rosicrucianity

Max Heindel (1865-1919) was born in Denmark as Carl Fredrik van Grasshoff and travelled to Scotland, America and Germany. In America Heindel met H.P. Blavatsky, joined the Theosophical Society and even was vice-president for a short time. In Gemany Heindel was contacted by the “Elder Brothers Of The Rosicrucian Order” and eventually founded the Rosicrucian Fellowship in the USA in 1909. While under inspiration of the “Elder Brothers” Heindel wrote the large work The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity, an Elementary Treatise upon Man’s Past Evolution, Present Constitution and Future Development in a short periode of time. The book is much like the writings of Blavatsky. This is interesting, because the Theosophical Mahatma letters say that the Mahatmas (“great souls”, the spiritual leaders of HPB) said that they were also working with another (Rosicrucian) order, so both persons may have been inspired by the same spiritual beings. Anyway, the discussed book is a very readable version of The Secret Doctrine with many of the same concepts. The doctrines about clairvoyance, evolution in globes, rootraces, etc. may for many people be way too far, but I personally enjoyed this book. I got an old Dutch translation, but a new version is available from “Rozekruis Pers”. The founder of the now international, but originally Dutch new Rosicrucian order ‘Lectorium Rosicrucianum’ used to be a member of the Rosicrucian Fellowship. Anyway, a book both for people interested in HPB’s Theosophy or in Rosicrucianity, but of course for every seeker who is looking for a wider worldview.

The last writing of Max Heindel (1865-1919), reinforcer of the Rosicrucian tradition. In the 17th century the Rosicrucian history began, but soon faded away over wars and revolutions. Two centuries later Heindel based himself on the three manifests (see elsewhere), the early Theosophical writings and other esoteric texts and gave a new start for Rosicrucianism. Founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship in the USA Heindel was the cause of the start of various Rosicrucian orders, either still or no longer existent.

“Gleanings…” is a text in the Blavatsky-style: comprehensive, chaotic with tons of information. It speaks about Rosicrucian life, magic, Christianity and much much more. A nice read and a nice introduction into the Rosicrucian philosophy.

Available online at textfiles.com.