A Rosicrucian Speaks

Joseph J. Weed

The Birth of Christ

1961

One of the lessons taught by mysticism is the recognition of symbols, the understanding of events, words and signs on the physical level which illustrate to the concrete mind activities which occur on the spiritual level. The Rosicrucian teachings point out how the events in the life of Jesus, the Christ, symbolize the stages of spiritual development which take place in every man. We are told that His birth symbolized the first major initiation, His baptism the second, His transfiguration the third initiation, His crucifixion the fourth, and His ascension into Heaven the fifth major initiation of man.

Man, as human man, takes but five major initiations plus many minor ones. After the fifth Initiation, the Ascension, man is freed from the bonds of material existence and may reincarnate again or not as he then sees fit and needful. He has then reached a stage which we call Mastership and may leave this planet in order to obtain experience and further training in Higher realms or He may remain within the earthly sphere to help struggling humanity achieve the development so necessary if the human race is to advance according to the plan of God. Regardless of which path He selects it will be a path of dedication and service because at the level on which He then stands He sees quite clearly that only love of God and submission to God's will can bring true happiness.

As you know, humanity and the world are in the process of passing out of the influence of the Piscean era and entering into the Aquarian Age. Thus, the energies which influence our actions and our thoughts are changing in quality. When we speak of these energies we are in reality considering the quality and the will-purpose aspect of a certain great Life which has identified Itself with the Piscean Age and those of another great Life or Being identified with the Aquarian Age. The divine intention, will, purpose and determined projection of the mind of any one of these great Lives creates a radiation or stream of energy which --- according to type and quality --- plays upon all forms of manifested life on our planet. These Great Lives are the creating and sustaining energies which implement the Will of God. They cooperate with Him in the defining and expression of His supreme purpose. Their radiating emanations are therefore cyclically objectified and cyclically withdrawn. As these emanations radiate forth into our world they produce changes, disturbances and provide the opportunities for progress and unfoldment; they create needed new forms first in the mental world and then subsequently in the emotional and physical realms; and they vitalize and qualify those forms through which the Divine intention is expressing Itself while at the same time they intensify both the quality and receptivity of our consciousness.

As the Piscean Age passes, the Great Life identified with it withdraws from the world scene. This causes the fading out of the form aspects which It has supported and energized. Institutions, ideas, customs, all begin to break down in order to make room for the new forms and life expressions which the incoming Aquarian energies will produce. This has been evident in the ferment, destruction, death and cleavages of the past century. Old things are passing away as the energies supporting them are withdrawn while the energy and radiation of the Great Life identified with the Aquarian Age become steadily more powerful.

The incoming of new energies always produces a period of initiatory activity. And this is the case today. The major effect as far as humanity is concerned, is to provide thousands of aspirants and applicants with the possibility of taking the first major initiation. Now and for the next 50 years it will be possible for thousands of human beings to experience the birth of Christ within themselves and to realize that the Christ life, the Christ nature and the Christ consciousness are theirs. This is a major initiation, the first major initiation, and it is mystically referred to "The Birth of Christ", or the "Bethlehem initiation". Bethlehem translated means "house of bread" and this is an esoteric term which means physical plane experience. Thus the Bethlehem initiation is a physical plane experience which occurs in full waking consciousness, because it involves a decision, but at the time it is rarely recognized as an initiation. Thus there are many alive today who have passed through the first major initiation and are not yet consciously aware of it.

The energies of the Aquarian Age will bring together in proper relationship the fundamental aspects of spirit and matter, soul and form. In this the first initiation, the initiate becomes aware of that relation as his personality and the hovering, over-shadowing soul are consciously brought together and he then knows for the first time that he is a soul-infused personality. From that moment his major task is to grow into what he essentially is, to bring his personality into a likeness of the soul and this is finally achieved in the third major initiation which is called the "Transfiguration", the achievement of full Cosmic Consciousness.

As the Aquarian energies work to bring spirit and matter into their proper balance, into harmonium so to speak, they affect the negative and positive aspects of all natural processes. New relations will he set up and old ideas discarded. Thus will order be brought out of chaos and rhythm will replace the present disorder. These energies will bring in the new world order for which all men wait. They will restore the ancient landmarks, indicate the new institutions and cultures which human progress demands and nurture the new life and consciousness which advancing humanity will increasingly register. Nothing can arrest this activity. So be of good heart each one of you and do what you can to help.

For the first time since humanity appeared on earth, a major initiation may take place in a group. Hitherto all initiations were experienced on an individual basis only. This does not mean that a physical plane group, such as is gathered here today, would or could simultaneously go through this initiation. No. The group must be an esoteric group drawn together upon the same psychic level. Then when all are prepared, the experience will come to each individually his own environment but approximately at the same time as all of the others in his group. The experience need not be expressed in occult terms and in the majority of cases it will not be. However, the initiate will be aware of great changes in his attitude to himself, to his fellowman, to circumstances and to his interpretation of life events. These are the characteristic reactions which attend the first initiation. A new viewpoint on life and a new world of thought are registered by the initiate. This is now occurring on a large scale and the observant disciple can see and recognize evidence of the emergence of the Christ consciousness in many lives. Vast numbers of men are taking the first step towards the unfolding of the Christ consciousness and thus will soon pass through the first initiation.

This developing Christ consciousness in thousands of men all over the world is creating a ferment in the daily life of peoples everywhere. One of the first evidences is that the personality hitherto interested in attaining only material purely selfish ends now finds itself in conflict with the new inner soul realization. The carnal man battles the spiritual man each seeking to achieve control. As we are taught in our monographs, this awakening of the Christ-consciousness is a gradually developing control. There is no instantaneous major step taken. In the early stages, after the 'birth of the Christ" and during the "infancy of the Christ-child" symbolically speaking, the material aspect is usually triumphant. Do not let this discourage you but continue to persevere. In the long run, the Christ life will triumph. Each initiation indicates a stage in the growth and development of this new element in human consciousness and this continues until the third major initiation when finally the initiate emerges as a "full grown man in Christ" and no longer a child. He is then literally transfigured and shines with a new light.

The energies emanated by the incoming Aquarian Age have a profound and stimulating effect on the brain and the mind. It is this stimulation of the mental process which greatly aids men to pass through the door admitting them to the first initiation. We see today that the world is now for the first time aware of the material needs of all men. We now know that every man has a right to food and today "bread" is of major interest to men everywhere. Thus, we are now entering the period when humanity will pass through the first initiation on a large scale, the awakening of Christ consciousness. Humanity will manifest this Christ life during the period of economic adjustment which is now rapidly approaching its crisis. The unfolding of the Christ life will result in the ending of economic fear and the "house of bread", Bethlehem, will then become "the house of Plenty". Bread as a symbol of material human need will then be controlled by a vast group of initiates of the first degree, those whose lives are now beginning to be controlled by the awakening Christ consciousness, the consciousness of responsibility and service. There are thousands of these initiates in the world today and their numbers are steadily increasing. We are told that by the year 2025 there will be millions who will achieve as a result of the impact of the energies of the Aquarian era, which are increasing in power and influence daily.

As Rosicrucians we have a much better opportunity than most others. We are taught to develop a sense of responsibility and a knowledge of the need for service. If we serve as we should, honestly and competently as the opportunities present themselves, and if we willingly assume the responsibilities which life places before us, we will thus prepare ourselves for that awakening into light called esoterically "the Birth of Christ", the first initiation, the achieving of Christ consciousness.

Thus, I urge you to this awareness and that you may succeed is my earnest prayer for each one of you.

Joseph J. Weed

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A Rosicrucian Speaks
Joseph J. Weed