The material in this book, first published in 1990, provides important documentation for the first generation of Rosicrucianism in North America, especially the still vigorous Rosicrucian Fraternity. These chapters reprinted here are so necessary to the understanding of this most occult organization, and are otherwise difficult to locate and read.
An in-depth history of Rosicrucianism, its key members, and their roles in the formation and settling of America • Explores Sir Francis Bacon and Dr. John Dee’s deep influence on England’s colonization of America as well as the Rosicrucian influence on the Founding Fathers and on cities such as Philadelphia and Williamsburg • Explains how Bacon was the author of many anonymous Rosicrucian texts and how he envisioned America as the “New Atlantis” • Reveals the connections of the Order of the Rosy Cross to the Knights of the Golden Circle and to the Georgia Guidestones Dr. John Dee and his polymath protégé Sir Francis Bacon were the most influential men in the court of Queen Elizabeth I, part of an elite group with invisible control throughout Europe. And, as Steven Sora reveals, not only were they key members of the Rosicrucians, they were the driving force behind England’s colonization of the New World and the eventual establishment of the United States. From Avalon in Newfoundland to New England to Pennsylvania and Virginia, Sora shows how Bacon and Dee’s Rosicrucian impact is felt throughout North America. He details Bacon’s possible authorship of the anonymous Rosicrucian texts of the early 1600s, his connections with Sir Walter Raleigh’s School of Night, and the origins of Rosicrucianism in Bacon’s Order of the Helmet. He explains how Bacon envisioned America as the New Atlantis, a utopia where liberty and freedom of learning prevailed--a key tenet of the “Invisible College” of the Rosicrucian Order--and how Dee convinced the Queen that England had rightful claims in the New World by drawing on legends of both King Arthur and Welsh Prince Madoc voyaging West to America. Sora looks at Rosicrucian influences on the Founding Fathers and earliest settlers of America, such as Washington, Franklin, and William Penn of Pennsylvania, on the American Revolution, and on American colonies, such as the Williamsburg colony. He details how Penn invited Rosicrucians to Philadelphia and how the city’s layout follows esoteric principles, including a direct reference to Bacon’s New Atlantis. Moving into the 1800s and beyond, he reveals how a handful of Rosicrucians served as the Inner Sanctum of the Knights of the Golden Circle and how Rosicrucians are behind the Georgia Guidestones, carved granite monoliths with messages in ancient languages. Providing a thorough and expansive view of Rosicrucianism, its occult origins, and its deep imprint on America, Sora shows how this secret society still continues to exert invisible influence on the modern world.
The first complete historical and philosophical investigation into the “invisible fraternity” of the Rosicrucians • Contains the latest research on the origins of the Rosicrucian movement • Presents the ties between Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and the Templars • Written by a “perfected” Knight of the Rose Croix and the Pelican (18th degree, Ancient and Accepted Rite) For nearly 400 years, incredible myths and stories have been woven around the “invisible” Brothers of the Rose Cross, the Rosicrucians. It is said that they possessed the secret of man and God, that they could turn lead into gold, that they governed Europe in secret, that theirs was the true philosophy of Freemasonry, and that they could save--or destroy--the world. In The Invisible History of the Rosicrucians, Tobias Churton, a “perfected” Knight of the Rose Croix and the Pelican (18th degree, Ancient and Accepted Rite), presents the first definitive historical and philosophical view of this mysterious brotherhood. Starting at its beginnings in Germany in 1603, Churton unveils the truth behind the complex story that underlies the Rosicrucian movement. He explains its purpose, the motives of its earliest creators, and the manifestos “accidentally” published in the 17th century that emerged at precisely the time when modern science was emerging. He details the people who influenced its development--including Johannes Kepler, Robert Fludd, and Sir Francis Bacon--and the ties between the Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and Templars. He also shows how Rosicrucianism shaped the mythology and spiritual consciousness of both North and South America and reveals that there are many Rosicrucian fraternities still active throughout the world today.
The Secret Doctrine of the Rosicrucians is one of the many titles attributed to William Walker Atkinson writing under a pseudonym. The book presents the history and background of the Rosicruscians, a mystical brotherhood which uses Christian symbology to communicate otherworldly ideas and meanings. Atkinson, writing as Magnus Incognito, supplies a guide to the beliefs and teachings of the brotherhood, including how to ascend to higher planes, sexual satisfaction as spiritual enlightenment, and the meaning behind auras. Interestingly, much of the Rosicrucisans is taken verbatim from another Atkinson work The Arcane Teachings.MAGNUS INCOGNITO is an alias and pen name of American writer WILLIAM WALKER ATKINSON (1862-1932). He only used the pseudonym once, obviously wishing to emphasize the writer's anonymity. Atkinson was editor of the popular magazine New Thought from 1901 to 1905, and editor of the journal Advanced Thought from 1916 to 1919. He authored dozens of New Thought books under numerous pseudonyms, including "Yogi," some of which are likely still unknown today.
This is a thorough presentation of the Rosicrucian system of initiation by Dr. Paul Foster Case. He explains that Rosicrucianism is based upon earthly organizations, but on personal unflodment, and clearly describes the distinctive marks of a Rosicrucian. The treatise is divided into two main parts by Dr. Case. The first is a careful examination and interpretation of the principle Rosicrucian maneifestos, the Fama Fraternitatis and the Confessio Fraternitatis. The second part is an explanation of the Rosicrucian grade system, as applied to the diagram of the Tree of Life and tarot attributions. By participating in the outlined procedures, aspirants are put on the right track of preparing themselves for union with the Higher Self, which may or may not include group work with an outer order or fraternity. The first editions of 1927, 1928 and 1933 were of limited publication. The fourth and most complete expansion of the text by Paul Case was finished in 1937, revised by him in 1953 just before his death and published in by Weiser in 1985. It represents the full maturity of his thought on this subject.
His most enduring claim to fame is the crucial role he played in the transformation of spiritualism, a medium's passive reception of messages from the spirits of the dead, into occultism, the active search for personal spiritual realization and inner vision.
The Rosicrucian Trilogy features modern translations of Fama Fraternitatis(1614), Confessio Fraternitatis (1615), and The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz (1616) with 30 original illustrations by Hans Wildermann. Four hundred years ago, the publication of these 3 anonymous documents launched the Rosicrucian movement. The story of Christian Rosenkreuz and his secretive order, as told in the Fama Fraternitatis, had political repercussions that continue to this day, while The Chemical Wedding is a landmark in European fantasy fiction. This present book offers the 3 founding documents in reliable, readable, modern English. Fully annotated and with modern introductions, these new translations explain the historical context, shed light on the beginnings of the Rosicrucian Order, and bring this fascinating material to a wider readership.
Excerpt r, for the awakening of the latent powers in man, so that all may be guided safely through the danger-zone and be as well fitted as possible to use these new faculties. Effort is made to blend the love without which Paul declared a knowledge of all mysteries worthless, with a mystic knowledge rooted and grounded in love, so that the pupils of this school may become living exponents of this blended soul-science of the Western Wisdom School, and gradually educate humanity at large in the virtues necessary to make the possession of higher powers safe. Note: -- Pages 19 to 26 inclusive, describing Mt. Ecclesia, have been transferred to the back of the book. (Transcriber's Note: They are pages 191 through 200.) CHAPTER II. THE PROBLEM OF LIFE AND ITS SOLUTION THE PROBLEM OF LIFE. Among all the vicissitudes of life, which vary in each individual's experience, there is one event which so
This scholarly work traces the mysterious Fraternity of the Rosy Cross, from its inception upon the discovery of Father Christian Rosenkreuz's perfectly preserved body in a seven-sided vault to present-day organizations in America. McIntosh includes a survey of Rosicrucianism in America, exploring the latter day survivals of Bacon's New Atlantis. Perfect for students of the Western Mystery tradition who want an introduction to Rosicrucianism, with good resources for further study.