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81-595: The Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship was a Rosicrucian group founded by George Alexander Sullivan in about 1924. It may have existed under the name The Order of Twelve from 1911 to 1914 and again from 1920. The ROCF operated first from the Liverpool area of England and then after the mid-1930s from the Christchurch area. Its members studied esoteric subjects from lectures, plays and correspondence material prepared by George Alexander Sullivan . In 1930,

162-468: A ludibrium which surprisingly some esteem and explicate with subtle investigations, is plainly futile and betrays the vanity of the curious" ( Nuptiae Chymicae, cum monstrorum foecundo foetu, ludibriu, quod mireris a nonullis aestimatum et subtili indagine explicatum, plane futile et quod inanitatem curiosorum prodat ). He called Rosicrucianism a " ludibrium " (a lampoon or parody) during his lifetime, in writings advocating social and religious reform through

243-689: A "concentration" of Ain , is Ain Suph ( אין סוף "without limit, infinite"); the third state, caused by a "movement" of Ain Suph , is Ain Suph Aur ( אין סוף אור "limitless light"), and it is from this initial brilliance that the first emanation of creation originates. The emanations of creation arising from Ain Suph Aur are ten in number, and are called Sephiroth ( סְפִירוֹת , singular Sephirah סְפִירָה , "enumeration"). These are conceptualised somewhat differently in Hermetic Qabalah to

324-501: A German magician, occult writer, theologian, astrologer, and alchemist, wrote the influential Three Books of Occult Philosophy , incorporating Kabbalah in its theory and practice of Western magic. It contributed strongly to the Renaissance view of ritual magic's relationship with Christianity. Pico's Hermetic syncretism was further developed by Athanasius Kircher , a Jesuit priest, hermeticist and polymath, who wrote extensively on

405-538: A bizarre treatise entitled "Societas Jesus et Rosae Crucis Vera" (The True Society of Jesus and the Rosy Cross), containing 40 emblematic figures accompanied by biblical quotations. The literary works of the 16th and 17th centuries were full of enigmatic passages containing references to the Rose Cross , as in the following (somewhat modernized): For what we do presage is not in grosse, For we are brethren of

486-542: A certain day and hour, under a certain penalty, and a weekly contribution for the charge of experiments, with certain rules agreed amongst us, to treat and discourse of such affairs..." According to Jean Pierre Bayard , two Rosicrucian-inspired Masonic rites emerged toward the end of 18th century, the Rectified Scottish Rite , widespread in Central Europe where there was a strong presence of

567-645: A considerable influence on Anglo-Saxon Masonry. Hans Schick sees in the works of Comenius (1592–1670) the ideal of the newly born English Masonry before the foundation of the Grand Lodge in 1717. Comenius was in England during 1641. The Gold und Rosenkreuzer (Golden and Rosy Cross) was founded by the alchemist Samuel Richter who in 1710 published Die warhhaffte und vollkommene Bereitung des Philosophischen Steins der Brüderschaft aus dem Orden des Gülden-und Rosen-Creutzes ( The True and Complete Preparation of

648-681: A degree system of study and initiation include: Many of these groups generally speak of a linear descent from earlier branches of the ancient Rosicrucian Order in England, France, Egypt, or other countries. However, some groups speak of a spiritual affiliation with a true and invisible Rosicrucian Order. Note that there are other Rosicrucian groups not listed here. Some do not use the name "Rosicrucian" to name themselves. Some groups listed have been dissolved or are no longer operating. Old editions Publications Essays Fictional literature Conspiracy literature Hermetic Qabalah Hermetic Qabalah arose from Christian Cabala , which itself

729-569: A double cross over an open rose; this is one of the examples used to prove the "Fraternity of the Rose Cross" existed far earlier than 1614. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, various groups styled themselves Rosicrucian. The diverse groups who link themselves to a "Rosicrucian Tradition" can be divided into three categories: Esoteric Christian Rosicrucian groups, which profess Christ; Masonic Rosicrucian groups such as SRIA , Societas Rosicruciana ; and initiatory groups such as

810-523: A group of members of the order local to the Christchurch area began to meet regularly at a pub in Christchurch, and at about the same time the annual 'conclave' was held in nearby Bournemouth . Some time later the group decided that a more permanent venue was required. The group's headquarters near Christchurch was a wooden building named the Ashrama Hall , completed in 1936 in the garden of

891-598: A historical continuity of development from early Jewish mysticism. In contrast, some Hermeticists see the origins of Qabalah in a western tradition originating in classical Greece with Indo-European cultural roots, later adopted by Jewish mystics. Jewish Kabbalah was absorbed into the Hermetic tradition at least as early as the 15th century when Giovanni Pico della Mirandola promoted a syncretic worldview combining Platonism , Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism , Hermeticism and Kabbalah. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486–1535),

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972-522: A hoax, whether the "Order of the Rosy Cross" existed as described in the manifestos, or whether the whole thing was a metaphor disguising a movement that really existed, but in a different form. The promise of a spiritual transformation at a time of great turmoil, the manifestos influenced many figures to seek esoteric knowledge. Seventeenth-century occult philosophers such as Michael Maier , Robert Fludd , and Thomas Vaughan interested themselves in

1053-495: A house owned by Catherine Emily Chalk, who probably also started the original meetings in the pub. In 1938, on the same land, the group built the Christchurch Garden Theatre , which called itself 'The First Rosicrucian Theatre in England'. From June–September 1938 it presented mystically themed plays, written by Sullivan under his journalistic pen-name Alex Matthews. Sabina Magliocco , in her examination of

1134-645: A monastery under the influence of the Albigenses, where he was educated and met the four Brothers later to be associated with him in the founding of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood. Magre's account supposedly derives from oral tradition. Around 1530, more than eighty years before the publication of the first manifesto, the association of cross and rose already existed in Portugal in the Convent of

1215-451: A new phase in religion, which includes awareness of the inner worlds and the subtle bodies , and to provide safe guidance in the gradual awakening of man's latent spiritual faculties during the next six centuries toward the coming Age of Aquarius . Several Russians of a mystical mind took advantage of the Edict of Toleration of religion in 1905 to form or resurrect what they considered

1296-535: A number of Western esoteric traditions. Unable to spread the knowledge he had acquired to prominent European scientists and philosophers, he instead gathered a small circle of friends/disciples and founded the Rosicrucian Order (this can be deduced to have occurred around 1407). During the lifetime of C.R.C., the order was said to comprise no more than eight members, each a doctor and "all bachelors of vowed virginity." Each member undertook an oath to heal

1377-424: A sectarian Christian organization of his design. Some scholars of esotericism suggest that Andreae disowned Rosicrucianism to shield his clerical career from the wrath of the religious and political institutions of the day. "[I]t is clear from his " Turris Babel ", " Mythologia Christiana ", and other works, that he considered the manifestos a reprehensible hoax." This augmented controversies as to whether they were

1458-468: A symbolic and spiritual alchemy, rather than an operative one. In a combination of direct and veiled styles, these writings conveyed the nine stages of the involutive-evolutive transmutation of the threefold body of the human being, the threefold soul and the threefold spirit , among other esoteric knowledge related to the "Path of Initiation". In his 1618 pamphlet, Pia et Utilissima Admonitio de Fratribus Rosae Crucis , Henrichus Neuhusius wrote that

1539-838: A system of arithmancy created by James Lees in 1976. It assigns numerical values to the English alphabet to interpret esoteric texts, particularly The Book of the Law . Initially overlooked, the system gained recognition through Cath Thompson's publications, which detailed its methods and applications. EQ provides an alternative to traditional Hebrew and Hermetic Qabalah, emphasizing the linguistic and numerical properties of English. Various Thelemic practitioners use English Qaballa in rituals and textual analysis, exploring its unique insights into Crowley's work. Ongoing research continues to expand its applications within modern occult practices, demonstrating its adaptability and relevance. This system offers

1620-626: A third anonymous volume was published, the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz . In his posthumously published autobiography, Johann Valentine Andreae acknowledged its origin in a romantic fantasy that he wrote before he was 16 years old (1602), among other likewise forgotten juvenilia, and which he elaborated in response to the Fame and Confession , and said of it that "the Chymical Wedding, with its fertile brood of monsters,

1701-538: Is a good illustration of the wider Hermetic approach. It is a set of tables of correspondences relating various parts of ceremonial magic and Eastern and Western religion to the thirty-two numbers representing the ten spheres (Sephiroth) plus the twenty-two paths of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The panentheistic nature of Hermetic Qabalists is plainly evident here, as one may simply check the table to see that Chesed (חסד "Mercy") corresponds to Jupiter , Isis ,

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1782-724: Is based on one of the Holy Books of Thelema written by Aleister Crowley in 1907, called Liber Trigrammaton, sub figura XXVII -- Being the Book of the Mutations of the Tao with the Yin and the Yang . Liber Trigrammaton (aka Liber XXVII ) was called by Crowley "the ultimate foundation of the highest theoretical qabalah". Correspondences are created with some of the major forms of divination such as

1863-627: Is best known today for its association with Gerald Gardner and Peter Caddy . Following the death of George Alexander Sullivan in 1942, the group's activities and membership diminished. By the early 1950s their focus had moved to Southampton. Correspondence between former members suggests the Order 'existed in memory only' by the early 1970s. The Order's library was deposited at the University of Southampton in 1977. A significant minority among students of Alice Bailey 's Arcane School were members of

1944-449: Is considered to be an emanation of the divine energy (often described as 'the divine light') which ever flows from the unmanifest, through Kether into manifestation. This flow of light is indicated by the lightning flash shown on diagrams of the sephirotic tree which passes through each sephirah in turn according to their enumerations. Each sephirah is a nexus of divine energy, and each has a number of attributions. These attributions enable

2025-478: Is seen in classical monotheism. Hermetic Qabalah adheres to the Neoplatonic conception that the manifest universe, of which material creation is a part, arose as a series of "emanations" from the "godhead". These emanations arise out of three preliminary states that are considered to precede manifestation. The first is a state of complete nullity, known as Ain ( אין "nothing"); the second state, considered

2106-576: The I Ching , Tarot and runes , as well as Greek and Hebrew alphabets , the Tree of Life , Western and Vedic astrology , magic squares , and the Platonic solids . A primary feature of this qabalah is a new understanding of the Cube of Space and its 26 components of edges, faces, and vertices, which equal the number of letters in the English alphabet. English Qaballa (EQ) is a Qabalah supported by

2187-659: The Golden Dawn and the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC). Esoteric Christian Rosicrucian schools provide esoteric knowledge related to the inner teachings of Christianity. The Rosicrucian Fellowship , 1909 at Mount Ecclesia (groundbreaking for first building: 1911). Teachings present the 'mysteries', in the form of esoteric knowledge , of which Christ spoke in Matthew 13:11 and Luke 8:10. The Fellowship seeks to prepare

2268-767: The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ), who went on to found the Fraternity of the Inner Light wrote The Mystical Qabalah , considered by her biographers to be one of the best general introductions to modern Hermetic Qabalah. After the dissolution of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Crowley integrated Hermetic Qabalah into his new religious philosophy, Thelema . Crowley's works, such as Magick , 777 , and The Book of Thoth emphasize

2349-854: The Kabbalah , there are ten archangels , each commanding one of the choirs of angels and corresponding to one of the Sephirot . It is similar to the Jewish angelic hierarchy . Both Jewish tradition and mainstream academic scholarship understand Kabbalah to have originated within Judaism, developing concepts and ideas from earlier Medieval Jewish neoplatonism. In the mid-twentieth century, Gershom Scholem hypothesized that Medieval Kabbalah had its roots in an earlier Jewish version of Gnosticism ; however, contemporary scholarship of Jewish mysticism has largely rejected this idea. Moshe Idel instead has posited

2430-725: The Philosopher's Stone by the Brotherhood from the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross ) in Breslau under the pseudonym Sincerus Renatus in Prague in the early 18th century as a hierarchical secret society composed of internal circles, recognition signs and alchemy treatises. Under the leadership of Hermann Fictuld the group reformed itself extensively in 1767 and again in 1777 because of political pressure. Its members claimed that

2511-419: The physical universe , and the spiritual realm", which they say had been kept secret for decades until the intellectual climate was ready to receive it. The manifestos elaborate these matters extensively but cryptically in terms of Qabalah , Hermeticism , alchemy , and Christian mysticism , subjects whose methods, symbolism, and allusions were ardently studied by many intellectuals of the period. In 1617

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2592-654: The "Golden and Rosy Cross", and the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , first practiced in France, in which the 18th degree is called Knight of the Rose Croix . The change from "operative" to "speculative" Masonry occurred between the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 18th century. Two of the earliest speculative Masons for whom a record of initiation exists were Sir Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole . Robert Vanloo states that earlier 17th century Rosicrucianism had

2673-487: The 19th century, presented arguments contradicting this idea. It was in this fertile field of discourse that many Rosicrucian societies arose. They were based on the occult, inspired by the mystery of this "College of Invisibles". Some modern scholars, for example Adam McLean and Giordano Berti, assume that among the first followers of the Rose Cross there was also the German theologian Daniel Cramer , who in 1617 published

2754-518: The 22 Hebrew letters and the 22 paths of the Tree; the ace to ten in each suit correspond to the ten Sephiroth in the four Qabalistic worlds; and the sixteen court cards relate to the classical elements in the four worlds. While the sephiroth describe the nature of divinity, the paths between them describe ways of knowing the Divine. According to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's interpretation of

2835-446: The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross) was circulated in manuscript among German occultists since about 1610, and published at Cassel in 1614. Johannes Valentinus Andreae has been considered the possible author of the work. A literal reading narrates the travels and education of "Father Brother C.R.C." and his founding of a secret brotherhood of similarly prepared men. Names, numbers, and other details have Qabalistic allusions, in which

2916-552: The Crotona Fellowship. Rosicrucianism Rosicrucianism ( / ˌ r oʊ z ɪ ˈ k r uː ʃ ə ˌ n ɪ z əm , ˌ r ɒ z ɪ -/ ) is a spiritual and cultural movement that arose in early modern Europe in the early 17th century after the publication of several texts announcing to the world a new esoteric order . Rosicrucianism is symbolized by the Rose Cross or Rosy Cross. There have been several Rosicrucian (or Rosicrucian-inspired) organizations since

2997-569: The Golden and Rosy Cross, without success. After 1782, this highly secretive society added Egyptian, Greek, and Druidic mysteries to its alchemy system. A comparative study of what is known about the Gold and Rosenkreuzer appears to reveal, on the one hand, that it has influenced the creation of some modern initiatory groups and, on the other hand, that the Nazis (see The Occult Roots of Nazism ) may have been inspired by this German group. According to

3078-566: The Hebrew letters to the Tarot cards, thus formulating a link between Western magic and Jewish esotericism which has remained fundamental ever since in Western magic. Levi had a deep impact on the magic of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . Hermetic Qabalah was developed extensively by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn , Within the Golden Dawn, the fusing of Qabalistic principles such as

3159-778: The Masonic lodge (later: Grand Lodge ) Zu den drei Weltkugeln ( The Three Globes ) was infiltrated and came under the influence of the Golden and Rosy Cross. Many Freemasons became Rosicrucianists and Rosicrucianism was established in many lodges. In 1782 at the Convent of Wilhelmsbad the Alte schottische Loge Friedrich zum goldenen Löwen ( Old Scottish Lodge Friedrich at the Golden Lion ) in Berlin strongly requested Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and all other Freemasons to submit to

3240-519: The Order of Christ , home of the Knights Templar , later renamed Order of Christ . Three bocetes were, and still are, on the abóboda (vault) of the initiation room. The rose can clearly be seen at the center of the cross. At the same time, a minor writing by Paracelsus called Prognosticatio Eximii Doctoris Paracelsi (1530), containing 32 prophecies with allegorical pictures surrounded by enigmatic texts, makes reference to an image of

3321-441: The Order of the Rose Cross is expounded in a major Christian literary work that molded the subsequent spiritual beliefs of western civilization: The Divine Comedy (ca. 1308–1321) by Dante Alighieri . Other Christian-oriented Rosicrucian bodies include: Freemasonic Rosicrucian bodies providing preparation either through direct study and/or through the practice of a symbolic initiatory journey. Initiatory groups which follow

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3402-571: The Qabalist to form a comprehension of each particular sephirah's characteristics. This manner of applying many attributions to each sephirah is an exemplar of the diverse nature of Hermetic Qabalah. For example, the sephirah Hod has the attributions of: Glory, perfect intelligence, the eights of the tarot deck, the planet Mercury, the Egyptian god Thoth, the archangel Michael, the Roman god Mercury and

3483-716: The Qabalistic basis and interpretation of the Fame and Confession . Between 1614 and 1617, three anonymous manifestos were published, first in Germany and soon after throughout Europe: the Fama Fraternitatis RC ( The Fame of the Brotherhood of RC , 1614), the Confessio Fraternitatis ( The Confession of the Brotherhood of RC , 1615), and the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosicross anno 1459 (1617). The Fama Fraternitatis presents

3564-770: The Rosicrucian documents. The peak of the "Rosicrucianism furore" was reached when two mysterious posters appeared on the walls of Paris in 1622 within a few days of each other. The first said "We, the Deputies of the Higher College of the Rose-Croix, do make our stay, visibly and invisibly, in this city (...)", and the second ended with the words "The thoughts attached to the real desire of the seeker will lead us to him and him to us." The legendary first manifesto, Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis (1614), inspired

3645-626: The Rosicrucian worldview. In his work " Silentium Post Clamores " (1617), Michael Maier described Rosicrucianism as having arisen from a "primordial tradition", saying "Our origins are Egyptian, Brahminic , derived from the mysteries of Eleusis and Samothrace , the Magi of Persia, the Pythagoreans , and the Arabs". In later centuries, many esoteric societies claimed to derive from the original Rosicrucians. The most influential of these societies

3726-610: The Rosicrucians departed for the east due to European instability caused by the start of the Thirty Years' War . In 1710, Sigmund Richter , founder of the secret society of the Golden and Rosy Cross , also suggested the Rosicrucians had migrated eastward. In the first half of the 20th century, René Guénon , a researcher of the occult , presented this same idea in some of his works. Arthur Edward Waite , an eminent author of

3807-552: The Rosicrucians. Some later works impacting Rosicrucianism were the Opus magocabalisticum et theosophicum by George von Welling (1719) – of alchemical and paracelsian inspiration – and the Aureum Vellus oder Goldenes Vliess by Hermann Fictuld in 1749. Michael Maier was appointed Pfalzgraf ( Count Palatine ) by Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor , King of Hungary and King of Bohemia . He also

3888-586: The Rosie Crosse; We have the Mason Word and second sight, Things for to come we can foretell aright. The idea of such an order, exemplified by the network of astronomers, professors, mathematicians, and natural philosophers in 16th-century Europe promoted by such men as Johannes Kepler , Georg Joachim Rheticus , John Dee and Tycho Brahe , gave rise to the Invisible College . This was

3969-635: The Tree of Life and Sephiroth, utilizing Qabalistic principles to explore human consciousness and spiritual growth. Thelema's development continued through organizations like the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) and the A∴A∴ , which further embedded Hermetic Qabalah into their rituals and teachings, perpetuating its influence within modern esoteric practices. There are various systems of English gematria , sometimes referred to as English Qabalah, that are related to Hermetic Qabalah. These systems interpret

4050-468: The Yin, and a point for the Tao. By attributing 26 Roman script letters to the trigrams of this work, Crowley felt that he had fulfilled the injunction to "obtain the order & value of the English Alphabet", as noted in his 'Old Comment' to The Book of the Law . However, he also wrote that "The attribution in Liber Trigrammaton is good theoretically; but no Qabalah of merit has risen therefrom." Due to its cryptic nature, Liber Trigrammaton has been

4131-471: The alchemical element Mercury. The general principle involved is that the Qabalist will meditate on all these attributions and by this means acquire an understanding of the character of the sephirah including all its correspondences. Hermetic Qabalists see the cards of the tarot as keys to the Tree of Life. The 22 cards including the 21 Trumps plus the Fool or Zero card are often called the " Major Arcana " or "Greater Mysteries" and are seen as corresponding to

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4212-464: The ancient forms of esoteric Orders. These were the new Rosicrucians. Their inspired mentors compiled volumes of mystic philosophy which they combined with their personal notions of what the ancient Orders were, and so formed groups. The three principal neo-Rosicrucian Orders of early Soviet Russia were Emesh Redivivus, the Orionist-Manicheans, and the Lux Astralis. Due to suppression by the Soviets they had disbanded by 1933. According to Masonic writers,

4293-430: The anonymously published Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz was one of his works, and he subsequently described it as a ludibrium . In his later works, he makes alchemy an object of ridicule and places it along with music, art, theater, and astrology in the category of less serious sciences. According to some sources, his role in the origin of the Rosicrucian legend is controversial. But according to others, it

4374-437: The cognoscenti of that era were well-versed. The Confessio Fraternitatis (The Confession of the Brotherhood of RC), published in Frankfurt in 1615, responded to confusions and criticisms and elaborated the matter further. Many were attracted to the promise of a "universal reformation of mankind" through a science "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature,

4455-404: The colour blue (on the Queen Scale), Poseidon , Brahma , and amethyst . Many of the Golden Dawn's rituals were published by Crowley, some altered in various ways to align them with his own New Aeon magickal approach. Israel Regardie eventually compiled the more traditional forms of these rituals and published them in book form. Dion Fortune , an initiate of Alpha et Omega (an offshoot of

4536-464: The following terms: "About the year 1645, while I lived in London (at a time when, by our civil wars, academical studies were much interrupted in both our Universities), ... I had the opportunity of being acquainted with divers worthy persons, inquisitive of natural philosophy, and other parts of human learning; and particularly of what hath been called the New Philosophy or Experimental Philosophy. We did by agreements, divers of us, meet weekly in London on

4617-462: The format for modern esoteric organisations. Post-Enlightenment Romanticism encouraged societal interest in occultism, of which Hermetic Qabalistic writing was a feature. Francis Barrett 's The Magus (1801) handbook of ceremonial magic gained little notice until it influenced the French magical enthusiast Eliphas Levi (1810–1875). Levi presented Qabalism as synonymous with both white and black magic . Levi's innovations included attributing

4698-425: The individual through harmonious development of mind and heart in a spirit of unselfish service to mankind and an all-embracing altruism . According to it the Rosicrucian Order was founded in 1313 and is composed of twelve exalted Beings gathered around a thirteenth, Christian Rosenkreuz . These great adepts have already advanced far beyond the cycle of rebirth . Their mission is to prepare the 'whole wide world' for

4779-402: The influences of the study of folklore on the development of Wicca , considers it possible that by the late 1930s some members of the Crotona Fellowship were performing Wicca-like rituals based on Co-Masonry , and that this was the group referred to by Gerald Gardner as the ' New Forest Coven '. The numbers attending Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship events always were small, and the group

4860-399: The initial movement was founded, including the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross (1750s–1790s), the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (1865–present), and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (1887–1903). Between 1610 and 1615, two anonymous manifestos appeared in early modern Germany and soon after were published throughout Europe . The Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis (The Fame of

4941-505: The leaders of the Rosicrucian Order had invented Freemasonry and only they knew the secret meaning of Masonic symbols. The Rosicrucian Order had been founded by Egyptian " Ormusse " or " Licht-Weise " who had emigrated to Scotland with the name "Builders from the East". In 1785 and 1788 the Golden and Rosy Cross group published the Geheime Figuren or "The Secret Symbols of the 16th and 17th century Rosicrucians". Led by Johann Christoph von Wöllner and General Johann Rudolf von Bischoffwerder,

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5022-449: The legend of a German doctor and mystic philosopher referred to as "Father Brother C.R.C." (later identified in a third manifesto as Christian Rosenkreuz , or "Rose-cross"). The year 1378 is presented as being the birth year of "our Christian Father," and it is stated that he lived 106 years. It is said that he studied in the Middle East under various masters – a story implying a possible link to Islamic mysticism or Sufism , which influenced

5103-428: The letters of the Roman script or English alphabet via an assigned set of numeric values. In 1904, Aleister Crowley wrote out the text of the foundational document of his world-view, known as Liber AL vel Legis , The Book of the Law . In this text was the injunction found at verse II:55; "Thou shalt obtain the order & value of the English Alphabet, thou shalt find new symbols to attribute them unto" which

5184-460: The precursor to the Royal Society founded in 1660. It was constituted by a group of scientists who began to hold regular meetings to share and develop knowledge acquired by experimental investigation . Among these were Robert Boyle , who wrote: "the cornerstones of the Invisible (or as they term themselves the Philosophical) College, do now and then honour me with their company..."; John Wilkins and John Wallis , who described those meetings in

5265-410: The right, simple, easy, and ingenuous exposition, understanding, declaration, and knowledge of all secrets." The first Rosicrucian manifesto was influenced by the work of the respected hermetic philosopher Heinrich Khunrath , of Hamburg , author of the Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (1609), who was in turn influenced by John Dee , author of the Monas Hieroglyphica (1564). The invitation to

5346-453: The royal wedding in the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz opens with Dee's philosophical key, the Monas Hieroglyphica symbol. The writer also claimed the brotherhood possessed a book that resembled the works of Paracelsus . Adam Haslmayr a friend of Karl Widemann wrote him a letter about Rosicrucian people who revealed the Theophrastiam 24 December 1611. In his autobiography, Johann Valentin Andreae (1586–1654) claimed that

5427-594: The sick without accepting payment, to maintain a secret fellowship, and to find a replacement for himself before he died. Three such generations had supposedly passed between c. 1500 and c. 1600: a time when scientific, philosophical, and religious freedom had grown so that the public might benefit from the Rosicrucians' knowledge, so that they were now seeking good men. The manifestos were, and continue to be, not taken literally by many but rather regarded either as hoaxes or as allegorical statements. They state: "We speak unto you by parables, but would willingly bring you to

5508-422: The subject in 1652, bringing further elements such as Orphism and Egyptian mythology to the mix. Rosicrucianism and esoteric branches of Freemasonry , such as Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia , taught religious philosophies, Qabalah, and divine magic in progressive steps of initiation. Their esoteric teachings, and secret society structure of an outer body governed by a restricted inner level of adepts, laid

5589-490: The subject of various interpretations by Thelemic scholars and practitioners. It is often analyzed in conjunction with other works by Crowley and the broader context of Thelemic teachings. Its trigrams are sometimes correlated with the I Ching and other systems of divination and symbolism. The most developed interpretation, known as Trigrammaton Qabalah (TQ), was first published by R. Leo Gillis in 1996, and subsequently released as The Book of Mutations in 2002. This system

5670-401: The tarot. Hermetic Qabalah differs from the Jewish form in being a more syncretic system; however, it shares many concepts with Jewish Kabbalah. A primary concern of Hermetic Qabalah is the nature of divinity, its conception of which is quite markedly different from that presented in monotheistic religions; in particular there is not the strict separation between divinity and humankind which

5751-445: The ten Sephiroth with Greek and Egyptian deities was made more cohesive and was extended to encompass other systems such as the Enochian system of angelic magic of John Dee and certain Eastern (particularly Hindu and Buddhist) concepts, all within the structure of a Masonic or Rosicrucian style esoteric order. Aleister Crowley passed through the Golden Dawn before going on to form his own magical orders. Crowley's book Liber 777

5832-569: The way they are in Jewish Kabbalah . From Ain Suph Aur crystallises Kether, the first sephirah of the Hermetic Qabalistic tree of life. From Kether emanate the rest of the sephirot in turn, viz. Kether (1), Chokhmah (2), Binah (3), Daath, Chesed (4), Geburah (5), Tiphareth (6), Netzach (7), Hod (8), Yesod (9), Malkuth (10). Daath is not assigned a number as it is considered part of Binah or a hidden sephirah. Each sephirah

5913-428: The works of Michael Maier (1568–1622) of Germany; Robert Fludd (1574–1637) and Elias Ashmole (1617–1692) of England; Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens , Gotthardus Arthusius , Julius Sperber , Henricus Madathanus , Gabriel Naudé , Thomas Vaughan and others. Rosicrucianism was associated with Protestantism ( Lutheranism in particular). In Elias Ashmole's Theatrum Chimicum britannicum (1650) he defends

5994-400: The writings of the Masonic historian E.J. Marconis de Negre, who together with his father Gabriel M. Marconis is held to be the founder of the " Rite of Memphis-Misraim " of Freemasonry, based on earlier conjectures (1784) by a Rosicrucian scholar Baron de Westerode and also promulgated by the 18th century secret society called the " Golden and Rosy Cross ", the Rosicrucian Order was created in

6075-481: The year 46 when an Alexandrian Gnostic sage named Ormus and his six followers were converted by one of Jesus' disciples, Mark . Their symbol was said to be a red cross surmounted by a rose, thus the designation of Rosy Cross . From this conversion, Rosicrucianism was supposedly born, by purifying Egyptian mysteries with the new higher teachings of early Christianity. According to Maurice Magre (1877–1941) in his book Magicians, Seers, and Mystics , Rosenkreutz

6156-476: Was derived from Jewish Kabbalah , during the European Renaissance , becoming variously Esoteric Christian , non-Christian, or anti-Christian across its different schools in the modern era. It draws on a great many influences, most notably: Jewish Kabbalah , Western astrology , Alchemy , Pagan religions, especially Egyptian and Greco-Roman, Neoplatonism , Hermeticism , and the symbolism of

6237-536: Was generally accepted. In the early 17th century, the manifestos caused excitement throughout Europe by declaring the existence of a secret brotherhood of alchemists and sages who were preparing to transform the arts and sciences, and religious, political, and intellectual landscapes of Europe. Wars of politics and religion ravaged the continent. The works were re-issued several times, followed by numerous pamphlets, favorable or otherwise. Between 1614 and 1620, about 400 manuscripts and books were published which discussed

6318-507: Was one of the most prominent defenders of the Rosicrucians, clearly transmitting details about the "Brothers of the Rose Cross" in his writings. Maier made the firm statement that the Brothers of R.C. existed to advance inspired arts and sciences, including alchemy . Researchers of Maier's writings point out that he never claimed to have produced gold, nor did Heinrich Khunrath or any of the other "Rosicrucianists". Their writings point toward

6399-738: Was the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn , which derived from Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and counted many prominent figures among its members. The largest is the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC , a multinational organization based in Rosicrucian Park , San Jose, California, US. Paul Foster Case , founder of the Builders of the Adytum as a successor to the Golden Dawn, published The true and invisible Rosicrucian Order , elaborating

6480-552: Was the last descendant of the Germelshausen, a German family from the 13th century. Their castle stood in the Thuringian Forest on the border of Hesse , and they embraced Albigensian doctrines. The whole family was put to death by Landgrave Conrad of Thuringia , except for the youngest son, who was then five years old. He was carried away secretly by a monk, an Albigensian adept from Languedoc , and placed in

6561-406: Was understood by Crowley as referring to an English Qabalah yet to be developed or revealed. In one of the Holy Books of Thelema written by Aleister Crowley in 1907, called Liber Trigrammaton, sub figura XXVII -- Being the Book of the Mutations of the Tao with the Yin and the Yang , are 27 three-line diagrams known as 'trigrams', which are composed of a solid line for the Yang, a broken line for

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