As part of AMORC's traditional and chronological history - in 1694 the voyage of a vessel - the Sarah Maria - brought the first Rosicrucians to America - landing in Philadelphia - and under the leadership of Johannes Kelpius the first settlement was made there - with a later move to western Penna. to a place called Ephrata. Many moons later - H. Spencer Lewis renewed Rosicrucian activities in America with the incorporation of AMORC in New York City in 1915.
That was the beginning of Rosicrucianism in America and then there was the beginning of Rosicrucianism in the Ancient World as shown here:
Our Roots in the Ancient World
The Rosicrucian movement, of which the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, is the most prominent modern representative, has its roots in the mystery traditions, philosophy, and myths of ancient Egypt dating back to approximately 1500 B.C. In antiquity the word “mystery” referred to a special gnosis, a secret wisdom. Thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt select bodies or schools were formed to explore the mysteries of life and learn the secrets of this hidden wisdom. Only sincere students, displaying a desire for knowledge and meeting certain tests were considered worthy of being inducted into these mysteries. Over the course of centuries these mystery schools added an initiatory dimension to the knowledge they transmitted.
(From AMORCs Official Site - www.rosicrucian.org/about/mastery/mastery08history.html)
Comments are greatly appreciated!!!
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Although Akhenaten's 'Religion of the Disk' was devoid of things such as a creation myth or ways to spiritual enlightenment - even a life-after-death concept - which might have made it acceptable to the masses - Ancient Egypt and its religions had it all - including a Soul - which was made up of five parts - the Ka being one of which is reminiscent of the Vital Life Force of Rosicrucianism.
"The Ka (k3) was the Egyptian concept of vital essence, that which distinguishes the difference between a living and a dead person, with death occurring when the ka left the body. The Egyptians believed that Khnum created the bodies of children on a potter's wheel and inserted them into their mothers' bodies. Depending on the region, Egyptians believed that Heket or Meskhenet was the creator of each person's Ka, breathing it into them at the instant of their birth as the part of their soul that made them be alive. This resembles the concept of spirit in other religions.?" (Source: Wikipedia)
I am finally getting to the end of this book - and it has been one fascinating journey into the life and times of the Pharaoh Akhenaton and his 'Religion of the Disk' - so many what-ifs surfaced - such as what if Akhenaton had pursued a warlike reign over subordinate lands such as Syria as had his predecessors? what if Akhenaton had actually forced his 'Religion of the Disk' - one he made a State Religion - on the masses rather than one kept and taught to a select few? what if Akhenaton had pursued a dogmatic sense of righteousness and - along with a creation myth - had outlined ways to spiritual enlightenment and a life-after-death concept in his "Teachings?"
The biggest what-if in my humble estimation - is 'what if' this religion had actually survived the jealousies of the Priests of Amon and the perceived spiritual needs of the Egyptian people - with the eventual concept of 'living in truth' - seeing the beauty of the natural world - accepting all in brotherhood and sisterhood - being spread throughout the then known Egyptian Kingdom?
http://www.ephratacloister.org/
Take the virtual tour here. It is amazing.
I have been to Ephrata and I took a tour of the old site where they all lived and worked together. It is in pristine condition. It is a beautiful way to spend the day. I believe that every Rosicrucian should travel there at least once. It is called the Cloisters.
As I continue to 'slowly' reread this book about the life and times of the Pharaoh Akhnaton - I am simply amazed at how little was left of his existence and his 'Religion of the Disk' yet the author continuously is able to extract amazing bits of insight from what is available - specifically the two hymns - entitled the "Shorter Hymn" and the "Longer Hymn." The following excerpt from the book reminded me of the 'Unique Energy' that is part of the Rosicrucian Creed:
"One of the points on which he insists the most, in both of the hymns which have survived, is the all-importance of the beams of the Sun. Not only does he say: “Thou sendest forth Thy beams and every land is in festival,” but also: “Breath of life is to see Thy beams,” and also: “Thy beams envelop (i.e., penetrate) everywhere, all the lands which Thou hast made” . . . “Thou art afar off, but Thy beams are upon the earth”; and again: “The fishes in the river swim up to greet Thee; Thy beams are within the depth of the great sea. . . .”The rays of the Sun play an equally prominent part in the symbol of Akhnaton’s religion: the Disk with downward beams ending in hands which hold the looped-cross ankh, sign of life. As we have seen, no other image but that one was allowed in the temples, and that was not intended to portray the object of worship (which was beyond any representation whatsoever), but to remind the worshippers of the main truth concerning it - namely, that the Essence of the Sun - the "heat and light" within the Disk - is not confined to the Disk itself, but is present and active, and beneficent (life giving) wherever the rays of the Sun reach.....
Kathy Moore said:
More about the roots of our Order - from the Mastery of Life:
"Pharaoh Thutmose III, who ruled Egypt from 1500 to 1447 B.C., organized the first esoteric school of initiates founded upon principles and methods similar to those perpetuated today by the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC. Decades later Pharaoh Amenhotep IV was initiated into the secret school. This most enlightened
pharaoh—history’s first monotheist—was so inspired by the mystery teachings that he gave a completely new direction to Egypt’s religion and philosophy. He established a religion which recognized the Aton, the solar disk, as being the symbol of the sole deity—the foundation of life itself, the symbol of Light, Truth, and Joy—and changed his name to Akhnaton to reflect these new ideas. And although the earlier religion was later reestablished, the mystical idea was put forth in human consciousness, and its flame never died."
http://www.rosicrucian.org/about/mastery/mastery08history.html
From the Introduction of the book - "Son of the Sun" - a few plausible reasons why the author thought Akhnaton's 'Religion of the Disk' did not survive:
"One of them is that the cult of Aton was too rational to appeal to the average people of any time. Another is that Akhnaton himself was too good — and perhaps too farsighted, also — to establish it by means of violence."
"Three elements seem to have contributed to the propagation of every widespread religion: a mythology; miracles; and a more or less definite doctrine concerning the hereafter. (By “mythology,” I mean the true or fictitious story of all natural or supernatural beings connected with the creed: men, angels, beasts, saints, demons, gods, etc.) I do not know of a religion which has stood up to now the test of time without one or two, at least, of these three elements. And most of the great international creeds owe much to all three."
"But the cult of Aton seems to have been devoid of all three from the start. That is perhaps why some modern authors have called it a philosophy rather than a religion. But it did possess that stamp of devotion that distinguishes a religion from a philosophy,,,,,,,
as found on Wikipedia:
Excerpts of Akhnaton's 'Great Hymn to the Aten'
From the middle of the text:
"Different scholars have expressed different opinions on Akhenaten's religion of Atenism. Some express great admiration for both while others see Atenism as a means to a political end. Historian James Henry Breasted considered Akhenaten to be the first monotheist and scientist in history. In 1899, Flinders Petrie wrote: If this were a new religion, invented to satisfy our modern scientific conceptions, we could not find a flaw in the correctness of this view of the energy of the solar system. How much Akhenaten understood, we cannot say, but he certainly bounded forward in his views and symbolism to a position which we cannot logically improve upon at the present day. Not a rag of superstition or of falsity can be found clinging to this new worship evolved out of the old Aton of Heliopolis, the sole Lord of the universe. Miriam Lichtheim describes the hymn as "a beautiful statement of the doctrine of the One God."
Thank you for the information here!
Has anyone read the book "Son of the Sun" - by Savitri Devi and published by the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, Inc.? It was originally published in London, England under the title, "A Son of God" and its subtitle is 'The Life and Philosophy of Akhnaton, King of Egypt.'
From the Dedication page:
"The modern world has yet adequately to value or even to acquaint itself with this man who, in an age so remote and under conditions so adverse, became the world's first idealist and the world's first individual."
Breasted - History of Egypt, page 392
Anyone interested in reading this great book about the life and times of Akhnaton - a PDF version of the original title - A Son of God - can be found at Savitridevi dot org - under text.html.
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