs as he is to illusions.Primarily, these beliefs are due to ig-norance in that we do not know thefacts of a certain situation. For ex-ample, my belief of what may be theappearance of the moons surface may

be a delusion. However, it is not anindication of any abnormal traits in mymind, but rather due to pure ignoranceof what actually exists on the surfaceof the moon and the lack of ability toconfirm or deny the validity of my be-lief. More often erroneous beliefs aredue to prejudice. We frequently do notwant to believe anything that wouldbe contrary to our general philosophyof life.

Lack of experience will also causeerroneous beliefs. We well know that atheory until put into actual practice

will create an erroneous belief. We canread the instructions on how to dosomething, but find that we may havea wrong concept of the process whenwe actually try to do it. These errorsin judgment are by many psychologistsnot referred to as delusions, but rathermerely as mistakes.

However, when an insane pauperfirmly and truly believes he is a multi-millionaire, it is very obvious that hisbehavior is not based merely on anerroneous belief in the sense that it is

an error of judgment or opinion. Suchan individual has a delusion. Further-more, the individual is not insane be-cause he has that delusion, but he hasthe delusion because he is insane.

All abnormal behavior must have acause, and that explains why in theearly treatment of mental diseases theapproach has been entirely wrong. Ef-forts have been made, by reason andinjunction, to convince the individualof his delusion, believing that if a de-lusion was corrected a normal mental

state would return, whereas the thingto do is to correct the mental state andthe delusion wall leave. In this sensedelusions can be compared to pain; ifthe cause is removed the pain willcease. Stopping the pain will not al-ways affect the cause.

To summarize: Illusions are errorsof judgment of the normal mind whicheventually correct themselves and pro-duce no abnormal behavior. It isthrough experience that we learn tocorrect any error. Experience and

knowledge give us the ability to inter-pret our sensations and adjust ourselvesto our environment. It is on the samebasis that we can determine whetheror not what we believe to be a psychicimpression, coming to us from otherthan through the five physical senses,is an illusion or valid knowledge.

V A V

OUR NEW COVERWe have titled our new cover The Cosmic Age, because of its most appropriate

symbolism. We either think of the Cosmic in the sense of the physical universe, ormystically and philosophically as a state or condition. The artist has compressed intoone illustration symbolic elements of this agethe astronomical observatory, the celestialor starry heavens, part of an equation of differential calculus, and a portrait of AlbertEinstein. This portrait is particularly symbolic as it represents science of the CosmicAge. However, those who have read essays by Albeit Einstein will also know that thisnoted physicist and mathematician was as well a mystical pantheist. He was not affili-ated with any mystical organization of which we have knowledge.

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The Div in i ty of M anByD r . H . Spe n c e r Lew i s , F. R. C.

(From Rosicrucian Digest, June 1938)

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

publishing each month one of his outstanding articles, so tha t his thoughts would continue toreside within the pages of this publication.

e , as human beings, shouldnot developeither con-sciously or unconsciously

that strange attitudeand that strange mentalidea that we are superiorto all other beings on theface of the earth. Thereis nothing that will inter-

fere with the progress in life of theaverage individual so much as a degreeof the superiority complex, unless per-

haps it is the development of the in-feriority complex.

But there is no reason why we shouldnot understand, frankly and honestly,the real fact

Rosicrucian Digest, December 1958

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Transcript of Rosicrucian Digest, December 1958