# Rosicrucian Fellowship



## MCL (Aug 20, 2010)

I am currently reading Freemasonry and Catholicism.  (see http://books.google.com/books?id=d0BIAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false)  I like to read the old books on Freemasonry, but this one threw me for a loop.  Very interesting information in here.  I thought is was rubish, e.g. philosopher's stone, until I started reading about the Chamber of Reflection and V.I.T.R.I.O.L.  (see http://www.masonsoftexas.com/content.php/196-The-Chamber-of-Reflection) (which is how I stumbled upon this website)  Now I am even more curious.  While I find it fascinating, I hate to go "down a rabbit hole" that is just a waste of time.  Any guidance from you brothers - have any of you been down this path?  Is there any light to be found from this group?  Does anything they state/believe/expound have any connection to Masonry?


----------



## Frater Cliff Porter (Aug 20, 2010)

I am SRICF, so I can't speak to the Rosicrucian Fellowship.

I can tell you that the lessons provided through CIRCES are really good and if you are going to follow this kind of spiritual study, I like CIRCES.


----------



## MCL (Aug 20, 2010)

My apologies Bro. Porter but I am unfamiliar with SRICF or how it may be different from the Rosicrucian Fellowship or what is CIRCES.  I would like to learn.  Any information you could provide would be great (links, papers, etc.).  I just kind of stumbled across this book and started reading it.  It is very different.  Alas, being uneducated in this area I am confused as to what is what and how it all connects to masonry.


----------



## Sirius (Aug 21, 2010)

Fall. head first down the rabbit hole. Rosicrucianism  is a fascinating area of study. Use your own tools and measure everything out for yourself. Go to multiple sources. 

I'm not familiar with this group nor the book. But after scanning it, I want to read it. Rosicrucianism is very much connected to Freemasonry.  The Chapter of Rose Croix in the Scottish Rite is dedicated to it. So, fall on down that rabbit hole. You'll be glad you did.


----------



## Frater Cliff Porter (Aug 22, 2010)

Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis is a Rosicrucian group that is made up of men who are Masons, but it is not a Masonic group.  It is invitational and in the United States I believe there are 38 colleges.  Some are very esoteric and involved in the healing and alchemical work of the Rose and Cross and some......well, not so much.  In some, they have become a power broker group where your invitation is used to prove how popular you are.  The degrees are beautiful.

CIRCES practices what it calls "spiritual chivilary" and has a guided study course.  I know that most Rosicrucian Fellowship members not living in California study their system this way.  

CIRCES isn't designed so much as a purely initiatic society, but a guided tour through Western mystical tradition and Jungian psychology as it relates to the archetypal man of the collective consciousness.  It doesn't chase any of the magical stuff or recommend magic ritual like some of the other groups.  It traces its lineage back to Europe and some of the older movements within the Enlightenment Era and includes a Templaric inner order called OSTI.  

Raymond Bernard was a big part of OSTI and Pasqually lent work to it prior to Bernard.


----------



## Frater Cliff Porter (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh, and http://www.circesinternational.org/


----------



## rhitland (Aug 22, 2010)

I know some people who are apart of the AMORC  (Ancient Mystic Order of The Rosae Crucis) and they love it.  Although I have had people say bad things about it I have never heard such claims from an actual member.  The teaching are very occult and not for most people kinda why I think most bash it because it is hard to understand it so it looks like hocus pocus.  They have a wonderful publication that any mason would enjoy it is called the Mastery of Life and it is online I will include the link.

http://www.rosicrucian.org/about/mastery/index.html


----------



## ctp2nd (Aug 23, 2010)

Texas SRCIF link: http://sricf.albertpikedemolay.org/

Looks interesting.


----------



## ShadyGrove821 (Aug 23, 2010)

Don't know much about modern day RC orders, but I'm currently reading "The Rosicrucian Enlightenment" by Frances Yates.

http://tinyurl.com/Frances-Yates

I highly recommend it.


----------



## masonicknight (Aug 24, 2010)

Did a little time with Rosicrucian Order, AMORC a few years back....Not a bad group though I did only the stuff they sent out by mail...You read, meditate, do the exercises and report on each section that is offered you....It takes about 5 years to complete the part that allows you into the next group called Illuminati.....The main section is very much a self guided journey into yourself.....When I was involved, for about 2 1/2 years I found it interesting....While the degrees that are given in the booklets are self initiatory there is only one that is required to become a regular attendee and to be allowed to move up, that is the first and it is given in two parts over a two day session....I never made it to this part though I had risen above this degree at home....they do have participatory degrees on regular basis throughout the years in the Lodges, Pronaos, or Atria.....I had heard the current dues per year is on the steep side, about $400....and that is just for the materials not for any local lodge dues or even the grand lodge....and it is up to the individual to keep track of his degree level as the grand lodge, which all belong to, is not responsible to keep it for you at a moments notice if needed.   Their Egyptian Museum in San Jose is fabulous as are their gardens and planetarium...I am no longer a member but would still recommend a time with them if you can....


----------



## MCL (Aug 24, 2010)

Thank you all for the insight.  I honestly did not know anything about the Rosicrucians or any connection to Masonry, but this has given me much to ponder and (more importantly) learn.  It truly is a fascinating subject.  The traveling continues....


----------

