The classical Rosicrucians of 17th century declared;
You, who are prudent, find shelter with us, who are not seeking for your gold, and we are even offering you our immeasurable treasures.
But what actually are these “treasures” and why are they immeasurable? From an inner point of view, they are associated with an awakening of the consciousness for an immediate perception of reality, free from the burden of rigid doctrines and attitudes, established by the past.
However, an actual awakening does not mean self-awareness of such a process. Maybe you remember the biblical parable of the rich young man. He is so rich in achievements and qualities, that he just can’t leave it all behind. He has become a god of himself, therefore he can’t turn to the God of all things.
When Jesus says that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, the apostles are extremely puzzled. A person who has already acquired everything, and follows the prescriptions of the spiritual laws, is incapable of receiving the Spirit. And it is normal to ask themselves if such a person is incapable, then is there anyone who can do it at all. The answer they received is simple: this is not possible for humans. There is no way through which a human can reach something that is not human. But of course, for God everything is possible, as long as there is room for Him to work.
One such place of manifestation, pointed out by the classical Rosicrucians, is the tomb-temple of Christian Rosycross. This facility, as an alchemical symbol, is located in the heart of every person and there is quite a good description of the process of finding it[i]. The discovery of the Temple begins with the death of brother A. The letter A is the first letter of the alphabet. We could also refer to our own perception of ourselves as “the first letter of the alphabet”.
However, only after the death of brother A, can brother NN come in his place. He finds a brass memorial plate, tears out its nail, and behind the broken plaster finds the door to the tomb-temple. The brass memorial plate, taken down from its prominent place, is a symbol of our past, of all the knowledge and experiences accumulated in us, which until now have always determined us, and have until now been our wealth. In this regard we can all see ourselves as the rich young man.
But here we can ask: who and what is brother NN? NN means “nothing” and “no one”. Many people believe that removing this brass memorial plate would deprive them of their identity. Here lies a big secret. Inside the chamber there is another brass plate – a completely different kind of identity.
The following words of Christ are meant for the characteristics of the person, who reveals the tomb-temple:
He, who loses his life, will find it,
and also Lao Tse’s words:
Only the little one can get the big one.
On this basis only can be accomplished the process called “rebirth by water and spirit”. On this basis also is executed the process that we know as transfiguration (from Greek). The transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is represented by a cloud of light on Mount Tabor. The same cloud of light guided Moses when he was given the task to lead his people to the Promised Land.
This cloud takes the place of the so-called Higher Self of man, when the personality renounces its own ground, and its own will, in the name of God’s will.
In times closer to us, people are describing what they call the “Uncreated Light”. Their testimonies show us that along with this illumination at the same time there is an immediate and painful perception of the personal and common human descent. This deep understanding is a heavy cross to bear, and anyone who carries it for himself, will soon be exhausted. But whoever carries it for God’s sake and for the others, receives not exactly strength or endurance, but inspiration – a small fraction of the process of creation, which in legends is called “breathing life into the nostrils.” With this inspiration, the weight of the cross becomes another kind of weight, that we could call Meaning.
Here we can also remember how Christian Rosycross passes through the weighing on the scales, before participating in the procession of the Alchemical Wedding[ii]. He has no point of reference in himself, and that is why he endures the seven weights – the test of the Holy Spirit. He says that God’s mercy, not his personal qualities or skills, helped him. Therefore, when all weights are placed on the plate, they can not move what has taken its place not by its own, but by God’s will.
We often talk about service, but do we truly understand the meaning of this expression? Inside us there is an idea and a model (a product of the old consciousness) for its manifestation. It is said that service means sacrifice. From the Latin language, the word ‘sacrifice’ originally comes from sacrum facere and refers to a sacred deed, but a few understand well enough that what needs to be sacrificed is mainly our personal idea of it. Our personal idea is also reflected in our demands of others, and in claims to life itself. This is even further self-affirmation.
It is because we are quite cultivated, that our self-affirmation is trying to conceal itself, and often manifests in deeds we believe we are doing for others. But often this serves only to raise the image of ourselves in our own eyes.
Going on the path of self surrender maybe sounds like something quite engaging and difficult. But it would do more justice to say that it is actually impossible for a human. However, as we mentioned at the beginning, for God all is possible. Not only that, it’s all too easy for Him. He only needs bare land to work, or – a desert.
How has the world been born? Is it not true that the Supreme Creator made it out of nothingness? Then it is clear that if God is to do His work inside us, we should simply be nothingness – His building material.
[i] in “Fama Fraternitatis”
[ii] in the third manifesto of the classical Rosicrucians – “The Alchemical wedding of Christian Rosycross”
