Greetings, Fratres, Sorores and Friends of AMORC!

According to the Fama Fraternitatis, there were eight who began the Fraternity of the Rosie Cross in 17th century Europe. These eight went to different countries of the world after having made an agreement.

“Their agreement was this:

1. That none of them should profess any other thing, then to cure the sick, and that gratis.

2. None of the Posterity should be constrained to wear one certain kind of habit, but therein to follow the custom of the Country.

3. That every year upon the day C. they should meet together at the house S. Spiritus, or to write the cause of his absence.

4. Every Brother should look out for a worthy person, who after his discease might succeed him.

5. The word C.R. should be their Seal, Mark, and Character.

6. The Fraternity should remain secret one hundred years.” 

The Fama goes on to say: “Every year they assembled together with joy, and made a full resolution of that which they had done; there must certainly have been great pleasure, to hear truly and without invention related and rehearsed all the Wonders which God hath poured out here and there through the World.”

To serve anonymously, to heal, and to apprehend the glory of creation... Is this not the essence of what we learn as Rosicrucian students? Our lessons prepare us for attunement with the Cosmic, teach us how to listen to the small voice within, and encourage us to master our lives. But to what purpose? Our eventual enlightenment and return to our Cosmic origin seem lacking if we achieve this alone. Our Principles are beautiful in that they are designed to be applied in service, and through this we evolve in our consciousness and awareness. It seems obvious and simple that we are meant to help our sisters and brothers along the way, but actually doing so may not be so obvious and simple. It is easy to become lost in the challenges we face each day to live our lives, and to become entrapped by the allure of material reality. Perhaps this is why the brethren assembled periodically: to help each other remember their purpose, and to share their experiences as messages of encouragement. I invite you to visit your local Affiliated Body, or to send an email, and share the experiences of your mystical journey.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Bill Hallett

Grand Councilor, Rocky Mountain Pacific Northwest Region AMORC

oregon@amorc.rosicrucian.org (Pacific Northwest affiliated bodies)

colorado@amorc.rosicrucian.org (Rocky Mountain affiliated bodies)

ColoGC777@gmail.com (Grand Councilor's email)

"A well-rounded Rosicrucian will, when he is able, attend the Lodge, Chapter, or Pronaos closest to him or her and take active part in its convocations and, when asked, in its administration. Here he finds another opportunity to serve the Order, both in giving advice and help to the new members and comfort and. solace to all in need. He can assist in building a strong unit that can bring community attention to the Order and its purposes. Working with the business end of the organization, he helps to build a force that can take a place of respect in its city, command attention because of its attainment."

  --Frances R. Holland, Ground Councilor 1970

Beloved Fraters and Sorors,

A Rosicrucian affiliated body is not a building, an organization, a set of officers, a meeting place, or a set of rituals, or even a loosely grouped collection of individuals.

A Rosicrucian affiliated body is a living, breathing vital spiritual organism consisting of a community of like-minded seekers who are all exploring their spiritual path to realization, both as individuals and as a community. It requires nourishment and cultivation, dedicated participation and support from its members, just as a living rose bush requires water, sunlight, fertilizer, and the loving hand of a gardener. 

As Fr. Holland stated, an affiliated body is an opportunity to serve the Order by giving and receiving advice, wisdom, solace and comfort to other seekers on the path, by preserving and supporting the administration, so that it will remain vital and continue to provide a sanctuary and refuge from the mundane world where growth and healing can take place, and where peace can be found. Those who recognize this will find their lives greatly enriched, with greater love, peace, and spiritual insight, with greater capacity for understanding and good. This occurs when you see the Rosicrucian community as a source of wisdom, peace, love, Light, comfort, and spiritual nourishment.

But if you see an affiliated body as merely a chore or obligation, something you will participate in when it’s easy or convenient, something you only do when it fits your schedule, it will fade and wither, and ultimately die, like a neglected rose bush, nothing but dead sticks covered with thorns. Which will it be for you? 

In the Bonds of the Order,

Ed Hanson, CO Regional Monitor and Mountain Rose Pronaos Master

What is a mystic?

The best I could find from the Oxford reference is "a person who seeks by contemplation and self-surrender to obtain unity with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect". But it also relates to mystery or occult.

Mystery comes from the Greek mysterion which meant "a secret rite or doctrine". From also mystes "one who has been initiated", we know as initiates that we look at the hidden or mysteries of life to better understand ourselves and the divine. Some of our truths are called universal laws that we discover, but many are like the definition through spiritual understanding in a mystical path.

"In the illustrious Rosicrucian school, there is no master and pupil. There are just men and women who share the same ideal, and who have made the decision to open the door and move forward. Do we not say that there is strength in unity? By virtue of your own journey, you can describe yourself as a mystic, because a mystical person is someone who lives in harmony with her or his objective consciousness, intuition, and feelings. Being a mystic does not mean being perfect: in the first instance, it simply means being aware of what would need to be done, in order to become so." -- Christian Bernard

Love, light, and life,

Frater Nathan Klotz

Pikes Peak Atrium Group Leader

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Sorores and Fraters,

Let’s talk about change.  No, I don’t mean those loose coins in your pocket or purse.  I mean the impermanence of things in life.  Everywhere we turn things are in change – we grow older, our appliances wear out, our children grow up, weather is unstable, our favorite restaurant/movie theater/hangout closes and other open up.  And then there are the unpredictable events, the “learning experiences” given to us via Karma.  Change seems to be inevitable.

Psychologically this is troubling.  We all like to have stability in life, to strive for a certain state, and to “live happily after.”  And yet we get bored with the status quo – we seek out new experiences and new environments.  We travel and go on vacations; we seek out new people and groups to stimulate new ideas (and maybe philosophies).  We don’t like the “old stuff” so we seek out change as long as it is safe and, hopefully, predictable.  So, we have mixed feelings about change.

In this physical realm of time and space change is inevitable.  When the Creator decided to create this physical universe, He/She/It included the phenomenon of Time.  With Time comes process and instability.  The universal physical property of entropy comes with the creation of Time.  All things have a beginning, a creation, an original semi-perfect state, and from there they begin to decompose – to change to a less perfect state until, eventually, they just stop functioning altogether.  Everything is subject to this process - our bodies, our possessions, and the whole universe, and it might even extend into our social and political environments.  We stave off this process by repairing, fixing things, and applying maintenance, and this achieves a small, but temporary level of stability.

What about other forms of change?  As mystics, we must realize that Karma is alive and well in this physical universe.  There are going to be events and circumstances “thrown” at us out of the blue.  And as mystics, we should have an understanding of the workings of Karma.  But that may not help us cope with these events.  They are, perhaps, not as predictable as entropy changes in life, but they still must be dealt with.

Alright, how do we best cope with these inevitable changes and disruptions to the status quo?  Do you remember the Star Trek television series The Next Generation?  They coined a phrase that will forever be part of my philosophy – “RESISTANCE IS FUTULE.”  The good guys were fighting the evil Borg who always used that phrase to get the good guys to surrender.  Well, that phrase also applies to our battling the changes in life.  It seems that the pain that comes from change comes from our resistance to it.  WE DON’T WANT CHANGE and we resist it and wish things were back to the way they were.  That resistance is what is causing the pain, physical or mental.  Reduce or remove the pain by eliminating the resistance.  This sounds simple but it is not easy.  Can we learn to embrace change?

Perhaps a different way of looking at life would be of help.  Let’s look at life as an adventure.  We are drifting down the river of life and we don’t know what is beyond the next turn in the river.  It could be river rapids, attack by wild animals, smooth sailing, romantic encounters – who knows?  But it will be a change in the status quo, a new experience, something we can learn from and add to our inventory of life experiences.  So, let’s joyfully anticipate what’s coming in the future – look at it as an adventure.

Sisters and Brothers, Sorores and Fraters, change is inevitable and why fight it?  Our lives will be much more harmonious if we don’t fight but embrace change.  All change is really a gift from the Creator, given to us for the purpose of spiritual and emotional growth.  Learn from those changes in your lives and you will benefit from the experience.  

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

David Schloegel, S.I., F.R.C.

Provincial Master, Traditional Martinist Order

Martinez de Pasqually, the original teacher of Louis-Claude de St. Martin, wrote a number of seminal mystical works, but the most famous is perhaps Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings. As an extracurricular activity, a number of Martinists have been studying this book twice per month. Lately, we have been delving deeply into Pasqually’s “Universal Tableau,” which is a concept central to Martinism. This diagram illustrates the relationship between the Divine Immensity, Super-celestial Immensity, Celestial Immensity and terrestrial world. With notable similarities to the Tree of Life, The Universal Tableau can be used to describe man’s position before the fall from our original Divine position and our current position after the fall. The diagram also helps to understand Martinist numerology, which has no relationship to other numerological systems including the Rosicrucian system but does offer sublime insights.

I think I can speak for my fellow Pasqually study classmates when I say the study of the Universal Tableau is immensely rewarding. I’ve been curious why that is, because it seems to be a largely intellectual pursuit and I certainly believe that everyone is capable of achieving Divine reconciliation without understanding it. Yet even though the study is intellectual at one level, it seems to stir Divine awareness at a much deeper level. Indeed, this is certainly true for any mystical endeavor. It just so happens that this one really touches me!

These meetings are open to all members of the Traditional Martinist Order.  If you’re interested in participating in these studies, look for the biweekly notice from Provincial Master David Schloegel or contact him directly. Because it is over Zoom, you can participate from anywhere. In fact, that is a major benefit – we have insightful sisters and brothers participate from across the United States, each with a unique and beautiful perspective that would not be possible to hear if it were restricted to in-person study.

With the summer now in full swing, I hope everyone is getting plenty of sunshine and fresh air. We are so blessed to have this planet as a place to regain our Divine consciousness, we owe it to our Creator and the Grand Architect of the Universe to enjoy it!

May we all Ever Dwell in the Eternal Light of Divine Wisdom!

Phil Goodwin, Master

Rocky Mountain Atelier of the Traditional Martinist Order