Rosicrucian Digest, September 1955

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Dc per copy

eyond Seeing

nice in pursuit

the unattainable.

V A V

mbition andumanism

they conflict?

V A V

Ifish Interests

there a timepersonal benefi ts?

V A V

M yst ic ism

Science

The Arts

V A V

^Uxt

Columbus andfredestiny

A V

ncient Cul ture

1 0 S I C R U C I A N

1955EPTEMBER DIGEST


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Preparation and thoughtful application increase the advan-

tages we derive from things and circumstances. For example,

many times your membership could be of much greater benefit to

you if your credentials were available. Likewise, certain periods

of the day could be used by you in a way that only Rosicrucians

understand if you had a simple handy reminder of when those

periods occur. This handsome membership identification folder

provides these advantages.

Note These Features

Made of attractive black leatherette.

Cfl Flexible and compact, with plasticwindow pocket.

CJ Symbol of the Or der and the initials A.M .O .R .C . stamped

in gold.

fjf Cards are visible and easily removable.

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Soul for special needs; contains also other useful information.

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IDENTIFICATION FOLDER


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S T U D Y I N G A V I S I T O R F R O M S P A C E

Supreme Secretary. Ceril A. Poole, left, examines a polished fragment of a meteorite exhibited in the Rosicrucian Plane-tarium by Doctor H. H. Nininge r. eminent authority on meteorites . Doctor Nininge r gave two illustrate d lectures on theceles tial phenomena of meteorites and falling objects, in the Francis Bacon Auditor ium. Rosicrucian Park, at the rece ntlyconcluded Inte rnational Rosicrucian Convention.

M

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TheRosicrncianDigestSeptember1955

7h e personal estimationor the value of our ex-periences greatly influ-ences the course of ourindividual lives. Valueenters into our religiousconcepts, into moralidealism and economicconsiderations. Thus val-

ue is a prime motive not only in thematerial functions of life but in its spir-itual aspects also.

The basis of value is psychological;it stems from the egos relations to theworld and to its selfrealization. Allaction stems from the interest o! self.Biologically, we are prompted to seekout that which will sustain and gratifyour organic being. We respond equallyto all those stimuli which are disagree-able by retreating from them or in

some manne r so adjusting to them thattheir effects are less unpleasant. Themore complex being, as man, has aconsciousness of his own entity. He hasthe function of detaching his own ex-istence, that is, setting it apart from allother realities which he experiences. Hehas the realization that he is and thatother things are. This selfconscious-ness includes the awareness of theprimitive, the elementary, desires of hi^being. He does not merely experiencethe pleasurable sensations of food andthe gratification of his appetites and the

urge to live, but he is also able to relatethem to self. He thinks of them interms of necessity. They are conceivedby him as elements of his being. Theyare thought of as fundamental contrib-uting factors to his very existence.

In simple reasoning, if A is an endand B is but the way to attain that end.

then A has the greater importance osuperiority. Consequently, as earlietheological doctrinesand some concepts still prevalentcontended, manthe desiring being, is superior to thaneeded to satisfy his desires. The worlwas thought to be a creation designeto meet the requirements of the human

being. Mans functions and purposewere the criteria by which all else wato be evaluated. By assigning to himself many or most of the attributewhich he conceived for his god, seemed consistent that the world oreality had a relatively lower valuthan mankind. The fact that naturoften did not conform to this subordnate rank assigned to her and. in factdefied mans conception of his owsupremacy, cast a shadow of doubt anconjecture at times across his egoistic

religious, and philosophic notions.The nonconformist phenomena i

nature, the effects of which did nocontribute to mans welfare, gave risto the notion of universal malevolenforcesit was perhaps the birth of thidea of a supernatural evil. The material world, matter, and the humabody were conceived as having a negative or evil value. The Manichaeansa Persian sect, whose ideas influenceearly Christian doctrines, taught thalight is symbolic of good and the souldarkness and the body depicted evi

Thus body and soul, the Divine anthe world, were constantly in conflicfor the domination of mankind. Oncarriving at a notion of perfection related to human interests, moral, intelectual or physical, man created hierarchy of values. Experiences wergraded by a plus or a minus. To th


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extent that the content of experienceenhanced the ego, it was thought of asgood; to the extent that it detractedfrom or demeaned those interests, itwas conceived as evil or corrupt. A

prominent ethnologist has said that

mans primary life values are success,happiness, and longevity. Upon thispremise, then, all activities and experi-ences of the individual are evaluated intheir relation to these primary values.

The Aesthetic Sense

It is to be realized that values arenot immanent in things or in condi-tions. They are relevant to the stand-ards we have set in our society and tothe sensitivity of our psychic and emo-tional selves. What, for example, con-stitutes good music, art, or literature?There are factors that enter into thedetermination of their quality. Thefirst element of art is its aesthetic na-ture. It must arouse an appreciationof the aesthetic sense of the individual.Art must engender that harmonywhichbrings accord to the particu lar sensewhich perceives it. It must be realizedas the beautifulor other terms havingan equivalent meaning. The psychologyof aesthetics is the gratification of thatquality of a sense that transcends mereappetite. Symmetry of line or harmonyof proportion to the visual sense pro-

vides aesthetic satisfaction. Organizedsound, which is pleasing to the auditorysense and which will arouse eitherecstasy or profound tranquillity, is afurther example of the aesthetic. Thesecond element of art is its techniqueor science of method. Whenever thesetwo elements are present, we deem thevalue of an art as highly satisfactory.

It is apparent that the first elementof art, its aesthetic quality, is principal-ly dependent upon the physiologicaland psychological nature of man. Dis-organized sound would rarely, evenamong primitive peoples, produce thesame aesthetic response as does music,regardless of how elementary the latter.

Further, visual beauty has certainorganic relationships as well. Preferencefor color combinations is to a great de-gree instinctive. It is a matter of con-ditioning to environment for innumer-able generations. The greens that matchthe foliage, the blues that correspond

to the color of sky and sea, are familiarand acceptable. The blending of colorsthat resemble the arrangement of flow-ers and the plumage of birds indigenousto a region, have long influenced manscolor preference. Likewise, the slowly

acquired technique by which these ac-cepted values were attained became aswell the standard of value by whichthe art is judged.

The aesthetic sense, though havingorganic roots, can be and is conditioned

by environmental changes. Necessityand utility, by which something isfound to provide a good, may eventual-ly have an important value set upon it,even though it be opposed to the in-stinctive criterion of harmony. We maycite the example of structures whichhave attached to them a religious sig-

nificance and so are accepted as beau-tiful, but which otherwise might berealized as disproportionate and ugly.In such instances, the religious andmoral values transcend the aestheticsense and condition it to include theirrealities in its category. For a furtherhomely analogy, we know that wecultivate through habit the taste forsuch foods as at first are not particular-ly gratifying to our sense of taste. An-other example is clothing and costumes.Their value to a great extent is theresult of custom and social influence.

The ceremonial attire of natives inWest Africa or their method of dress-ing the hair may appear ludicrous tocivilized man. I t is because the latterlacks their sense of value. The nativehas related the costume and sartorialeffects to religious and social ideas towhich he has become gradually ad-justed. To him the habiliment is sym-bolic of a profound meaning, thus itsvalue.

Flexibility

It is imperative that we realize that

value is flexible. It has a correspond-ence with our state of consciousnessand apperception which are ever chang-ing. It is a moot question whether allvalues today transcend those of yes-terday. Some are undoubtedly worthyof the eminence we attribute to them,as time and breadth of mind have givenus a greater insight into many realitiesof existence of which earlier man wasignorant. Other values which we alone


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TheRosicrucianDigestSeptember1955

have in our time would have beenworthless in antiquity under diversecircumstances. The danger in any so-ciety is the tendency to make orthodoxthe current values, thus arresting mansadjustment to his environment or theadvancing of his kind. Religion is mostinclined to make this greaterror. Values

which it inherited from reverencedtraditional sources tend to restrict themoral and mental selves of man. Insome religious sects, physical enjoy-ment, as entertainment of even a re-served nature, upon a sacred day isdenounced as evil. There is the mis-conception that devotion and reverenceare to be found only in contemplationof spiritual things on such days. Hap-

piness, where there is no abuse of body,mind, or of the moral sense, is certainlynot godless.

The Ten Commandments and theirequivalent in other ancient codes ofhuman behavior have an enduringvalue. The intelligent person will rea l-ize, however, that the value of such

goods is not their alleged divineorigin. An analysis of them will reveathat there is a correspondence betweenthem and the necessary behavior fomans personal welfare and continuance of any society. Just as man hadiscovered what is essential for his

physical and mental wellbeing, s

through the centuries he has come tolearn that certain conditions must besubscribed to if society is to persistThese musts are elements of suchmandates as the Decalogue.

The socalled radical is often theman who departs from the conventional values. He may then be derided aa liberal or extremist. The test of thevalues in life is not their aee nor theirsponsorship. The test should be to whadegree they serve the united being, thewhole man, and whether they continue to further the unitv of mankindAny value, no matter what its halo oreverence, may be cast aside for another which excels it by virtue of its

better conforming to this test.

V A V

O k v L lJnzuita(j[zlDe ath and Taxe s are inevitable, it is said. W ell, so

too is LEARNING . Insofar as man is at all sensitive to his environment, he will learn. And while LEARN-ING is often no more pleasant than death or taxes, it,of the three, can be an enjoyable experience.

During the threeweek period preceding each annual

International Rosicrucian Convention, the doors of RoseCroix University are thrown open to every member,regardless of educational background. Here , in an

atmosphere of tolerance, academic freedom, and scientific inquiry into the phenomena

of life, each member has a unique opportunity to study a subject close to his heart

without any prejudices or biases entering into the picture.Every member, at some time or other, should definitely plan to attend one of these

inspirin g sessions. A dvance prepa ration is both advisable and necessary. W e urge you

to write early and obtain all necessary information regarding next summers offering.W rite to: T he Registrar, RoseCroix Un iversity, S an Jose, California, and ask for you rcopy of The Story of Learning.


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Sense of BelongingnessBy T h o m a s J . C r o a f f , J r ., F. R. C.

(Member, State Bar of Arizona and Bar of U. S. Supreme Court)

b e l o n g . These twowords are perhaps amongthe more vital ones inour language. This is

primarily so because peo-ple feel a definite needfor identification or place-

ment; they must feel arelationship to their en-vironment to gain contentment or peaceof mind.

Modern psychologists have foundthat a sense of belongingness is verybeneficial to both child and adult, eachhaving the same basic requirement ofneeding to fit into the situation andto be in harmony with the environ-ment. Consequently, if the environ-ment is not harmonious, then all sortsof emotional and mental problems ariseto upset the individuality of the person

involved, regardless of age level oracademic attainment.So proud are many people who are

struggling for maturity, they fairlyburst with sheer joy when they cansay: I belong. It simply is not truewhen people will glibly insist they donot want to be possessed because theyfeel that they must be absolutely freeof any strings whatsoever. The fact isthat most people want to be tied or

bound to something in which they havefull confidence. They want somethingthey can count on, or some person upon

whom they can rely and in whom theycan place their full and complete con-fidence.

Life is much more tolerable andpleasant for most people when theyfeel they are a part of whatever is go-ing onthat they are participants inthe processes of life, not merely ex-isting as bystanders on the sidelines,watching the onward sweep of civiliza-tion. People want to belong to some-

thing or to someone because the mostfrightening thing in most peoples livesis the feeling of loneliness, of being leftout of other peoples activities andthoughts. Most of us cannot stand thethought of being left alone for anyappreciable period of time; we find it

most enjoyable when we can relateourselves to other persons and things.I belong. These are vital words to

meditate upon as we face the mainstream of life; and as we raise the re-spective levels of our consciousnesses,we readily come to understand the his-toric maxim: Man does not live bybread alone. Aside from the materia lthings in mans life, important as thesemay be to each of us, we grow in therealization that we are social and spir-itual beings who have a definite needfor possessing that irrepressible sense

of belongingness, which when achievedis so important to mans peace of mind,body and soul.

Most of us get no pleasure in beingout of step with our friends, neigh-

bors, and people in general. Inherentlywe want to adjust ourselves to meetthe needs for more satisfactory dailyliving; wTe seek harmony as we striveto get the feel of a true sense ofbelongingness.

As students of mysticism, the higherways of living, we can understand the

importance of having a full sense ofbelongingness (or of oneness withGod or the Cosmos) for the reason thatsuch a feeling or attitude must, of ne-cessity, constitute the very basis forCosmic Consciousness.

I belong. These words embodymans aspirations to improve his wayof lifeto relate himself to reality, andto aid in his achievement of onenesswith the universe and with God.


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UBztjond cSzz inq

By B r u c e Q u a n , B . A. Sc., F. R. C.

Se e i n g i s a facul tythat almost everyonetakes for granted. It is

not necessary to haveany knowledge concern-ing the nature of lightnor the process of seeingto realize that sight is adefinite fact; this experi-ence is very real to us.Seeing is unquestionablyour dominant physical

sense and the primarychannel through whichtodays vast wealth of knowledge hasbeen obtained.

Through our eyes we perceive andconceive of many manifestations or

phenomena, such as ma tter, form, life,activity, beauty, and misery. Varietyof visual experience, to a large degree,moulds our philosophy of life. W ith-out sight, activity would be seriouslycurtailed and the extent of our objec-tive knowledge greatly limited.

Modem scientific research, includingits development, particularly in suchdisciplines as biology, physiology,chemistry, and physics, is virtually de-pendent on the faculty of seeing. Nu-merous instrumentsranging from themicroscope to survey the microcosmicworld, to the giant telescope to surveythe macrocosmic worldrely uponlight and in the final analysis uponsight for a realization of what is tak-ing place beneath the ir lenses. Even

phenomena which do not involve lightand sight are converted into visualones for observation and investigation,

such as, for example, the recording ofbrain waves on the electroencephalo-graph.

To many individuals, the worldwhich they see is the world of realitythe only world there is. In almostevery case, when these individuals areasked to describe and explain the

process whereby th eysee, they are unable todo so; and in the same

breath, they brush thequestion aside as sense-less and foolish. More-over, to them, seeing is

believing and that is allsufficient. Many scien-tists are not exempt fromholding this dogmaticattitude; and, as it fre-

quently happens, con-tradictory and absurdconclusions to many a fundamental sci-entific experiment and investigation arepresented as a result of this point ofview. Yes, all too frequently, seeing istaken for granted.

Science and the Eye

Let us review very briefly, some ofthe basic concepts of seeing as ex-

pounded by orthodox science. Investi-gation has shown that we see as aresult of an image being impressed

upon the retinal surface of the eyesdue to the impingement of light energyfrom without, and through a complex

psychoelectrochemical process involv-ing the retinal surface and subretinallayers, the optic nerves, and the brain,this image is relayed to the occipitallobe situated in the posterior of the

brain, producing there the sensation ofvision. Although we sense that we seewith our eyes, we actually see in the

brain.

The retina of our eyes is an organismor device which is sensitive to radiant

energy having a wavelength of fromapproximately 4,000 to 7,000 angstrom*units, these radiations or vibrations being termed light energy. This radiantenergy possesses a quality which wedetect as colour, after it has been re-

* 1 angstrom un it = one hundre dm illionth ofa centimeter


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fleeted from matter, each specific wave-length within this spectral range givingrise to a specific colour.

Initiation of the visual process re-quires that matter be bathed in light

of sufficient intensity. Matter is affectedby light; that is, it has the property ofabsorbing and reflecting specific wave-lengths in varying proportions, and thisreflected light impinges upon the ret-ina of the eyes to form an image. Theimpression that is received in the brainis that of the image photographed ontothe retinal surface, being a reproduc-tion of the illuminated phenomenon ofmatter in the field of view. This pho-tographic reproduction is patterned inaccordance with definite optical laws.Furthermore, the fact that we have two

eyes spaced a given distance apart givesus the sensation of depth or stereoscopicawareness of matter.

Now these objective findings relatingto sight have been established by theapplication of the scientific method.Orthodox scientific method takes forgranted that man is an intelligent sen-tient being and a product of the physi-cal world. This world exists in afourdimensional spacetime continuum.Through his physical senses and pri-marily by the use of eyesight, man isable to observe, detect and learn, much

about this physical world, including hisown body and its functions.The foregoing description of the basic

nature of the seeing process and thephysical world appears plausible andconvincing. Certainly the facts fitcompletely into the pattern of daytoday experiences, such as that encount-ered in routine living, commerce andindustry, applied science and technolo-gy, and other materialistic pursuits. Butfundamental issues arise such as thosepertaining to personality, the soul, lifeand death, disease, the origin of the

physical universe, the na ture of elec-tricity, light and matter, maximumvelocities, psychic phenomena, and soon, which science has seriously at-tempted to explain satisfactorily or ex-plain away, but without much success.Possibly the reason these enigmas con-tinue to baffle science is that its basicassumptions on the nature of the physi-cal world and the nature of the seeingprocess are inherently inaccurate.

At this juncture, therefore, let us

raise these questions. Is this informa-tion which the scientist has given usreliable and complete and is it funda-mental? We query the scientist to findout how the experiments and investi-

gations into the visual process wereperformed. The scientist answers, Byobserving the human body with myvery own eyes in the presence of light,that is, by employing the seeing proc-ess. Scientific method requires tha tif I am to perform my work, I mustemploy tha t technique. If such isnecessarily the case, how can we saythat the scientist is actually investigat-ing the visual function, fundamentallyand impartially? Here is an experi-ment in which the method and thepurpose of the investigation are one

and the same thing. Are we justifiedin employing such a method to explainseeing in its most fundamental aspect?To do so could possibly lead us up a

blind alley because this experiment isa closed loop condition.

Suppose, however, that we do acceptthe method employed by science asvalid and analyze the situation in thislight. We learn that every individualsees by means of his brain; in essence,there is an impression or picture reg-istered in the objective mind. If tha t isthe case, then all that the scientist did

during his entire experiment was towork with an impression in his brainsince he himself was being subjected tothe seeing process. In consequence, thescientist was not dealing with anythingoutside of himself, notwithstanding thefact that to him there definitely ap-

peared to be external substances apartfrom his self, because the physicalworld he sees is all in his objectivemind. He cannot get outside of him-self. (This, of course, applies to every-one else who sees.) It is evident, there-fore, that such orthodox experimental

methods alone cannot supply the an-swer to the problem of the fundamentalnature of seeing.

Although the methods and findingsof science in this regard are not en-tirely invalid, they are not withoutmeaning or value, for they give us aclue and even a steppingstone towarda better comprehension of the funda-mental visual process. But unless wetranscend purely objective observations,and attempt to express visual concepts


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in some abstract form beyond terminol-ogy relating to normal visual perceptsand concepts, we cannot obtain a moresatisfactory answer. In short, we mustlook beyond seeing itself to explainseeing.

Transcending the Materialistic

Let us study more closely the natureof the visual process as presented byorthodox science. In Fig. 1, there areillustrated in basic outline, the anatom-ical components of the human bodyand the external factors involved in thevisual process. We must bear in mind

and relaying process Z, initiated by threflected energy which is a function othe incident radiant energy X and thnature of the substance Y. These functional relationships are expressed ielementary mathematical notation iFig. 2. Since no specific values noqualities are attached to any of thfactors, the equation becomes a generafunction for any set of conditions fulfilling the functional requirements stipulated. Since one such set of conditionfulfilling these requirements is thvisual process, the equation is the general equation for the visual process.

that this is essentially a spatial diagramof the process, one which depicts the

physical arrangement as seen by thescientist. In other words, this conceptignores the fact that the visual process

has already taken place to reveal thisset of conditions. In seeking the an-swer as to how we actually see, wemust assume a condition where visionhas not yet taken place. Under sucha condition, the terms eyes , optic nerves ,the brain, matter, and light must loseall physical significance because by notbeing able to see, we would be unableto conceive of material objects as suchand their spatial relationships.

Now let us redraw the elements ofFig. 1, but omit any reference to themas material objects; instead, assign to

them some abstract quality but hold inmind the fact that a specific functionalrelationship continues to exist between

The these elements. This is a reasonableRosicrucian assumption to make. Such a conceptualr scheme is depicted in Fig. 2.c , In analyzing this diagram, we seeSeptember that whatever is registered on the re1955 corder will be a function of the sensing

But what can be gleaned from thiequation? It is evident that once thvisual process takes place, the abovabstract factors are immediately reduced to material reality because ther

is a visual experience in the form othe physical world. The radiant energX manifests as light, the abstract substance Y manifests as matter, the sensing device manifests as human eyesthe relaying mechanism manifests athe optic nerves, and the recorder manifests as the human brain, as long athere is an underlying consciousnesto realize this, which in this case is thscientists mind. Consequently, as result of the appearance of physicaforms which the scientist investigateshe declares that vision involves light

matter, the eyes, the optic nerves, andthe brain. (The last three, of courseare matte r also.) However, the faccannot be overlooked that vision is really a recording or impression; thereforeall the physical things mentioned abovare merely pictorial manifestations, anas such they are essentially shadowyforms of certain abstract things havin


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a definite relationship to each other.At this point, certain questions nat-

urally come to mind. W hat then arethese external solid substances beforeus that we call matter? What is light?

What are spaceand time? These arebut concepts formed by the objectivemind as a result of vivid perceptionsarising out of seeing and the otherhysical sense faculties. Since what wenow as the physical world is actually

an impression in symbolical form, itfollows that what we see as matter,including our own body as well aslight, is not the real nature of these.As long as we are shackled by the ob-jective visual process, we can neverknow the actual nature of materialthings.

From the standpoint of our analysis,the term physical must be defined asthe unrealmere impressions only, butmanifesting as such directly out ofsomething that is real in a real world.This is the world that lies hidden be-neath the physical appearances of allthe material things we know so well.

Viewing the invisible

Let us analyze Fig. 2 further. Wewill assume that this set of conditionsexists in a continuum which we shallcall the Cosmic, a continuum of higherdimensionality than the physical worlddepicted by Fig. 1. There will exist inthis higher continuum, actual light andmatter, such as actual eyes, optic nervesand brain, things of an indescribableabstract nature. Furthermore, let usherewith define all actual matter asthat which is affected or stimulated byactual light. Then actual eyes aresensingdevices sensitive only to actuallight. All these actual things will be

transmitted onto another planea low-er plane, as a result of vision. This

plane or continuum we term the physi-cal or material world.

Now we are in a position to infer

that there are other things or abstrac-tions in addition to actual matter ex-isting in this higher continuum. Sincethey would not be affected by actuallight, their existence would not be de-tected on the physical plane by ob-

jective sight. Furthermore, we can alsoinfer that there are other subtle radi-ations or vibrations coexistent withactual light and which affect theseother things only. Again, there will

be no direct manifestation on the phys-ical plane. Orthodox science, as amatter of fact, realizes that there arevibrations beyond the cosmic ray re-gion of the electromagnetic spectrum ofwhich it knows nothing.

To rely on objective seeing alone,therefore, would make us oblivious tomany things and manifestations whichare not physical in nature but whichexist nevertheless. These manifestationsmay be termed psychic or Cosmicphenomena.

How can anyone justifiably say thatseeing reveals all and that only seeingis believing? The fact is that the mo-

ment there is light, we are trapped andforced to observe only that which issensitive to lightnamely, matter andnothing more. In other words, we arebeing presented with a very restrictedview of the whole universe of existence.

Wliat are the implications of thisrevealing fact that a primary nature isunderlying all the appearances of ma-terial things? We can say that no mat-ter how much we are able to learn

RADIANT ENERGY X


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objectively from our examination andthe study of material things, this knowl-edge will always be superficial knowl-edge, revelations of picturesque shadows,and, at best, symbolical knowledge.Basic scientific research, with all itsintricate and complex instrumentsmoulded out of matter and its employ-

ing and relying upon sensory methodsto serve scientific purpose, can neverreach the core of reality, notwithstand-ing the fact that science has discoveredcertain definite relationships existingbetween and amongst all matter. Allthe scientific laws formulated to ex-

pla in observed phenomena, extremelyuseful though they may be, can neverbe absolute laws, but are conditional orrelative symbolical representations ofdeeper abstract onesthe Cosmic laws.

Philosophical scientists and scientificphilosophers having realized the lim i-

tations of scientific instruments at-tempted to transcend them by the useof abstract mathematical tools. The re-sult of such discipline is that the purescientists have constructed a universewhich bears little resemblance to thatwhich we perceive with our physicalsenses or which we can conceive read-ily. Nevertheless, it is a closer approachtowards the realization of ultimate re-ality. The human mind stands aloneas the instrument capable of exploringa realm where scientific instrumentsand physical senses could not trans-

gress. But unfortunately, the scientificmind engrossed in its materialistic con-

cepts and logic and hypnotized by malength, time, charge, space, and veloty has unknowingly imposed a barrupon itself and in so doing has limitthe depth to which that great micould penetrate.

The Mgstical Mind

Only the mystical mind, throuconcentration, contemplation, and meitation, is capable of transcending tob ject iv e. It has caught repeatglimpses of a great universe beyoseeing and continues to receive intuitiinsight into the real nature of the mterial world which is shrouded by mansensuality. It knows that there isgreat universe beyond the materiWith that awareness, the enigm

baffling the objective mind approachsolution. So profound is this knowledthat its nature is ultrascientific a

beyond the comprehension of concetual mind.In raising his consciousness to hig

er planes and attuning with the Cosmcontinuum, the mystic experiences t

boundlessness and timelessness of eistence. All matter, everything, is Cmic energy. Past, present, and futuare eternally now. Mind always wand ever shall be everywhere.

As the meaning of life unfolds bfore man, the flashes of insight revehis oneness with God and with all crtion, and there emerges the gold

dawn of realization that All is GoThis is the universe beyond seeing.


TO MEMBERS OF AMORC

Can you intelligently discuss your constitutional rights as a member of the Grand

Lodge of AMORC? Th e privileges of mem bership are c learly set forth in a convenient

booklet . Secure a copy of you r own from the Rosic rucia n Su pp ly Bu reau for the sm all

sum of 25 cents (1/10 sterling).

AMORC INITIATION

CALIFORNIA, Francis Bacon Lodge, 1957 Chestnut St. Fourth Degree Initiation,

San Francisco: October 2, 1955 at 1:00 p.m.


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Ambition and HumanismBy W ah W ing Yee, F . R . C .

t a u n c h indiv idual is tswhose ambitions are de-voted to acquiring the

most for the sole benefitof self contend that hu-manism is incompatiblew ith g ros s objectivism.Nonetheless, liberal de-votion to humanity is the

stimulation behind every effort toachieve world unity and better stand-ards of living for all. That same idealis the underlying philosophy that pre-serves human value, with its attributesof reason and compassion, in the midstof confusion created by selfish worldlyambitions. Benevolence, virtuously ele-

vating and constructive, is one of thebasics in human nature, and it cannotbe denied with a substitution of oppos-ing ideologies. The actual improve-ments in moral concepts which accom-pany material advancement of everygeneration indicates that man enjoysthe best when worldly ambitions aretempered with broad human sym-pathies.

Humanism is mans vision of theDivine ideal as the basis of universallife. To humanists such ideal is anorderly and harmonious interdepend-

ency in universal life. They believethat the true way to unity and peaceis to assist every man to help himself,that being the prime aim m humanachievement. They also perceive thatsince life is the living Divine ideal it-self, then, all forms of life become asthey are in the Divinitys will in orderto be in accord with the Divine ideation.All life, then, is merely a diversifiedexpression of the one life essence. Al-

though separated and dissimilar inform, all are One subjectively and uni-versally. Visible life could never be as

it is without the anterior living ideaexpanding itself until the nucleus isactualized in concrete form.

Moreover, in the truism of onenessof all things, it is apparent that thefundamental idealism is the unity ofall separate parts bound by the wholeto sustain the whole. As man becomesconscious of that basic system, he per-ceives his natural obligation to theDivinity which is also within himselfto pattern his life along those lines. Inthe establishing of moral statutes, thepurpose is not only to preserve social

order and to prevent violence amongits members but also as a reminder tothe race that to justly render the selffor the good of the whole is the immu-table law of human living.

Such a truism is not abstract philos-ophy. The actuality of it is demon-strated in the evolution of life whereininfinitesimal unicells of the same speciescolonize and multiply in predetermined

proportions to preserve the basic identi-ty of that group. In turn, diversifiedmultiple cell aggregations, each remain-ing faithful to its heritage, are organ-

ized to give substance, shape, texture,and color, to the entity having its lifefrom the cohesion within. Whetherthose separate cell colonies are identi-fied with some part of a plant, or ananimal, or human tissue, they remainconstant to the species as long as theinherent patterns of their progenitorsare passed on intact to succeeding gen-erations.

j~tTLn-n-r|


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And yet, the human creature, al-though he has the freedom to reject oraccept the whole idea, is nevertheless,intricately and inseverably, a productof the basics composing his body. Sincethe human body is a cohesion of count-less cell colonies with each grouphaving its life and identity from the uni-

cells of its species, man as a living en-tity is an immense single cell. In fact,he is a living enlargement of the re-motest infinitesimal amoeba that wasthe nuclear image of what he is, a bodyof myriads of cells, with a thinkingmind and selfconsciousness. Althoughindividual man is a separate creaturesurrounded by what he calls space,still, the basic Divine idealism makeseach entity an integral unit within hisrace, and each race of men has itsresponsibility of cooperation in sustain-ing the welfare of the universal organi-

zation known as civilization. However,as the circle is completed, every-thing resolves back to the individualsand their realization of their personalduty to understand and exemplify theinborn ideal in their own lives to servethe community in which they work.

According to the universal law ofcohesion, the whole is as strong as thehealth and strength of its component

parts; and what affects one will even-tually affect all. And tha t appliesequally to families, communities, states,nations, or races. Th at Tru th makes

each individuals activities accountablenot only to the Divinity within himselfbut also to the immediate generationsand to those of the future.

Selt-Ccnterednesg

Since expansion of the personal in-telligence is the first order in humandevelopment, it is natural that selfcenteredness be involved in the initialstages of evolution. Such is shown inyoung children whose tendency is tohave their wants gratified first aboveothers. Normally, as children mature,

they become more considerate andgradually extend the focus on self out-ward to the perimeter of cooperative

The group activities. Thus, the order ofRosicrucian lluman growth is: first, the desire ton . possess for personal benefit; second, the

5 desire to be something to fit into theSeptember social order, and contribute to its wel1955 fare and progress. Although selfcen-

teredness is normal with growth, apersons whole life trend could be disorganized should growth at the initiastage be frustrated by some externaincident. As the result, such a chilreaches physical maturity, but his entire emotional and mental state remainchildishly selfcentered by all its selfish

propensities. Then, ambition is directed toward receiving for the selexclusively instead of expanding to become what is natural with toe personality.

Furthermore, retarded mental development also inhibits the unfoldment oinborn potentials or the specific Divinideation of what that personality is to

become. Most often, such people, because they have blocked the creativflow from within, are forced to operate with only mere indications of thaptitudes that were in evidence prio

to the frustration. Struggling in suclimitations, the general tendency is tooverrate the personal self as an unconscious compensation for the subnormality. And selfish acquisition becomethe ambition to prove the high valuation of the self under the impressionthat the greater the accumulation, thgreater is the admiration of the world

It is true that getting is importanto comfortable living, but when thtrait becomes pathological, the jealousyand hatred arising therein develop antisocialistic and predatory inclinations

Such is revealed in the extremists whooperate singly or collectively to preyupon and wreak damage on the samsociety from which they desire admiration and respect. Yet, the more onabuses and fights his fellow men, thmore he is conscious of space betweenhim and the others. And paradoxicallythe destructive methods that are usedto annihilate space to gain a feeling o

belonging, push the culprit further intoemotional and mental isolation. Thgreat difficulty confronting the pro

ponent of selfish individualism is thfeeling of space that prohibits the sensof belonging to those who oppose himisconduct, and from whom ne desireacceptance and warm comradeship.

Still, in spite of the pro and con regarding the interdependency of humanity, it is difficult to dissuade ones selfrom the inborn trait, the herd instinctThe space that separates physical bod


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ies is relative in face of the subjectiveattraction toward gregariousness. Ingeneral, man unconsciously gyrates to-ward the common point of fellowship,and he is most carefree and brotherlywhen enmassed to witness or to per-form some activities of mutual interest.Such is demonstrated in the enjoymentof athletic events or civic celebrationswhere the crowds hilariously throw in-hibitions to the winds and act as onebig, happy family.

Also, the founding of social organiza-tions is for the purpose of gratifyingthe unconscious yearning for widercompanionship outside the family cir-cle, and to do things with others. Too,man rallies noblv in times of disasterwhen prompt aid means the minimiz-ing of suffering and the saving of un-necessary loss of lives. However, thepredominant cause of personal emotion-al tension is the unconscious strugglebetween masses of absorbed whimsicalideologies and the traditions that pro-voke a conscious separation among thehuman species, thwarting the naturalinstinct to fraternize without differ-entiation.

Matured Creativeneas

The aim of humanism is to helpeach individual to become more aware

of the basic interdependency among allraces. And also, to help him evolve hispotentials so tha t, as a creative per-sonality, he will be able to fill hisproper place in the world as a valuedcontributor to its betterment. Towardthat end, humanists in all walks of lifemove steadfastly and unobtrusively inimpersonal service without thought ofselfgain or reciprocation. That whichattracts the public attention are the

philanthropic acts of the more evolvedones whose matured and prolific cre-ativeness enables them to endow foun-dations and scholarships to furtherscientific and medical research, and tofurther the creative arts.

Thus, the many advantages that areenjoyed by all, and mostly taken for

granted, are either wrought directly orare the indirect influence of the hu-manists practical faith in the humanvalue as an integral denominator. Infact, the culmination of all their effortsto preserve and raise that value is theperpetual inspiration to rebuild a bet-ter world following every catastrophestarted by misbehavior through greedyambition. And the continued upwardspiral into the profundity of compas-sionate concern for spiritual, physical,and economic betterment is definitelydue to the everraising of the personal

ambition into the heights of impersonaland gratuitous service.

When compassionate warmth of theheart is given dominance over the coldcalculating aloofness of the intellect,the Divinity that is imprisoned byselfish individualism is released to re-sume its natural spiritual interactionwith the One soul which is attemptingexpression through all of humanity. Inthat osmosis, personal life is infinitelyenriched with renewed creativity anda profound sense of belonging within

all life. Then, ambition fulfills its truepurpose in being made to serve as thematerial token of the golden brother-hood tha t exists in all hearts. Hu-manism endeavors to affect a swifterconsummation of that happy state. Inview of its lifegiving and constructivepropensities, humanism stands confi-dently as the positive and respectable

procedure in the achievement of unityand peace.

Photog raphing radiations

Is the invisible world a frame-work upon which the physical oneis built?

Facts long known to mysticsare now being scientifically re-vealed.

(See page 342)

Are we what we eat?

Do you know that arthritis isalmost nonexistent in China? that

persons can make themselves sus-ceptible to polio? that starch picksup poison gases?

(See page 346)


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Selfish InterestsBy D r . H. S p e n c e r L e w i s , F. R. C.

(From Rosicrucian Diges t, October 1933)


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

pu bl ishing each m on th one of his ou ts tand ing ar tic les, so th a t his though ts wo uld continue

to reside within the pages of this publication.

h e question often arises inthe mind of the seekerfor spiritual unfoldmentas to how far he may goin urging or promotinghis own personal evolu-tion and developmentwithout transgression ofwhat seems to be the un-

written law about selfish interest.After all, one must carefully give

consideration to a clear analysis of

what constitutes selfish interests. If westop to think of the very opposite ofselfish interest, we will have whatmight be termed a condition of selfless-ness. Is such a condition at all possibleand would it be of any value to us?Those who claim that the true attitudeof the mystic and of the humanitarianshould be a total lack of personal in-terest or selfish benefits would seem tohave in mind a vague and rather im-

possible condition of selfannihilationas the proper mental attitude to be as-sumed. Such persons contend that ourevery thought and desire, our every act,

should be impersonal and should ex-tend beyond the self or ego and findaction and reaction wholly in the fieldsexternal to ourselves and in no wayrelated to our own personal interests.This would contemplate a condition ofselfannihilation to the extent that we

would look upon the world and itsproblems as though we were not onlyseparate from them but actually non-existent. We would have to take anassumed attitude of suspended existenceand consider ourselves as either inferioror superior to the very conditions weare trying to improve, and unassociatedin any way with the human problemswhich face all mankind and which wehope to eliminate.

If we look upon the foreign mission-

ary as an example, for instance, of de-votion to the interests of others, wewould have to say, according to thosewho hold to the above ideas, that themissionary should assume that all ofthe problems which face the ones he ishelping do not or cannot affect him andthat all of the problems which he has

believed were his own are no longer inexistence because he as an entity doesnot exist.

Such a viewpoint on the part of themissionary would undoubtedly affectthe efficiency of the work he is tryingto do and would handicap him in his

ability to attune himself with the needsof those whom he is trying to help.Cannot the same be true regarding themystic in his general studies and ac-tivities? Those who have devoted thegreater part of their lives to the welfareof humanity have discovered that the


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first and most important step in theirefficient work has been to attune them-selves sympathetically with the massof civilization and to place themselvesin the very center of all the problemswhich face humanity. They must take

the spiritual and philosophical attitudethat, except for the grace of God, theythemselves would be in the same posi-tion as those they are trying to help.The mystic is always brought closer tomankind by following the precepts ofthe philosopher who looked upon aworn and neglected specimen of hu-manity, ostracized by all and beaten bythe conditions around him, and said tohimself, Except for the grace of Godtha t is I! Such an idea is the safestguide for the life of a mystic in anyof his activities, and it eliminates any

tendency on the part of one to becomepossessed of a superiority complex or asense of superior being.

It is not necessary to lower onesreal self to a humiliating position inorder to assist humanity, for all of hu-manity is not in a humiliating position,nor is all of it in poverty, want, andprivation. Those who are in possessionof the worlds richest bounties and areconsidered wealthy and fortunatelyplaced, likewise have their problemsand their need for light, guidance, andhelp. The mystic in order to help mustbe able to attune himself with themand see life from their viewpoint aswell as from the viewpoint of the mosthumble and the most lowly. But, afterall, the salvation of the race or of aworld of people is not a mass accom-plishment but a procedure that is de-pendent upon the exemplification ofprinciples by the individuals composingthe mass. Reform of any nature mustbegin with the individual and proceedto the mass. Each person must be con-sidered as a human being, not neces-sarily wholly independent of all otherhuman beings but most certainly dis-tinguished from the collective body.

Personal Advancement

Our own position here on earth, in-carnate in a physical body, is a demon-stration or, shall we say, a salutaryindication of the Cosmic plan evolvinghuman beings through personal experi-ence and trials. As the fire burns inthe crucible of the individual soul and

purifies the outer physical self, thespiritual flame and Cosmic guidanceare fanned into a dominating power inthe individual. To ignore our own in-carnation here and our personal devel-opment and progress merely for the

sake of helping others is to ignore theCosmic scheme intended for each in-dividual including ourselves. We haveno more right to ignore what the Cos-mic intended us to do for ourselves inthis incarnation than we have to ig-nore what the Cosmic intended forevery other human being. The momentwe set aside our own development, ourprogress, and our own interests, andgive thought only to others, we areattempting to arbitrarily alter the Cos-mic scheme. We may see the fallacyinstantly in this method if we assume

that what is right for ourselves is rightfor every other human being. Thatwould mean that every human beingwould set aside his own personal prog-ress and even attempt to hold it backin his desire to help others. This wouldlead to confusion so far as progress isconcerned and the mass of human be-ings would find a very definite delayin spiritual and mental progress.

The truly ideal standard is that inwhich the individual makes every effortto promote his own best interests andto bring his own evolution to the high-est degree in every sense. He shouldseek, first of all, to further his spiritualdevelopment to the broadest possiblecomprehension of universal principles.Then he should proceed to lift up hisown physical ana worldly situation toa degree that is compatible with thespiritual one. If he has risen to greatheights in a spiritual sense, he shouldalso seek to raise himself in a worldlyway to the greatest possible heights. Atthe same time, however, he shouldhave in mind the needs of fellow beingsand seek to give each of them not onlythe same opportunity to rise to greatheights but should contribute in eveiyway possible to the progress of allothers.

Looking at it from the purely eco-nomical and social point of view, the

treat problem that faces the world toay is not that there are insufficientnumbers of human beings devoted tohumanitarian activities, or an insuffi-cient number of unselfish workers de-


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voting their lives and thoughts andpowers to the helping of others, butthat there is a great insufficiency ofthose who are attempting to promotetheir own best interests in the propermanner and to the highest degree. Wehave in a general sense sufficient hu-

manitarian and goodwill organizations,including schools, colleges, charity or-ganizations, brotherhoods, individualworkers, and other methods for thegeneral help of individuals, but thegreat lack is to be found in the inabili-ty of the individual to help himself or

perhaps in the lack of a desire to helphimself.

One needs only to travel, for in-stance, through some of the foreigncountries, such as in the natives sec-tions of Egypt, Palestine, Persia, India,as well as in the slum districts of

Europe and America, to see the greatneed there is for that ambition, thatpersonal interest, that dominating de-sire on the part of each individual tolift himself up. The indifference to per-sonal interest, to personal possibilities,and to the effect of this upon the massof humanity is the great problem. Ineach of these deplorable places wherea section of the mass of humanity hasallowed itself to slide downhill in allworldly progress and where one indi-vidual has suddenly taken it upon him-self to promote his own best interestsand lift himself to the highest worldly

and spiritual standing, a great numberhave been influenced by his example.A younger race has tried to exemplifywhat he has done, and he is held forthby parents and others as a model ofwhat may be done. The wholesomeeffect of such selfish promotion of per-sonal interests is a matter that must bereckoned with because of its effects.

Wherever we see one individual pro-moting his best interest and lifting him-self above the situations in which hewas bom, and doing this without be-coming a parasite upon humanity and

without injuring others, we may seean excellent example of good influence.When such a person is not wholly in-different to the rights of others and isnot miserly in his personal ambitions,he cannot escape the blessing that hewill inevitably bring to those aroimdhim. When he is inclined to promotehis interests and at the same time share

some of them with others, we have theideal example of humanitarian action.

It behooves every individual to makethe utmost of his life. He need not bewholly selfish nor should he be whollyselfless in his viewpoint of his desiresand ambitions. But he must in fairnessto the Cosmic plan and to the generalscheme of tilings make the best of eachopportunity to promote himself and torise to the highest worldly as well asspiritual powers. He may be a chosenchannel for the distribution of wealthafter he has acquired it, and until heacquires it through personal ambition,he cannot serve in the Masters vine-yard in the manner in which the Cos-mic has decreed. It may be tha t hisown personal advancement is desiredby the Cosmic in order to stimulate thesame ambition in the hearts and minds

of hundreds or thousands of others.The life of every successful business-man is a standard of possibility for theyouth of every land. The attainmentof happiness, contentment, and peaceis a glorious demonstration to thou-sands. The ability to meet the obstaclesof life and overcome them with the ma-terial things which one has rightfullyattained is another excellent examplethat will help to fire the thoughts andactions of many others. We cannot

bring complete happiness into our ownlives without its flowing over the brimto bring happiness to others. We can-

not possess great wealth without yield-ing to the temptation to spend it; inspending it we begin to share it withothers, and even the act of spendingis an encouragement to those who havesuffered for the lack of inspiration.

Again it resolves itself into the ele-ment of motive. If our motive in seek-ing personal development is purelyselfaggrandizement at the cost of hap-piness, peace, and the advancement ofothers, we shall be checked in our ca-reer sooner or later and find that we

have created Karmic debts instead ofCosmic blessings. But if our motive isreasonable and not lacking in consid-eration of our obligations to the Cosmicand to all mankind, we will find thateach and every personal ambition anddesire is considered by the Cosmic andstrengthened and fortified by it.


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SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER ROSICRUCIAN RALLIESRosicrucian Rallies will be held in the following cities on the dates indicated. The

prog ra m of even ts w ill vary in ea ch city bu t w ill in clud e fe at ur es of in te re st to al lRosicrucians. W e urge mem bers to attend at least one of these rallies during the nexttwo months.

AUSTRALIA, Sydney: The Sydney Chapter will hold its rally in the I.O.O.F. Hall,100 Clarence St., Sydney, on October 29 and 30. Fo r furth er inform ationwrite to the Chapter Secretary, Ross Dunnage, Box 202, Haymarket, Sydney.

CALIFORNIA, Los Angeles: The Southern California Rally, sponsored by HermesLodge, 148 N. Gra me rcy Place, Phone: HOllywood 51230. Pa rticip atingLodges and Chapters are Abdiel Lodge, Long Beach; Akhnaton Lodge, Pasa-dena; San Diego Chapter, W hittier Chapter, and the Van N uys Chapter.Featured guests will be Grand Master Rodman R. Clayson, Soror H. SpencerLewis, and Fra ter Joel Disher. Banquet and entertainm ent. Date: October8 and 9at Sunset Masonic Temple, 1308 Orchard Ave., Los Angeles.

CANADA, Vancouver, B.C.: The Vancouver Lodge will sponsor a rally from Septem-be r 16 to 18 at th e Lodge quar te rs at 805 W . 23 rd Ave., Vancouver. F ra te rHa rvey Miles, Grand S ecretary, will be the principal speaker. For details,write the rally chairman, A. M. MacLean, in care of the Lodge address givenabove.

Toronto, Ont.: The Eastern Canadian Rally, sponsored by Toronto Lodge,is scheduled for September 24 and 25 in the Crystal Ballroom, King Edward

Hotel, 37 King Street East. Details ma y be obtained from the ra lly ch airman,K. V. Harrold, Toronto Lodge, AMORC, 2249 Yonge St., Toronto.

COLORADO, Denver: The Rocky Mountain Chapter will hold its rally October 14 to16 in the C hapter rooms at 1512 Gaylord St., Denver. For details write tothe rally chairman, Desmond H. Beech, Apt. 3, 1412 E. 10th Ave., Denver 18.

MASSACHUSETTS, Boston: The Johannes Kelpius Lodge of Boston will hold itsSixth Annual Rally on October 2, at the Hotel Brunswick, Room 239, Boston.Direct inquiries to the rally chairman, Clara A. Bromley, 262 Newbury St.,Boston 16.

MEXICO, Mexico City: The Quetzalcoatl Lodge of Mexico City will hold its rally onSeptember 22 to 25 at Calle de Colombia 24. Th e Im perator w ill be thefeatured speaker. Address any questions to Julio Klug Gimenez, N. S an Juan225, Col. N arva rte, Mexico, D. F.

MICHIGAN, Detroit: The Eleventh Annual Great Lakes Rally, sponsored by ThebesLodge, AMORC, will be held at 616 W. Hancock Ave., Detroit, on October14, 15, and 16. Fr ate r James R. Whitcomb, Grand T reasurer, w ill be thefeatured speaker. Th e First, Fourth, and Ninth D egree Initiations will be

conferred. For details write to Ramon J. Quinton, Ra lly Secretary, 2749 Elm-hurst Ave., Apt. 301, Detroit 6.

N EW YORK, New York: New Yo rk City Lodge, 250 W . 57 th St., ha s schedu led its15th annual ra lly for October 8 and 9. In addition to demonstrations, ad-dresses, and experiments, the Ninth Degree Initiation will be conferred onOctober 9 at 10:45 a.m. The fe atured speaker will be Frat er James R. W hit-comb, Grand Treasurer.

N EW ZEA LA ND, Auc klan d: T he New Zea la nd Ral ly , spo nso red by th e Auc klan dChapter, will be held on November 5 and 6 at the National Party Centre,Queen St., Auckland. For more information, w rite to William J. Beech, 6Francis St., Westmere, Auckland W. 2.

OHIO, Dayton: The Tristate Rally, sponsored by the Elbert Hubbard Chapter ofDayton, will be held at 15 S. Jefferson St., Dayton, on October 21 to 23. TheGrand Treasurer, Frater James R. Whitcomb, and the Regional Grand Coun-cilor, Dr. Gisbert L. Bossard, will be the principal speakers. For fu rthe r in-formation write to the rally chairman, Fred E. Titsch, Jr., 1911 Grand Ave.,Dayton.

PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia: The Benjamin Franklin Lodge of Philadelphia willhold its rally on October 29 and 30 in its Lodge Temple at 1303 West GirardAve., Philadelphia. Grand C ouncilor Joseph W eed will be the principal speak-er, and the Eighth Degree Initiation will be conferred at 10 a.m., October 30.For details, contact the rally chairman, Wilma H. Baird, 1824 72nd Ave.,Philadelphia 26.

PUERTO RICO, San Juan: The Luz de AMORC Chapter of San Juan will sponsor arally on October 7, 8, and 9 at Templo de la Gran Logia Masonica, AvenidaPonce de Leon, Parada 25, Santurce, Puerto Rico. The Imp erator will be thefeatu red speaker. Fo r details contact M anu el Sam payo Casalduc, P. O. Box8716, Fdez. Juncos Sta., Santurce.

(The names of the local officials in charge of rallies are given for your convenience.However, advance reservations are not needed to attend rallies. Active members mayfeel free to attend whether or not they write in advance.)


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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 the

Rosicrucian 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 a re set aside when ma ny thousandsof minds are attuned with the Cathedral of the Soul, and others attuning withthe Cathedral at the tim e 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 mem bers. Th e book called Liber 777 describes the periodsfor various contacts with the Cath edral. 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 three cents in postagestamps. (Please state whether me mber or not this is important.)

RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENTBy C e c i l A. P o o l e , Supreme Secretary


r a t i t u d e is one of thesimple virtues which,like many other simplethings in life, is easilyoverlooked. Grat i tudeshould be considered asa return of a kindness toits source. Nature func

_______tions lib era lly. Thegrowth of vegetation evidences the re-turn of life and strength to the foliage

of the trees and the plants from whichthey originally came. The individualwho is grateful is cheerfully acknowl-edging the obligations that he has as-sumed in being able to partake of the

benefits of the earth or of the efforts ofother individuals. A good man acknowl-edges such obligation and is cheerfulin his acknowledgment. He is not afraid

to look upon his benefactor with properesteem and consideration. If it is nowithin his power to return a kindnessthen he finds certain inspiration inremembering the kindness throughouhis life and using it as an inspirationfor the benefit of himself and others.

There are individuals who feel thatgratitude belittles them. They feethat it means giving up something ofthemselves to acknowledge their owing

a debt. This point of view is selfishsince the existence of which we are apart on this earth is to some extent acooperative existence. We depend uponthe fruits of the earth for our sustenance and to a lesser degree we dependupon the activities of other men forour growth and our development. To

be grateful for all that we may have


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is not a sign of weakness; in fact, thosewho live in constant acknowledgmentof every benefit received from some-one elses efforts are the happiest be-cause they recognize that everyone iscontributing to the benefit, happiness,

and contentment of all others.The recognition of such benefits, to-

gether with the recognition of theachievements of others, is frequentlyslow upon the part of human society.Many great men and women have con-tributed much to the welfare of others,and many have gone to their graveswithout realizing that their achieve-ments had been appreciated or evenrecognized as being what they were. Itis unfortunate in some respects that somany individuals should not have theirworth and value recognized until it isof the past. Much of the worlds greatliterature, for example, was not con-sidered to have the value that it hastoday during the lifetime of the indi-vidual who wrote it. Many plays, forexample, that we now look upon asclassics were either not recognized ashaving significance or were even se-verely criticized in their time. Almostevery year we observe the birthday orrecognize the work of someone wholived long ago, and we give far moreattention ana consideration to the in-dividual and his accomplishments thanhe received during his lifetime.

During the current year a numberof publications have given notice of the100th anniversary of the publishing ofthe book of poems called Leaves ofGrass by Walt Whitman. At the timethese poems were published they

brought more criticism than praise andall through the life of Whitman therewas more criticism than recognition,but now we consider these writings asbeing great literature. They are rec-ognized as having a message, as having

been inspired, and as expressing, in

many cases, the feelings of many men.Today there are others living whose

achievements may go unrecognizedduring their lifetimes. A hundred yearsfrom now various works we now lookupon as being mediocre or of little

value may be seen in their true value.If we as human beings are gaining inintelligence and experience, if our civ-ilization in which we have certainpride is actually in advancement overprevious civilizations, then let eachmember of the society that composesthis civilization begin to take some timeto look about him and attempt to rec-ognize those things that are being ac-complished and that will endure. Thesethings may be less spectacular than theevents that reach the front pages ofour newspapers. Many men and wo-men today work to benefit all humani-ty and their work unfortunately maygo unrecognized and unrewarded dur-ing their lifetime.

If every individual would merelydevelop the habit of expressing grati-tude, much of this oversight could becorrected. To develop in our individuallives the habit of being thankful, ofexpressing thanks for even small favors,of acknowledging the obligations whichbring some value to us, and of livinga life expressive of gratitude, will helpus to recognize the abilities and theaccomplishments of those who for hav-ing lived may make life better for usor for those who will follow. Gratitudeshould stand high among the virtues.It should be one that is not necessarilya continual oral expression of thanksor the giving of praise in words, but aliving acknowledgment of our drawingupon the accomplishments and achieve-ments of others. We should feel freeand always willing to acknowledgethose things which come to us andwhich as a result benefit every

individual.

V A V

Only he who is ready at every moment to lose his soul, that is, to renouncethe whole of what he was or is; only he who never contends with others for whathe is, but only with himself for what he can become in timethis man only ison the way to progress.

Co u n t He r m a n n A l e x a n d e r Ke y s e r l in g , modern philosopher


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Photographing RadiationsBy L a n g s t o n D a y

Reprinted from the June 1954 issue of Chambers's Journal, Edinburgh, Scotland.

n entirely new kind ofphotography develo pedby a team of scientists

working in the DelawarrLaboratories, Oxford, isopening a new chapterin scientific progress. Notonly is it throwing lighton some of the unsolved

riddles of physics and biology, but it islikely to be used also in many mattersof practical life, such as the analysingof foodstuffs and watersupplies, medi-cal diagnosis, crime detection, pros-

pecting for m eta ls and minerals,horticulture, veterinary work, and war-fare. The cameras which are used

photograph radiations, and they de-pend not on direct or reflected light buton modulated cosmic energy.

Science is familiar with electricaland radio waves, Xrays, Millikan rays,and other vibrations which fit into theelectromagnetic spectrum. It is nowapparent, however, that there are otherforms of radiation and wave combina-tions, and that, in fact, everything inthe Universe from an electron to agalaxy emits its own signaturetune ofradiation. We know, of course, thatradioactive substances emit vibrations;

now it has been discovered that livingcells and cellgroups can do the same.It is perhaps more difficult to accept thefact that inert substances radiate waves.Yet more than fifty years ago paperswere read to the Royal Society in Lon-don showing that radiations frommetals and woods affected a photographicplate.

It has now been discovered that theinternal pattern of any object is relatedto its energy patternthat is, to th

picture which its radiations etch inspace. If we take an atom of hydrogenin which a single electron revolveround a single proton nucleus, thimovement produces a simple rhythmicradiation which is emitted by the atomA uranium atom, which has 92 electronorbits, naturally produces a more com

plex radiation. So, too, if we combinvarious atoms into molecules we shalfind that the waves or vibrations emitted combine into still more complexforms, which are similar in shape tothe radiating body.

The Invisible World E merges

This process continues up the scalinto the organic world of living creatures. Here there is such a complexitof vibrations that they build up intdefinite patterns, or force fields ascientists call them. These energy patterns cannot, of course, be seen by thnaked eye, but the new process ophotography is able to record themRadiation photography is a most im

portant discovery, for it brings to lighan invisible world which appears to b

the framework on which our physicaworld is built.In ordinary photography a camer

is focused in space so that it gives clear image of an object. But in radation photography the patterns havfirst to be brought to life by a speciaprocess of tuning, somewhat similar ttha t used in tuning a radioset. No


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only can these strange cameras be fo-cused in space, they can be focused inanother dimension, which is concernedwith levels of organization. They can,for example, take photos of the radi-ations of atoms, or of living cells, or of

complete living organisms.If photographs are taken on theatomic level the results are very curi-ous. Each kind of atom or aggregationof similar atoms emits a airectional

beam, so that photographs of atomicradiations resemble tiny searchlights.The direction of the beam identifies theatom. The applications of this to chem-ical analysis are obvious. Photographsof spa waters for instance, show at aglance what the water contains. Thehealth value of foodstuffs can be ac-curately gauged, and trace impuritiesare clearly shown by faint directionalrays. By this new photography the

postal authorities could analyse the con-tents of suspected parcels without open-ing them, and Customs officials coulddetect the presence of contraband.

When the camera is tuned to photo-graph radiations on higher levels oforganisation, the results are still moreinteresting. In this case the myriads ofdirectional beams emitted by the atomshave combined like the fine strokes ofan etchers pen to build up recognisableforms and snapes. We are given a peepinto Natures building operations.

Suppose we take a horsechestnut, aconkerif it is alive and healthy itcontains myriads of invisible radiationscorresponding to the whole of its pos-sible future as a chestnuttree. Thecamera can be tuned to record its po-tentiality to form roots, potentiality toform flowers, and so on, and it is pos-sible to obtain actual photos of thefuture roots and flowers. This mayseem an impossibility, unless it is re-membered that we are passing beyond

the frontiers of time and space and thatseeds contain their potentialities forgrowth packed up inside them.

The further we travel out of theworld of time and space towards thecreative source, the nearer we get to acommon origin from which everythingsprings. One of the principal discoveriesmade by this team of scientists is thatall forms of energy known to us arisefrom a basic cosmic energy which iseverywhere and always. The Universe,

in fact, is no dead thing. It is bathedin an illimitable ocean of energy,which even in the remotest interstellarspaces lies ready to be called into being.This cosmic energy is not only thesource of all forms of energy, such as

electricity, heat, light, and so forth, itis also the origin of matter.In his book The Nature of the Uni-

verse, Fred Hoyle says:From time to time people ask where thecreated ma teria l comes from. W ell, it does notcome from anywhere. M aterial simply ap-pearsit is cre ate d. A t one time th e vario usatoms composing the material do not exist andat a later time they do. This ma y seem a verystrange idea, and I agree that it is, but inscience it does not matter how strange an ideamay seem so long as it worksthat is to say,so long as the idea can be expressed in aprecise fo rm and so long as its consequencesare found to be in agreement with observation.

At one moment the atom with itsenormous internal energy does not ex-ist. At another moment it appears fromnowhere, provided that certain condi-tions are fulfilled. Its source is the seaof cosmic energy which lies about us.In the same way energy can be con-

jured up from nowhere artificially ifwe know the secret. The radiationcamera works on this principle. Im-measurable prospects of tapping cosmicenergy for other purposes lie in thefutureand, also, a new correlation

between d iffe re n t d ep artm en ts ofscience.

As the years go by, it is becomingvery clear that science is too much inwatertight compartments. Seeminglyinsuperable barriers he between one

branch of knowledge and another. Onesuch barrier divides physiology and

psychology. What is thought? At onetime it was said to be a vibration ofmolecules in the brain. Today thistheory is discredited, but, although agreat deal has been learned about themechanism of the brain, no one is able

to say what thought IS.Discoveries at Oxford have shownthat mental activity and charged par-ticles spring from a common source,which may be called universal mind.This is really cosmic energy in anotheraspect. It is not only the mother ofmatter and energy, it is the mother ofintelligence. The strange, almost magi-cal manner in which the l ivingelements in Nature seem to build them-selves into embryos finds an explana-


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tion. What we observe in biologicalprocesses is universal mind flowing intoour visible world of matter.

Some of the instruments in use inthe Delawarr Laboratories depend fortheir functioning on the controlledthought of the operator. This notionis not so incredible when we under-stand the circumstances, for the workat Oxford has crossed the boundaryline between the mental and the ma-terial worlds. From the evidential pointof view what clinches the matter is thesuccess of these researchworkers in

photographing thoughtforms. In onetest experiment, employing a specialarrangement of apparatus no longer inuse, a scientist held in his mind thevisual image of a halfopened penknife.A number of exposures were then madeafter the apparatus had been tuned.The results varied in clarity, as mighthave been expected when the subjectwas a fluctuating image in a mansmind, but several of the photos wereexcellent.

Discoveries

It has been found that radiations ofall kinds obey a law of harmonics,which is familiar to us in music. Evi-dently this is one of the basic laws ofcreation, for it seems to govern every-thing both great and small.

One of the principles which is well

known in music is that of resonancethe principle whereby a vibratory violinstring can shatter a wineglass whichvibrates in harmony with it. It nowappears that resonance occurs not onlywith soundwaves but also with allforms of radiation and that it playsa fundamental role in Nature. Byresonance all growing things derivetheir vital energy from prime sources,with the aid of the sun.

It has also been discovered and veri-fied by radiation photography that therotational position in which a plantgrows from its seed is the exact posi-tion in which this resonance is great-est. If you dig up a plant and bed itout, the result is usually a feeblergrowth tlian tha t which would be foundif the plant were left to grow undis-turbed. However, as gardeners know,there are exceptions. These exceptionsoccur when the plant happens to be

2 .u e 4 ti< M &

The questions in this column are two ofmany submitted by readers. They have beenchosen as of sufficient general interest towarrant inclusion here.

Question: Is it true that a strange race oncelived in the Gobi Desert?

Answer: The Desert of Gobi, as a whole, isonly imperfe ctly known. Archaeologistshave discovered there that which could bethe remains of a civilization. Science is asyet very skeptical of such a conclusion. Oc-cultists say the Gobi Desert was once partof the ancient continent of Atlantis.

In ancient times a great overland com-merce developed a caravan route in theDesert of Gobi. These travelers heard of agreat Temple of the Sun, which once ex-isted there. Around no other locality hang somany traditions as that of the Gobi Desert.It was once, according to mystical tradition,

the seat of one of the richest empires theworld has ever seen.

Question: Are the suns rays comingthrough ordinary glass beneficial?

Answer: The method of applying sunlightfor therapeutic purposes is founded on thefollowing properties of sunlight:

1The bacter ic idal proper ty of thechemical rays of light.

2The power of the chemical rays oflight to produce an inflammation ofthe skin (sunburn, erythema solare).

3The power of the chemical rays oflight to penetrate the skin.

Unfortunately, ordinary window glass isalmost entirely opaque to the solar radi-ation (average wavelength of 3000) that isgermicidal. Consequently, sunlight after it

passes th ro ugh glass has lost most of itsability to kill germs.


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bedded out in its original rotationalposition. It is believed that people withgreen fingers have an instinctive giftfor rotating plants into their best posi-tions for growth.

It appears that resonance occurs be-

tween the whole of an organism and adetached part of itfor instance, be-tween a plant and its tomoff leaf, orbetween a man and a specimen of hisblood. Thus it is possible to tune in toa person by means of his bloodspot,and, moreover, distance is no bar. Bymeans of such methods, radiationphotographs have been taken of distant

subjects clearly showing the existenceof pregnancy in women, of specific dis-eases in various organs, and even ofpredisposition to a disease.

The new science of radiation pho-tography, although in its earliest in-

fancy, seems to hold out prospects morein keeping with a Wellsian novel thanwith sober reality. No doubt it willtake many years before its possibilitiesare fully known, but in the process ofits development we shall perhaps dis-cover more about the nature of realitythan we have yet discovered in thelaboratory.

GRAND COUNCILORS OF A. M. O. R. C.Officers elected to serve as councilors of the Grand Lodge may be contacted, in their

respective territories, concerning the welfare of the O rder. M atters pertainin g to theteachings, however, should be directed to the Gran d Lodge in San Jose, California. i

At the 1955 convention, the following men were elected to the Grand Council ofthe Order, for the term ending with the annua l convention of 1956: I

NORTH A TLANTIC ST ATE S Jo se ph Weed579 Fifth Avenue ,New York 17, New York i

SOUTH A TL AN TIC STATES W illiam V. W hittington4700 Connecticut Avenue, N.W . 1Washington, D. C.

SOUTHWESTERN STATES Camp Ezell iP. 0. Box 366, Beeville, Tex as i

N EW ENGLAND ST ATE S Robert Wentworth132 Russell StreetWest Peabody, Massachusetts ,

GREAT LAKES AREA H arry L. Gubbins I6212 Westwood Aven ue 1Detroit 28, Mich igan 1

I M IDW ESTERN STATES Dr. Gisbert L. Bossard (21350 Lora in Road |Fairview Park 26, Ohio i

PACIFIC NORTHWEST STATES J. Leslie W illiams 13282 West 27th AvenueVancouver, B. C. Canada

L AT IN AM E RICAN COUNTRIE S Carlo s Nu ne z A . iMo ras No. 543 iMex ico 12, D. F. i

CENTRAL CANADA Ronald Scarth155 Ly le Street (St. James, Manitoba, Canada

EASTERN CANADA Harold P. Stevens 1

P.O. Box 133Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

SUPREME TEMPLE CONVOCATIONSThe regular weekly Lodge Convocations will be resumed in the Supreme Temple

on Tuesda y, September 20. Convocations w ill begin prom ptly at 8:00 p.m. Activemembers living in the San Jose area or any visiting members are welcome to attendthese Convocations. In a ddition to the ritualis tic work presented a t these Convocations,a discourse will be presented by an officer or a member of the staff.


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d sX E a L (3 / x a . i n t L . . .

O k six scLaL (KzaxcLctzxiitLai,By D r . R o y a l Le e

WHEATPossibly thereason wheat has be-come so popular isthat its protein is bestfor bread making; oth-er cereals refuse tomake a light loaf astheir protein has notthe proper texture toform gas bubbles. More-over, wheat will notgrow on soil low in

phosphorus, so all wheathas a fairly high con-tent of this mineral.(The calcium that must

be combined with phos-phorus to calcify bonemay be obtained fromhard watercattle can-not be profitably pro-duced except on landunderlaid with limestone to supply thehard water.)

This is a characteristic common toall cereals. They supply only one ofthe two important bone minerals. Un-less the other mineral element is avail-able from other sources, cereal foodsfail to properly support bone growth.In general, the grasses and leaves ofanimal feeds help in supplying the cal-cium and other alkaline elements tocomplete the nutritional pattern. Theash of cereals, like the ash of the meatfoods, is acid and must be balanced bythe alkaline ash of leaf and root vege-tables. Hogs and chickens are fedalfalfa leaf meal for the purpose ofneutralizing the acid ash of the cerealfoods.

Milk is neutral, and cannot correctunbalances.RICEMore people live on rice than

The on wheat The protein of rice has theRosicrucian biological value of all vegetable

source proteins with the possible excepLJtgest tion of potato protein. The OrientalSeptember riceeating people are able to maintain1955 a high standard of health on brown

rice and a little meator fish as a protein sup-plement. Heart diseasearthritis and high bloodp ressu re a re alm ostnonexistent in China.RYE Rye, as distinguished from wheatwill grow on any soilIf a farmer has a sandyfield that will not growanything else, he plantsit in rye. He will get agood crop if it rainsbu t the grain will bealmost devoid of minerals and vitamins. Ifrye is grown on thesame soil as wheat, iis a better food thanthe wheat. Animal testshave shown that rye

develops muscle, while wheat promotesfat formation. This characteristic orye is shown up in the feats of ryeeating athletes. Finnish competitorswalk away at the Olympic Games withten times their normal snare of trophieswhere endurance is the test. In Reader's Digest of September, 1952, is theaccount of a 66yearold bicycle riderwho won a 1000 mile race over 50young contestants, in Sweden. Hismain item of diet seems to have beenrye bread.

The Finns five on rye bread, fishand fruit. Alfred McCann in his book(1926) The Science of Keeping Younghad a chapter on the Finns callingthem the superman race, the onlymodern nation getting a rational diet.BARLEYBarley, because of its adhering husk that must be pearled ofto make it acceptable in the culinaryarts, has not had the recognition itsmerits demand. Barley water has beena household remedy for many years forthe ills of the teething baby and formany other disorders. It seems to allayany irritation due to a lack of available


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calcium. This includes not only thetroubles of the teething baby but aller-gies in general, and low resistance toinfection, gastritis, stomach ulcers andcolitis, nervous states, even insomnia.

Beer is barley water, plus the barley

carbohydrates, rendered soluble by themalt enzymes. These sugars offset theossible benefits of the barley extract,eer drinkers seemingly being almost

as susceptible to polio as the softdrinkuser. Sugar in any form in excesscauses the periodic betweenmeal re-lease of free phosphate radical (fromphosphagen turnover) which destroysvital blood bicarbonate of calcium, ourdefender against viruses. Potassium bi-carbonate and inositol are two factorsthat combat this calcium bicarbonatedeficiency. It is probable that no virus

could harm us unless we first prepareda welcome for it by permitting thistemporary loss of blood calcium bicar-bonate. (Calcium lactate or gluconatecan form the bicarbonate after inges-tion. Bone calcium, the phosphate,cannot.)

Our normal source of calcium bicar-bonate is in hard water. The city ofDes Moines, Iowa, had one of the low-est rates of incidence of polio. Afterthe installation of water softeningequipment at the city water works, the

polio incidence went almost to the op-

posite extreme. Many physicians havediscovered the shortcomings of softenedwater by noting that soft water drink-ers have a reduced state of vitality.OATSOats should rank next to ryeas a muscle builderlook at the horse.Or the traditionally lean Scotchman.By the way, oats grown in the silt val-leys of Scotland sell (in Scotland) fortwice the price of English oats, we areinformed, because of the superior flavor.No doubt again, the effect of good soil,as in the case of rye.

The protein content of oats is rela-tively highoatmeal usually running15 %. (The national average for wheatis 9%, the best Deaf Smith Countywheat being 16 to 17%.)

The best oatmeal to buy is steelcutmeal at a health food store. The pack-aged cereals are all treated with bugpoisons, the flavor alone shows theirinferiority.

The general practice of fumigatinggrains to kill bugs is very unfortunate.

It is almost impossible to get unfumi-gated grains today unless you buy di-rect from the grower and store it your-self. These fumigating gases are poison,and are adsorbed by the grain. (Lookup the technique of Chromatographic

Adsorption in analysis if you thinkthere is any doubt of the possibility ofthis contamination.) (Starch is one ofthe best of all chemicals to pick upthese poison gases.)

Rolled oats is a poor cereal. Its pre-vious moistening and cooking destroysmuch of its vitamin value, and dam-ages the protein. If you buy rolled oatsin a feed store where they sell animalfeeds, you will get a better grade. Thegrocery store kind could not be usedas animal feedchickens will die iffed precooked grains. Feed stores get

Documents

Rosicrucian Digest, September 1955