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THE PRISONER OF SAN JOSE: HOW I ESCAPED FROM ROSICRUCIAN MIND CONTROL

ONE: The Story of Rosicrucianism

There's no doubt that the Rosicrucians, in a general sense, have a mysterious and, for the most part, hidden history. It would be hard to prove, in one sense or another, that AMORC's claim to be a legitimate heir of a Rosicrucian order is authentic. In fact, it would be hard to prove whether any group claiming the title of Rosicrucian is valid. The history of spiritual movements claiming some direct connection to Rosicrucianism remains shrouded in mystery. At various points throughout history, such organizations might surface, often veiling themselves in anonymity. In Western history, people claiming to be Rosicrucians might not fit in with the established tendencies of church and state. During such times, it might be dangerous, even lethal, to promote oneself as a member of any such organization.

Nonetheless, if one were to wish to choose a group to denote as a mysterious society with claims to having possessed the secrets of the ages, a Rosicrucian order would be an ideal one to pick.

Why? Because owing to the Rosicrucian story, in its many variations, having been addressed many times by occult writers, it is very easy to put forward your organization as one with an ancient and profound history. Indeed, if you want to become a cult leader, desire a huge repository of incredible claims to make to your followers, need impressive credentials that are very difficult to prove or disprove, and choose Rosicrucianism as your venue, your homework has already been done!

I could easily quote passage after passage about or by alleged Rosicrucians and their strange powers and history.

The Rosicrucians became known publicly in the seventeenth century, when the famous documents Fama Fraternitatis, the Confessio Fraternitatis, and the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz were first released. In addition to these documents, a strange manifesto, circulated in posters and plastered on the walls of Paris, soon became famous.

Even within the last decade, AMORC has proclaimed its pedigree by aping the manifestos of four centuries ago. Yes, on March 20, 2001, the Ancient Mystical Order Rosce Crucis, also known as AMORC, sought affinity with its remote origins by publishing a document called MANIFESTO Positio Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis. Perhaps to some the Positio will not be all that convincing, owing to its differences, both in content and form, from the older manifestos. But to others, it is probably a very convincing document, laying out the Rosicrucian principles for global reconciliation in the twenty-first century.

The original documents, however, were far more intriguing. The antique Parisian manifesto, once plastered on so many walls throughout the city, begins:

We, the Deputies of the Higher College of the Rose-Croix, do make our stay, visibly and invisibly, in this city, by the grace of the Most High, to Whom turn the hearts of the Just. We demonstrate and instruct, without books and distinctions, the ability to speak all manners of tongues of the countries where we choose to be, in order to draw our fellow creatures from error of death.

He who takes it upon himself to see us merely out of curiosity will never make contact with us. But if his inclination seriously impels him to register in our fellowship, we, who are judges of intentions, will cause him to see the truth of our promises; to the extent that we shall not make known the place of our meeting in this city, since the thoughts attached to the real desire of the seeker will lead us to him and him to us.

It is worth analyzing, for a moment, the claims of this early document, which purports to be from the "Deputies of the Higher College of the Rose-Croix." The claim of the document being from a "Higher College of the Rose-Croix" itself would be puzzling to the intelligentsia of Paris, since such an institution truly wasn't known. Furthermore, it claims that such deputies were making their stay in Paris, both "visibly" and "invisibly." But what does this mean? Does it mean openly (visibly) and covertly (invisibly), or does it imply some more magical thing, like being actually invisible, a power attributed to the ascended masters (advanced adepts who inhabit AMORC literature)?

Just in case one might question the idea of some kind of "cloak of invisibility," in the next few lines, there is the indication of another power -- the ability to automatically speak in the language of whatever country these "deputies" might visit, without books or instruction. In other words, these Rosicrucian emissaries seem to have the ability to speak "in tongues," to automatically speak in other languages.

In this case, these adepts take the usual claim of speaking in tongues (glossolalia) a step further than is normally claimed by exponents of the phenomenon in modern times. In the traditional evangelical form, persons who speak in tongues utter a human or unknown language, in all cases not known to him or her. In the Rosicrucian phenomenon, the adept apparently uses this ability to actually communicate with foreigners. To some, this ability might be reminiscent of a universal translator found in some Star Trek episodes.

According to the Parisian manifesto, these adepts use this strange ability for the sake of drawing flour fellow creatures from error of death." The error of death? What an absolutely intriguing way of putting it! But what does it mean? Does this passage mean what Paul is often thought to mean by "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" in the book of Corinthians in the Bible? Are the Rosicrucians enjoining the good people of Paris to a jolt of good, old-fashioned Biblical salvation or, as their miraculously endowed deputies might be suggesting, going along the line of alchemical tradition referencing the "philosopher's stone," that appears directly or is suggested by both the early and later purported Rosicrucian documents?

In the ancient theory of alchemy, the alchemists sought to find a substance called the "philosopher's stone." This substance had the ability to turn base metals into gold -- for instance, lead into gold. According to most modern chemists, this would be completely impossible in that era of pre-atomic fission.

Also, according to alchemical literature, the philosopher's stone not only had lucrative metallic transmutation properties, it had universal curative properties and could actually transmute the alchemist into an immortal being. Some have described the stone as a kind of metallic fountain of life.

Was this what the seventeenth-century manifesto was implying? Was it saying that these Rosicrucian adepts had somehow unlocked the key to deathlessness through some kind of alchemic process with the aid of some kind of secret, esoteric science? Would these be the byproducts of committed seekers after truth having spoken the Alchemist's Prayer?

The Alchemist's Prayer

Oh, most singular and unspeakable Presence, first and last in the universe, heighten the fury of my fire and bum away the dross of my being. Cleanse my soiled soul. Bathe me in your awesome Light.

Set me free from my past; cut me loose from my boundaries. Unite me with the One Thing hidden in my life, wherein is my only strength. Fill me with your Presence. Allow me to see through your Eye; grant me entry to your Mind; let me resonate with your Sacred Will.

Make me transparent to your flame, and fashion me into a lens for your Light only. Transmute me into an incorruptible Stone in your eternal service, like the golden Light that surrounds you. [1]

The Fama Fraternitas can be traced back to a 1614 printed edition. Its original edition may have been released prior to that, first in German, then in Latin. The translation I have used is attributed to Thomas Vaughan, the English occultist. It is sub-titled, "A Discovery of the Most Laudable Order of the Rosy Cross."

The Fama Fraternitas begins by registering gratitude for the new knowledge gained through the exploration of the New World and the growing value of a new science. This new science is esteemed over the medieval, antiquated knowledge of Porphyry, Aristotle, and Galen. Then the document begins to tell the story of the founder of the Rosicrucian order, a German named C. R. C., who was put in a monastery when he was young, where he learned Greek and Latin.

When he grew up, C. R. C. accompanied another monk, P. A. L., on a trip to the Holy Land. But when P.A. L. died in Cyprus, C. R. C. kept going, first traveling to Damascus but intending to eventually head toward Jerusalem. Quite ill, he remained in Damascus, apparently learning and practicing medicine and, at the same time, becoming familiar with the Wise Men of Damcar and their discoveries about nature. He became so interested in these inhabitants of Damcar that he traveled there to learn the secrets of these sages. Damcar, incidentally, appears to be different than Damascus, whose name it resembles.

Upon his arrival, the wise men welcomed him as though he had been expected already. He, in turned, learned their mathematics and medicine and became more fluent in Arabic. In fact, C. R. C. learned so much that he translated their Book M into Latin. Eventually, he traveled to Fez, where he learned much from the "elementals" and from the wise men there, although there was some corruption in their learning, which he had occasion to separate according to his needs for true knowledge.

When he took his knowledge to Spain, however, C. R. C. found himself and his new wisdom rebuffed, even his idea for a grand synthesis of all knowledge, called the axiomata. He did not fare well in other countries, not even in his beloved Germany.

According to later documents, C. R. C. was allegedly the name of an adept, Christian Rosenkreuz, who founded the order of the Rosicrucians at that time.

It might be noted at this point that AMORC, the organization I joined so long ago, denies that the initials C. R. C. stood for Christian Rosenkreuz. They claimed the initials were rather a title for a certain level of initiate. It also states that Christian Rosenkreuz did not found the order; that it has its roots in ancient Egypt and became publicly known first in the time of Charlemagne; and that the scenario described in the Fama is purely symbolic.

Still, this story, which was the foundation for the Rosicrucian history, needs to be examined further.

According to the Fama, the place of burial of the eight mysterious founders of the order was to be kept secret. C. R. C. is said to have lived to the venerable age of 106, and his remains disappeared until 1584, when a secret door was discovered, leading to a strange tomb. A brass plate above the door announced that this was the tomb of the Rosicrucian founder, and now his truths would be laid open to the world.

The door led to a burial mound, presumably structured with some kind of sacred geometry in mind. With seven sides, each eight feet high and five feet wide, an ever-burning lamp illuminated this strange cubicle. In the story, this wonderful lamp cast its light on the marvelously preserved body of Rosenkreuz, whose hand grasped a mysterious scroll entitled T.

A theosophical article, purporting to tell the story of the Rosicrucians, says:

Although the existence of the Fraternity was not made public until 1614, the influence of the Brothers was felt long before that time. In his Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, Elias Ashmole states that Queen Elizabeth was cured of smallpox by a member of the Order, and that the Earl of Norfolk was healed of leprosy by a Rosicrucian physician who may have been Robert Fludd himself, as Fludd's father was Treasurer of War to Queen Elizabeth. Between 1603 and 1625 several important books appeared in which the Fraternity was mentioned, the most important being the Apologia of Robert Fludd, which was published in 1616 and is still preserved in the British Museum. [2]

One of the most challenging archetypes of an adept, of an ascended master often aligned with the spiritual traditions of the Rosicrucians of the seventeenth century, is none other than the Comte de Saint-Germain. Voltaire, the French philosopher, called him "a man who knows everything and who never dies." Saint-Germain's origins were obscure, despite his alliance with very well-known royalty, including King Louis XV, the Baron von Gleichen, and Mademoiselle Lambert, daughter of a French Chevalier, who may have been his lover. Unlike the stereotypes of spiritual masters, the Comte seemed to revel in aristocratic company, fine clothing and jewels, and the adventure of mysterious diplomacy on behalf of his friend, the French king.

Although not the only side of his rare abilities, there were some peculiarities about Saint-Germain's ability to prolong his own life, which, to some, signaled that he may have been in possession of a secret knowledge. He seemed to have the ability to increase the size of precious stones (which he wore conspicuously), he was a remarkable violin player, and he was an accomplished painter. All of this he did exceedingly well, but more conspicuous was his ability to prolong his life -- and perhaps the lives of others! Various records seem to show some evidence that he retained the appearance of a man between forty and fifty years old for a period of over a hundred years.

Curiously, Saint-Germain didn't eat food with company, although he "dined out" often.

But was he truly a Rosicrucian? Like so many other so-called occultists, it is hard to establish his pedigree. If one can believe an established writer as Arthur Edward Waite, Saint-Germain's Rosicrucian leanings are somewhat hard to determine. But when commenting on his likely membership of the Masonic order, Waite also says:

If, however, Saint-Germain was drawn into Masonry as part of his business, it must be confessed that he would be attracted still more strongly by the Rosicrucian Order, and there is evidence that on one occasion he appeals to Bischoffswerder, a militant member of the fraternity, as one who knew and would speak for him. There is nothing to be inferred from this except a precarious possibility, and otherwise there is a complete blank in all the records, which never mention the Rosy Cross, in connection with Saint-Germain or otherwise. [3]

On the other hand, the theosophical article quoted above makes a much stronger claim for the role of Saint-Germain in the history of Rosicrucianism.

In 1623 there were said to be only thirty-six Rosicrucians in Europe, scattered about in six different countries. By the end of the seventeenth century many prominent men (among them the German philosopher Leibniz) were identified with the Rosicrucians, and in the eighteenth century Cagliostro and the Count de St. Germain travelled throughout Europe trying to unite the Masons and the Rosicrucians on the common basis of Eastern Occultism. With the "death" of Cagliostro the last real Rosicrucian disappeared from Europe. [4]

As we examine the claims of AMORC, we will see that their assertion of monolithic authority derived from an authentic Rosicrucian tradition are as flimsy as the historically centered claims about the life of Saint-Germain. Does this mean that Saint-Germain did not exist, that he did not live an enormously long time, that he did not possess strange talents and unusual powers? No. It just proves that it is not that simple to prove anything, but it is certainly easy to make a special claim to knowledge.

The same will prove true of most of AMORC's claims: lofty -- but difficult to prove.

In the case of Saint-Germain, I have not found any reference to him in the claims of AMORC, but he is probably the best-known of the reputed adepts of various esoteric orders. He is most popular through the auspices of the Church Universal and Triumphant, founded by Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet. He is included in many of Prophet's book as an ascended master.

Saint-Germain was also widely known as the figure who spoke to Guy W. Ballard, also known as Godfre Ray King, on Mt. Shasta, which gave birth to the famous cult movement, the Ascended Masters of the I AM. These claims entered the category of public dispute quite some time ago.

Although various occult groups claim Saint-Germain as an ascended master, AMORC does not. In fact, it focuses on other persons of historical renown as persons directly or indirectly associated with their order. These people are described as "prominent persons in the fields of science and the arts." Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), is now known popularly as having been involved with an occult order because of the novel and movie, The Da Vinci Code. Healer and alchemist, Paracelsus (1493-1541), a writer and physician, is known to have been associated with these interests. The famous Catholic mystics Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross could hardly be claimed to be "prominent persons in science or art," but they were writers, very mystical writers -- but also very Roman Catholic. Could they have gotten away with being Rosicrucians?

AMORC claims that Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was the head of the Rosicrucian Order in England but also connects him, through his book, The New Atlantis, with the documents released by the Rosicrucians: the Fama Fraternitatis in 1610, the Confessio Fraternitatis in 1615, and Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz. At one point in the monographs, AMORC even credits Bacon absolutely as the writer of Shakespeare's plays. AMORC claims that Francis Bacon was initiated into the order by Robert Fludd (1574-1637), the famous English occultist and author.

Several years ago, there was a controversy about the list of the Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion, the occult organization featured in The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, but initially made public in a 1982 book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail by authors Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. The Rosicrucian contacts and the Priory lists share some similarities, as with the alchemist Nicholas Flamel and Leonardo da Vinci and Robert Fludd, mentioned previously. Sir Isaac Newton is on both lists, although Newton's rival in the discovery of calculus, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz (1646-1716), is found only on AMORC's list.

Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson are said to have been in touch with a Rosicrucian settlement in Pennsylvania in a colony known as Ephrata. This settlement was allegedly founded by a colony of Rosicrucians in 1693, all leading members of the main European branches.

Like everything else about AMORC, none of this is readily provable, and I have seen nothing to finally substantiate these famous people's association with this specific Rosicrucian organization. Nor did AMORC ever do more than allege the association to me.

This nebulousness does not fit well with the claim of ancient teachings and perfect, infallible knowledge.

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