Rosicrucian                                                                                                                      June, 2001

NEWSLETTERS

We are associated with The Rosicrucian Fellowship, Oceanside - California 

 

"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

                                                          Matthew 18:3

 

 

Good thoughts and good words, prayer and retrospection are a food for our soul, they are like fragrant winds in this world. Yet there is so much suffering in man and because of that we can develop empathy and love and learn to give.

The presence is a door to the infinite if we are conscious of us and our environments at the same time. We can wonder about everything and about everybody. From the little grass up to the great stars in heaven…We should be thankful for even the smallest moment of consciousness because this helps us to develop.

The opposing factors against self consciousness in the presence are imagination that runs without our control, identification to anything, to anybody or any situation and for most of the people also negative emotions which often go together with the mentioned aspects. To be conscious is a much more beautiful experience than the mechanical processes that involve sleep.

One must make efforts everyday to remember oneself, as it was said: “If you would rule all, rule yourself”. The essence of our spirit is pure love and pure consciousness, it is like a flame which transforms the base into gold so that the sun in us, as a good friend, comes and melts and transforms everything into light. We have a feeling and an awareness of our existence that can expand.

 It is our will to awaken which helps us to divide our attention. Our life is composed of so many usual and simple moments, of so many common miracles so that we have to learn to appreciate and accept with joy the common and find the sublime in it.

A Rosicrucian international meeting takes place from August 2nd to August 5th 2001 in Fatima, Portugal. The theme is: “The spiritual panacea for the XXI century”.

Contact directly:         Domus Pacis     PO Box 1     2495-438 Fatima        Portugal

                                   e-mail : saraiva1@ip.pt

                                   Fax:     ++ 351 249 539 840     ++ 351 249 539 850

                                   Phone:++ 351 249 539 800

For more information you can visit the page www.virtual-net.pt/DomusPacis

or         manuel palmar           manuelpalmar@mail.telepac.pt        phone: + 351 263 589 317

            antonio ferreira           newage@mail.telepac.pt                   phone: + 351 249 847 090

Please announce yourself for the meeting as soon as possible, from April 1st rooms also will be given to other groups.

 

 

 

Excerpts from Letters to Students p. 192-195 by Max Heindel:

 

It is a law in nature that “from nothing, nothing comes.” …At the same time there is a definite price upon spiritual growth which must be paid by every one who wants to attain it. In the first place the old interests must be sacrificed. We all remember the parable about those who were bidden to the feast of the king but who refrained from coming for various reasons. One had taken a wife and wanted to enjoy his honeymoon; another had bought an oxen and wanted to inspect his new property; and so on, with the result that they all neglected their opportunity and lost their chance of advancement. The same proposition comes to us today in a different guise.

It is perfectly true that when we have assumed obligations we must discharge them to the best of our ability. At the same time there is also more than a possibility that if we think thoroughly over the matter we will find that we have some time left from our duties which may be devoted to the Great Work. In this connection it may be well to remember the incident of some coming to Christ and saying to Him: “Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.” He answered, “Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?…Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Again he said:”…And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

There is and must be a sacrifice involved in the regenerate life. It has been my experience personally, and in watching thousands of others, that in the direct proportion that any one gives of his thoughts, his time and money to the cause he has espoused so will he reap spiritual benefit.

When one consecrates all that he is to the regenerate life and follows the guidance of the spirit it will soon be seen that his very intensity of purpose in the new direction shuts out the old things. He has no longer time for them. They pass out of his thoughts and drop away. In every case that which we give up for the work’s sake, the time that we spend in the cause of Christ, and the money we expend in discriminate charity are all provided for and compensated for under the law that works for good.

The law enunciated by Christ, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you,” holds good in this day as well as when it was spoken. This I have found by actual experience, and every one else who lives the life and does the work will find that the same holds good in his or her case. There is growth only in service.

 

                                                                                     

                                                                                An ancient story:

 

   A dervish on a long and hard journey through a desert finally reached a small village, called “Sandy Hills”. There he asked a man where to get food and where to find a place for the night. The man answered: “Well, in our village there is not such a place, but I’m sure, that Shakir will gladly care for you.” Then he showed him the way. Shakir was the richest man in the region, and it was said that he was even richer than Haddad who lived in the next village. After a short time the dervish stood full of admiration in front of Shakir’s house. Shakir himself was a very hospitable and kind man and he invited the stranger to stay a few days with him and his family. After these days of pleasant stay the dervish left with plenty of food and water for the journey. Back in the desert he began to ponder over the last words of his kind host. The derwish had said: “Thanks to God that your wellbeing is so fine.” “But, dervish”, Shakir had replied “don’t be fooled by the outer appearance, for also this will pass away.”

   Although he did’nt understand the full meaning of these words, they had made a deep impression to his mind. After five years of travelling and new experiences the dervish returned to Sandy Hills in order to visit his friend Shakir, and he inquired about him. “He is living in the neighbouring village at Haddad’s place”. At Haddad’s house he was welcomed by an aged Shakir in rags, who told him that three years ago a flood had taken all his property and wealth away, “and so I am working for Haddad now”. Yet this turn of fate could not influence the kind and friendly being of Shakir, and so the dervish stayed again a few days with Shakir and his family. When leaving the derwish said: “I deeply regret what happened to you and your family.” “Surely”, was the answer “but don’t forget, also this will pass away.”

   The dervish knew, that the last time Shakir had predicted the change, but what did these words mean now? With such thoughts the derwish continued his travelling. It lasted seven years until he returned to the small village, in the meantime Shakir had become wealthy again. “Haddad died a few years ago”, he explained “and because he had no heires, he decided to leave his wealth to me as reward for my loyal services”. As the visit came to an end Shakir repeated his favorite saying: “Also this will pass away”.

   After a pilgrimage to Mekka and after having been in India, the dervish wanted to visit Shakir before he went home to his native country Persia. What he found was a modest gravestone with the inscription: “Also this will pass away”. His friend was gone. The dervish was surprised even more than the other times about these words, for he understood that wealth comes and wealth goes, but how could a grave change? From this day on the dervish visited every year the grave of his friend, staying there and meditating a few hours. During one of these visits cemetary and gravestone had disappeared, washed away by a flood. For hours the derwish stood at the ruins starring at the ground, finally he lifted his head to heaven as if he had discovered a deeper meaning, nodded and said: “Also this will pass away.”

   The dervish now was too old for travelling and he settled down. Years passed and he spent his time to help those who came for advice. From everywhere people came to use his wisdom, his reputation even reached the first counsellor of the king. The counsellor actually was searching for someone with great wisdom, because the king wanted to manufacture a ring with very extraordinary faculties: It should show an inscription, which the king just should read, and if he was sad, it should make him happy, if he was happy, it should make him sad. The best jewellers and also many women and men had made suggestions, yet none of these pleased the king. So the counsellor wrote a letter to the dervish, explaining the situation to him, asking and inviting him into the palace. Without leaving his home the dervish sent his answer.

   A few days later a ring with a smaragd was manufactured and presented to the king. For days the king had been depressed and so he put the ring reluctantly ontu the finger and looked at it with a disappointed sigh. Then he started to smile and a few moments later to laugh loudly. On the ring was engraved: “Also this will pass away”.

                                                                                                  Fariduddin Attar

                                                                                             

 

 

Thoughts

 

 

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

- William Shakespeare

 

He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.

 

- James Allen

 

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.

- Gibran Kahlil Gibran

 

 

Aquarian art

 

O God,

you are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you,

my body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

And beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

My lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

And in your name I will lift up my hands,

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

With singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

My soul clings to you;

Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 93

Our address for your suggestions/ articles etc. is:

 

“NEWSLETTERS”

PF 4

2230 Gänserndorf

Austria

E-mail: newsletters@telering.at

Back to Rosicrucian Newsletters Archives