The Rosicrucian Monographs or Personal Sanctum Study Lessons (as they are sometimes called by AMORC) were first written in the beginning of the 20th century (before 1930s) by Harvey Spencer Lewis, founder of AMORC, and subsequently updated by his successors to stay current with advancements in science, language, and culture.
Below is a brief description of what a AMORC students will learn during their future years of affiliation with AMORC.
These teachings are part of the Rosicrucian Monographs.
These are not the only subjects covered by the Rosicrucian system. The list contained here, which should be perceived as unofficial, is adapted from the Rosicrucian Home Study Lessons section of the Web version of the Mastery of Life published by the English Grand Lodge for the Americas.
The AMORC grades, or as they called, Degrees, are arranged into four sections or groups:
Like in ancient times, if a person wanted to study the great mysteries of the world, they would have to petition for admittance as a student and become a Neophyte. The Neophyte would be granted admittance to the Atrium, or reception chamber to the temple. In the Atrium the Neophyte would receive the preliminary instructions and beginning teachings, before they would be allowed entry into the temple. Following ancient times the Rosicrucian monographs are called Atrium lessons, and beginning Rosicrucian students are called Neophytes.
Presents basic Rosicrucian concepts that can be applied in practical ways. One of the first things the students will learn as a Neophyte is that they are a dual being. In addition to the student's five physical senses, the student also has a psychic sense. The exercises in these introductory lessons are designed to gradually awaken and develop the psychic faculty. The exercises allow the students to discover for themselves through direct experience how these principles work. Topics include:
The first Atrium explores consciousness as the organizing principle of matter and explains the composition and structure of matter and its vibratory nature. You'll learn how the creative power of thought affects the material world. This power is demonstrated through exercises in the techniques of concentration, visualization, and mental creation. Topics include:
The student's understanding of the connection between mind and matter will now be expanded to include the connection between the mind and the physical body. The second Atrium explores how the students' thoughts influence their health, the role of proper breathing in psychic development as well as health and vitality, and Rosicrucian healing techniques. As the students develop their body's psychic centres, the student will gradually awaken psychic faculties, such as the ability to perceive the aura. the student will also experience the mystical effect of sounds. Topics include:
The Third Atrium moves beyond the physical body and the psychic faculties into the realm of the mystical. As the student become more attuned with the inner source of wisdom, they will become more receptive to the subtle inner prompting of intuition, inspiration and illumination. These lessons also explode the nature of Soul and spiritual evolution, reincarnation and karma, and the cycles of the soul. Topics include:
Having completed the lessons of the Neophyte section, the student stands at an important milestone in progress along the mystical path. the student are now ready to enter the Temple. The studies in the Neophyte section established the foundation for the lessons of the Temple Degrees. The students have been introduced to the various elements of the Rosicrucian system and had the opportunity to practice many of the principles presented through simple experiments. Now the Temple Degrees will further develop these elements, providing additional depth and practical applications of the principles.
The First Temple Degree introduces the concept of polarity and its relationship to the subatomic world and its differing rates of vibration. It introduces the full spectrum of physical and non-physical manifestation. An understanding of these subjects gives the student an appreciation for the system and order of the universe, the interconnectedness of all nature and how everything is governed by natural law. Topics include:
The Second Temple Degree explores the workings of the mind. Students will learn how to use various mental faculties to strengthen will, eliminate bad habits and establish good ones, tap into the levels of the subconscious, reason more effectively, and integrate principles of psychology and mysticism to achieve their personal goals. Topics include:
The Third Temple Degree explores the meaning of life on many levels, including living and "non-living" matter, life on the cellular level, the mysteries of death and rebirth, and the eternal nature of the Soul. Topics Include:
The Fourth Temple Degree introduces Rosicrucian ontology (the study of the nature of being), and lays out the cosmological framework for all creation. It explores the meaning, understanding and use of symbols as the language of the subconscious. Topics include:
A mystic, by nature, is fundamentally a philosopher. In the Fifth Temple Degree, the student will study excerpts from the works of classical philosophers. The student's exploration of the ancient roots of Rosicrucian philosophy will demonstrate the timelessness of these principles. Thoughts of the following philosophers are presented:
The Sixth Temple Degree presents the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components of health and disease. You'll learn specific Rosicrucian healing techniques. Topics include:
The exercises and experiments of all the previous Degrees have contributed to gradual development, providing the student with the necessary foundation for the advanced techniques of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Degrees. In the Seventh Degree, the students will learn how to accomplish psychic projection (Astral Projection), how to develop their personal aura and perceive other people's auras, and how to further develop psychic centres and perception. Students will also receive a thorough explanation of the physiological, psychic, and spiritual influence of specific mystical sounds. Topics include:
The Eighth Temple Degree explores indepth the theme of immortality - the mysteries of birth and death, reincarnation and karma and the evolution of the soul personality. The goal is to learn the constituents of the human soul and how it evolves from incarnation to incarnation.
Topics include:
To learn the high principles of spiritual alchemy deriving benefit from the student divine nature acting not only different levels of the human being but also in the visible and invisible environment. These practices are regarded as the alchemy of matter, consciousness and life.
The ninth degree is a long and careful ascent that gives the student every opportunity to put into practice what has been learned in the preceding temple degrees.
Among the topics covered are:
To learn to walk on the path of the Masters. Introduction to the religious doctrines which the Masters gave birth to and understanding the beliefs that have been available to us for centuries and how humanity is evolving towards a Universal Religion and the student part on it.
Subjects:
To learn the student’s journey through the great traditions those have marked the spiritual history of humanity. This journey began in Atlantis and completed this phase through the Martinist movement in France in the 19th Century. It is also the threshold for admission to the Ordo Summun Bonum (the Order of Highest Good). Subjects:
Those who have attained the Esoteric Hierarchy become, in fact, intermediaries between the Cosmic and the Imperator (…) placed in a position to periodically commune with the Cosmic and receives inspiration and illumination which one should pass to the Imperator for what he may make of the knowledge of the Order.
To learn how to contact the sacred Esoteric Hierarchy to serve the Order as described above. Also to learn how to develop the Body of Light to be used to attain high states of divine communion.
Subjects:
This section is considered by AMORC as a totally separate Order, but the student automatically starts to receive the monographs related to that degree or section as soon as they finished receiving the previous degree (the 12th).
That section was conceived to go more in depth into philosophical questions about the deity, the Laws of Nature, moral and ethics applying the Summun Bonum principle; the principle of a common understanding of the basic experiences of human life. Each Plane represents a group of certain principles and experiences of life, which jointly, the student needs to study and understand.
Metaphysical lectures related to the Rosicrucian ethics and how to achieve the summum bonum.
All the information provided in this page was based on the latest version of the Ancient Mystical Order of the Rose Cross (AMORC).