The Rosicrucian Cosmo-conception

The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel (ISBN 0-911274-34-0)

The first edition was printed in 1909, it has little changed since then and it is considered to be Max Heindel’s '' and the Occult literature. It is a very complex book which outlines an evolutionary process of Man and the Universe , correlating Science with Religion . It is, till nowadays, the basic book for the Philosophy courses of the school, The Rosicrucian Fellowship , founded by the author in 1909 / 11 .

The author talks about the true man and his journey through Involution , Evolution and Epigenesis , presenting practical methods to help the development of latent potentials in each one of us and how to transmute our latency into dynamic powers in order to achieve, according to the author, direct knowledge and conscientious work in the Inner Worlds .

It deals with many esoteric topics and also Metaphysics , Physiology and Cosmology (the visible and invisible worlds, human evolution, Death And Rebirth , Nutrition , esoteric training, …). It contains a history of the evolution of the human spirit and related bodies (from before awareness, through various incarnations of our planet on various planes, and into the future development) and of animal, vegetable and mineral life waves (each, of the myriad of life forms and types of consciousness on this physical plane, experiencing their own points in evolution). It also presents an Esoteric Interpretation about the mission of Christ and an Occult analysis of Biblical texts which include the fall of man, the Law Of Cause And Consequence and Bible And Rebirth , and many other themes which were further developed in the subsequent books, lectures and lessons given by the author at the time ( 1910s ) in the United States .

Contents

The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception is divided in three parts:
Part I: the Visible and the Invisible Worlds, Man and the Method of Evolution, Rebirth and the Law of Cause and Effect;
Part II: the scheme of Evolution in general and the Evolution of the Solar System and the Earth in particular;
Part III: Christ and His Mission, Future Development of Man and Initiation, Esoteric Training and a Safe Method of Acquiring Firsthand Knowledge.

THE ROSICRUCIAN CONCEPTION OF GOD AND THE SCHEME OF EVOLUTION

According to Max Heindel and in Esoteric Christianity , in the beginning of a ''Day of Manifestation'' a certain collective Great Being, God, limits Himself to a certain portion of space, in which He elects to create a Solar System for the evolution of added Self - Consciousness .
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In God there are contained hosts of glorious Hierarchies and lesser beings of every grade of intelligence and stage of Consciousness , from Omniscience to an Unconsciousness deeper than that of the deepest Trance Condition .
During the current period of manifestation these various grades of beings are working to acquire more experience than they possessed at the beginning of this period of existence. Those who, in previous manifestations, have attained to the highest degree of development work on those who have not yet evolved any consciousness.

The period of time devoted to the attainment of self-consciousness and to the building of the Vehicles through which the spirit in man manifests, is called " Involution ". The succeeding period of existence, during which the individual human being develops '' Self - Consciousness '' into '' Divine Omniscience '', is called " Evolution ". Every evolving being has within him a "force" which makes evolution not to be a mere enfoldment of latent germinal possibilities but a process where each individual differ from that of every other. This force, called " Epigenesis ", provides the element of Originality and gives scope to the creative ability which the evolving being is to cultivate that he may become a God.

Heindel states that in the Solar System , God's Habitation, there are Seven Worlds differentiated by God, within Himself, one after another . These Worlds have each a different " Measure " and rate of Vibration and are not separated by Space or Distance , as is the earth from the other planets. They are states of Matter , of varying Density and Vibration (as are the Solids , Liquids and Gases of the physical Earth ). These Worlds are not instantaneously created at the beginning of a day of Manifestation, nor do they last until the end. The evolutionary scheme is carried through five of these Worlds in seven great Periods of manifestation, during which the evolving virgin Spirit becomes first Human and, then, a God.
The highest Worlds are created first, and as Involution is to slowly carry the life into denser and denser matter for the building of forms, the finer Worlds gradually Condense and new Worlds are differentiated within God to furnish the necessary links between Himself and the Worlds which have consolidated. In due time the point of greatest density, the Nadir of materiality, is reached. From that point the life begins to ascend into higher Worlds, as Evolution proceeds. That leaves the denser Worlds depopulated, one by one. When the purpose has been served for which a particular World was created, God ends its existence, which has become superfluous, by ceasing within Himself the particular activity which brought into being and sustained that World .

Rosicrucians teach that the, above referred, seven Worlds belong to the lowest of the seven "Cosmic Planes". The Worlds and Cosmic Planes are not one above another in space, but the seven Cosmic Planes inter-penetrate each other and all the seven Worlds. They are states of implies Limitation , He may be best described as "Boundless Being": the "Root of Existence".

From the Absolute proceeds the Supreme Being, at the dawn of manifestation: this is ''The One'', the "Great Architect of the Universe". The first aspect of the Supreme Being may be characterized as ''Power'', from this proceeds the second aspect, ''the Word'', and from both of these proceeds the third, aspect, ''Motion''. From this threefold Supreme Being proceed the "seven Great Logoi ". They contain within Themselves all the great Hierarchies which differentiate more and more as they diffuse through the various Cosmic Planes . In the Highest World of the seventh Cosmic Plane dwells the God of the Solar Systems in the Universe . These great Beings are also threefold in manifestation, like The Supreme Being. Their three aspects are ''Will'', ''Wisdom'' and ''Activity''.

COMMENTS ABOUT THE ''COSMO''

The author's perspective (Max Heindel in ''A Word to the Wise'', foreword in RCC)

''If the book is "weighed and found wanting," the writer will have no complaint. He only fears a hasty judgment based upon lack of knowledge of the system he advocates--a hearing wherein the judgment is "wanting" in consequence of having been denied an impartial "weighing." He would further submit, that the only opinion worthy of the one who expresses it must be based upon knowledge.''

''Yet he is convinced that The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception is far from being the last word on the subject.''

''The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception is not dogmatic, neither does it appeal to any other authority than the reason of the student.''

''The Rosicrucian Brotherhood has the most far-reaching, the most logical conception of the World-Mystery (...)''

''It is emphatically stated that this work embodies only the writer's understanding of the Rosicrucian teachings concerning the World-Mystery (...)''

''What is said in this work is to be accepted or rejected by the reader according to his own discretion.''

Now, perhaps you will understand my attitude towards the Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception. I admire and marvel at its wonderful teaching more than anyone else, and can do so without violating proper modesty for the book is not mine--it belongs to humanity. {Link without Title}

A critical essay (Charles Weber in ''The Mystic and Occult in Max Heindel's Writings'')

The Cosmo’s author has “an unswerving desire, a burning thirst for knowledge,” which is “the first and central requisite the aspirant to occult knowledge must possess,” but with this qualification, that “the supreme motive for seeking this occult knowledge must be an ardent desire to benefit humanity” (22). “Another prerequisite to this first-hand knowledge, however, is the study of occultism second-hand” (23). It is the purpose of the Cosmo to make that second-hand study of occultism possible. Occult science is the science of what occurs occultly insofar as it is not perceived in external nature, but in that region toward which the soul turns when it directs its inner being toward the spirit.

Heindel emphasizes the facticity of the Cosmo’s contents and the rigor and objectivity of his sources by using the term occult scientist(s) thirty times and occult science twenty-five times. The occultist (used twenty times) “knows” and “sees” what he is reporting on. “The occult scientist uses concentration in preference to prayer because the former is accomplished by the aid of the mind, which is cold and unfeeling, whereas prayer is usually dictated by emotion” (463). That is, concentration is more impersonal, and therefore more reliable. However, when emotion is replaced by a mystic’s “pure unselfish devotion to high ideals, prayer is much higher than cold concentration” (ibid).

NOTES

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