Rosicrucian initiation

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Rosicrucian initiation was founded in the 15th century by Christian Rosenkreutz after he himself had gone through those initiatory experiences alluded to in Johann Valentin Andreae's Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz. The Rosicrucian schooling is the appropriate initiatory path for the consciousness-soul age in which we presently stand. It replaces the medieval Christian initiation, which today is only practicable for a few people, because - as with all earlier initiation paths - it requires a temporary, usually even longer-lasting separation from outer life. The path of the Rosicrucians, on the other hand, can be followed in the midst of quite normal everyday life, whose duties and requirements one fulfils as usual, as it was already outlined by Christian Rosenkreutz:

„At the end of his account of the "Chymical Wedding", Andreae hints at how Christian Rosenkreutz has "come home". In all the externals of the world, he is the same as he was before his experiences. His new situation in life differs from the old only in that henceforth he will carry his 'higher man' within him as the governor of his consciousness, and that what he will accomplish may become that which this 'higher man' may work through him.“ (Lit.:GA 35, p. 384)

The anthroposophical path of initiation is directly based on the Rosicrucian initiation.

The Seven Steps of Rosicrucian Initiation

The Rosicrucian initiatory path comprises seven stages:

„What the disciple has to complete in the Rosicrucian training for the purpose of entering the spiritual world are the following seven stages. The disciple does not have to go through these in the order in which I shall enumerate them. The teacher will, according to the individuality of the disciple, select from one or the other what is necessary for the disciple, and will thus have to give the disciple in question a kind of course of instruction, a kind of inner course of development. But here we must enumerate the stages of the Rosicrucian training. There are seven:

  1. What is called "study" in the Rosicrucian sense.
  2. What is called the acquisition of so-called imaginative knowledge.
  3. What one calls the appropriation of occult scripture.
  4. What one calls either with the undemanding word: Rhythmisation of life, or also, and in the true sense: the preparation of the philosopher's stone. That is something that exists, which is just not that foolish thing you can read about in books.
  5. What is called the knowledge of the microcosm, that is, of one's own human nature.
  6. What is called: the going up into the macrocosm or the great world outside.
  7. What is called: the attainment of godliness (Gottseligkeit).

The succession in which the disciple passes through these stages depends entirely on his individuality. But he must go through them in the elementary Rosicrucian training.“ (Lit.:GA 55, p. 183f)

On the path of spiritual training, the first thing that happens on conscious entry into the microcosm (Step 5) is the encounter with the lesser Guardian of the Threshold, who opens up to the spiritual disciple the view of his true inner nature, with which only real self-knowledge shines forth and the transformation of his own inner being can begin. The spiritual disciple becomes mature in that he can also meet the greater Guardian of the Threshold some time later when he crosses over into the macrocosm (Step 6).

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.
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