Does the Fama Fraternitatis prohibit against the alchemical goal of immortality?

o

TO SOME ENGLISH reading students it may seem as if the Fama Fraternitatis actually is prohibiting us alchemists to reach our ultimate goal in the Great Work, which is to experience the ultimate effect of the Philosopher’s Stone – that of Immortality.

A certain sentence in the Fama may be inferred to mean that immortality is not an object that is allowed or proper for a Rosicrucian to pursue. Or does it mean this? Let us explore this subject further. The full sentence in the English version of the Fama Fraternitatis reads regarding the Rosicrucian brethren:

After such a most laudable sort they did spend their lives, but although they were free from all diseases and pain, yet, notwithstanding, they could not live and pass their time appointed of God.

But most of us know that the Fama Fraternitatis wasn’t written in English. In fact Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes) translated the text from it original German in 1652. The first published edition in 1614 presented the text in German. One year later there was published a latin text. There is no evidence that can prove to us for sure in which language the original text was actually written, but it is commonly agreed that the German text is authoritative and comes closer to the original intent and meaning of the original writer than does the later English translation. Now, the original German reads:

...und wiewohl ihre Leiber aller Kranckheit und Schmertzen befreyet waren, köndten doch die Seelen den bestimpten puncten der Auflösung nicht überschreiten.

According to my dear German friend and brother Rene Nagual (Frater L.e.N.e.) it translates as:

…and although their bodies were freed from sickness and pain, their souls could not trespass CERTAIN points of dissolution.

Suddenly there is no reference to any “God” who appoints any time to the Rosicrucian brethren, as is suggested in Vaughan’s rendition of the text. Instead we see in that German sentence a reference to the Soul (Seele). We also see a point that cannot be trespassed, which leads to “dissolution” (Auflösung).

I believe the word “Auflösung” is the key here. In my German–Swedish dictionary it states that this word does translate to “dissolution” but also to “restoration”. That means that the Souls of the brethren “could not trespass certain points of restoration”. For me it has strong alchemical connotations which obviously escaped Vaughan’s eyes. For me it says that the Rosicrucian brethren, although they prolonged their physical life, didn’t succeed in creating their Solar Bodies, which means that their souls couldn’t reach that final redemption and restoration which would grant them conscious immortality.

Whatever finer meanings we may extract from that German sentence, it clearly is a fact that it does not prohibit against exceeding any natural life span as set down by God Almighty. It seems that the English translator (that is Thomas Vaughan) was steeped in a puritan protestant Christian world view which coloured his translation, which is strange considering he was an alchemist. What may be inferred from the accounts of the deaths of the various brethren, that follows the quoted sentence, is that they didn’t complete the Great Work during their life span; the time simply wasn’t enough for them to succeed in the alchemical processes, which requires many decades to be completed. Perhaps this is a reference to old age being a hinderence in the Great Work?

Now some readers may react against this emphasis on the physical and carnal body. Doesn’t the Rosicrucian Order of the Alpha et Omega claim that immortality is reached at the point of physical death, in which the consciousness is projected into the Solar Body? Yes, it does. But we mustn’t forget that the Fama is an allegorical story, and allegorical stories tend to become very concrete in their descriptions. Thus any reference of not being allowed to exceed a natural life span can be seen as a critique against the alchemical quest for immortality.

Thus the allegorical Fama in its English version may be seen as a prohibition against Alchemy and its goal of immortality in whatever form. We must remember that in the old alchemical lore there has often been claims of Adepts that could bee encountered several centuries after their physical birth. The Comte de St. Germain is the most reknown example, but also Nicolas Flamel and even Fulcanelli. But as it turns out, the Fama has never prohibited anything of that kind, that is in its original version. Instead it (in that sentence under consideration) in fact addresses the development of the soul instead of any limits to the physical body.

My conclusion. The actual Fama Fraternitatis doesn’t prohibit physical immortality. It rather says that the Rosicrucian brethren didn’t acchieve immortality after their deaths because they didn’t reach to a state of restoration of their souls.

Addendum 21/11 – 2011

I must add to the above, for clarification purposes, that in my German–Swedish dictionary from 1962 it says that the word “Auflösung” may be translated into “restoration” if used in a musical context. That is, if used as a musical term the word “Auflösung” may also be translated into “restoration”. However, we know that mystics and esotericists of the late renaissance quite often used music and musical terms as a methaphor to describe esoteric concepts, for example in the works of Robert Fludd. We cannot exlude the possibility of that word in that sentence being used in this context.

However “dissolution” is probably the original meaning of the word being used by the original author, as suggested by my German friend. Again, in a alchemical context dissolution refers to the process of rendering a solid matter liquid – the solution of the Prima Materia. This is a necessary preliminary stage in the Great Work which opens up the Matter, and constitutes a part of the Solve (“solution” or “separation”) phase, to create the Philosopher’s Stone.

It is interesting then to find in my old dictionary that the word “Auflösung” may be translated into “solution” as well in a more general definition of the term, contrasted to the narrow as suggested in the musical context. Thus the above German sentence may be translated as:

…and although their bodies were freed from sickness and pain, their souls could not trespass certain points of solution.

There clearly must be a common etymology between the words “solution” and “solve”. Furthermore there is definitely a shared etymology and meaning between dissolution, solution and resolution, all words that may be translated from the German “Auflösung”.

So what we see here may be a reference to the (re)solving of a problem. In the context of the sentence it may refer to a resolution or the resolving of a problem contained in the soul. And we know that Internal Alchemy concerns the work of creating an Immortal Soul, through the medium of the base elements contained in the physical body used as building blocks in this transmutation process.

Thus the old German text, when it is placing that sentence in the context of the mortality of the brethren, may allude to a meaning that concerns the brethren experiencing ordinary mortality because their souls hasn’t been prepared enough in the alchemical process. We know that Rosicrucians were also alchemists so it must be asserted that the Fama was written by an author who knew his alchemy and its peculiar terminology – that is if we believe that the Fama Fraternitatis is a genuine Rosicrucian text (which I personally as a traditionalist do).

Addendum 13/03 – 2014
 
Since writing this blog yours truly is no longer affiliated with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Outer Order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega® (H.O.G.D./A+O®). However, my general view on this subject stays firmly unchanged, as expressed in the above written text, and what I have authored previously on the Gyllene Gryningen blog still represents my overall opinion. Any practices referred to in reference to the H.O.G.D./A+O® also apply to the Order that I am currently affiliated with, namely the Hermetiska Orden av Den Gryende Morgonrodnaden (“Hermetic Order of the Nascent Aurora”) or H∴O∴G∴M+R. 

S∴R∴

Do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill?

o

“You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.” – Morpheus

SOME TEACHERS of the Golden Dawn community try to make you believe that the Golden Dawn was a hoax and that its founders were fraudulent. It has been proposed that the reason that the Golden Dawn Tradition actually does work (which is indisputable) is that the magical current somehow succeeded to be transmitted into its egregore despite of its founders, not because of them. These modern teachers try to make you believe that S.L. MacGregor Mathers was guided by some unconscious genius that happened to manifest the beautiful magical system of the R.R. et A.C. (Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis), just by chance. Just like that! This situation may be likened to the stage magician (illusionist) who suddently succeeds in creating a true miracle, true magic, without him knowing what actually happened.

But as a student, for your own spiritual benefit and sanity, it is in fact important to choose a Tradition and an Egregore that is based upon the real Tradition and upon actual Truth. Fraud and deceit may create serious damage to your spritual progress, unbeknown to you. You will become aware of it, but then it is perhaps to late to save yourself. Even if you pursue your path in greatest seriousness and earnest truth, if your teacher or spiritual ancestor is a liar and a fraud, this will bring you serious karmic consequences. So, my dear reader (and I take it that you are a student of the Golden Dawn if you are reading this blog on a regular basis), you have to make a choice. This is perhaps one your most important choices in your entire spiritual quest. You are now standing on the crossroads.


The left-hand path lead you to pursue the following world view and opinions of your own tradition and towards the ones that helped you in bringing it forth:

MacGregor Mathers and William Wynn Westocott were both fraudulent; together they perpetuated the myth of the Secret Chiefs and that the Order of the Golden Dawn was based upon the true Rosicrucian Tradition. However, they told their initiates lies to gain legitimacy; there actually were no Secret Chiefs and there were no true lineage to any Rosicrucian Order. There have never existed any true Rosicrucian Order as mentioned in the Fama et Confessio Fraternitatis in the first place. These 17th Century documents were simply written as an ironic satirical commentary on the popular esoteric undercurrents of the European culture of that time. In fact Westcott or MacGregor Mathers, or both, wrote up (as in invented) the Cypher Mss. of the Golden Dawn Tradition. There was absolutely no continental origin to that document as Westcott stated. MacGregor Mathers created the entire R.R. et A.C. magical system almost single-handedly from his studies of ancient mss. as contained in the British Library Museum and the Bibliothèque de l’ Arsenal in France. In no way did he meet any emissary of the Third Order in Paris calling himself Lux E Tenebris that gave him any material, as he boldly claims. All the documents of the R.R. et A.C., the “Rituals” and core documents, etc., were written up (as in created) by Westcott or Mathers (especially the latter), either single-handedly or in co-operation. There is absolutely no other secret Golden Dawn material that still awaits to be published beyond that already found in books by Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie, R.G. Torren, Francis X. King, R.A. Gilbert, Darcy Küntz, Pat Zalewski, Nick Farrell, et al, at least non of any real importance; the best material has already been published and any later material only deteriorated. The system ended at the level of Theoricus Adeptus Minor, or at a stretch at the level of Practicus Adeptus Minor. That’s it. There are no authorities of the Golden Dawn Tradition, and certainly not any Secret Chiefs walking the earth. Sometimes proficient Adepts may receive some spiritual inspiration (such as in angelical astral contacts) on the inner planes, but that is all to it as an external source. There is no need for any Temples to get initiated into the Tradition and especially not any lineage. Anybody can be his own initiate and teacher and master. Anyone can receive inner spiritual guidance to receive instruction. Therefore, you can develop the tradition in any direction that you please. The Golden Dawn Tradition is as an open source document that can be tampered with by anyone, and only for the better because the founders didn’t know anyway what they were dealing with; modern students have lots more knowledge and information compared to them. There is no living tradition that can be transmitted. Make it up for yourself; magic is only in the mind anyway. No magical formula is more important than any other; use the system that you find most likable. Use that which works for you; you can choose whatever you want, and if no resluts are forthcoming soon choose another. This also counts for any alchemical teachings. The old medieval alchemists were fools; true alchemy is a spiritual discipline and doesn’t concern any material substances. All the alchemical processes and substances are only metaphors for spiritual development. Only through your own meditation on its symbolism may you gain understanding of its meanings. There are no external Masters, there is only you.

On the other hand, walking the right path will admonish you to nurture the following beliefs towards your tradition and its founders:

MacGregor Mathers and Westcott were both true initiates of the Rosicrucian tradition. They were given a legitimate authorization to open the Temples of the Order of the Golden Dawn. They were both taught by teachers and initiates who had perpetuated the true Hermetic and Rosicrucian Tradition, stemming from European soil. Neither MacGregor Mathers nor Westcott wrote the Cypher Mss. That originated from the true Third Order and changed some hands until it found its way into Westcott’s. The Third Order is an ancient fraternity whose name is a well-guarded secret. It has been amongst men since the ancient Sumerian, Egyptian and Greek civilizations and cultures. It did create the Rosicrucian Tradition and was behind the manifestos from the 17th Century, to operate as a true Alchemical vehicle for the Hermetic Tradition. In 1888 and 1892 it created the Order of the Golden Dawn and the R.R. et A.C. respectively as legitimate vehicles of the true Rosicrucian Tradition. Although both Westcott and MacGregor Mathers were amongst the greatest esoteric scholars of their generation they neither invented the initiatory system of the Golden Dawn nor the magical system of the R.R. et A.C. MacGregor Mathers in fact received communication and instruction from real Secret Chiefs in the flesh, who gave him both the Adeptus Minor Ritual and the greater bulk of the R.R. et A.C. “Rituals”. To be able to lock up magically the ceremonial system of the Golden Dawn and the R.R. et A.C. you need to be initiated into it by a legitimate Temple. You cannot self-initiate yourself into the true Rosicrucian Traditon nor the Hermetc Alchemical system; only through initiation can you be fully empowered to carry out the practical work. There is a living tradition that doesn’t need to be reconstructed. The system may change and grow – reform itself – but that may only be properly carried out with the guidance of the Secret Chiefs of the Third Order. And yes, they (the Secret Chiefs) and their secret Third Order is still around and it still guides the occult tradition, not only that of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn is but one petal of the greater Hermetic Rose. And its teachings are only the tip of the ice-berg; and only on a basic beginners level at that! There exists a true Alchemical Tradition which greatly differs from any current modern revived alchemical practices. The true Western Internal Alchemical tradition, which is a Occidental system that shares much with Oriental Tantric and Taoist Alchemy, is still a truly esoteric (as in occulted) tradition which has been preserved from ancient times and is still being taught by the Third Order in its original and uncorrupted form. It possesses the keys to Immortality through the proper preparation of the Philosopher’s Stone. This knowledge is reserved for initiates only and is beyond the pale of the Outer World or any published literature.

So now my dear reader, and serious student, which one is it? What pill do you want to take? The blue pill or the red pill? The choice is all yours.


Choose with great discrimination. Whatever pill you choose will have great or even grave consequences. I don’t blame you if you take the blue pill. That is the easy path. The path of the many. The path of the modern conditioned mind. Take the red pill and I will guarantee you a most difficult path that you may perhaps not persevere through. That path is only for the very few. If you take it, be prepared to reconsider and reorient your entire modernist world view and outlook upon Man. Prepare to be shocked by the sheer truth; you may not like it (the truth). You will have to be prepared to kill you darlings of which some are the most dear to you. The true Rosicrucian rose is beautiful in its red colour but also one riddled with thorns. Receive it and there will be no turning back. You may sting yourself upon it. Are you prepared?

Are you prepared to become a true prophet and an equal amongst demi-gods? Are you prepared to stand in the presence of the Immortal Ones?


S∴R∴