The problem here is that man is not always conscious of himself, if at all. This illusion is given by memory and thought processes.

Self consciousness takes place in rare flashes, exceptional moments, highly emotional states, in moments of danger and in new and unexpected situations. There are descriptions in poetry of this state. In this state of self remembering man becomes objective towards himself. This state of awareness can be prolonged through effort and constant practice.

SC. or SR. is a reward in itself....., but besides the benefits are many and go hand in hand with self knowledge, living consciously in the present, it enables us to observe, learn, love and develop our attention, will, creativity, positive feelings... one can learn to rule oneself, and try and eventually succeed in transforming oneself and also begin to acquire glimpses of the knowledge of reality. But it is important to remember that �one can only know what one loves�.

SR. is a state opposed to identification which is a state characterized by mechanical attention to something ( ideas, feelings, believes, things...) that makes one incapable of looking objectively.

In the state of objective and spiritual consciousness one becomes objective towards all life, and it implies a knowledge and realization of all underlying principles of creation.

The path of evolution is born out of the awareness of the real condition of oneself and others and through this understanding it is possible to express divine love, that what we really are.

An international meeting of the Rosicrucian Fellowship took place from Thursday 10^th of August till Sunday 13^th of August 2000 in Hohenwart Forum, Pforzheim, Deuschland. It was a very succesful seminar with about 60 participants from all over the world.

The building is a beatiful construction with wood and around it there is a wonderful forest with a lot of different trees, blackberries and flowers that delighted our residence there. An organ and a piano were a musical company for all of us and assisted in our singing that we enjoyed. The theme was �Our heavenly helpers�. Many services were held in the morning and at night and in between we attended many conferences with varied topics:

�Facing the 21 century�, �The meaning of music for the development of man�, �Astrology and our heavenly helpers�, �Bach flowers and our three bodies� and �Guidance through dreams�. There were workshops and the possibility to paint which did bring about many interesting and inspiring pictures. In the history of Europe this meeting was a good melting point of different cultures and the language of the heart did start to talk silently and aloud making us increase our capability to love and share all that we are. We will like to anounce to you that the next international seminar of the Rosicrucian Fellowship will take place in August 2001 in Portugal.

Excerpts from The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception p. 75, 201-202, 417, 421 by Max Heindel:

...the Ego, the Thinker, has descended into the chemical Region of the Physical World. Here he has marshaled all his vehicles, thereby attaining the state of waking consciousness. He is learning to control his vehicles. The organs of neither the desire body nor the mind are yet evolved. The latter is not yet even a body...The Ego, however, enters into the dense body and connects these organless vehicles with the physical sense centers and thus attains the waking state of consciousness in the Physical World.

During the Saturn, Sun and Moon Periods and the past half of the present Earth Period, the virgin spirits have unconsciously built their different vehicles under the direction of exalted Beings who guided their progress, and have gradually awakened until they have attained the present state of waking consciousness. This period is called �Involution�.

From the present time to the end of the Vulcan Period, the virgin spirits, who are now our humanity, will perfect their vehicles and expand their consciousness in the five Worlds by their own efforts and genius. This period is called �Evolution�.

Period Corresponding consciousness

Saturn.........Unconsciousness corresponding to deep trance

Sun..............Unconsciousness resembling dreamless sleep

Moon...........Picture consciousness corresponding to dream state

Earth............Waking, objective consciousness

Jupiter.........Self-conscious picture consciousness

Venus..........Objective, Self-conscious, Creative consciousness

Vulcan.........Highest Spiritual Consciousness

The first of the Great Initiations gives the stage of consciousness which will be attained by ordinary humanity at the end of the Earth Period; the second that to which all will attain at the end of the Jupiter Period; the third gives the extension of consciousness to be reached at the close of the Venus Period; the last brings to the initiate the power and omniscience to which the majority will attain only at the end of the Vulcan Period.

An ancient story:

There was once a rich man who loved money very much and he would not even give a little water to his guardian angel.

While he was seated one day counting his money he was greatly proud about it. The devil appeared to him and asked him: �Is it not enough what you have? How much more do you want? Tell me and I will like to give it to you.�

He didn�t really know what he should wish...he thought a little and said: �I wish that everything that I touch will turn to gold.�

The devil was very happy while he heard that and said: �I do not consider you to be a bad man. You should have what you want.� And he disappeared.

The greedy one rubbed his eyes with his fingers and frictioned it again and again. It was as if he saw all this in a dream.

After a while he stood up. His mouth was dry with fright. He went thirsty to the water container, and inclined it, in order to get water out of it. But the container was made to gold as soon as his hand touched it, and it was shining...and the water also turned into a clump of gold when it touched his lips.

When he noticed that his wish was fulfilled he forgot his thirst and began to dance with joy and to touch all things around him. And when he saw all that gold around him he became crazy with joy.

After a few days he realized that he could neither eat, nor drink, also he could not lie down and was near to die with thirst and hunger and he saw that his richness couldn�t be used or help him. He sat in loneliness and cried about his destiny.

His daughter, the only one he had was very sorry about her father when she saw him in this situation and one day she came near him to kiss and caress him. But as soon as he touched her face with his hand she became stiff and rigid and the woman stayed in the middle of the house as a clump of solid gold.

When he saw her he repented and began to ask God to pardon his greediness and to free him from the present of the devil, even if he would became very poor and would lose everything, but he wanted to have his daughter alive with him and a little bread and water to still his hunger and thirst.

When God saw his sorrow and his repentance, he pardoned him, took from him all his richness and gold and left him poor but contented.