An Explanation of the Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians

THE HISTORICA!. BACKGROUND AND AM EXPLANATIOM OF THE SECRET SYMBOLS OF THE RQSICRUCIAHS

by Orval Graves, F. R. C. Librarían, Rosicrucian Research Library

Copyright 1942 by The Supreme Granel Lodge of A.H.O.R.C.

Introduction by The 8upreme Secretary of AMORC Symbols have many times contained the key to knotvledge* Throughout historyi man has used symbols to exprese his findings and emotionst These symbole have varied from a crude combination of linee and curves tó the elabórate alphabets of various races of people» We fail to realize that symbolB are not only a thlng of the past— they are a llving evidence of man's existence on earth* ae long ae they survive» The very language in which this discourse is presented—the letters, vorde and sentenees which you now read—are no more than éyrabols used as a médium to convey Information,. These symbols Beem comparatively simple t o a l l who are familiar with the Latin alphabet and the English language* They will eeem very strange , at any fuiure date, to a race which may have lost the key to the meaning of the various lettere and combinations thereof, In other words t the simplicity of symbolism is not inherent within the symbol itBelf, but within the knowledge on the part of the individual of the particular symbolism used. :So it is that as many other groups contain a meaning— a mean^ing which wa.8 •simple to the originator of the symbol, but which needs the key of knowledge on the part of he who examines the symbol iri order to obtain from it the meaning vrhich it was in tended to convey—within theBe symbols we will find the wisdom of the ages, the aocumulated knowledge which the savants of the past recorded for posterity« We are fortúnate to have preserved the symbolism itself in "The Secret Symbols óf the Hosicrucians", and we are fortúnate to have the fuíl discourse which makes it possible for the modern Rosicrucian to study these symbols in the light of his or her Rosicrucian knowledge. The Research, which has brought together this Information, is here pre­ sented and will serve you as the key to teach you the inner meaning of these symbols and open the way for your intuitive abilities to read into the symbol the full meaning placed in it by Its creator. C. A. P. ft # * « * Part I Most Cosmic irevelations and spiritual wisdom come to man in the form of. symbols* From time immemorial the human race has been interested iri BymbolÍ6m* Today anthropologists', philologists, historians, psychologists, and mystical and occult students help to keep, alive this eternal Intereet in Bymbolism, However» it is not symbolism in gen­ eral v i th which this artiole deals, but rathér the great putstanding work on Roeiorucian Bymbolism entitled "Secret Symbols of the RoeicruoianB»" Because of its length, this treatiee on the "Secret Symbols of the RoslcruciansM will be divided into two parts. Part I will disCUBS the first publio appearances of the Rosicrucian symbols, the ■various editions óf the workj and tht textual nvatter will be explained and eummari 2üed« Part II will deal with an explanatíon of the thirty-Bix myBtical symbols themselves»

Page Two Moet Rosicruoians have heard of the "Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians" either through the writings of D r * Franz Hartmann, or through the wrltinge of Dr* H* Spencer Lewis, asdisBeminated through the variouB roedla of the Roaicrucian Order. Its importance cannot be overeetimátedí It is one of the rarest of occult manuscripte in existence today* It I b an extreraely valuable work for Roslcrucíans, and has been glven such ñames as the Roeicruclan instruotlon book, an A-B-C book for raystics and philosophere, and a great phllosophical pillar* It ranks with the Roélcruoian manifeBtoB of the "Fama Fraternltatis,11 the "Confessio Fraternltatis," the "Chemical Nuptials" of Christian Rosenkreuz, and the 11Themls Aurea" of Michael Maier, all of which ehould be read by the roember who has the courage to cali himeelf a true Rosicrucian etudent« TheBe worke are all available in the Rosicrucian Research Library* In hie preface to the AMORG edition of the "Secret SymbolB of the Rosi­ crucian 8, " D r é H* Spencer Lewie elaborates upon the valué of thiB great work tb the bibliography and literature of Rosicrucianism, The help and encouragément which Dr*. Lewie gave to the publieher, which resulted in the first complete translation of the "Secret SymbolB," ranks as óne of the highlights in his work in Rosicrucianism, for this parti­ cular edition of the work is now considered the best reference on the subject of.Rosicrucian symbols in the English language* The text of the forewórd in this book makes reference to the fact> which we have already Btatedj that the "Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians" is extremely valuable} that the textual material is alchemical in naturej that the work itself claims on its title pages to be taken from a more ancient manuscript which was considered of great importance to the Order* An attempt at a bibliographical treatment is glvenj wherein are .mentioned some> but not all, of the editions of the "Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians." At the end of the Bibliography the publi8her has given a list of books which contain important reference b to the "Secret Symbols." All of these references may be found and ueed in the Rosicrucian Research Library* Needlees to say, the other refer­ ences quotéd as source material and research material have been avail­ able to the Research Library at headquarters, either through the vast quantity of íare vxorks, incunabula, out-of-prlnt books, photoetats, manuscripts, etc., plus a number of dther works obtained from the Library of CongreBB and from friends of the Order who had lived abroad* A very famous chemist, Andrea LibaviuB* who lived in Europe from 1560 to 1618, at first ridiculed alohemy and the teachings of Paracelsus* Later he not only becarne an ardent student of Paracelsus > but virote an extreraely valuable Work on alchemy, "Alcheraia," which was published ln 1606, Naturally, his contact with the teachings of Paracelsus acquainted, hini with the literature of the Ros icruc ians* Hie attltude toward the Rosicrucians at firet was the same as it had been.toward alchemy, but later he publlcly admitted the existence of the Ros1erucians, proclaimed hie connection with thern, and lauded them for their wonderful oontributions to mankind. So much vías Libavius a defender of the Ros ic ruó ians that in 1616 the Order released Through him Inv.itations to become members, a list of the advantagee to be gained by Joining, and the promlnent use of the word Doma* This word Doma is the

Page Three Latín vord for house* It had already been used frequently in the "Fama FraternitatiB" as a epecial eecret houee* Arnaud, the pioneer French; Rosicrucian of Charlemagne's time* during hle vlsit to Egypt reputedly became a inember of the 'Houee' of Wiedom at Cairo, Egypt, Thl8 V/ord Doma, with periode after each letter—,D.O.M.A,—has been used on a number,of allegorical and Rosicrucian works; in fact, it ie used many times in our preeent edition of the "Secret Symbole of the RoBicruciane." As initiale theee letters of the Latin word Doma stand for the. four Latín word b i Deus (God), OptiBBimuB (the beet), Maximus (greatéet), AltiesirnuB (highest). The first group of eecret eymbole of the RoBicruciane given to the world hád this word Doma prominent on the title page. The title wae "Fhysica, Metaphyeica'and Hyperphysica," with the initials D.O.M.Á, in Xárge type underneath the firBt three worde. The first time the eecret Bymbols of the Ro8Ícrucian6 were grouped together in this "Phy8icai i-ietaphyeica and Hyperphyeica”manuecript, there wae no textual matter, Áeide from the* title page and five pages of terse proverbial statements, the manusoript wae made up of twenty-two pagee of 8éoret Symbolb . Severa! of theee manuscripta with colored eecret Bymbols wére oirculated among the. officers of the Rosicruciane. Johanries Kelplus, the first Rosicrucian Maater in America, brought a copy óf this work to America with him. It later became the property of Dr. JuliuB F. Sachse. Dr, H, Spencer Lewie posBeesed an oíd, frayed and worn copy of this manuscript. Records of book collector salea in the paet show ub that there was also a copy of this work in Russia, anothér in France, and another in England during the twentiéth century. Fufther prpdf of the Rosicrucian origin of thie first collection of the eecret Bymbols of the Rosicrucians can be found, first, in the manuscript iteélf, where freauent reference ls madé to the brotherhood of the Rosy Cross as ite eource; and eecond, in many referencesto thie work i.n the wrltingB of other Rosicrucians, euch ae Michael Maier, Jacob Boehme, Robert Fludd, Hénry Khunrath, and a large number of alchemiBtB. This manuscript, or collection of Rosicrucian eymbols, was improved from time to time. The first addition to it seems to have been made in a French edltlon» 1775, whlch Ib known in RoBicrucian hlstory as the "French Variant of the Rosicrucian Secret Symbols." From this versión wé have Píate # 3 6 , which was not in the oíd work above referred to. In 1785-88 at Altona» Germany. there was published a limlted Germán edition of the "Secret Symbole, This edition was presented In book form with more Rosicrucian symbolb and the addltion of textual matter concerning alchemy. The title of the work was very long, making poeeibly five linee, It ls therefore known in Rosicrucian history by thé first two words of the title, whlch are "Geheime Figuren," or*, in English, "The Secret Symbols." This le the work whlch translated into Engllsh ls known today as the "Beoret Bymbols of the Roeicruciare." It ls distinctly etated on lts title page that It is oomposed of eecret. Bymbole of the RoBicruoians of the sixteenth and eeventeenth centurles* It wae published anonyinauBly, Further treatment and explanatlon wlll be given later of lts English translation.

Page Four When the "Secret Bymbols of the Rosicrucians" was the subject of a leeture in the Rosicrucian Research Library, December 5, 1941, there wae on exhibit a well preserved and rare oíd copy of this Germán edition. along with five other different edltions. This first edition of the "Secret Symbole" ls one of many rare Rosicrucian works which repose in the archives of AMORC, It eeems that the Germán edition of this Work only turne up about once every hundred yeare. Dr, W, W, Westcott, Rosicrucian acholar in England, possessed a copy; Eliphas Levi, famoue Rosicrucian of France, possessed a copy, and Dr, H, Spencer Lewis posseseed a copy at one time. Thie Germán edition of the "Secret Symbols" was later reprinted in 1919. 'This 1919 facsímile was an exact copy of the oíd original book and has become almoet as valüáble as the one published in 1785-88. Gardner's "Blbliotheca Roslcruciana" describes the "Gehelme Figuren" under his Rosicrucian artlele #257. The famoüs Rosicrucian, Dr. Franz Hartmann, waa very much lntereBted irt Rosicrucian bibliography. He had some sort of strange adventure in Bavaria during whlch he wae led to a copy of the Germán edition of the "Secret. Symbols," whlch we have already referred to as the "Gehelme Figuren" worki Dr* Hartmann praised the work very highly and gave an extremely: interesting descripción of lts use. He later reprinted twerity-five of the thirty-six symbole from the original Altona edition* This Franz Hartmann edition was published at Boston, Massaohusetts, in 1888, by the Occult Publlshing Company. It was a large folio, 16% by 11 lnches, containing forty-five pages of text* Of the textual matter the moet valuable le the flfteen page introduction. Dr. Hartmann has left off the more technlcal part of the varlous alchemical texts, The platee are colored exactly as were those of the Altona edition, or "Gehelme Figuren." The Franz Hartmann edition whlch was on display in the Rosicrucian Research Library was still in good condition, and it was Very notioeable that the material was of excellent quality, particularly the boards of the back, whlch were stiff and heavy*. This work origlnally sold for #6*00 a copy. Today collectors receive as high as f 50.00 and as low as $25.00 a copy, depending upon the condi­ tion, for Franz Hartmann edltions, Dr. Hartmann was aoquainted with Dr, Julius F é Sachse and had examined Sachee's Rosicrucian manuscript, known as the "Physica, Metaphysica and Hyperphysica" manuscript, However, Hartmann1s edition can nowhere approach the Present AMORC edition of the "Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians," whlch was published by tjie Arles Press in 1935* Under the inspiration and guldance of Dr. H. Spencer Lewis the publlsher of the Aries Prese had two fine Germán Bcholars transíate the Altona edition df the Germán "Secret Symbols" book. This was then iBsued in several álfferent priced edltions, the ^.50*00 edition, the $25.00 AMORC edition, and the $15,00 edition. The first two of the se edltions had colored platee, but the ^15.00 one and other less expensive edltions of later isaue were In black and white with oheaper blndlngs. By far the moet popular, and the one whlch sold the moet, was the AMORC edition, In­ ciden tally, the Roeicrucian Order, AMORC, now poseeeses full rights and ownershlp to all of the platee of this English transíatlon of the "Seorjst Symbols of the Rosicrucians,"

Page Five The Tltle page of the AMOR'C edition of the ‘ 'Secret SymbolB of the Roslcruciáns" reads as fdllowBt The Teachings of the Roeloruclañe of the 16th and 17th Centuries Or A S I M P L E ABC BOOKLET For Young Students Practising Daily in the School of the Holy Ghost Made Olear to the Eyes by Pictorial Figures For the Exerciees of the New Year In The Natural and Theologlcal Light by a Brother of the Fraternity(CHRISTI )F.«F.é (of the Rosy-Cíoss) For the First Time Made Publio and VIth Severa! Figures of Similar Content Added by P>S, Beneath this appear b a gold cross which will be despribed in detail a little further on. Belov/ this is the following: ALTONA Printed and Published by Joh. Dav* Ad. Eckhardt, Book-Printer to H. M* the King of Denraark, Your .attention should be called to a few points in this title» First, thé vord .eimpl» meana a olear and wholesome booklet, rather than an easy bopklet* Second, the use of the three letters, A-B-C| has reference to an oíd meditation exercise# accordlng to the Rosicrucian, KarI Welnfurter. This meditation exercise can be traoed back through the inyetery schools of ancient history on dovm to the first mystery eohools of Egypté Alfred Víeidman, a famous Egyptologist, has translated this meditation exercise in one of his works, In its modern use this exercise is the one which is given to Rosicrucian merabers in the early degrées for mentally going over their bodies from heels to head, Third» t?he exercises of the New Year do not refer to the chronological new year, bút rather to the new mode of life which the Rosicrucian student has undertaken. Likewise,, the ecclesiastical terms such as theologlcal and Holy Ghost had other meanings than those which we give to them today,' Theologlcal meant spiritual and Holy Ghost referred to spiritual power♦ Notice also the words, "With several figures of similar content added by P.S4? These words are very importante as they explain the addition of eight symbols to that group which was in the Rosicrucijsui manuscript of secret symbols which belonged to Johannes Kelpiu8i and later to Dr, Julius F, Sachse, known as "Physica* Hetaphysica and Hyperphysica.M Translated, this title meant physioal world, éplrituál world, and the intermediary or gaseous world* Alchemicaily they meant salt, mercury and suphur*

Paga Six So much for the title* Beneath the title is a large golden oross with the Ghriet figure in the oenter and a rose at the top* The Christ figure meanb the mystlcal Ghrist within the heart of the dieoiple» out of which comee the perfect rose or soul of the Rosicrucian,. ,The re is a vast amount of literature dealing with the Byrabolism of the Vose and the .cro.se * so much so that we do not propose to deal with it in this vork. The Rosicrucian interprétation of the Rosy Cross is given in our monographs. However, there are Borne things which can be Baid about this croes which will prove enlightening where the interpretatlon of the secret symbols is concerned. This golden and rosy cross le known as the Coémic cross of the Order, It is a very powerful symbol for spiritual meditation» Today all Masters of lodges and chaptere of the Order weár thiH crosé when officiating. Its dimensions lead one to believe it was sinillár to the encyclopedic alchemical Rosy Cross. In his "Brotherhood of ‘ the Rosy Cross" YJaite hints at the ‘ fact that there were alchemical symbolb on the back of this Rosy Cross. .Whether this i 8 true or not is optional» However, it is true that an ünderstanding of the symbols and of the original color scheme of the encyclopedio alchemical Rosy Cross, as described on page 176c of the June, 1941 isBue of "The Rosicrucian Forum" would help with the color scheme and symbols as given in the "Secret Symbols of the Roslcruciáns»” The next page of the book, page three, is taken up half with text and half with a symbolic píate. • This textual matter is the first of four texts in this work, There are thirty-six p í a t e s o f symbols and eighteen pages of text. This first untitled prose text on page three serves élb a sort of preface. The small square symbol at the top has alchemical significance, as does the textual'matter below. The four trlangles, two pointing upward and two pointing downward, with cine of the downward and one of the upward triangles having a line drawn through it paralleí to the base, stand for the four alchemical elemente of air, earth, fire and water. In between these four triangles is an oíd ¿lchemist seated in his laboratory. The .text, or so-called preface, apparently deais with the material or physical side of alchemy. Actually, both the mystical or spiritual and material sides are dealt with* Dr. Cari Gustav Jung, a psychological authority and psychological exponent of mysticism and occultism, says that mysticism cannot be explained except in alchemical terms. The text on pages three, four, five and b í x gives a description of the various alchemical processes nece8sary to produce the elixir* Thus the words such as tincture of metalejherbs, first matter, three principies of sulphur, mercury and salt# as given in this preface, may ^deal either with the physical alchemy or spiritual alchemy, according to the discrimination of the reader, After this preface are ten elabórate platee in color, which are to be described in Part 2* On page seventeen there appearB a circular symbol with words in Latin around it, which say, ¿'The secret is found by exploríng theearth.M The symbols within this circle are principally al­ chemical ones, such as the sun and the moon being mixed in mercury to reeult in the lion and the eagle, which two again treated result in the philosopher1b stone. Below the Bymbol is the text of the famoue emerald tablet of Hermee. This translation is the baois for our modern

Page Seven Hermetlcal teachlngs, It is very rare and íb one of the moet anoient bits of wledom known to mankind. There are severa! stories explain^ing lis existence; hovever, the one which Pr. H. Spencer Lewis gives in the September* 1927 issue of "The Mystlc Trlangle" íb as follows*. "For instance, Alexander the Great found, in the Great Pyraraid of Gdzeh, the Emerald Tablet. This famous tablet was engraved with a diamond by the great Herraes, and contained the secret Hermetic and Roeaecrúcian eecrets of alcbemy. It was originally hidden in the tomb of Kermes by the Rosaecrucians to preserve for future generations the knowledge they possessed." Pages eighteen and nineteen are devoted to the octosyllabic poem explainlng this tablet of Kermes. Pages twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two and twenty-three are taken up with the prose work called "The Golden Age Restored," by Henricus Madathanus, whose real ñame was Count Hadriánus Mynsicht. He was a doctor of medicine, a Rosicrucian alcheraist, and poet laureate in 1631 to the Duke of Meoklenburg, As stated in the bibliographical notes to the AMORC edition of the "Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians," this work had appeared in several oíd Rosicrucian manuscripts previous to its addition at Altona in 1785^88 to the- "Physica, Metaphysica and Hyperphysica" manusci'ipt. "The Golden Age Restored" is really an allegorical story which tells of a dream and an awakenlng, but the action of the dream continúes in the wakirig state. This waking state f or Golden Dáwn, aids the hero to see more clearly the précious Jewels and stones which in his dream ap-. peared to be rotten and smelly oíd rubbish, Thus when the Golden Age of the world is restored many valuable and wonderful events will occur« In the epilogue attached to "The Golden Age Restored"• the writer tells of the actual alchemical work with metáis and a physical elixir. He sayB hé cannot write too openly, but he does write that he has seen the phlloBoiJher^fl stone, or that he has seen the elixir and used it* He cióses by saying that the brethren of the triie Golden and Rosy Croes are able to make, themselves , such hidden fruits of phllopphy and , natúre. "The Golden Age Restored" is followed by thirteen colored plates which are heavily inscribed within and without. This completes Book I of the MSecret Symbols of the Rosicrucians." On page thirty-eight immediátely fdllowing these thirteen plates is the proee,text called "A Golden Treatise About the Philosopher* s Stone." This is one of the moet valuable compendiums of alchemical truthB and spiritual parables ever given t o •the public. It must not be confused with the lesserknown work called "The Golden Tract of Kermes." Many Rosicrucian and alchemical títudents who have spent years in the great librarles of Európe have said that this Golden Treatise sume up all of the wisdom both spiritual and physical# of alchemy. A chemistry professor at the Ró8e-Crolx University has said that the secrets of preparing the alohemist1s philosopher's stone are plainly told in this treatise. Aleo, another Rosicrucian in Europe, who spent thirty years studying the secret symbols of the Rosicrucians claims that this same treatise posseBses transcendental spiritual truths.

Page.Eight "The Parjabola,11 which begine on page forty-five, ie of speoial importance to RoBloruciane, as the etíldente of the higher degreea of AMORC we11 know, This completes Part I of this treatise, which has dealt with the hietorlcal background and the textual matter of the "Secret Symbol b of the Roe icruc ians." Part 2 will deal with an ex­ plana t ion of the actual eyrabolB of this great work. *

#

*

Part II The AMORC Englieh translation is of much more valué than the Germán Al tona edition, the French Variant edition, or even the copy which belonged to Kelpius and Smchse, This AMORC edition contalns an excellent echólastic translation oT the words inscribed around the symbols, Aleo, the AMORC edition contains four rare alchemical treatises and eight more Rosicrucian eymbols than are found in the Kelpius copy* Franz Hartmann1s edition, of course, does not even have all of the Bymbols-of any of the older editions» Hartmann‘ b edition is lacking aleo the eight additional symbol6 and is not complete in its treatment of the alchemical textual matter. Therefore, anyone who possesees this AMORC edition, or who has access to such a copy,has use of the very acmé of all Rosicrucian works on symbols, not only in English, but ln any language . PLATE #7;

Symbol #7 Ib one of the original symbols of the older sixteenth century Rosicrucian manuscript known as "Physica, Metaphyslca and Hyperphysica» It corresponds to Píate #27 ln the first work. One of the oldeet Sym­ bol e of the Rosicrucians was the circle with the croes in the center. In faot, Bome of the oíd books of Vaite and Hargrave Jennings show this symbol on the outeide. Some of the Russian members wore this symbol instead of the golden and roáy croes. PLATE #8;

n c

Symbol #8 was not in the older "Physica, Metaphysica and HyperphyBlcaw Rosicrucian manuscript, but was taken from a Rosicrucian work written by George Von Welling. This was published at the end of the Beventeenth century at Frankfort, under the title, "The Magical, Kabbalistic and TheoBOphical WritingB." It has fifteen pages of very wonderful Róeicrucian symbols* This symbol #8 represente three in one, also the great divislons of salt, sulphur and mercytry* The Kabbalistic'tree of life ie often repre8ented by circles within circles, These three clrcles aleo repreeent the world of phyeica, metaphyeica and hyperphyei ca. The hyperphysica is the middle matter whioh overlaps the world of God and the world of Lucifer, or the physical world. This makes a very good philoBOphical diagram for the explanation of the great philoBophical question of all time, which is, "How is the world of the Coemic connected with the phyBical world?^ Incidentally, in his book Hargrave Jenninge réproduced five platee from this same eource.

Page Nlne PIATE- #91

w r

This symbol is another Rosicrucian symbol of the seventeenth century which was not in the older "Physica, Metaphysica and Hyperphyeica" inanuecript. It is inepired by the work, "Kabbala Denudata," by C.K. Von Rosenroth, published in 1677. It was illustrated with numerous Kabbalistic trees and worlds. The Oíd Testament has a great deal to sáy about the tree of good and evil. The oíd Hebrew testament is al so •the orlgin of our Christian Kabbalistio philosophy. This is a typical representation of the Christian Kabala as presented in Von Rosenroth1s work. On one side is. good and on the other side is evil. They both come from the same source* Notice the Kabbalistic hexagram where the división occurs* and the signs of the Zodiac which encircle the earth, representing the universe as being the ground into which the roots of the tree are planted. Notice that the triangle with its point down­ ward is the one that .is on the side of good, This is one of the few symbols that is falrly well explained; therefore, more need not be said concerning it. PIATE #10:

K. ?

Píate #10 has ten symbols on it. You will note that they are very beautiful in color. The nine symbols at the top of the píate are typi­ cal geometrical Rosicrucian symbols representing the various relationships of the microcosm and macrocosm. The large square at the bottom is called the Rose of Heaven, or sometimes a Solar Rose. This is the Rosicrucian adaptation of Khunrath*s Solar Chriet, The average Rosi­ crucian has not yet completely grasped the concept of the Solar Christ; or rathér, he is still partially heId with the idea of the historical Christ. PIATE #11;

H9

Píate #11 is the famous symbol of the philoBopher1s mountain, It is one of the eight seventeenth century symbols added to the group of symbols given in Kelpius* copy* It is made after a similar symbol which waB published in Germany in 1615 by Michel-Spacher. The righthand bottom córner of this symbol has the date 1604, which is the date of the reopening of the sepulcher of the mythical Christian Rosenkreu* 120 yeare after his supposed death, This mythical Rosenkreuzj as is alwayb the case, is comlng out of his tomb and re-entering upon the Great Work. The spiritual and physical sides of alchemy are also indicated by the various alchemical symbols, such as the lion, the green dragón, the suh, the moon, etc. According to the text below this symbol, the father metal is hidden somewhere in the symbol, and yet is supposed to be visible to the keen eye. Spiritüally, this symbol represents the body and the soul and the spiritual world> the mountain being the body, the figure of the man in the doorway being the soul, and the heavens above being the spiritual world.

Page Ten PLATE # 1 2 !

PC./*

Symbol #12 i8 aleo one of the eeventeenth .century symbols which was taken dlreot from the Work of Jacob Boehme called "Mercy-Choice." It was pübliehed in Europe in 1682. For anyone interested in Jacob Boehme's worke this is an excellent symbol to study, for it contains many principies of Boehme*s philosophy. It shows his belief in a primitive eource of good and evil, free will, 'the emlnence of God, and regeneration, both physically and morally, In the lower half of the píate there are six circles around one inner circle. These repreeent the seven principal metale of alchemy, the seven plañets of the univeree, and the seven powers of nature, in Boehme1s phllosophy. The top part of the píate also symbollzeB the great principie of opppeitée— posltive and negative, mercy and severity, and the blaak and white pillars of the Kabala and Freemasonryi PLATE # 1 3 i

p¿,,t

In this píate we have depicted the universal spiritual forcé known as love or cohesion* This forcé is shown attracting and drawing as a magnetic stone the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth; The dew and the ;breath of heaven blqw upon the sunflower, which was the product of the dew, heaven and fatness o f ‘ the earth. The sunflower, known ae the first matter, in turn produces vitality, which is depioted by the sun shining on the rose on one Bidé and the moon shining on the lily on the other* The interaction of the essence of the rose and lily with the power of the sun and the moon forma a triangle with the point downward, which is known as the fountaln of wonders; Out of this fouritain of wonders* or eleméntary substance, i8 continually given off a peculiar liquid out of which are formed the metáis, the elements, the plante, and aíl else upon the earth. The symbols of this misceílaneous group are depicted in the steam that will soon become solid. PLATE #14:

f>¿. i k

Píate #14 i8 really composed of the symbols that exist in the "Physica, Metaphysica and HyperphyBica," the sixteenth century symbols manuscript, on pages eeyen, eight and nine, Most of these figures are self-explanatory. If one cares to gó further into these particular symbols, he can do so by referring to page 187 in Silberer's book, "Problems of MyBticiBm and Its Symbolism." In the older manuscript the symbols were ppread farther apart. The two rows on the left Bidé of the píate repreBented the macrocosm and microcosm, the left column being the macrocoBm and the right the microcosm. Comparison of these two columns will reveal the myetical correspondencee and relationahips between God and man» In the three cyclee titled nThree natural euns in the world,< are Bhown the heavenly, human and elementary suns. The first oircle is the rainbow, which at that time consisted of four colore. The second is the heart or sun In man, and below le gold, which ie 8upp 0 8 ed to be the eun of the earthly elemente.

Page Eleven The last división on this page shows the mystery of the seven planeta and the three worlds, or circles. This makes the mystical number 21. Inoidentally, 21 is the Rosicrucian number for the sun. This implies that the planets are parte of the eun in the same way that the organs o f o u r p h y e l c a l body are parte of each human being. In the sky, repreeented by the firet circle, are six planets and the eun. On the earth are the six feudal ranks and a king. Beneath the earth are six metale and the metalllc king, or gold, PLATE #15:

^

This píate ie taken from a eeventeénth century Rosicrucian symbol as firet published in 1618 ln the work entitled "Speculum,”by Daniel Moégllng. Thie eymbol ehowe how the world is produced from one prin­ cipal; ln faot, it ie a good eymbolical representation of Rosicrucian moniBtic metaphysics. Prora the one come two, poeitive and negative; frotti the two are raade the four Rosicrucian principáis, fire, earth, air and water. The Latín naraee for these principáis are placed on four circles. From these four principalB are formed the reet of the material world. The qulnteeeence of everythlng in the physical world, as pointed out in the diagram, is the circle called Azoth. This Azoth i8 the great éecret of the alchemiets. It contains the firet and last le ttere of three claeeical languagee—namely, Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Azoth was the ñame for the universal éssence, or, as it was otherwise known, the all-heallng medicine , elixir, or philosopher* s stone. The figure of a man connected to the diagram above and the cup below repreeents the microcosm. Thie drinking cup or goblet of eimple truth con­ tains all of the wisdom of the microcosm and the macrocosm. This is the eame title, “Poculum Pansophiae,11 which was used in the original 8ymbol. It means the drinking cup of all wisdom. Some groups have interpfetéd this symbol as being the center of Rosicrucian philosophy and have named their ehort-lived movement, Pansophia. PLATE #16:

pe. /*í

Píate #16 may well be called a symbolical representation of the God of our hearts. It shows the splrltual organ of our cccult anatomy, the spiritüal heart. Thie spiritual heart ie supposed to be situated in the middle of the chest and not in the exact physical heart, In the innermoet.ephere of this heart, incide of the hexagram, is a fíame. Oütelde of thie flaraing circle there are four other circles, which correepónd to different planee in the spiritual world and to different ephere8 of the universe. Thus we have again the macrocosm and the microcoBin. Translated, the Latin words written within and around the hexagram mean morning etar, the point and host. The first circle once removed from the hexagr.ara is the circle of the eternal spirit connecting all in its cohesiveness. The eecond outer circle shows three croeses, with one of them radiating light and peace. The third outer circle is the circle of the Logos. The fourth or last outer circle is the circle of chaos and darkness. It is the región from which all of the elemente of the universe are formed. On the outermoet circumference of all the circles is the thin yellow circle with all of the Bigns óf the Zodiao. This is one of the most helpful symbols for

Page Twelve meditation for the average Rosicrucian and occult student. It tends to take the student'e mind and intereets off his head and off intelleotual BUbjectB and to center hie lnterests upon his heait and spirit­ ual Bubjects. PLATE #24 ;

PC. i v

Thie píate is made up mostly of mystical reading matter pertaining primarily to Hermetic philosophy. At the bottom is the moon, the sun, and in the center the mystical symbol which Waite uses so often as the firet Rosicrucian symbol. There was a great deal of controversy over this Bymbol among the early Rosicrucian historlans. Some said it carne from Valentín Andrea, others from the erest of Martin Luther, but it mostly resembled the coat of arras of Slr Francis Bacon. Bacon1s coat of ariiis boré a croes with a five-pointed rose in the center. PLATE #25 . 2 6 ;

PC. 2 V *

Píate #25 aleo has few symbols on it. The frequent use of Biblical quotations and religious and theologlcal words is not due primarily to the religious nature of the material, but rather to the fact that the authors .wanted to protect themselves from being called heretics and thue driving away sympathetic seekers; Dr. H. Spencer Lewls often eaid that there was not a religious element in the oíd Rosicrucian teachings and symbols. The frequent reference to and use of Christ meant the lnner mystical Christ, or the outer Solar Christ» Thus we eee a nümber of Biblical references. Actually, thiB page was devoted to the mysterieB of the alchemical salt, sulphur and mercury, as being the root of all metáis. In the older manuscript ''Physica, Metaphysica and Hyperphysica, •' the top of Píate #26 was connected to the two colored trianglefi at the bottom of #25. In the hlstory of alchemy the number four is very prominent, especially so as Aristotl.e mentioned that eyerything was made of the four essenees and a fifth^ which is today called the quinteBsence. At the bottom of Píate #26 is given a graphic and colorful diagram representative of the complete processes of phyBical alchemy. Naturally, this cannot be treated in great de­ tall, but any alchemical work, such as John Read's "Prelude to Chemlstry," will explain the meanlngs of the variouB terms and tell what degree the phiLosopher1a Btone has arrived at when it is in each of the se Btages* PLATE #27:

>5

This píate is another which was in the older Bixteénth century symbols manuBcript, "PhyBlca, Metaphysica and HyperphyBica." In the original manuscript it is titled "The Secret which was hidden." The initiale at the top léft of the page, around the hexagram, etand for God, _ person, vbrd, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, God, man» and I*C. for Jesús Christ. Theee letters occur many times in the secret Bymbol b , and it would be well for one who intends to Btudy the secret Bymbols to memorize theffl. Here again we have a rudimentary golden eross of the RoBicrucianB in Bomewhat dlfferent.form. The place of the rose has been taken by the word God. The four córner b are represented by the

Page Thirteen Father, the Son the Holy Ghost, and A.0*1*0*, standing for the alpha and ornéga and Jesús Christ. Alchemical triangles, symbols and words are écattered throughout. Most of these symbols have already been explained* Familiarity with the alchemical terms and the Kabala would make the reading of this symbol easier. PLATE #28:

Pc.%0

Píate #28 is really a comblnation of three plates of the older manuscript. In the oíd Rosicrucian mysterles the four principias— air, firei water and earth— corresponded to the four parts of man— spirit , miiid, soul and body. In the two sections of prose at the bottom of thé plateV one entltled "Fire Philosophy11 and the other "Water Phil­ osophy, ” there can be obtained a great deal of learning by substituting on the left side for the word Fire, Spirit, and on the right side for the woíd Water, Soul. In the symbol on this píate again we have reference tb the four principáis— earth, air, firé and water— Joined togethei* to give all of the manifestatlons of the world. The essence of these ^fouí* principáis resulte in the quintessence, or essence of the phllOBppher's stone. This le one of the sixteenth century symbols, PLATE #29»

fC .17

This is aleo one of the plates from the older sixteenth century manuscript, On this page the fraternity of the Rosy Cross is definitely mentíonéd in at least three places, first at the bottom in the prose, and at the tóp by the two letters, R.C. Of course, you réalize this is just. a very cursory examination of each of these Bymbols. Practically a whole hour*s time could be spent on each píate, For Ínstanos, notlce the circle between the two letters, R.C. It is divided into four sections, again representing the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, and man, and the number four, as shown by the divisions, represente man as the body of Christ. Below this, again we have the six-pointed star with initials that have appeared elsewhere. Again we see W . G. P , stánding for the Word, God, the person; F for Father, H, G, for Holy Ghost, S, for Spirit; the I. C. at the bottom stande for Jesús Christ, and AE on the left for eternity, the T on the right for Time, Below this Bix-pointed etar is again the eymbol of the Rosy Cross in a clrble, thle time etanding for the hidden Rosy Cross. Then come the five ;Bymbols, the three circles, and tko six-pointed stars. The sixpointed star with the sevens in each point is a Kabbalistic symbol, sé ven times seven equalling the number of f ir.es or gates which one ráust pass through in order to becóme part of the Ineffable Nature. Moses is e a i d t o have passed through the forty-nine fires, but the Christ Spirit is the only one which has passed through the fiftieth and éntered into the Ineffable Presence, The other four symbols with thie eymbol are eelf-explanatory* The three circles at the bottom of the page show how everything in the vegetable, animal and mineral world comes into existence from one seed. In a way this also gives another meaning to the four arms of the Rosy Cross.

Page Fourteen PLATE # 3 0 ;

PC.

a*

Thie píate shows the characteristic symbols of thé triangle on the earthly and divine planee. The great eymbol pf the two triangleb Joined together represente the continuouo alchemioal procese, It cóuld aleo represent an oíd alchemical furnace with the various apparatue. The eymbols of sulphur and mercury are Joined together, and their Joining makes a circle for the spiritual seed. At the very bottom is the earth, on the way up is the water, and the top triangle íb the flery spiritual world of llght. At the bottom of the page is ehown on the extreme left the Bymbol of putrefaction, as the alchemiete cali it, which íb ln reality distillatlon. On the extreme rlght ie the Bymbol of resurrection, or that procese which reunitee the eseénce to its mineral salte. Inoidentally, the Bymbol of putrefaction is embodiéd in the tj?aditlonal picture of Christian Rosenkreuz. In the center Ib the alchemical egg or bottle, in which is sealed the matter that was to be transmuted. NotIce the astrological and alchemlcal symbols in the bottle* All of these eymbols have a double meaning. In addition to the physical alchemical meanlng there is, of course, the spiritual alchemical meanlng, A b a matter of fact, both are closely related throüghout the entlre book of secret symbols, ThiB Bymbol.i b one of the sixteenth century Rosicrucian symbols, PLATE # 3 1 ;

.fC-.'if

Píate #31 again mentions the true Rosy Croas, at the top of the page. It I b one of the sixteenth century Rosicrucian symbols. Another form of the elementary Rosy Cross is ehown here ln the large circle of light, The smallér inner circles are eo arranged as to form a four-armed croBB* Again theee inner circles show how the world is formed ln a fourfoíd manner from the Spirit, the four inner circles being next to the center circle of Spirit* The square which e n d oses the four In­ ner circle8 le made up of eight more circles which represent the seven planeta and the earth. This was the solar system of the ancients. The outer twelve circles represent the Zodiac which eurrounds all creation. Thie eymbol illustratee the philosophy of Paracelsus, who sai el that twelve represente the heavenly world, eight the world of the stare, and four the elemental world. Notice the number four that is upside ddwn between the circle of God and Spirit. Thie four represente man, who is about ready to fall* ThiB also represente the KabbaliBtlo theory of emánation, /Spirit" stands for the Kabbalistic world of Atzlluth, the eecond división of circles stands for the KabbaliBtlo world of Briah, the four circles of three circled "Mords* and one *per8onw and all of the other eight circles representing the eight plañete stand for the Kabbalistic world of Yetzirah. The outermo8t circle, the Zodiac circle, stande for the Kabbalistic world of Azziah, the world of moneters» Below the Hebrew word logos and the Latin word. biblia are fürther philoBophical explanatione which are easily discerned,

Page Fifteen PLATE # 3 2 !

P&. -3 *-

Thle is a very colorful and interesting píate of the sixteenth century Rosicrucian symbols group, Its title, translated into English,iwould be Bomething like this: "The divine figuré of Godly wisdom of the Kabaía, magic, and not only philosophy but also alchemy*" This great symbol portrays the fact that the sun is the souroe of life p.nd power, In this particular place it is used as the divine sun* symbol of all energy and power throughout the universe, Below it are the two interlacing triangles representing the macro costa and the microcosm, or the unión of divine and material powers. Immediately below the hexagr?. n í b the circle called Hyle, Which means primordial space* Below that in another pair of interlaced triangles is a small circle called Chaos, with the symbols of the four elemente in lt. This is supposed to be the cOnditlon of the four elementa in the world before they are rearranged by divine intelligence. The two large circles on the right and left of Chaos are called Phil­ osophy ánd Alchemy. Within each of these are placed the proper symbols of the subject they represent. In a large sense they represent the mind and the heart. These two spheres are mixed. The small circle has steain rising up with the symbols of mercury, salt and sulphur, As a re­ sal t of thi 8 mixture sixteen circles are produced or formed* In the se small circles are eymbols of all 6ubstances and matterB here below. The oíd Kabbalists used to speak of phübsophy and chemistry as abba and alma on their tree of life or Sephirothic tree* This symbol is practically a synthesis of -Neoplatonic, Kabbalistic, Gnostic, Egyptian and ocCult principies, This was the favorite symbol of Jobannes Kelpius. PLATE # 3 3 1- PC. 5/ This symbol i.t representative of what the Hebrews called the Tree of Life, the Hindús the Golden T r e e . I t is aleo sometimee referred to as Jacob* s Ladder, Primarily it is representative of the Kabbalistic Sephirpth and the Egyptian Pantheon, This symbol is here called a Kabbalietic and magical scale of philosophy. The five large center circles, two of which are yellow and three of which are green, make the sor-CalLéd heavenly ladder divisible into four parts. These four divisions, each vrlth four circles within, correspond again to the four worlds of the Kabbalists, the hlghest world of Spirit, God the Word, God and man, belonging to the vTorld of divine ñames and called Atziiüth. The eecond división with the circles of warm, coid, damp and dry i8 the sidereal, the world of archangels or of Briah* The third world i 8 the formative world or world of angele, and is called ABsiah. The top golden circle saya WA11 for one" and gives the Hebrew letters for Yod He Vau He, It also has the Greek letter alpha in it. The bottom golden circle has the letter omega in it, as well as the tetragrüjnmaton, the Latin words 11And reduced to time. The different colored circles up and down the heavenly ladder stand for the different typés of experience, different alchemical processes toward perfection, ór different fruits on the tree of life. This whole symbol is really depicting the ladder of evolution. The different colors are used to

Page Sixteen correspond to the different worlds. These colors of the different worlds explain why water is colored blue in one part of the book and yellow in another part. Such apparent oontradictionB in color can be explained by the Kabbalistic scheme of color. There is one scherae of color called the King Scale. This is used for all symbols of the world of Atziluth, The Queen Scale is used for all Bymbols of the world of Briah. The Prince Scale is used for all symbols of the world of Yétzirah. The Princesa Scale or scheme of color is used for Bymbols of the world of Assiah,. Incidentaily, the new light and color course as given in the Reader's Research Academy is basad upon the Kabbalistic schemes of color. PLATE #54 ;

r^

Píate #34 is representative of the best work which Robert Fludd has done in his various symbolical works. These rare books of Fludd are on dispiay each year dur-ing the Convention. This symbol appears to be rather cómplex at first, but upon cióse examinatíon is found to be colorfui representations of the visible and Invisible worlds. The eharp llné of demarcation between these two worlds is shown by the circle which is half black and half white» PLATE #35 i. PC. 33 Píate #35, which is also of the sixteenth century group of Rosicrucian symbols, has a large circle with the allegorical Rosicrucian cross in the center, the book of seven seáis, and a lamb in the center of the cross* These seven seáis are the knowledge and understanding of the Kabbaíistic seven principies of U f e known only to the initiate. The words in Latin around this cross a r e •taken from the Rosicrucian mani­ festó, "Fama Fraternitatis." Translated, they mean something like this' MMy all, my victory is in the Rosy Cross," At the bottom of the page again is the symbol which at one time was used a great deal on Ros icru clan works, Not ice also the initials, D.O*H,A*, which v^ere previóusly commented upon, PLATE #36; This píate does not exist in the older "Physica, Metaphysica and Hyperphysica" manuscript. Rather, it has be en taken from an oíd French "Rosicrucian Secret Symbols" called the "French Variant" of our'work. The alchemical, Kabbalistical and Rosicrucian influence is easlly seen, The eagles represent the spiritual and material, alchemical elements, sulphur, mercury and salt. The inner circle with the interlaced triangles is a Kabbalistic symbol, a great golden cross with "Frater of the Rosy Cross" on the bottom being ldentlcal with the one on the front of the book. PLATE #46;

^

ThiB being one of the best and most widely known of all symbol b , it was naturally in the older sixteenth century group, Agrlppa is known to have made great use of this symbol. It represente the treatment

Page Beventeen

of the Magna Matef, the Great Mother, in all of the Egyptian and Greciah iTiyetery BchoolB, Mithralsm, Eleusianlsm, and the Legend of Qsirifi áll had outstanding feminine actors» Diana, Isis and Serapie áre three tího are well known. Our modern eoncept of the Madonna waB dérived from the Egyptian reverence of Isis. Balzac has. a wonderful novel ehowing the feminine aspect of wisdom or sophia» ThiB novel is called "Seraphita." This symbol, then, portrays the Great Mother aspect of creation which forever brlngs forth from herself all things. She has a crown of mercury, her face is the eun, her arma are the prin­ cipáis' of the spiritual world, out of her bowels comes the mechanism which makes the lower world, This lower world is shown in the larger circle at the bottom of the page, which has grown out of the four prin­ cipal s-^-f iré , earth, air and water. The circles of theGe four prin­ cipáis are in direct contact with the four vital U f e circles that draw upon the vltallty of the Great Mother. Again from these four prin­ cipáis we have all things in this world symbolized in many small circlef This symbol in general represente the macrocosm and the microcosm, and aiso, roughly, physica, metaphyslca and hyperphysica, the large circle at the'bottom of the píate being physica, or the material earth, the Great. Mother being raetaphysica, or the spiritual principie, and the eight circles in between being the hyperphysica, or intermediary powers. PLATE #47: Pd-4? Píate #47 íb in the older Rosicrucian manuscript. It I b an extremely profound Kabbalistic symbol which seta forth in two parallel columna the twofoíd world of water and firé, The rlght column, which isblue, is water, and the left is firé. The column of firé is al so the spiritual. column. The column which the sons of God descend to become God1s children, as shown at the bottom of the. two columna on the rlght, are Á d a m 1s mortal children, which represent the fleshly sons of mankind. From the mixture of these two races is formed a third, a group of belngs which have a true spiritual eelf within and a physical self wlthout. This helps to make olear some of the references ln the Oíd Testament about the -marriage and intermarriage of the sons of man with the ángels. The large circle which is subdivided into four parts rep­ resente that world- of the Kabala that has the potentlal elements for either rlsing to the spiritual world abo-ve or remainlng in the material wórld of the earth. PLATE #48:

fC*i1

This píate shows the influence of ‘ the seventeenth century myBtic, Mlchael Maier. It is not in the older sixteenth century Rosicrucian work. All of Michael Maier’ b works have circles and alchemical sym­ bol a which are similar to this. PLATE # 4 9 :

PC

Píate #49 represents the world of spirit emanating from a six-pointed star, v/hich in turn emanatee from the Hebrew Gylíable, lod. The prayer at the bottom of the píate is a very excellent prayor to Nature.

Pago Eighteen PLATE #5Ql

57

This píate is considered one of the first of the Rosicrucian symbols, It is practically self-explanatory, the I*H.S, stancjlng for Christ and the Holy Ghost in the center of the cross. The I íN.R.I. could Just as well have the alchemical interpretation as the theólogical interpretatlon» which is: "The things of nature are continually renewed by fire.'1 PLATE #51: Píate #51 has a haloed cross placed upon two interlacing triangles. On top of the first triangular block in Latin are the three words which mean faith, hope and charity. On the bottom triangular clock áre thé words Which mean The W a y , Trüth and Life, A, E, Waite be.'lleves; that this symbol or page is the ihost important in the whole book. It does coñtain the mystlcal doctrine of the famous Tauler, This doctrine of Tauler's said that the presence of the Christ Spirit was Immanent in the golden chalice which is placed at the bottom of the cross* This is also one of the sixteenth century Rosicrucian symbols. PLATE #52: This symbol shows the Book of Wisdom sealed with the seven sealB. The eéven seáis are the seven principies of life. It is only the adept who has mastered the principies of the seven seáis who can open the book. The number 666 is the number of the be-as t, as mentioned in .Revelations» This is perhaps the most outstanding reference to thé Christian Bible in the entire book of secret symbols, However, there are many mystics today who maintain that the Book of Revelations is ai distinctive work dealing with psychic initiation, and not with actual eccleBlastlcal or hlstorical evénts* This symbol is one of the sixteenth century group» PLATE #53:

pt- H

Pláte #53 shows the secret Book of Life opened. Notice that the seáis are so placed that should the book be closed they would fit over each other, representing the microcosm and the macrocosm. This is a further elaboration of the previous Bymbol, and the text is self-explana­ tory. This le also of the sixteenth century group. ’ PLATE #54:

rs

This píate is again one of the older sixteenth century Rosicrucian symbols. It occupies the last páge in the older manuscript. It is titled there "The Sum Total and the Final Conclusión." The left side of the píate represente the divine nature and has the ñame of Jesús and the Holy Ghost in it, while the right side is represented by the word which translated means * h y l e , t h e elementary earthly substance* The other three circles represent the four principies out of which the Universe is comoosed. and which have already be en mentioned, The

Pago Nineteen two Latín phrases at the top and in the center of the diagram, when translated mean the trifolio of the philosophies, and out of matter into the imihater.lal. PLATE #55:

PC

In Píate #55 is given again a slight variation of the Rosy CrosB and the Kabbalistic representation of.the number four. It representa in effect heavenly and earthly fire» It was an axiom among the Rosicrucians of the Middle Ages that all thlngs had their origin in flre. Another comment on the number four is approprlate at this time. Pythagoras placed great importance upon the number four. His Tetractys was the basis of all his philosophy* This symbol was, of course, one of the sixteenth century symbols. PLATE #56: The symbol on Píate #56 also belongs to the sixteenth century group. It is eaid to show the secret of secrete, or the mystery of the number séven. The left side deais with the heavenly theóries, while the right side deals with the practical theóries of the natural world. The four alchemical symbols are shown in the smallest inside circle. The se ven conceritric circles correspond in a way to- the understanding of the universe during the Middle Ages. The universe was supposed to be like an onion, coneisting of layers upon layers. Here we see at the top heaven, and the variouB lower divisions untll the seventh world, with the world of nature on the right-hand side and the world of God .on the left-hand sida* Each circle is Just the oppoeite of the other. One inner circle represente materiality, and the inner circle on the left represents the highest spiritual world. Aleo, the figure on the left représente the maerocosm, while that on the right represents the microcosm. The figures below the two circles represent various stages and accpmplishments of the alchemical "Magnum Opus." The text gives a number of "quotations" for the .persqn interested in meditating upon Bymbolical scriptural statements. PLATE #57 :

U

The last symbol in the book belongs aleo to the early sixteenth century group of Rosicrucian symbols. The predominating number of symbols— twénty-eight, to be exact—do come direct from the sixteenth century riianuBcript of Rosicrucian s e c r e t symbols, of which Johannes Kelplus* copy was typical. Perhaps of all.the symbols in the book #57 portrays mo8t cleárly a complete Cosmology of our Rosicrucian, AMORC teachings, It shows first the golden circle or source of all power, spiritual and physical. The second circle, made up of numerous arrows and symbols and BeédB, depicts the gradual eolidification of the higher vibrations untll we have, in the last or third circle, the physical universe. The second or middle circle corresponds to the alchemical and phllosophical term of hyperphyslca. The top circle corresponds to metaphysica, and thé lower to physica. The top circle ie puré, undefiled Cosmic energy» the middle circle le an active and .pehetratlve vortex of energy that

Page Twenty gradually condense b into the solid physical earth below* The large circle below oommences with the circle of the Zodiac and vrorks in toward the center of the earth, This bottom circle aleo shows the medieval concept of the Universe. They believed that the Universe was like an onion> made up of different layers or planes with Hades in the center and God on the outside, This ié the last of the symbols. As we have seen, the se thirty-six symbols have given us one of the greatest summaries of wisdom known to man today. By meditating' upon them and studylng them periodically one can penetrate further into the ir mysteries, In fact> by continued meditation they appear to dissolve or open and lead into higher worlds of thought. The general principies and key to the understanding of these eymbols depende upon our understanding of the Rosicrucian phlloBophy, the Kabala and its color schemes, the ancient cosmogonies, and the philosophieB of the ancient mystics of Greece ‘ and Egypt. Alchemy further clarifies the symbols.- Physical alchemy and spiritual alchemy must aleo be stuáied before a complete understanding of the book is. achieved. In conclusión, these two difecourses have attempted to point the way for further study by giving the basic and general principies of lnterpretation. Further progrese and understanding depend upon the inltiative of thé student. J-88