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2019 No. 1 Vol. 89, No. 1

CONTENTS

Mental Alchemy 1H. Spencer Lewis, FRC (Imperator 1915–1939)

Awakening our Talents 13Ralph M. Lewis, FRC (Imperator 1939–1987)

Rosicrucian New Year 3372 18

Vowel Sounds for Daily Meditations 18

Fear of Death 19Christian Bernard, FRC (Imperator 1990–present)

Rose+Croix Journal 23

The Traditional Martinist Order 23

Council of Solace 24

2019 Remaining Hierarchy Dates 24

Bequests and Donations 25

AMORC World Convention 2019-Rome 26

ROSICRUCIAN FORUMVol.89, No. 1, 2019

ROSICRUCIAN FORUM (ISSN #1077-4017) is published semi-annually by the Grand Lodge of the English Language Jurisdiction, AMORC, Inc., at 1342 Naglee Ave., San Jose, CA 95126. Copyright 2019 by The Supreme Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis.

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Mental Alchemy

Editor’s Note: This article is a chapter from the book Rosicrucian Prin-ciples for Home and Business, first published in 1929. Given the major business challenges of that fateful year, this new book could not have been more timely as it guided its readers through the tumultuous depression years of the 1930s. H. Spencer Lewis’s enlightened advice proves to be as relevant today as it was then. The language of this article has been updated for the modern reader.

“There is a considerable difference between concentrating upon a dream or hope, and concentrating upon building

that dream into realization.”

One of the most popular beliefs in the Western world regarding the application of psychological principles to our everyday affairs is in connection with the so-called art of concentration.

It is generally believed, by those who have heard public lecturers propound the simplest aspects of psychology, that through concentration upon a specific need some magical processes are set into motion that bring into materialization the thing desired. It matters little what the thing may be, or when or how we concentrate upon it, for according to the various lecturers and teachers of this “art,” there are as many methods as there are teachers who offer their personal instruction.

One public lecturer, renowned for her years of devotion to the expounding of the simple formulas of psychological magic, frankly admits that after investigating her own private formula for many years, and examining the reports of her thousands of paying students, she can guarantee her concentration method to be sixty-five percent efficient! It would seem that, if there is any psychological, metaphysical, or mystical law involved in the “art of concentration,” one hundred percent efficiency should be guaranteed as the standard. Thirty-five percent admittedly fail, according to this one lecturer.

H. Spencer Lewis, FRCImperator, 1915-1939

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My own investigations, along with the reports I have received from thousands of people who have tried all of the personally discovered and unique systems of concentration taught in the self-help classes conducted by these itinerant teachers, have shown that ten percent of the tests of such methods produce results that may be attributed to the practice.

Yet it cannot be denied that there is an art to concentrating and that this art can be used to bring into our lives the things that we desire or need. There is a method known to the Rosicrucians that is easily guaranteed to be one hundred percent efficient, if used as directed. I will address this later. The point I wish to make is that there is nothing wrong with the principle of concentration, but often it is employed incorrectly by those who foster in the minds of the public the false belief that it is a simple process, requiring no other consideration than to concentrate, wish for something, and desire to turn the wish into materialization.

It is an easily demonstrable fact that of the many things we need in our lives, or wish for the most, those things upon which we concentrate our attention and our thoughts most continuously and sincerely are likely to be brought into realization. It would be trite to say that through concentration upon a desire, we tend to bring it into realization. But the fact remains that there is a considerable difference between centering our conscious thoughts upon our great desire and keeping it foremost in our consciousness, and the so-called secret methods of concentrating on each and every little thing that appears upon the prospective horizon as a necessity or a desire.

Undoubtedly, we are more apt to bring into our lives that thing or condition to which we devote most of our attention, or to which we give the utmost thought. When we become obsessed with a wish, a hope, or a desire, to such an extent that it blots out all other temptations and puts far into the background all other seeming needs or wants, we are very likely to make every one of our acts contribute toward the fulfillment or realization of the wish and to expend every possible effort as a contributing factor in its materialization.

I have found, through conversations with hundreds of people who have discussed their goals and desires with me, that for most of these

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individuals there has been an entire absence of true concentration effectively applied in the proper manner toward the object or goal desired.

Let me illustrate my point with a typical example. A young woman was employed for several years in the business office of a major building supply company here in the West. Her parents, successful business professionals, desired that she follow them into the business world. However, their daughter was not interested in that path. She dreamed of someday becoming an architect. Her parents agreed that this was indeed a noble profession and ambition, and they had offered to pay her way through university so that she could complete the course in architectural design and become an architect. However, the young woman refused their offer, insisting that she would not have her education paid for nor accept any further money from her parents but would find her own way in life. I believe that this independent attitude on the part of the young woman actually impressed her mother and father, but the problem remained: How was she to become an architect?

The young woman admitted that she had held this desire to become an architect for many years. She said it was her dream and her hope to one day become an architect and design beautiful buildings. She had always heard that if one held fast to a belief, a hope, or an ambition, or had maintained that wish steadfastly for a number of years, that it would lead the seeker on some path toward the desired goal. Yet here she was, doing the same work in the same way, day after day, with no indication that her great dream was to be fulfilled.

When I asked her if she had concentrated upon this great hope or dream, she enthusiastically replied that it was the main thing she thought about all the time. She said that she had no other particular ambition, and had laid aside other interests to focus her energy on this great hope.

However, my careful questioning of her revealed that her idea of concentration was much like someone who sits on a park bench and gazes across the lawn towards a beautiful home and wishes that he or she could possess such a home, live in the home, be inside enjoying a wonderful meal in the posh dining room while appreciating the warmth

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and comfort of the fireplace – and the dreamer wishes and wishes, and wishes some more. At the time, the wishes and desires seem so real as the dreamer concentrates on attaining the comforts of life that others seem to enjoy. But can one say that such intermittent wishing, or the holding of a consistent desire, really constitutes the art of concentration?

The young woman admitted that in the building supply office where she worked she often met professionals in the building industry who came there to secure blueprints or to discuss their plans with the company managers. Through her work she was constantly brought into contact with architects, builders, and contractors, and through working with these professionals, she had become somewhat familiar with the process of designing and constructing buildings. She had witnessed many conversations about the intricate problems and challenges of architecture and building, and it was all very fascinating to her. However, careful questioning revealed that she had not concentrated enough on her wonderful dream of becoming an architect to make the dream a true passion. The dream had not become so dominating a factor in her thinking and acting as to have led her into conversation with architects so that she could find out how she might actually become a student of architecture.

In her desire to become an architect, the young woman had not even considered the possibility of visiting architects in their offices and observing them at work, nor had she been urged by her dream or hope to borrow any of their books about the art of architecture. She had not even told anyone except her parents and one or two friends about her great desire to pursue architecture. Even her employer at the building supply company did not know about her desire to become an architect, nor did the drafters and designers associated with the company have any idea that this young person was eager to take up the study of architecture and thereby become a valuable aid to the company for which she was working. Concentration, indeed!

There is a considerable difference between concentrating upon a dream or hope, and concentrating upon building that dream into realization.

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Had this young person been truly concentrating on building her dream into realization, she would have talked architecture, thought architecture, and acted architecture every waking moment of her life. She could not have been kept away from the presence of architects, nor away from the building plans, drawing boards, and bookshelves of architects’ offices, and designers’ studios. Real concentration on her great hope would have led her within a short time to trying her hand at creating plans and drawings, and undoubtedly she would have become acquainted with those who would have advised her, helped her, and mentored her, even while holding her regular job and earning an income. And her employers declared later that they would have gladly apprenticed her to work in the drafting studio in her spare hours to learn some of the practical and fundamental lessons of the first stages of creative planning and building.

To summarize, if this young person had devoted all of her energy and concentration to becoming an architect instead of just dreaming about being an architect, there is no doubt in my mind that she would have succeeded in receiving all the education, experience, and encouragement necessary for her to be successful in her career, and, thus, she would have fulfilled her aspiration in life to become an architect and design beautiful buildings.

In another example, a young man, nineteen years of age, took a job working in a photo studio doing ordinary work for average wages. He had always been fascinated with photography, and loved to photograph nature scenes, but he had never had any formal training in this skill. Nevertheless, his interest in the art of photography helped him immensely in his new job, and he looked forward to learning all he could about the basics of professional photography. It wasn’t long before this young fellow realized that his job had opened a whole new dimension in his life.

One day he had occasion to see some special photographic work brought to the studio for duplication, and its very nature, beauty, and rareness attracted his attention, for he had never before seen such superb nature photographs. He found out that the pictures brought into the

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studio for duplication were the result of a little-known process, used almost in secret by only a few master photographers who had learned the art abroad and were capable, not only of creating the most attractive and beautiful reproductions of nature, but of earning a good income and enjoying a good standard of living as they pursued their profession. The young man became obsessed with the desire to learn this unusual art and decided to devote himself to this goal. The idea – the hope and ambition – came into birth almost spontaneously as he listened to his employer’s fascinating story of the rareness, beauty, and profits connected with this unusual art. For many days the young man dreamed about it, and gradually his ambition became an all-absorbing, dominating obsession in his consciousness.

In every spare moment he sought out other specimens of this exquisite art. In the process he visited art galleries, studied books about nature photography, read magazines about special effects photography, and took evening classes in photography – determined to pursue this dream and ambition. Everywhere about him, especially in nature, he saw scenes that he felt would be worthy of reproduction if he could only discover or learn this special process. His heightened awareness of the beauty in nature that might be reproduced through this unique process excited him to further exploration. He was always alert for some possible clue that might lead him to discover some description of the secret photographic method that could reproduce such beauty. Every conscious moment was centered upon doing those things, learning those things, thinking those thoughts, and arranging those thoughts that would bring him nearer to his ambition. He thoroughly investigated all possibilities. He thought photography, dreamed photography, and acted photography. He was concentrating in the true sense of the word upon what he wanted, and there was no mystical, secret principle about his concentration so far as he knew.

Unaware of any doubts or psychological impediments as to why he might not succeed on this chosen path, the young photographer-in-training did not waste time consulting fortune-tellers or crystal-gazers to find out whether he would ever be successful in materializing his dream.

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He had no question in his mind or doubt in his consciousness that he had selected the right course of action in his life and that it would be realized!

Eventually his great desire and concentration led him to locate the master photographer who had brought the first specimens to the studio. Since the young man was now a serious student of photography, he found reason to call on this man in a professional way with other matters connected with the art. He called at a time of day when the photographer was working in his studio. In hurried interviews with the photographer, the young man’s eyes registered everything within sight, with that keenness that comes through real concentration. He noticed names on instruments, imprints on catalogs, and other details in the photographer’s workroom. Later, he hurried to art stores and photography supply outlets, where he purchased similar instruments and other things, little by little as his means afforded. He experimented with the process by following the very brief and almost enigmatic instructions that accompanied everything he bought. And eventually, through meditation, concentration, and inspiration, there seemed to come to him shafts of light in the form of bits of wisdom that informed him, as if intuitively, how to experiment and what to do. The results of all this effort and inspiration were small, crude specimens of pictures that were far from being admirable, but were, nevertheless, unique in their process.

Finally, the young photography student took several specimens of his work to the master photographer who knew the whole art. The photographer was so astounded at the youth’s “discovery” of part of the secret process of this hidden art that he unintentionally, perhaps, or diplomatically, told the young man where he had made some errors, and why his work was not exactly as it should be. This led to further experiments that produced better results, which he again shared with the master photographer, who came to appreciate the young man’s enthusiasm and obvious artistic talents. Impressed by this young person’s enthusiasm and determination to discover and refine this special photographic process, the master photographer asked him to become his

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assistant – an apprentice in the craft – so that he could further instruct him in the special process. This was a dream come true for the young photography student, and within a year his success in this effort and the application of all he was learning brought him a good income and recognition in the world of art photography that was unusual for one so young, and within another year, his dreams and hopes were being fulfilled abundantly.

Concentration did it! But it was not the form of concentration that is taught in a course of “Five Easy Lessons,” nor learned in an inexpensive paperback book on “how to concentrate upon the abundant supply for your needs.” The Rosicrucians know that to truly concentrate means to have one absorbing idea at a time and to think of it to the exclusion of everything else, and then let your entire life, for the time being, cooperate with your concentration to bring into realization the thing that you desire.

This does not mean that to concentrate successfully dreamers or thinkers must remove themselves from their professions, businesses, duties, or obligations, and isolate themselves in the proverbial cave or mountaintop where they can do nothing else but think and meditate upon that one desire. Such would surely frustrate every possibility of fulfillment. Nor does it mean that concentration should be indulged in only when the mind is free and the body is at rest before the fireside in the evening or upon retiring at night. It means concentration in every possible moment of relaxation from the duties at hand. It means sacrificing every other thought that is not productive or essential. It means devoting every spare moment and every moment that is not absolutely necessary to life and its duties. It involves forsaking the pleasures and temptations, and the casual things of life for more profound and more extended thought upon the one desire. It takes time, for it requires time. It means effort, for it requires mental activity, not passivity. It involves action, for it cannot be associated with relaxation and dormancy of the faculties. It requires faith and confidence, for the elements of doubt and suspicion will frustrate every possibility of fulfillment.

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As we proceed, the art of proper concentration will be made plain and more practical. One of the most important principles, however, which must be understood and brought into use before concentration becomes useful, is that of mental alchemy. The Rosicrucians of the past were well known as preeminent alchemists. Not only have they been credited with having succeeded in making pure gold out of dross metals, and thereby bringing into realization one of their fond dreams, but it has been conceded that the Rosicrucian art, with its usual teachings and knowledge, enables its students and adepts to alchemically bring into materialization everything that they can conceive and create in their imagination. Thus they were proficient in the art of mental alchemy as well as in the alchemy of the crucible and physical alchemy.

Among all creatures, we have within our beings creative powers that are a part of the Divine Consciousness; thus human beings are uniquely endowed. We have the rare privilege and ability to concentrate and create mentally that which we desire to create eventually in material form. In this process of mentally conceiving and mentally creating, humans are the equal in some degree to the Divine, since it is a Divinity-given privilege for humans to use the creative power which brought into existence in this universe all that is.

But the art of mentally creating is little understood in the Western world and is practiced almost exclusively by those adepts who are often considered to be the white magicians of this earth. I say they are considered “the white magicians,” for their magic is white magic, free from evil and free from any destructive nature, as the power that they use is part of the creative power of the Divine Consciousness, and this creative power is incapable of creating that which is evil or that which is destructive.

The undeveloped or unevolved mind may conceive of evil and destructive things, but we cannot mentally create or bring these things into materialization in the mystical manner by which good and constructive things will come into material form when created by the cosmic power in the mind.

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When we conceive of that which is not good and seek to bring it from our mind into material form, we must labor with the grossly material elements and bring them into irrational, illogical, and unnatural relationships in order to make them manifest as evil in the material realm. But when we conceive of that which is good and constructive, we may mentally create it through the alchemical processes of our mind in attunement with the alchemical processes of the cosmos, and, as a result of such attunement, the thing created will sooner or later become manifest outwardly through the creative processes existing within our consciousness and our being.

It is, therefore, only necessary when seeking an improvement in our environment, an answer to our needs, or a beneficent item added to our possessions, to mentally create the thing we desire through concentration and mental visualization. We should do this day by day, hour by hour, whenever time permits, until the thing conceived of and in the process of creation becomes a living, vital, vibrating thing in our consciousness. It must become so real that its reality is omnipresent and so effectual in its existence that it modifies, controls, directs, and influences our thinking, acting, and living.

Such a mental creation soon ceases to appear to be a thing of the mind alone. When the eyes are closed, it is clearly seen; when the mind is in relaxation it takes possession of our being. It is ever-present in all of its forms, color, size, weight, and power, regardless of its nature. It is like the unborn in the womb of its mother, ready for delivery into this material world.

All things that the Divine created were first conceived by the Divine in this manner. All things that materialize on this earth as blessings for humanity and contributions to our essential needs were alchemically created in the cosmic before their existence was projected into material form on this earth plane. We must therefore exemplify and emulate the cosmic processes and the divine scheme. We cannot materialize into this world that which we have conceived without the proper process of maturation.

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In my experience with business people, firms, boards of directors, and corporations that have labored incorrectly and therefore unsuccessfully with great plans or important matters, I have found that which they desired to bring about had not been properly conceived of in the first place. Seeds that are lacking in consistent relationships, or which are unimportant in nature, inharmonious in vibration, or the offspring of evil parents, cannot be brought together to effect a perfect conception or to vitalize an idea. And I have found that even where the conception was complete and more or less perfect in every requisite, there had been no period for proper gestation, and no logical, natural course of development to bring the conception into a living, vibrant form for final expression.

It is fortunate, indeed, that all our passing conceptions and all of our mental images do not take form and parade about us to enslave us and clutter the world with misconceived ideas. It is fortunate that only those things can come into being, into concrete and material realization, that have been carefully synthesized and developed in the crucible of the mental laboratory of divine consciousness. However, because there is this element of time, and this necessity for proper development and maturity, individuals become impatient and seek shorter methods and easier ways to bring their dreams and desires into fulfillment. In this they most surely fail, and through such failure lose faith and confidence and dethrone the creative power within as a pretender.

It is not difficult for the human mind to visualize in all of its details that which the mind can conceive as a thing desired. It must be done through the concentration of the objective faculties and the use of will power directed from the outer self inwardly, as though there were within the human consciousness a sanctum for the preparation and creation of all things desired by us.

Little by little, part by part, element by element, the thing must be put together in its visualized form, and after each addition of each stage of development, it must be examined, tested, and tried, to discover if any elements have been overlooked, any parts neglected, or any adjustment or association of parts and elements wrongly made. As one would build

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a house by constructing the walls, brick by brick, so each part of the thing desired must be mentally created and visualized, until it is ready to burst forth in its completed state and stand in the consciousness of the creator as a thing actually existing and in our possession.

So much for mental alchemy – the art of mentally creating and visualizing the thing desired. Nothing pertaining to the desire must be overlooked. One must keep in mind the usefulness of the thing desired. One must avoid attempting to create that which has no practical use and which will bring neither profit nor benefit to anyone. The dangers from its misuse must be considered and guarded against during the process of creating. Its benefits to others must be included, and it must be so created that it cannot fail to be useful to others and to be of benefit generally to humanity. It must be so created or of such a nature that when it comes into final manifestation objectively, it will become no charge upon the happiness, peace, health, and contentment of others, nor carry within it the sacrifices and sorrow of others. It must be desired with as little selfishness as is consistent with the need of the thing. Its possession must be inspired by no motive associated with revenge or anger, hatred or jealousy, pride or arrogance. Its development and growing reality in the consciousness of its creator should occasionally inculcate a sense of humility and humbleness, for as it comes into form, the magnificence of humanity’s creative powers should make the creator of each thing realize one’s obligation to the Divine and one’s attunement with the Divine’s kingdom.

If all of these things are considered and made a part of the process, then truly one may feel that success and satisfying realization are imminent and assured.

Rosicrucian Principles for Home and Business is available online for free at https://www.rosicrucian.org/rosicrucian-books, along with the entire collection of books published by the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.

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We will discard the conventional definition of talent. As an immediate beginning, to serve our purpose, we can say that talents are aptitudes that we display. An aptitude to most of us means general inclination toward something, such as, for example, mechanics, with perhaps more ability in that than in some other endeavor. This seems irreconcilable with talent, as perhaps you are accustomed to thinking of it. Usually, we look upon someone having talent as the possessor of a particular ability that enables them to excel beyond those not having the same inclination.

To use an analogy, there are two people: one is a prominent student of languages, a teacher of them, in fact; the other is a clerk in a large office. The clerk is restless in his work; he is fascinated with mechanical things. He likes to toy with machinery, engines, motors, and devices. Besides having that love, he displays a mechanical talent, an ability to do mechanical things better than anything else which he does. The other person, the linguist, has no particular interest in machinery or mechanics. Most certainly whatever she does mechanically is not equal to her linguistic ability. However, when by necessity she does devote her time to mechanical things, she can accomplish more with them than can the clerk who has a talent for mechanics.

In your own experience, you have perhaps known people who would have made fair attorneys or mathematicians, better than the usual perhaps, because they excelled in those or related fields when called upon, but who nevertheless detested them and would do better in their chosen field. This belies the popular conception that one who has a talent always can achieve more with it than one who does not have it.

A talent, therefore, is a personal responsiveness, a sensitivity to demands made upon your faculties or intellectual powers, a sensitivity that exceeds any other you have, so far as creative ability, or an ability to accomplish things, is concerned. Because of that sensitivity, that

Awakening our TalentsRalph M. Lewis, FRCImperator, 1939-1987

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instinctive and organic inclination on your part, the performing of all acts directly connected with it comes easier for you. Since it is easier – that is, not so laborious – and since it satisfies you emotionally, you like it as well. It does prove that greater possibilities for you lie within the channel of your talent.

There are two ways of explaining this sensitivity of talents. The materialist’s theory is that in certain cortical and association areas of our brain the neurons (nerve cells) are more highly developed, this development sometimes being a coincidence, and at other times a matter of heredity. However, the materialists are not in accord as to whether the predisposition or talents can be transmitted from father to son. Dr. August Weismann, whose works have become classics on heredity, said, “Gauss was not the son of a mathematician; Handel’s father was a surgeon, of whose musical powers nothing is known; Titian was the son and also the nephew of a lawyer, while he and his brother, Francesco Vecellio, were the first painters in a family which produced a succession of seven to the artists, with diminishing talents. These facts, however, do not prove that the condition of the nerve-tracts and centers of the brain, which determine specific talent, appeared for the first time in these men; the appropriate condition surely existed previously in their parents, although it did not achieve expression.”

The point of interest in this statement is not whether the talents have been transmitted from parents, but that the “appropriate condition” can exist with some people and “not achieve expression.”

Mystical Interpretation

The Rosicrucians have a mystical explanation for the possession of this sensitivity amounting to talent, and which we all have to a certain degree. The personality of the soul is distinctly separate in that it is not bound by family relationships, that is, each of our personalities are different, regardless of family connection. Cosmically, in other words, we are not ordained to pursue a life or profession similar to that of our parents, unless such is necessary to the evolvement of our personality. If it is our mission in life, that which we must learn, and the manner

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in which we must serve, then, of course, we may be inclined, through a predisposition, to do those things which our parents have also done – in other words, to follow the same pursuits.

In this incarnation, our parents are those who, by their training and by their association with us, can contribute best those experiences we need for the perfection of our soul’s ego – the personality. However, we may have entirely different predispositions or talents than our parents. The talents are endowed on us because by the pursuit of those interests we can best serve the Cosmic and acquire those earthly experiences necessary for the rounding out of the soul-personality, the development of self. However, the Cosmic endowment of those talents is quite within the findings – in other words, within the explanations offered by the physiologists and psychologists. Physically speaking, this endowment consists of the sensitivity of certain nerve-tracts and areas of neurons in our brains.

The mechanical process and the physiological aspect are quite necessary if we are to manifest talents; for, after all, talents are not something, even though the Cosmic intends them for us, that mysteriously descend upon us like a vapor from the heavens. They are physically and materially developed within us but the Cosmic has decreed which ones they shall be. This mystical and Rosicrucian principle concerning talents further confirms or is in harmony with science. Each time we are placed upon this earth plane, unless we have incurred a great karmic debt, we are caused to have such parents who will further our psychic development – the perfection of self. The parents may not have the education nor the fame that the child might attain. It will be found, however, that they have those instinctive and psychic qualities that will contribute to the excellence in attainment of their progeny. A son, because of his oratorical ability and logic, may become a famed attorney. His father may be a humble farmer, but it will be proved easily that the father has a keen intelligence and excellent reasoning powers.

Again, talent is not always related to intelligence, that is, the procedure of thought. Talent springs from certain emotional responses

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as well. A great depth of feeling, of compassion, of love, and the ability to express self musically, for example, is as much a talent as an intellectual aptitude, such as literary ability.

A particular talent is designated by the area of the brain that is a seat for certain powers of mind and the exercise of certain emotions. When the soul enters the body, its incarnated ego has the mission, the incentive to develop along certain needed lines, to express itself in definite channels. That incentive is that which causes the areas of the brain best able to bring about that mission to become especially sensitive and manifest as talents. Therefore, in reality, the development of the body and the brain as a vehicle for the soul and its ego conforms to a prescribed pattern. It is not difficult for the body to develop so, because the soul has been put in a body that has been selected to meet the demands which will be made upon it. It is like an inventor who has a certain design that they have visualized and wish to create being given the materials best suited to their purpose.

So far it would seem, from our discussion, as though we could not escape our talents. Everything appears to be preconceived for us, however, let us not forget that we mortals have been given wills, which permit us to reject and to deny our powers or to recognize them. Therefore, whether talents that are latent within us are exercised and brought to the maximum of their efficacy depends solely upon us as individuals. If we deny a talent, we retard the development of self, the personality in this incarnation.

Talents are never so dormant that we cannot become conscious of their existence. The usual discovery of a talent consists in finding the easy manner in which we can develop the technique to do something, or the immediate comprehension we have of the details of some art or science, combined with our likeness for it. An inclination to try something, a mere fascination for some endeavor, is not an indication of a talent. Many of us have thought we would like to do a certain thing. After some application to it, we found it laborious and difficult for us to comprehend, and therefore no longer enjoyable.

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Avocations

If you have a longing to indulge in an art or a science, to be a mechanic or mathematician, try it. Do not give up your present profession or occupation, but make it a hobby or avocation. Very shortly you will find whether you have the aptitude. This will be indicated by the ability to concentrate without effort on the instructions of whatever you are pursuing, and, with practice, a rapidly developing perfection, and an increasing, rather than decreasing pleasure. Further, you will find that as you exercise the talent (and this is a further proof that it is one), you will be able to observe in your world, your daily environment, ways and means of utilizing your ability never dreamed of previously. Just as a person who acquires greater physical strength is able to lift greater weights with ease, so one who exercises their talents finds about themselves more and more channels for their expression.

There are usually one or more talents which we possess and of which we are very much conscious. Sometimes, since they seem so dominant, we devote ourselves to them, to the exclusion of others – perhaps one may have even greater possibilities. It, therefore, becomes necessary to awaken these submerged talents – rather, to discover that we have them. To do this, you must suggest the nature of certain vocations, trades, arts, or sciences as an idea to your subjective mind. Allow the stimulus of those ideas to arouse within you any special responsiveness you may have to them. For example, go to an opera, or visit an art gallery and look at good paintings, try describing an incident of the day in writing. See if you can mentally create an improvement on some mechanical device. In other words, let your consciousness dwell on unaccustomed experiences, something to which any talent sensitivity you may have can respond. The mental area of which a talent may consist in your brain may be now like a parched ground waiting for rain to give it life.

An excellent way to awaken talent is to visualize people in different trades, professions, arts, and sciences, to which possibly before you have given little or no thought. When you visualize them doing these things, if you feel a quickening in your solar plexus, a sort of suppressed

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excitement, that is your cue to investigate that particular sphere of activity further. Go to the place where these things are being done, that to which you respond, and see if you can have this experience directly; or try imitating the activity in your home, by studying or reading about it. Many people never knew they had a talent for art, for example, until they started to dab around with someone’s palette and brushes. Finally they sensed a mastery, an ease of achievement, and a satisfaction that inwardly told them, “I have discovered a talent.”

CELEBRATE ROSICRUCIAN NEW YEAR 3372 AT ROSICRUCIAN PARK!

Wednesday, March 20The Meditation for Peace and Labyrinth Walk begins at 6 p.m.,

meeting in the Peace Garden.The New Year Ceremony in the Grand Temple begins at 7 p.m.,

followed by the Imperator’s Universal Attunement Exercise.All members are welcome and encouraged to participate!

Vowel Sounds for Daily Meditations

Monday MEH (pronounced May, on C natural above middle C)Tuesday KHEI (pronounced Kay ee, on E natural)Wednesday EH (pronounced A, on middle C)Thursday EHM (pronounced Aim, on B natural)Friday THO (pronounced Tho, on F sharp)Saturday RA (pronounced Rah, on A natural)Sunday OM (pronounced Ohm, on D natural above middle C) For a description of the Daily Meditation, please see Rosicrucian Forum

2018 No. 2 or the Grand Master’s Message - Fall 2018 video.

No. 1, 2019 Page 19

Ever since humans acquired self-consciousness and the ability to reflect upon their own condition, they have never ceased to ponder upon the meaning of birth, life, and death. It is obvious that the passing of the centuries has enabled them to obtain some answers to the questions they keep asking themselves about the “how” and “why” of their existence. Thus, science is now able to explain most of the physiological processes which make the organic life of a living being possible, from the time of conception until death. On the other hand, science cannot unravel the mysteries which surround life at the moment that it departs from us. For primitive humans, the birth of a child was undoubtedly a miraculous event that aroused both admiration and fear. Because they were unable to understand and explain this phenomenon, they attributed it to an invisible spirit that first took over the woman’s body and then departed from it at a given time in the shape of an infant. The phenomenon of death must have perplexed them even more, for, unlike birth, it was accompanied by a total and final inertia.

Just imagine what early humans must have felt when they were confronted for the first time with the birth of a child or the death of a fellow creature! In either case, an intense inner experience followed. Afterwards, they could never forget what they had seen, and so began for them the eternal quest to “Know thyself.’’ As humans evolved, they soon realized that they themselves must have come into this world in much the same way as they had witnessed birth. On the other hand, they came to realize that they, too, would die some day and sink into that state of total inertia apparent in others. The event of a birth probably did not frighten them as much as the presentiment of death, for they themselves had witnessed what followed the former, whereas they had no idea of what would happen after the latter. Thus death became one of the greatest mysteries to humanity, and it remains so today.

As is true of all phenomena which we cannot understand or explain rationally, death is one of the events that many humans dread. Most people fear it because they believe it is the ultimate end of a state that shall never be again. In a sense, this feeling is justified, for when people die, their earthly personality assuredly disappears forever. Such characteristics as body, face, voice, and general demeanor have been harmonized into a unique whole that nature has little chance of reproducing in every single detail some time in

Fear of DeathChristian Bernard, FRCImperator, 1990-present

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the future. Therefore, it is normal to think that the death of a human being removes what he or she was on the earthly plane. That is why all those who have a materialistic view of life look upon death in a negative way, for they see no reason to perceive it otherwise. For mystics, it is a different matter, for they do not look upon this event as an end in itself, but as a transition of the soul.

In fact, we may say that there are two ways to approach the subject of death. We either think that humans are physical entities governed by a mortal intelligence; or we are convinced that they are both body and soul, substance and essence, and that consequently they have a spiritual and eternal dimension. Naturally, all spiritualists and all Rosicrucians lean towards the second opinion. Concerning this, please remember that one of the goals of AMORC’s teachings is to enable all people to experience their own duality so that the existence of the soul is not to them just a belief but a certainty. All Rosicrucians who diligently study and apply the laws and principles set forth in the Rosicrucian teachings eventually come to experience their spiritual nature – that is, their soul. From that day on, what they only sensed about death now becomes to them a reality that they prepare themselves to undergo with as much dignity and respect as possible. In their eyes, transition becomes the higher initiation for which they can prepare themselves during this earthly incarnation. I use this term because when we look upon death in a mystical way, we invariably link it with the conviction that it shall be followed by other lives upon earth.

Does such an approach to death allow Rosicrucians to remain imperturbable when a person they are close to dies? Certainly not. The loss of a loved one saddens them, even though this sadness finds inner compensation that their mystical ideal enables them to feel. The simple realization that they have definitively lost physical contact with a person they have loved affects the emotions of Rosicrucians as strongly as those of non-Rosicrucians. The memory retained within us of a silhouette, a smile, and a presence we shall never find again on this earthly plane invariably creates a feeling of emptiness. The advantage possessed by mystics is that they have the means to fill this void more quickly, for they do not dwell upon the physical absence of the deceased person but, on the contrary, focus on their spiritual presence.

What I have just mentioned relates to the apprehension we may feel regarding the death of a loved one in that the mystic, as opposed to someone who is not, is convinced that the loss of physical contact does not mean that the connection is forever severed. I will now allude briefly to the fear which individuals may feel about their own death. On a purely human level, and

No. 1, 2019 Page 21

apart from spirituality, experience shows that people are more afraid of any possible suffering which may precede death than of death itself. Putting aside this legitimate fear, the reaction we each feel at the very moment of transition depends upon our ideals. Atheists will look upon death as an event that definitively deprives them of those worldy goods and happiness they have enjoyed with their family. Religious devotees will share the same feelings but, in addition, will wonder whether they will be allowed to enter the imaginary paradise depicted by their church. As I said earlier, mystics will feel all legitimate emotions that any person may feel at the time of death, but they will prepare for it with the expectation of a new phase of cosmic life and of a future return to Earth.

This leads me to the matter of how a Rosicrucian must view death. From the mystical point of view, we must look upon this phenomenon as the result of a natural modification in the relationship between body and soul. The teachings of AMORC explain in detail that humans are the result of the blending of two primary energies. The first manifests in the material composition of their body, whereas the second serves as a medium for the spiritual essence of their soul. When these two energies fuse at the instant that an infant draws his or her first breath, he or she becomes a living and conscious entity. At the instant that a person draws his or her last breath, the soul severs its connection with the body it has animated throughout its earthly life and returns to the Cosmic. Thus, death is only the transition from one plane of consciousness to another. In other words, it is a return to that state existing just prior to the incarnation into this material world. The body returns to dust and the soul regains its spiritual independence.

During our incarnation, we do not have any objective memory of the activities which our soul had on the cosmic plane, and therefore most people mistakenly think that the soul only manifests the laws of life when it is incarnated into a material body. However, nothing is further from the truth. All past great mystics, all great Avatars who have preceded us, have proclaimed that the genuine life is not the one we cherish the most, even though it should truly be lived to the fullest. All, without exception, have affirmed that earthly existence is only one phase of life and that it should be approached more as a transitory experience than as a final reality. Seen in this light, there is no death, but only changes in life’s expression. Thus, it is not wrong to say that when we die on this earthly plane it is because the time has come for us to be reborn on the cosmic plane. We can then pose this question: “Which birth – earthly

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or cosmic – is the noblest, the happiest, the most divine, and the most eagerly awaited by the soul itself?”

Many inspiring writings give an insight into the afterlife. Although the traditions may differ, revelations concerning what is supposed to happen at the time of transition have many points in common. First of all, they confirm the fact that the soul gradually leaves the body from the instant that the last breath has been drawn. Second, they suggest that the soul is not left to itself at the time of transition but, on the contrary, that it is guided by other souls in charge of welcoming it. Third, it is often related that, although it gradually loses awareness of the earthly personality it animated, the soul of the deceased remains conscious of itself in the Cosmic. In fact, all mystical traditions say that it merges into the Universal Soul but never loses awareness of its existence, nor that of the souls which coexist on the same plane of consciousness.

Between the time of transition and that of a new earthly life, the soul pursues a form of evolution based primarily upon the great lessons it must draw from the incarnation it has just completed. From this reassessment and the cosmic decrees which follow from it, the outline of the next incarnation is being sketched. How this spiritual interlude is lived depends not upon the wrong we have done on earth, but rather upon the efforts we have exerted to do good. In other words, as is true of the karma that applies to everyone’s life here on the earth plane, the karma that occurs between two incarnations is not punitive but compensatory. People who have always had their heart set on perfecting themselves and leading an upright life on earth may rest assured that, notwithstanding any errors they may have committed on this plane, they will enjoy in the Cosmic an after-life commensurate with the ideals they were pursuing while they were incarnated. This implies, therefore, that sincere people may envision transition with the inner assurance that it will be a rewarding experience which will lead them to a world where Peace Profound will no longer be just an ideal to be reached, but a true reality.

No. 1, 2019 Page 23

ThE TRAdITIONAL MARTINIST ORdER

The Rose+Croix Journal is an international, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, online journal that focuses on topics that relate to the sciences, history, the arts, mysticism, and spirituality, especially interdisciplinary topics and transdisciplinary

inquiries that lie beyond the limits of different fields of study.

To read the current issue, to submit a paper, or to volunteer to serve as an editor, translator, proofreader, or other member of this team,

please visit: www.rosecroixjournal.org

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The Traditional Martinist Order operates under the auspices of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC. Our Imperator is the Sovereign Grand Master of the TMO, and our Grand Master is the Grand Master of the TMO. The Traditional Martinist Order offers initiations, as well as systematic and inspiring studies conducted within a Temple, and an inspiring ritual

followed by open discussion among our members.

For more information and to apply for membership, please visit: www.martinists.org

Page 24 ROSICRUCIAN FORUM

2019 REMAININg hIERARChY dATESThursday, May 16

Thursday, August 15Thursday, November 21

Rosicrucian members who have reached Monograph No. 1 of the Twelfth Temple Degree receive instructions on how to perform a special experiment on specific dates four times per year at 8 p.m.

local time. The remaining dates for 2019 are listed above.

COUNCIL OF SOLACE 24-hOUR ASSISTANCE

The Council of Solace is a group of Rosicrucians (at Rosicrucian Park and throughout the world) who meditate daily on behalf of others. The goal of the Council of Solace

is to bring cosmic help to all those in need of it. To list yourself, or another individual, with the Council of Solace, send an email to council@rosicrucian.org or call 408.947.3684, then press 1, and leave a message, giving

the name of the person in need of healing. Metaphysical Aid will begin immediately and will

continue for as long as it may be needed.

To read previous issues of the Rosicrucian Forum, please click on “My Account” in your online member portal.

No. 1, 2019 Page 25

Bequests and DonationsBecause of the transformative life experiences members have had as a result of studying the monographs and applying the lessons that they have learned in their lives, many members choose to remember the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC in a bequest or through their generous

donations to the great work of our beloved Order.

BequestsRemembering the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC in your will is a lasting way to demonstrate your appreciation and dedication to our Order and to ensure that the Order can continue its important work in contributing to the evolution of consciousness.

If this is something that you would be interested in doing, the legal name and address to use on any legal documents is:

The Grand Lodge of the English Language Jurisdiction of the AMORC1342 Naglee Avenue

San Jose CA 95126 USAUnited States Federal Tax Identification Number: 94-1156620

The Grand Lodge maintains a plaque in the Grand Temple at Rosicrucian Park that honors members who have remembered the Order in their wills, trusts, and/or insurance policies. In memory of these thoughtful gifts, the names of members making bequests to the Grand Lodge are permanently memorialized by being inscribed on

this Grand Temple Memorial Plaque.

DonationsThe easiest way to make a donation to the Order is by logging in to your secure membership portal at https://amorc.customerhub.net or

you can mail your gift to the address above.

All donations are fully tax deductible, as allowed by the IRS tax code.You may also donate stocks directly to the Order.

If you have any questions, please contact gmo@rosicrucian.org.Thank you for helping the Rosicrucian Order to continue to contribute to the evolution of consciousness and to perpetuate the

Rosicrucian teachings for generations to come!

Printed on 100% recycled post-consumerfiber using soy-based ink.

August 14 - 18, 2019

Join Imperator Christian Bernard and all of the Grand Masters from throughout the world for the 2019 AMORC World Convention

taking place in the spectacular city of Rome!

You can register here: https://www.roma2019.amorc.it/en/

Sacred Italy: A Mystical Journey through HistoryAugust 19 - September 9, 2019

Join Grand Master Julie Scott, other Rosicrucians, and friends on this journey of a lifetime through Sacred Italy, following the 2019

AMORC World Convention in Rome.

Together, we will explore Assisi, Venice, Florence, Ostia, Cumae, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, and then on to Sicily (with cultures dating back to pre-history) to visit Palermo, Tindari, Taormina, Syracuse, and Agrigento, learning about the many traditions that have flourished here, all while experiencing

some of the most beautiful art and architecture in the world.

You can register here: http://www.regonline.com/italy-2019Please note that the last day to register is April 15.