Rosicrucian Questions & Answers...

Some things are just black and white...

"Jongeman, eens zul je lid worden van deze Orde".

Wo sind die dann jetzt André, diese Rosenkreuzer von ihnen?
- Commissaire Ménardier in Belphegor

The truth of a thing is the feel of it, not the think of it. - Stanley Kubrick

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. - Albert Einstein

Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. - Martin Luther King

A READER OF MY BLOG, YES I HAVE ONE, SUBMITTED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS:

Q: : What lead you to become a rosicrucian?
A: Older people sometimes will tell you the strangest stories, on how they once joined the rosicrucian order. Well, things were so different in these days before the advent of the internet. If you now google the word rosicrucian you will score about 464.000 hits.
How different were things before the internet as you shall soon see, if you hear my story.
Past Dutch GM Eduard van Drenthem Soesman always used to tell us the story that once an old lady on a bus in Canada handed him an AMORC leaflet, foretelling him, young man, one day you'll be a member of that order! Was it precognition or a self-fulfilling prophecy? You tell me!
In 1966 as a young boy I watched a French television series called "Belphegor the Phantom of the Louvre". I could never explain the fear and excitement that I have felt watching this! This was by far the scariest and at the same time the most fascinating serial I have ever watched. It was fantastically well done, even by today’s standards, with a great and unsettling musical score. The series was about a secret of the Rosicrucians! This was the first time I ever learned the word rosicrucian and from that moment on I decided that I wanted to be one. However, where on earth could I find those mysterious rosicrucians? Did they still exist, I just didn’t know…
In the local library I located some very old books of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, which I started studying. Well I couldn’t even have joined them anyhow, since I was still living with my parents and coming from am orthodox Christian family this just wasn’t an option.
In 1974, meanwhile married, I saw in of all places my favourite car magazine, an AMORC advertisement. I watched to logo and I immediately knew that this was what I’d always been looking for. Applied and joined and stayed ever since.
Q: How long have you been a rosicrucian?
A: Since February 1974
Q: What principles did you apply in your life?
A: Probably most, on health, wealth etc. It permeates every aspect of my life.
Q: How can other fratres and sorores find your blog?
A: Well accidentally perhaps, by googling on certain rosicrucian themes. Well of course there’s no such thing as chance. Those who should find it for whatever reason, will find it.
Q: What is the purpose of your blog?
A: It first started as my personal rosicrucian notebook. In stead of making notes and writing them down on a piece of paper, I discovered that I could just as easily put them in a blog. I didn’t ever or don’t care about the number of visitors. If it helps one or two, I’m satisfied.
Gradually it started developing as a counter balance against the vicious and baseless attacks on AMORC so prevalent on the internet. Especially after the unholy Gary Stewart Affair, the true story of which you’ll find on my weblog.
I just don’t mind when ignorant people spread stupid tales on the rose cross, as you’ll also find a lot of nonsense about the Freemasons. But there’s a category of people, who’ve been longer or shorter with AMORC and who therefore ought to know better. They couldn’t live with it and apparently can’t live without it, and who in stead of getting a life of their own use all their energy and spare time to discredit AMORC.
Just to give you an example in this category, this moron Freeman, who wrote the Prisoner of San Jose, and in which he claims that AMORC mind controls and remotely indoctrinates its members! I’ve seen one or two things in life, but never anything as stupid as this one…
This is so unjust, and it perhaps keeps many people from joining who otherwise would, if they’d done so, benefit so much from it.
Right now we’re not just facing a credit crunch. But perhaps the most dangerous crisis we’re actually in, is the spiritual, mental crisis, yes existential crisis of humanity. So many people, who have no direction at all in life and religions are not always able to provide them with the right answers.
This crisis a.o. stems from the separation of science and religion. It is these people who without any spiritual basis for their life, those who hold no moral and ethical code of life and who in their recklessness and blind greed, and with their anti-social and irresponsible behaviour are guilty in the current financial crisis.
Q: How has it changed your life?
A: Yes, it made me so much happier and complete than I otherwise would have been, stronger in every respect.
Q: Have you ever been initiated in a temple?
A: Yes
Q: What is your philosophy of life?
A:Well the rosicrucian of course. There’s an afterlife, but don’t sit and wait for it. Enjoy every day and don’t worry about the things you can’t change. Don’t waste your time waiting for the right time. The time’s never right. TRY.
Q: Frater, can I get your permission to post this interview of a rosicrucian on my radio show blog?
A: You have my blessing bro* and best wishes for Peace Profound!

P.S. This was the scariest serial I have ever seen then and since! I was completely mesmerized with fear and excitement. Modern films cannot be compared to the brilliant 60ies version! So forget about the 2001 remake which is worthless, you can now watch the original 1965 version in its entirely on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBE5418ED359944E

BELPHEGOR. Paris 1965...

1.Le Louvre (6 mars 1965)
2.Le Secret du Louvre (13 mars 1965)
3.Les Rose-Croix (20 mars 1965)
4.Le Rendez-vous du fantôme (27 mars 1965)

Aux plus Grands des Serviteurs de l’Humanité; un Sourire c'est peu de chose, mais sa ressemble à une Rose.*.

De anderen dat zijn wij! - IBF

"The present illusion of man is the overrating of the intellect."

"Dienstbaarheid en standvastigheid zijn de hoekstenen van waaruit ik mijn werkzaamheden zal verichten" - IBF

Wij moeten gevoelens van spijt vermijden, want ze kunnen het verleden niet veranderen, maar wel het heden vergiftigen en de toekomst verduisteren. - IBF

Un martiniste est martiniste à vie : il n'y a aucun pouvoir sur terre qui puisse défaire ce lien! Le temps altère et efface la parole de l'homme, mais ce qui est confié au Feu perdure indéfiniment...

De notre vie vous ne voyez que l'écorce, qui est au-dehors mais vous ne voyez les forts commendements, qui sont au-dedans.

De Rozekruiser is een dienaar, hij doet hetgeen hem opgedragen wordt en wanneer zijn missie is volbracht, trekt hij zich terug. - IBF

Today 14 February 2009 is Valentine’s Day & the birthday of our former Grand Master Irène Beusekamp-Fabert. For me she’ll always be the embodiment of the perfect Grand Master, always in the background, silent, very modest, but always present when she was needed. Un vrai Serviteur Inconnu! Happy birthday Irène!

Irène Lucie Marie Beusekamp, née Fabert, was born into a traditional French family, at Eaubonne (near Paris), France, on February 14, 1915. In 1937 she married G. Beusekamp, a Dutchman. G. Beusekamp went through transition in 1978. Soror Beusekamp has three children—one boy and two girls—and two grandchildren. While her children were young Irène Beusekamp looked after them and gave them support in their education.
Soror Beusekamp is a Romanist and has an MA in French, a degree which qualifies her to teach the French language, literature, and philosophy. She also studied the Ancient Egyptian language at the University of Leiden. She was an instructor in these subjects from 1961 to 1980.
In 1977 Soror Beusekamp became a member of Isis Chapter (later Lodge) in The Hague, where she held two officer positions. In 1982 she was appointed Regional Monitor and in 1983 Grand Councilor. In October 1983 Imperator Ralph Lewis appointed her Grand Master of the Dutch Language Jurisdiction in The Hague.

DISCOURSE:
If we are to believe the ancient Greeks, Harmonia (Harmony) was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, or to put it differently, she was the fruit of passionate contacts between the God of War and the Goddess of Love. This may only surprise those who do not realize that Harmony is created by two opposing forces trying to reach a balance. The dictionary defines harmony as, "a conjunction or connection of a number of things into an orderly and agreeable whole; unanimity, concord and harmony."
Harmony is a familiar concept in Rosicrucian philosophy. It is mentioned in the monographs and it indicates balance in our Inner Self, harmony between our Self and our environment, and harmony between our Self and the Cosmic.
People usually define harmony in relation to themselves. We tend to call something "harmonious" when it is agreeable to us, when it contributes to our Peace Profound. But is harmony always so agreeable, is it always connected with Peace Profound?
Mystics go beyond defining harmony as simply something that is agreeable. The mystical definition of harmony indicates an impersonal connection according to natural law between two things or conditions. "A" added to "B" produces "C." Here we see the law of the triangle at work. Indeed, the human personality can distinguish between all sorts of situations which may be harmonious in themselves, but which may not be in accord with our personal, individual preferences. The important thing is that we must regard ourselves as one of the points of the triangle, that is, one of the points of the dialectical process, for everything corresponds to Nature’s laws and is in harmony according to natural law.
Certainly harmony reigns in Nature because Nature voluntarily turns towards its Creator and accepts the Creator’s laws: the wind that causes the tree to bend, the rain that is absorbed by the earth, the sun that ripens the wheat, the white frost and snow under which Nature goes to sleep when winter has arrived after months of intense work. Nature submits and adapts, and its beauty is the result of a never-ending harmony. Those who have the good fortune to live in communion with Nature are conscious of this.
It has been said that harmony is the mysterious voice of nature inspiring the poet. If all human beings were to hear this voice, as does the poet, Nature could be satisfied with the creature sent by the Creator to shepherd it. However, as we observe humanity becoming increasingly tumultuous, we realize that although our scientific knowledge and understanding of the forces of the universe have increased exponentially, we have somehow lost our knowledge of Nature’s equilibrium. We would do well to be guided by our increased scientific knowledge back to a harmonious relationship with Nature.
Harmony with our surroundings has its origin in our deepest being. Nature and "simple folks" are sensitive to this. Let us be such simple folks. Let us work so that our Self becomes a perceptible energy which each of us should channel intelligently in order to restore the equilibrium of human society, for this equilibrium will return the lost harmony to the human heart.
May harmony take root in and reign over the human heart. May harmony rule throughout the entire world and bring people the love and wisdom necessary for their welfare and the welfare of the world.

So Mote It Be!

Each day we intentionally, or indifferently sow a seed.

These seeds are our daily thoughts and actions.

Nature nurtures them alike.

Time will revel their harvest.

Will it be what we sought from life?

Therefore, it is my wish that during the forthcoming year,

each day for you will be a planting of a seed of thought and action,

that will provide you the Golden Harvest of health, happiness and Peace Profound!

Ralph Maxwell Lewis FRC

P.S.:
Where the Dutch word “roze(n)kruiserdom” is very likely a germanism (Rosenkreuzertum), the word “rosicrucianisme” is most definitely a gallicism and it does not exist in the Dutch language. Surprisingly or not, these days you see it emerging more and more, in books, articles, and theses etc. So does this bother me? Hell no!
On the contrary I’d even like to propagate the very word, though the correct word here should be “roze(n)kruiserij” imho.
Why (not)? Because it was introduced by our former Grand Master Irène Beusekamp-Fabert (or should I say Grand Master Emeritus?). So with the word I’d like to honour her for her great contribution to Rosicrucianism(e) in The Netherlands.

Rozekruiser or Rozenkruiser?

Where the AMORC adherents invariably designate themselves as “Rozekruisers”, the Lectorium Rosicrucian followers, though they once started as “Rozekruisers Genootschap” now call themselves “Rozenkruisers”.

IN MEMORIAM: Irène Beusekamp-Fabert (14/2/1915 - 6/9/2012)
LA GRANDE DAME DU ROSICRUCIANISME!

Last Thursday, September 6th 2012, our beloved Grand Master Emerita sr. Irène Beusekamp - Fabert passed away peacefully in her home in The Hague, the esoteric capital of The Netherlands.
Soror Beusekamp was personally acquainted with many of the great French Martinists of the pre-WWII era. She received her Martinist Initiations in Brussels, Belgium. She was Grand Master of the Traditional Martinist Order and the Rosicrucian Order AMORC for the Dutch speaking countries for almost 25 years and under her inspiring leadership more than 500 members were received in the Traditional Martinist Order on three continents: in Surinam, the Netherlands & Belgium and the Netherlands Antilles.
Irène Beusekamp was 97.

I am forever in your debt soror Irène. La sincérité persuade toujours!- André

Geliefde fratres & sorores,

Evenals de vorige jaren was 2012 intesssant en rijk aan ervaringen. Maar voordat ik u een overzicht van al mijn activiteiten als officiant van onze Orde geef, zou ik graag de nagedachtenis aan onze soror Irène Beusekamp-Fabert willen eren die op 6 september jongstleden is overgegaan. De oudsten onder u zullen zich zullen zich herinneren dat ik herhaalde malen heb verwezen naar onze soror die Grootmeester was van de Nederlandse jurisdictie van 1983 tot 2007. Tot aan het einde van haar aardse voorgang die zij in 1915 in Frankrijk aanving, toonde zij zich onverschrokken, mystiek en loyaal. Vanwege haar huwelijk was het Nederlands haar eigen taal geworden en zo trad zij na verscheidene jaren van Rozekruiserschap, na de overgang van frater Van Drenthem Soesman, toe tot de functie van Grootmeester.

Wij stonden gevoelsmatig zeer dicht bij elkaar. Zij heeft mij altijd gesteund en mij haar gehele vertrouwen geschonken. Tot op de leeftijd van 92 jaar werkte en reisde zij en nam deel aan de bijeenkomsten van de Opperste Raad in Québec. Zij is enkele weken voor een tweetalig Convent (Nederlands - Frans) in Brussel heengegaan. Ik heb haar aanwezigheid tijdens deze dagen heel sterk gevoeld. Zij zal voor altijd in mijn hart aanwezig blijven en in dat van al degenen die contact met haar hebben gehad en die haar hebben liefgehad. - Christian Bernard