AMORC

Copyright, March, 1942 By Supremo Grand Lodge 01 A.M.O.R.C., Inc.

Life is existence. This existence isbounded by a future eternity toward which all of us move, and the unknown whence we carne. Between these two lines-the eternity of the future and the one of the past-are the few brief years which we claim as our own. Into this short span we must crowd our hope, love, ambition, and achievements. Power, wealth, wisdom, and understanding are not the gifts of life, for life has only two things to offer you or any man or woman. The first is CON-SCIOUSNESS. the faculty of knowing that you are YOU, and the second is THE MIGHTY LA WS AND RESOURCES OF NATURE. These two can make all the others possible. They are instruments with which we can probe beneath the surface and reveal the treasures of happiness and affluence which most men and women trample beneath their feet as they s tum-ble through the years, their eyes fastened upon a blind future.

As for consciousness, every human has it, but most of them dissipate it in self-pity, false appraisal of their own importance, and id le wishes that a for -tunate combination of circumstances will suddenly bring them ease, freedom from strife, and·the power of wisdom they envy in others. Also, all humanity

has the equal right to direct the forces and hidden powers of nature, but most of us lack the patience and initiative to take time from the fleeting pleasures of the day to seek in these mysteries the lasting contentment and a bundance which they conceal.

Opportunities

are

made,

not found. The fisherman who made a successful haul did so because he pu.t himself where fish were apt to be, and prepared himself

for a probable eventuality. No physician ever at

-tained success in his profession by excluding himself

from humanity and its ailments. No prospector ever found rich veins of ore by sailing the seven seas. No man or woman ever found the real joys of living by drifting with the tide of the times. Life can be suc -cessive steps toward the highest ideals you can imagine, each one rich in beautiful experiences and the fullness of living, or it can be a hideous memory,

punctuated with the recollection of false starts and disillusionments. Remember, life owes you nothing; you are indebted to

it

for the opportunity

i

t

has glven you.

Self-Examination

There is nothing like a pointed question for

com-pelling thought, causing reflection and self-analysis,

if we attempt to answer it fairly, even to ourselves. Therefore, throughout this booklet questions will ap-pear which you should, without hesitation, be able to answer to your own inner satisfaction. If you are not certain ofyour answers,

if

they donot bring that

immediate intuitive response, that feeling that you

are right, it reveals that your personal philosophy of life isnot as stable asit should be; that inwardly you have not come to a conclusion regarding some of

life's greatest problerns, problems which affect you

and every other human being. It isthe other purpose of the Rosicrucian teachings to help men and women

establish a sound philosophy of living that can and wiU bring them the greatest good in life.

Q

UEST

I

O

O E:

B

y wh

at d

o y

ou m

eas

u

re

h

a

pp

i

Do Y

ou Make

Y

our W orld

or

Does the W orld

M

ake

Y

ou?

Environment teaches us a great lesson. Itreveals that there are two courses for us to íollow in life. One isnegative, limited, even dangerous; the other is positive, unlimited, masterful. We can either be acted upon, which is the negative course, or do the acting, which is the positive course. The blades oí grass in your lawn are examples oí things which are acted upon. They have no choice oí surround-ings. They cannot avoid the sun's scorching rays or the chilling frosts, or seek the cooling waters of a nearby stream. They are reared in an environ-ment in which they have no choice, and over which they have no control. They are at the mercy oí the elements, and

if

they flourish there is no assurance that a changing íate may not the next day or month rob them of the strength it gave them. Any gardener or nurseryman would hesitate to predict the eventual fate oí a lawn exposed to the changing moods of the elements without the guiding intelligence of mano

Millions of humans are like the simple blades of grass. Humanity springs up in every corner of the earth and in every extreme of environment. Men struggle for existence in the blistering sun oí the tropics, the paralyzing cold oí the polar circles, on top oí mountains and on the rolling plains. But it is to be deplored that most oí them permit themselves to be acted up-on by their environments, and that they consequently bear its mark. It not only affects their physique and the color and texture of their skin, eyes, and hair, but even their thinking and mode of living. As the eminent writer, John Hodgdon Bradley, said: "The fabric ofhuman life has be en woven on earthly looms."

Man

y

are

s

uc

cess

ful

o

nl

y

b

eca

u

se

th

e

ir

s

urround

-ing

s,

l

i

k

e

a

r

i

c

h

so

il

a

l

ive wit

h p

otentia

l

ges

tation

,

be

a

r fru

i

t

wi

th

o

u

t

th

ei

r

e

ff

or

t

s

.

But unf

o

r

t

un

a

t

e

ar

e

the man

y w

h

o are

pl

a

nt

e

d

in a steri

l

e e

n

v

ir

o

nm

e

nt

w

hi

c

h

,

lik

e

a p

oor so

il

wa

nt

i

n

g in fe

rt

i

lit

y,

bring

s

forth

a

n

e

v

e

r

y

d

ay

m

onoto

n

o

u

s existe

n

ce,

l

ac

king in

th

e

b

ea

ut

y a

nd

s

plend

or of a rad

i

a

ntl

y

h

a

pp

y

life

.

Hu

ma

n

s

th

a

t

a

r

e

l

e

ft t

o

th

e

m

ercy o

f

e

n

v

ironment

brin

g

ab

o

ut

s

tr

a

n

ge ef

f

ect

s

in society a

nd

civ

ilization

.

T

o a

g

a

in qu

o

t

e M

r

.

B

ra

dl

ey: "

Th

e wo

r

k

s

a

nd thought

of th

e Mo

nt

a

n

a

n

a

r

e

n

ot

th

o

s

e of

th

e M

i

ss

i

ss

ippian

.

Their

o

utl

oo

k

s

on lif

e a

r

e d

iff

ere

nt

,

l

a

r

ge

l

y

because

natur

e

h

as

gi

ve

n me

t

al

s to

th

e one a

nd deni

e

d them

to th

e

oth

e

r

.

"

But

me

n

a

nd

wo

m

e

n n

eed

n

o

t b

e

d

e-ni

e

d b

y

natur

e

be

c

au

s

e o

f

w

h

ere

th

ey were

b

o

rn

,

for

the

y c

an b

r

ing into th

e

ir p

rov

in

c

e

th

e

thin

gs

they

need

a

nd de

s

ir

e,

or wi

s

h t

o co

mpr

e

h

e

nd

.

You

c

an

s

h

ake off th

e s

ha

c

kle

s o

f

o

ld h

a

bi

ts,

th

e

a

ss

o

c

iation

and influ

e

n

ce o

f peopl

e a

round

y

ou with limited

mind

s

,

bi

a

s

e

d

o

pinions

,

and outw

o

rn id

e

as

.

Therefore,

wh

y

pu

s

h

a

g

a

in

s

t a

s

tone w

a

ll? Wh

y

tr

y

to change

da

y

into m

a

rble

?

Y

o

u

ca

n

,

if

yo

u but know the

simpl

e sec

r

et

,

take

yo

ur p

r

e

se

nt

e

n

v

ironment and

mak

e

it pr

o

du

ce

ri

c

h r

e

tu

r

n

s

,

fo

r eve

r

y

thing ha

s

its

purp

ose w

hen

y

ou lea

r

n th

e

C

os

m

ic

pl

a

n

.

U

NE

M

PLO

YM

EN

T

-of

Man or Mind

?

Soon the world will be facing again a great economic and social crisis. Why? Because there wiIJ have been too much concern over the employment of man and too little concern over the e mploy-ment ofhis mind. What wiIJ the thousands who will be in line in front of the gates of milis, factories, and doors of large corpo ra-tions, be waiting for? For employment? Yes, eventually. But tirst they are dependent upon some individual or group of indi-viduals employing their minds, their inner creative faculties, to set into motion the business, the demands. which will give these thousands work. Man must employ his mind before he can e rn-ploy his hands or his trade. Every act worth while is precede'd by thought and the exercise of the mental faculties. Thousands tomorrow, if they learn to employ the innate faculties of their minds, wiIJnot tind their hands or feet idle. They will not be subject to the whims and fancies of those few who do think, plan, and control the destiny or our present civilization.

QUESTION TWO

:

Ju

s

t what do

yo

u r

e

all

y

think is

the purpos

e

of lije, and ar

e y

ou li

v

ing

a

ccording

to

that purpose?

A Straight Line

ls the Shortest

P

ath

Between Two Points

The first practical step forward toward atta in-ment is the establishment of an ideal.

It

must be a sound ideal; one that is in accord with reason and the law of nature. An ideal which violates co m-mon sense, or the laws of nature, or the decency of

society, is false, and the road one travels to reach it is filled with the inevitable pitfalls of disgrace,

misfortune, and disillusionment. The man or woman whose ideal is to live for today finds life

slowly becoming drab, dull and sordid, for the lack of

change becomes irritating. The newness of living wears off after youth has waned. Life's commonplace functions which were at first thrilling surprises b

e-come routine.

The mind of man must create new worlds to be

conquered, new fields of human endeavor to be ex-plored. The fundamental joy of life is expectancy,

and the highest is realization. Nothing pleases like building mental pictures and finally realizing them as realities-dreams that have come true through your own efforts. othing brings as much happiness to the soul of aman or woman as the satisfaction of look

-ing upon his own handiwork well done. When the

mind has established its ideal, that ideal draws us forward like a magneto Each day that we approach it brings usadded pleasure; but the line to that ideal must be straight, and the straight line b e-tween you and your fondest hopes and desires is

kn

ow

l

e

d

ge.

Thousands, yes, millions, ha ve failed to reach their goals, to attain their idealsin life, because of detours, wrong

have finally reached their goals too late in life to enjoy them.

Look back over your life today. If you were to live

it again would you do many of the things you have

done? Certainly noto Then why wait until tomorrow arrives to reveal to you the mistakes that you are

making today? You can be directed. Youcan be shown how to avoid these things that would hinder yOU.

Do You F

ace T

h

ese

Probl

e

m

s?

Have you afaulty memory? Are some of the finest experiences of your life lost to you forever behind the closed doors of forgetfulness? The improvement

of memory is a simple process, but it might as well be complex if you do not know it. Are you forever promising yourself to stop that orbegin this, and

yet seem to lack the necessary wiIl to enforce your wishes? Are you subject to the dictatorial influence

and domination of others, held down by the arro-gance and self-interest of those around you? These

conditions of life can be overcome. You can think,

read, and write-these are the simple requirements.

you have them; therefore, let the Rosicrucians teach

you how to adapt them to your life and its problems

as they have taught thousands of others for centuries.

Q

U

EST

I

ON

TRREE

:

Do you a

c

t

u

a

ll

y

know w

h

a

t

y

our

l

at

e

nt ta

le

nt

s

or

sl

umb

e

ring

abi

l

iti

es

ar

e

?

Q

U

ESTION

FO

U

R: D

o yo

u

ac

t onl

y

a

c

cording

t

o

s

u

gges

ti

o

n

s

m

ade

b

y

th

ose a

r

o

und

y

ou

,

and do

y

ou

l

e

t

t

h

e affai

r

s

01 th

e

da

y s

u

gges

t th

e

thing

s yo

u

s

h

o

uld

do?

Q

UES

TIO

N

F

I

VE:

D

o yo

u

knoio

h

ow

t

o

aioaken

th

e c

r

ea

ti

ue

[

c

r

ees 0

1

yo

ur mind

,

t

o

ar

o

u

se

th

e

dor

The Unkn

o

wn

You

You have often heard of the inner radiations of

self, the slumbering being within, the subconscious mind, and a host of other terms implying and de-claring that man possesses an inner intelligence that is capable of great attainment if he but knows how to direct it. A discussion of the subject with a friend or acquaintance would perhaps elicit the

usual, "pooh-pooh, nothing to it." These remarks

may ha ve discouraged you, made you somewhat self-conscious. But the masses ha ve always ridi-culed and decried the unusual, the new. They stoned Galileo, imprisoned Columbus, laughed at

Marconi, ridiculed the Wright brothers, would not

listen to Bell's experimental telephone, and were go

-ing to lynch a professor because he dared to discuss

;.. the topic of evolution.

For cen turies the Rosicrucians and other schools of

advanced thought have had to extend information re

-garding the mysteries of life cautiously because p eo-ple do not want to believe. However, now it is an

indisputa ble scientific fact that there is an inner intelligence which is capable of miracles in the affairs of humans if they learn its use. Even the most con -servative scientists in orthodox laboratories have proved that a hidden power of mind exists. Read

what Dr. Carrel, while with the Rockefeller Institute of Science, stated:

"Knowledge ofthe external world may come lo

man through other channels than sense organs.

It is certain that lhought may be transmitted

from one individual to another. even if they are

separated by long distance. These facts which

be-long to the new science of metaphysics must be

accepted as they are:'

Those individuals who cry "bunk and bosh" are placing themselves in the ludícrous position

of opposing the world's ioremost thinkers and

erninent scientists. The greatness or life. the ful

-fillment of your fondest hopes, depend upon your understanding of this innate power and inte

lli-gence of self and of nature. The Rosicrucians

have been rationally and practically teaching the methods of contacting it to thousands or intelli

-gent men and women throughoul the world for

Try This Experiment

Great minds of the past, as well as our modern

scientists, ha ve conducted many experiments to prove

that man has

two

nervous systems. First is the

com-monIy known, spinaI nervous system; second, the

sym

p

ath

e

tic

ne

r

vo

u

s

sy

s

t

e

m

.

It was originally named

s

y

mpath

e

tic

because, in a

very s

t

range way,

it sym-pathetically influences the actions of the spinaI nerv

-ous system and thus the human body and mind. This sympathetic nervous system contains an energy of a

very high vibratory nature reIated to the psychic

functions and faculties of man, his emotions,

in-stincts, and intuition-or the inner nature of mano

This energy radiates principally from the first two fingers and thumb of each hand, and can be used to

accompIish many useful things

i

o

it

hin

and without

our bodies. You can

simpl

y

prove to yourself that

you ha ve such an

i

nfin

ite

p

owe

r

and that you can increase it if you desire. Conduct the following easy experiment for

se

lf

-

p

roo

f

.

C".3~

Place your five fingers of both hands together, in such a way

that they point away from the body. Be sure that the palms of

the hands are separat ed by about 111., inches (see iIIustration No. L). Donot press the tips of the fingers too strongly, just firmly.

Hold them this way for three minutes and you will notice that

heat is being generated in the open space between the palms.

That will be only ordinary body heat.

No\V take a long breath, hold it for a few seconds, and as you take this energy into your lungs, you will flndthe heat increasing between the palms so that the flesh of the palms begins totingle. Next, take the thumb of the right hand flrmly in the grip of

the thumb and first two flngers of the left hand. (See iIIustra

-tion No. 2.) Rave the other fingers of the right hand extended,

so that they do not touch the left hand.

Do not squeeze the thumb. Keep this grip for three minutes;

then take one long breath and hold it while you feel, not just the ordinary body warmth, out the positive ener g y generated in the right thurnb, passing to the left thumb, and going up the left armo

This kí nd of energy ís passing from your body-dissipating itself hourly. You can increase it, as these experiments have proved. The Rosicrucians can teach you how to use it for men-tal and physícal efficiency. This is but one of the many simple demonstrations of those natural laws which are taught by the

Rosicrucians.

'This psychological experiment must NOT be confused with a belief in any supernatural powers or any form of superstition, necromancy or prognostication.

. nt a nd illustra -(This experome . hted by tion are copyrC'9) AMOR. LEFT HAND No. I No. 2 RIGHT THUMB DISTANCE BETWEEN

PALMS ONE ANO

ONE·HALF INCHES

FINGERS OF RIGHT HAND EXTENDED SO

AS NOT TO TOUCH

l LEFT HAND

HT HAND TURNEO (PALM OF RR10GYOURBODY)

TOWA • or uncanny phej

. romises .of eerre h siological test.

(This experi!"ent cl~n~alsni~;I~ :sychol09lcal and p y

Investigate the Rosicrucians (NOT a religion), the

oIdest

practical

philosophicaI fraternity on earth.

Let them show you a method for attainment

which has been followed by Ieading thinkers for

centuries. Thousands of men and women today

are enjoying self-mastery ... the realization of

ideaIs ... the attainment of their objectives ...

through the application of Rosicrucian principIes.

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e M

a

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