Question: What are the tests of initiation, which it is said the candidate
must pass before he or she is initiated? (Vol. II, #68)
Answer: The candidate for initiation very often does not know that he or she
is a candidate. Usually he is simply living the spiritual life of service to
his fellow men because that is the only life that appeals to him, and he has
no ulterior thought or object in so doing. But, nevertheless, he is being
tested and tried all the time unconsciously to himself for that is part of the
process. No candidate is ever taken into an initiation chamber and tried and
tested. The tests come in the daily life and in the small things which are
seemingly very unimportant, but really are of prime significance. If a man
cannot be faithful in little things, how could he ever be expected to be
faithful in the great? Furthermore, the Elder Brothers of humanity who have
charge of this work with respect to their younger brothers, are always sure to
pick out his most vulnerable point, because if he is tried, tempted, and
falls, this serves to call his attention to the weakness in his character.
Thus he has an opportunity of correcting it which he would not have if
temptation were not placed before him.
Thus the tests are not wholly made for the purpose of seeing whether he
would keep the trust, but also for the purpose of giving him the chance to
strengthen his weak points. The tests are therefore never the same in the case
of any two candidates, for what would be a temptation to one would pass the
other absolutely without making any impression upon whatever. By the life of
unselfish service, and through the strength gained by passing the various
tests, the candidate weaves the golden wedding garment of the soul body which
prepares him to enter the invisible worlds and the process of initiation
consists then in simply showing him how to make use of the power which he has
accumulated within himself by his own work. No one can initiate anyone else
unless he has the power within, any more than an empty shell can be exploded.
Creating a New Body
Question: How can an Initiate create a new adult body ready to wear before he relinquishes his old one? (Vol. II #69)
Answer: You will understand in the first place that it is not everyone who has
just become aware of the invisible worlds and perhaps learned to function in
the soul body that is capable of performing this feat. This requires vastly
more spiritual development, and only those who are very highly developed at
our present time are able to perform the feat. However, the method is said to
be as follows:
When food is taken into the body of anyone, be he Adept or
ignoramus, the
law of assimilation is that he must first overcome each particle and conform
it to himself. He must subdue and conquer the individual cell life before it
can become part of his body. When this has been done, the cell will stay with
him for a longer or shorter time according to the constitution and the place
in evolution of the life that dwells within it. The cell composed of tissue
that has once been incorporated in an animal body and has been interpenetrated
by a desire body has the most evolved life. Therefore, this life quickly
reasserts itself and leaves the body into which it has been assimilated.
Hence one who lives upon a flesh diet must replenish his food supply very
often. Such material would therefore be unsuitable for the purpose of building
a body that has to wait for a while before the Adept enters it. Food
consisting of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, particularly when these are ripe
and fresh, is interpenetrated by a great deal of the ether which composes the
vital (etheric) body of the plant. They are much easier to subdue and
incorporate into the polity of body. Also, they stay longer there before the
individual cell life asserts itself. Therefore the Adept who wishes to build a
body ready to wear before he leaves the old one, naturally builds it from
fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts, taking them into the body which he uses
daily where they become subjected to his will — a part of himself.
The soul body of such a man is naturally very large and very powerful. He
takes a part of it, and makes a mold or a matrix into which he may build each
day particles superfluous to the nourishment of the body he is using. Thus by
degrees, having assimilated a considerable surplus of new material, he may
also draw upon the vehicle he is wearing for material that can be incorporated
into the new body. Thus, in the course of time he gradually transmutes one
body into the other. When the point is reached where emaciation of the old
body would be observed by the outside world and cause comment, he will have
balanced natters so that the new body is ready to wear. He can step out of the
old and into the new. But he does not do that merely for the purpose of living
on in the same community. It is possible for him by reason of his great
knowledge to use the same body for many years in such a manner that it would
seem still young, for there is no wear and tear upon it such as we ordinary
mortals cause by our passions, emotions, and desires. However, when he does
create a new body, it is always, as far as the writer (Max Heindel) knows, for
the purpose of leaving that environment and taking up his work anew.
It is for reason of this fact that we hear in history of men like
Cagliostro, St. Germain, and others who one day appeared in a certain
environment, took up an important work, and then disappeared. Nobody knew
whence they had come or whither they had gone, but everyone who knew these
people was ready to testify to their remarkable qualities, whether for the
purpose of villification or praise.
It is taught by the Elder Brothers that Christian Rosenkreuz has a physical
body, or perhaps he has had a series of bodies which he has worn continually
since the Order of the Rose Cross was founded in the Fourteenth Century. But
though the writer has spoken to Lay Brothers of high degree, none has ever
admitted that he has seen Christian Rosenkreuz. We all understand that he is
the thirteenth member of the Order, and he is felt at meeting in the temple as
a presence, but is neither seen or heard, so far as anyone whom the writer had
dared to question, knows.
The manner of the Elder Brothers when speaking of their illustrious head has
been one of reticence, and it would seem undue inquisitiveness to ask anything
further than they are prepared to tell. It is known, however, that his work is
with the government of the world. And though we are unable to point to any
character on the world stage now who may be this great Spirit we are certain
he is there and taking his proper part. It has been said that he wore the
garment of a lady of the French Court prior to the revolution and worked hard
and earnestly to prevent that impending catastrophe, though without success.
Although we believe this is true, it is mere hearsay. Were we to point him out
at the present time we should rather look for him as the power behind the
throne somewhere rather than the actual incumbent of one of the seats of power
in the world today.
This web page has been edited and/or excerpted from reference material, has been modified from it's original version, and is in conformance with the web host's Members Terms & Conditions. This website is offered to the public by students of The Rosicrucian Teachings, and has no official affiliation with any organization.
