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Master Monograph [pause]
Rosicrucian Order, Amorc[pause]
Postulant Section, Mandamus 1[pause]
Know thyself and thou shalt know the universe and the gods. [pause]

On this first day on the R+C Path [pause]
Dear Fratres and Sorores, [pause]
It is with great joy that we now count you among the members of our Order
and, with all my heart, I welcome you on the prestigious Rosicrucian Path. [pause]
This monograph is the first of those you will receive as a member of the
Postulant Section. This section, as its name indicates, is composed of fratres
and sorores who, like you, aspire to receive the Knowledge perpetuated by
the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis; yet such Knowledge can only
be transmitted to those who are pure of heart and are only motivated by a
sincere desire to understand and to learn. That is why, in a very subtle way,
your sincerity and purity will be put to the test in the coming months. If you
prove yourself worthy of the Mysteries that are about to be revealed to you, the
Masters who watch over our Tradition will grant you the honor and privilege of
continuing on the path that you are setting out upon for the first time today. If the
opposite should be the case, you will be excluded, perhaps forever, without even
realizing it. Thus, the future of your affiliation with AMORC depends upon you
and you alone. [pause]
The word Mandamus, which appears on the cover and at the top of each
page of this monograph, designates the special mandate that your Class Master
has received for instructing you as a Postulant of our Order. This mandate was
granted to you because you promised upon your honor to keep AMORC’s
traditional teachings confidential. This means that they are placed at your
disposal as a privilege of your affiliation, and they may be withdrawn if you are
neglectful in your duty. My hope therefore is that you respect the commitment
you made when facing your conscience and that you give proof of your
worthiness and loyalty. [pause]
After having studied this first Mandamus, acquaint yourself with the
accompanying booklets entitled Liber 777—The Celestial Sanctum and Liber
888—Council of Solace. I ask you to give special attention to these booklets
because the mystical principles they contain are important to know and are an
integral part of the Rosicrucian philosophy. Moreover, please
keep in mind that these booklets are not confidential. Unlike
the monographs and all the other documents you will receive
as part of your affiliation, you can loan Liber 777 and Liber
888 to nonmembers so that they may read them, provided that they are interested in mysticism and spiritual matters. While reading these
booklets, their desire to know more concerning Rosicrucian esotericism may
be aroused. [pause]
Beginning with the next mailing, you will receive four monographs per
month. I advise you to study one monograph per week. Also, beginning right
now, choose a day of the week for your Rosicrucian studies and, as much as
possible, do not change it. Such a choice will allow you to establish a regular
rhythm in your Rosicrucian work, thus contributing to a better assimilation
of what you will study. Most Rosicrucians have chosen Thursday—and more
particularly Thursday evening—to read their monographs. Why Thursday?
Simply because Rosicrucian Tradition reports that it was on Thursday evenings
that the Rosicrucians of the past would meet and hold their convocations.
Perhaps it was due to this day being placed under the auspices of Jupiter, and in
astrosophy, this planet symbolizes the notions of study and wisdom? [pause]
By devoting this day to their Rosicrucian studies, Rosicrucians from all over
the world commemorate this event that is of great importance for our mystical
Order. If you cannot make Thursday night your period for study, choose
another day. Likewise, if it is impossible for you to study your monographs in
the evening, do so in the morning, in the afternoon, or at any other time when
you have the required tranquility. What matters most of all, I repeat, is creating
within yourself the habit of studying on a certain day of the week. Furthermore,
whatever the day and time you choose, let your family and friends know that
you will not be available during this period. If necessary, make it clear to them
that this time is devoted to private studies. In this way, you will avoid any
interruption in your Rosicrucian work. [pause]
Do not let your monographs accumulate with the good intention of
studying them later on and catching up. If this happens, you may hinder the
initiatory process which provides meaning to Rosicrucianism. Moreover,
such a way of proceeding will gradually weaken the attraction which
impelled you to request affiliation with our Order. In fact, each week it will
become more and more difficult for you to read and study the Rosicrucian
teachings. On the other hand, regular and conscientious study will lead you
to increasingly greater understanding and knowledge—
sources of profound inner satisfaction. In this way, you
will derive all the theoretical and practical advantages
which Rosicrucian philosophy can give to those who show themselves worthy of it. Moreover, if you wish to review certain
monographs, nothing prevents you from doing so at the time you find most
suitable between your regular study periods. In fact, it is up to each person to
be as organized as possible to make these studies most effective. The general
rules just stated remain valid for everyone, as they have proven their value. [pause]
Besides regularity in your work, I recommend that you have a notebook
reserved for your Rosicrucian studies. Write in it the principles you want to
commit deep in your memory, the comments your monographs inspire in you,
the questions you ask yourself, and the answers you receive at a given moment
in your advancement. The contents of this notebook are to remain confidential,
because it is the silent witness of a mystical intimacy which you alone can
understand and assume. By reviewing your notebook periodically, you will find
with pleasure that your inner understanding of the great truths of existence has
blossomed and you will measure the extent to which your desire to study the
teachings of our Order has been justified. If you give it the care and attention
required, it will reflect your Rosicrucian progress from this day forward until
the day when your affiliation is completed. [pause]
To conclude these few remarks with a comment on administrative matters, I
wish to assure you that your name and address are kept absolutely confidential
on our part. All information concerning you, and which is necessary to us
concerning your affiliation with AMORC, is kept in files to which only persons
authorized by me have access. Indeed, the Grand Lodge does everything so that
your trust in us is truly justified on all levels. [pause]
Again, let me express my pleasure in welcoming you as a member of our
Order, and send you my best wishes for Peace Profound. [pause]
Sincerely and fraternally, [pause]
Julie Scott, Grand Master
[pause]
Page 6 [pause]
Dear Fratres and Sorores, [pause]
Convening a new class of Rosicrucian Postulants is a happy and important
event in our Tradition, for it provides proof of the desire and need for spirituality,
which animates an ever-greater number of seekers. As your Class Master, I
welcome you in the name of the Imperator, all the Grand Masters, and all your
fratres and sorores, and, on this memorable day, I convey to you their greetings. [pause]
Before approaching the first principles of our teachings, it will be useful
for you to know certain facts that will allow you to understand better what you
have a right to expect from your affiliation. We believe that this will give you
the feeling of real satisfaction regarding the decision you have made in seeking
admittance within AMORC’s Portals. First of all, you must understand that
what distinguishes Rosicrucians from other people is the attraction we feel
toward the mysteries of life. Our thirst for Knowledge incites us to explore
the universe in which we live, because we are conscious of the fact that we
ourselves are living reflections of it. We devote ourselves, body and soul, to the
study and application of our Order’s teachings, because experience has, over
time, shown us that Rosicrucian philosophy makes it possible to understand
better the meaning of life and, therefore, to master it more fully. [pause]
ROSICRUCIANISM:  [pause]The purpose of our teachings is not to upset the social
and family environment in which we live, because such a negative perspective
would be in total opposition with the law of evolution so dear to us. Although
Rosicrucians, in the course of history, have contributed to profound changes in
society, they succeeded in laying the foundations for such changes because they
have understood, in light of what they had learned in the Order, that the world
could only evolve positively by adapting themselves to the loftiest ideals. [pause]
Therefore, the basic worth of Rosicrucianism resides in the positive
transformation that takes place in the innermost being of each member and
which gradually makes him or her an enlightened being who is happy to be
alive. In this sense, the objective of AMORC’s teachings is to give us the
intellectual and spiritual means to face the vicissitudes of our daily existence
and to experience happiness, much like the joy we feel when in the presence
of those who are dear to us. That is why the monographs
do not convey speculative teachings; they convey instead a
pragmatic knowledge based on a presentation of natural and
cosmic laws at work in and around us. [pause]
Many people have a poor understanding of what the word mysticism
truly means. This word is too often associated with strange, unusual, and
even disturbing behavior, whether it is used to define the state of mind or the
mentality of someone who has no concept of the material values of existence.
For some, it is even synonymous with “magic.” However, as we will show
you in our teachings, Rosicrucian mysticism has nothing to do with magical
practices, whatever their purpose and nature may be. For centuries, mysticism
has dealt with the spiritual dimension of humans. To be more precise, it is
concerned with the study of natural and universal connections uniting each
living being to the First Cause of all things—which we may call God, Divine
Intelligence, Cosmic Consciousness, Universal Wisdom, or whatever we wish.
From this point of view, any religious or philosophical system whose goal is to
give humanity a better understanding of the place we occupy in the universe is
mystical. [pause]
AMORC, as a traditional, philosophical, and initiatic Order, is interested in
eternal values and strives to guide its members toward an approach of Absolute
Truth. This being the case, we must emphasize that it does not in any way
constitute a religious movement. By making this declaration we do not wish to
say that Rosicrucian teachings oppose any of the many existing religions; rather,
the goals it pursues are completely different. [pause]
Generally speaking, a religion does not devote itself to the study of life.
Rather, it is intent upon perpetuating dogmas that were established originally
by one or more individuals. When these dogmas truly reflect the Universal
Good, the behaviors dictated by the religion in question are valuable. When
the contrary is true, they may oppose a person’s physical and spiritual integrity.
Moreover, any religious code bears the imprint of the era in which it was
defined. Therefore, a religion cannot be eternally valuable if its teachings are not
regularly readapted to the evolution operating both within ourselves and within
our environment. That explains why certain religious movements are currently
experiencing profound reassessments. [pause]
We cannot deny that religions, on the whole, have their origin in the
revelations received by an individual through harmonizing
with Divine Wisdom. However, they do not teach the
method to follow so that their students may achieve this
harmonization on their own. In other words, the mystical
course which the Messiah or the Prophet of a religion followed to reach such
Illumination is not explained to the faithful. Rather, they are expected to believe
what they are told about the life of this Messiah or Prophet. [pause]
Mysticism, on the other hand, seeks to promote the inner awakening of
each individual and to provide the spiritual means of harmonizing directly
with Cosmic Consciousness. In other words, its purpose is to allow men and
women to have a personal experience of the Divine without having to resort to
a particular creed and without using any priesthood as an intermediary. That is
why we feel that religions have an obvious usefulness, and yet they essentially
constitute ways of belief, whereas a traditional Order such as AMORC is a Path
to Knowledge. [pause]
As an introduction to the teachings that will be revealed to you progressively,
we propose that you consider certain phenomena which may have already
attracted your attention or have given rise to reflections on your part. All of
these phenomena relate to laws and natural principles that will be the subject of
complete explanations in the monographs you will receive. Many people, due to
their ignorance, classify them in the realm of superstition or associate them with
supernatural events. Yet people have at their disposal the appropriate faculties
for mastering them and making them useful in everyday life. It is true, as the
ancient saying goes, that “it is from ignorance and from ignorance alone that
humanity must be freed.” [pause]
THE HUMAN AURA: You may have noticed an illuminated streetlight on
a foggy night. Apart from the light itself, you may have perceived a sort of
radiance around it. We call this radiance an aura. All living creatures have an
aura; however, unlike the one that may be seen around a streetlight, the aura
issuing from plants, animals, and human beings is invisible to the naked eye,
at least under normal circumstances. Yet, the fact that it cannot be readily seen
does not mean that it does not exist. [pause]
To use an analogy, it is impossible to perceive the magnetism emanating
from a magnet. Yet such magnetism does exist and it cannot be denied that it
produces tangible effects on certain substances. Without
dwelling on the nature of the human aura—a study that we
will save for future monographs—we can say that the human
aura is an electromagnetic field resulting from a combination
of three major energies—the first being associated with our
physical body, the second with our vitality, and the third with our soul. [pause]
Just as the existence of magnetism can be proved by observing its effects, it
is likewise possible to test the influence that the aura exerts on its surroundings.
In this regard, you must not think that the only way of proving whether the
aura exists involves perceiving the color of its radiance, although that would
be naturally the most conclusive in this matter. For example, you may have
encountered a person for whom you immediately felt either an attraction or
an aversion, even though this person said or did nothing whatsoever that could
explain such an impression. Even if you were not objectively aware of it, this
kind of impression often has its origin in the psychic influence that the aura of
others can have upon us. [pause]
EXERCISE:  [pause]In connection with the aura, we suggest that you carry out the
following exercise. The next time you use public transportation or when you
find yourself in a crowd, analyze the impressions you experience when in
contact with people. Do not study their faces or their demeanor, because that
might cause suggestions to intervene that have nothing to do with the perception
of the aura. Instead, note how your own thoughts, emotions, and feelings can
change in regards to individuals with whom you are in contact. Since certain
people react more to the vibrations of the aura than others do, it will be
interesting for you to realize the degree of your own psychic sensitivity. [pause]
TELEPATHY:  [pause]As a form of mystical practice, telepathy dates back to earliest
antiquity. It was used by the Initiates, and, in general, by all members of the
Mystery Schools. Not so long ago, such a practice was condemned by certain
religious dogmas, and many superstitious people associated this phenomenon
with malevolent powers. Science also took a long time to recognize the
authenticity of telepathy, because this phenomenon was beyond the scope of
their researches and confronted them with still unknown principles. [pause]
For Rosicrucians, thought transmission is a practice whose existence and
effectiveness cannot be doubted. When following a well-defined method, it
is possible to establish mental contact with other people. As is the case with
most faculties that are said to be “extraordinary”—using the
true meaning of this word—telepathy is based on the use
of the almost unlimited powers of human consciousness.
In the Rosicrucian teachings, we shall reveal the technique
that you should follow when mentally communicating with
other persons so that you can send them brief and urgent messages. As part
of this introductory monograph, we propose that you conduct the following
exercise, which illustrates the soundness of this mental technique we may use to
communicate with others. [pause]
EXERCISE:  [pause]When you find yourself in the company of about a dozen people,
whether at a meeting, a family gathering, or an evening among friends, choose
one of them and, for a few moments, think intensely about that person without
looking directly at him or her. When doing this, it is best to direct your gaze
in another direction while visualizing the individual’s face. After concentrating
for fifteen to thirty seconds, stop your visualization, and discreetly observe the
person in question. You will find that right after completing your experiment,
the individual will look your way as if, unconsciously, he or she had been
feeling that you were thinking of him or her. [pause]
VIBROTURGY:  [pause]Rosicrucians have taught for centuries that all objects become
impregnated with vibrations emanating from persons who come in contact with
them. Although science still denies this principle, we know that matter preserves
the memory of these vibrations. We can even go further by stating that our
thoughts affect the vibratory nature of objects around us, while the vibrations
retained by material substances, in turn, affect us. [pause]
For instance, have you ever entered a house for the first time and found that
though its appearance was attractive, you nevertheless felt ill at ease? Or have
you ever felt a pleasant sensation as you entered a room that was nevertheless
untidy and not at all beautiful? Human beings affect the places in which we live.
Conversely, places exert a certain influence on sufficiently sensitive persons,
bringing about specific reactions within them. [pause]
It is important to remember that vibroturgy has nothing to do with magical
or supernatural practices. As we just said, it is based on certain laws inherent
to matter and consciousness. From a Rosicrucian point of view, it results
from the fact that everything in you and around you is vibratory. In this sense,
vibroturgic perception is an ability that consists of inwardly harmonizing
ourselves with the vibratory nature of objects, which act as
intermediaries so that we receive impressions concerning
people who have been in contact with them for a sufficient
length of time. This requires a sufficiently developed
psychic sensitivity. In due time we will provide you with
exercises to perform so that you will acquire this development. To this end,
we propose that you perform the following exercise as soon as you have
the opportunity. [pause]
EXERCISE:  [pause]As soon as you can, go to a public library and find a magazine
or a book that has obviously been looked through by many persons. If possible,
close your eyes and hold this magazine or book for a few minutes while
remaining in a state of total receptivity. In other words, while in contact with
it, be open to receiving impressions emanating from people who have held it. If
your psychic sensitivity is sufficient, you will experience certain sensations that,
depending on the situation, can be expressed by the perception of a face, voice,
odor, scene, etc. Such reactions will not be due to your imagination; they are due
instead to the effects of vibroturgy. It is possible that you will not receive any
impression; rather, you will have either a feeling of well-being or discomfort.
We will explain why in future monographs. If it is impossible for you to go to a
library, you may perform this experiment at home using objects once in contact
with various people. A family gem is a good medium for vibroturgy. [pause]
METAPHYSICAL HEALING:  [pause]We sometimes become tired. When this
happens, we feel ineffectual and sometimes we even become irritable. In such
a situation, many people resort to some artificial means for recovering vitality.
This may involve medication, a cup of coffee, or some other stimulant to the
nerves. Such a way of behaving is not effective, because it only gives the
illusion of no longer being weary. Moreover, such stimulants often produce
side effects that, without our being aware of it, disturb our physical and
psychic equilibrium. [pause]
Rosicrucians know of a natural method for neutralizing the underlying
cause of fatigue, rather than just its effect. This method is part of the numerous
practices AMORC teaches its members so that they can treat many disorders
afflicting humans. In fact, a whole degree of study is devoted to Rosicrucian
therapy. Such therapy is based on a way of using the autonomic nervous
system—particularly its sympathetic division—to produce a stimulation of
deficient or diseased organs, this stimulation being either positive or negative
according to the disorder involved. As you will learn, this
method of healing is composed of placing one’s fingers on
specific parts of the body and carrying out a certain type of
breathing. [pause]
EXERCISE:  [pause]As a practical application of the previous statements, we suggest
that the next time you feel tired, whether following strenuous physical or mental
work, you proceed as follows: Sit comfortably, with your back as straight as
possible and your feet placed flat on the floor, slightly apart from each other.
While in this position, place the tips of the thumb and first two fingers of your
right hand to the back of the neck, to the left of the spinal column. After placing
your fingers thus, inhale deeply through your nose, hold your breath for a few
moments, and then exhale deeply through your nose. Without removing your
fingers, breathe three or four more times in this way. Then resume your normal
rate of breathing. After a few minutes, you will feel much better. [pause]
MYSTICAL SOUNDS:  [pause]The sacred texts of most religions refer to a Divine
Word that, at the beginning of time, spread throughout the universe and
eventually gave rise to all Creation, visible and invisible. This Word, according
to many religions, is the Word that Divinity uttered when the Divine wished
to create the world. Apart from what religious dogmas teach on this subject,
Rosicrucians have known for centuries that certain sounds uttered by humans
produce vibrations that affect the persons intoning them and those who hear
them. That is why such sounds are used for specific purposes, notably in
mental alchemy, mystical healing, and the development of psychic centers,
called chakras in Eastern traditions. [pause]
AMORC, as a traditional and initiatory Order, has many archives on
the origin, nature, and power of these mystical sounds, which we call vowel
sounds, and possesses great knowledge on this subject. In later degrees, we
will explain in detail how to intone them so as to benefit from the positive
influence they exercise on the physical body and on the human psychic
centers, which are twelve in number. In this first Mandamus, we cannot
provide you with a detailed description of all the vowel sounds you will study,
any more than we can study all the different psychic centers of the body one
by one. However, we suggest that you carry out the following experiment over
the next few days. [pause]
EXERCISE: Sit down in a place where you can have perfect peace and quiet,
whether at home or outdoors. Hold your back as straight as
possible and place the palms of your hands on your thighs.
Once in this position, close your eyes, inhale deeply through
your nose. [pause] Then exhale slowly while intoning aloud the
vowel sound OM (pronounced “ohm”, as in “home”). 
[pause]
 Do it on the note of your
choice, and be sure that you extend its intonation as long as possible, in this
way: OOOOMMM. Intone this sound several times and note the impressions
it produces in you. You may note a feeling of well-being and, in some cases,
an agreeable sensation in the center of your head. The intonation of the vowel
sound OM especially affects the physiological and psychic activity of the pineal
gland that is located in the precise center of the head, at the level of the forehead. [pause]
We hope that the few exercises we have presented will have stimulated
your interest in the studies you are about to undertake as part of your affiliation
with AMORC. The monographs that you will receive in the coming months
will provide you with detailed explanations on mystical principles relating to
these exercises, which, we repeat, constitute an approach that is both specific
and general regarding subjects covered in the Rosicrucian teachings. You
will gradually familiarize yourself with the laws governing the physical and
metaphysical aspects of existence. [pause]
In closing, it is a new world that will be opened to you, a world whose
beauty, grandeur, and nobility may exceed anything you have conceived of as
existing on the human plane until now. [pause]
With best wishes for Peace Profound, [pause]
Sincerely and fraternally,[pause]
YOUR CLASS MASTER