Winter 2017

Atelier Master’s Message

ein sof

Greetings, fellow Martinists!

ein sof – the very phrase sounds mysterious, powerful, yet gentle and full of light. Above and before everything, infinite in beginning, never-ceasing, before and after time itself. This kabbalistic term does not appear to have equivalent terms in the great religions of the world, although “nirvana” in the Hindu belief system and the christian “Empyrean,” as described by Dante in Paradiso of The Divine Comedy come close. Nirvana is a place or experience with no emotion, only a purity of love, no ego. The Empyrean is the place of the Christ and God, accessible only to those who have worked through all their human emotions and fallibilities, a place of pure light and clarity, beyond all the planets in the universe of Dante.

Is ein sof a place, a being, an experience? As humans, we invariably strive to categorize and explain, to compartmentalize everything and every thought that we experience. Yet how can we do that with the infinite? It is so far above and beyond us, that we can barely detect the minutest spark in such profundity! It is the inner, hidden light; the undetectable light before light is born; the light that gives energy and motion to a multitude of universes, to galaxies and stars coalescing and building up and burning out, exploding and collapsing in all the beauty of creation and destruction, yet still and quiet and dark, unseeable.

There are times when I just sit and contemplate ein sof, not really thinking about it, just letting the feel of it move into my mind. I feel the majesty and splendor begin to unfold within, and I think, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Judith Stewart, S.I.

Master, Rocky Mountain Atelier

Traditional Martinist Order

Winter 2017

Provincial Master’s Message

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

My Brothers and Sisters, Fraters and Sorores;

Service to the Light! We hear this phrase many times during our studies and discussions as a mystic. We all probably have different interpretations as to what this means, but let me reflect on this and maybe generate ideas that may broaden our understanding.

We have all heard of the law of AMRA – we can receive only to the extent that we give. Alright, that law is a little deeper than that definition but it is a starting point for discussion. We have been the recipient of vast knowledge and understanding through our affiliation with AMORC and TMO. The scales have perhaps been overly weighted on the side of receiving and we have to balance these scales by giving back. We can give back with money, serving on committees, writing discourses, getting others involved in our study or many other ways. That is the only way to expect to receive more.

Now, on not so selfish a note let’s consider the essence of the Cosmic – love. Our purpose in existing in the physical world is to learn to love, to evolve in our spiritual understanding of the events of our lives to the point that we recognize that the development of living in love is the ultimate goal of existence. Accepting that may be a huge leap of faith, but if you go into your sanctums and oratories and attune with the universe you will feel this love and KNOW that it is the essence of God and the Cosmic and all of creation.

What does living in love mean? It means the unselfish giving of oneself for the betterment of other beings, human as well as all the other expressions of life. When you live in love, you give and give and give some more to help anyone or anything that is in need of your help. And this giving is the essence of Service to the Light.

There are many ways to give. Some do it through donations of money or property. This is good and necessary for organizations doing service to the community, but may not fully satisfy the urgings of the heart. Perhaps your method of serving the light is to teach or mentor others in a skill or knowledge that you have developed. Maybe giving your time and efforts in support of a community or organization project better suits you. Another wonderful way of giving back to the Cosmic is just to be shining light in your community or group to which you belong, always radiating positivity, love, and wisdom, being a living example of what living in the light means.

Yes, there are many ways to be of service to the light. Find yours and work diligently to bring this Divine Light into our world. It is our duty and responsibility as mystics.

May you ever dwell in the Eternal Light of Divine Wisdom!

David Schloegel, F.R.C.

Provincial Master

Traditional Martinist Order