AMORC
Sanctum Ritual number 1 for Plane 6

1978

Salutes in omnibus punctis trianguli!
Beloved Members of the Esoteric Hierarchy:
With this Sanctum Ritual, we begin again to cross another threshold. We shall now enter into Plane Six. But first, in preparation for this, you will kindly perform this Sanctum Ritual. This ritual will draw upon certain elements of your previous studies in Plane Five and new subject matter to be introduced in the monographs to follow.
It has often been stated in our monographs that what we perceive objectively actually has no corresponding external archetype. In other words, reality outside of us, for example, is not as we perceive it. More simply, the qualities, the forms which we attribute to the world are our own mental construct. They are the result of our physical senses, our reason, and imagination which creates mental pictures of the impressions we have of reality. But these pictures, though they may serve us, are not true. What is the true, the pure nature of reality? The ancient mystics, philosophers, and metaphysicians have long theorized upon this subject. It must be apparent, then, that to each of us reality is more a subjective state of ideation, of ideas, than a state which has a corresponding existence to that of our ideas.
 
 
Dual Reality
 
So far as we humans are concerned, our knowledge has a definite dualism. There is, on the one hand, the pure state of reality which acts upon us, and there is, on the other hand, our phenomenal response to it. More simply, there is the noumenal world, the things in themselves, and there is the phenomenal world, which is the way we perceive and conceive the noumenal.
It can be argued that man does experience a true image of reality. With certain instruments in a physics laboratory, we will always detect, for example, the vibratory frequency bands of visible colors and also ultraviolet, infrared, x-rays, and so on. All men using similar spectroscopes and other instruments will detect identically the same phenomena. It is therefore contended that these things exist as we perceive them.
But does this not prove only that reality appears the same to us when subjected to the same conditions of detection? If we use different instrumentation, either the phenomena may not be perceived at all or quite differently. For a crude analogy, if we always wear rose-colored glasses, the external world may seem to be to us in a perpetual rosy glow. If, however, we change the color of our glasses, then so too will our view of the surroundings change. Further, in science, man is still trying to determine the cause of that which he does perceive. On the other hand, the philosopher may argue that there is no primary cause; there is only change.
 
 
Word Imagery
 
The point of interest to us as Rosicrucians, mystics, and metaphysicians, is that our lives are greatly determined not just by what is, but also by what we think it to be. If we do not know the true-nature of the Absolute, of reality, then our imagery of it is most important.
For further analogy, take the word day. It is a common word. It would seem, upon a cursory thought, to represent quite a positive, that is, a definite thing. But how universal is the meaning of "day"? Do all persons have the same conception of that word when it is spoken to them? To some persons, the word "day" may mean light; yet, "day" is not a synonym for light. To other persons, "day" may mean a period of time, such as twenty-four hours; yet again, "day" is not a synonym for time. So we see that what we commonly objectively perceive is transformed into an idea, a mental image which does not necessarily conform to what we perceive.
What is our imagery of the Cosmos? Of Self? Of our relationship to the Cosmos? Of the purpose we have in life? If we feel that our mental images represent our best understanding of these questions, then we should symbolize them. A symbol can be a picture, a design, even a gesture. A symbol represents in a relatively simple way one or more ideas. For example, the flag of a nation represents simply what might take many words to explain. The same may be said of mathematical symbols, such as x, +, :.
If we cannot symbolize our ideas, our mental images, then these ideas are lacking in the clarity which they should have.
Now on this occasion we wish you to conduct an exercise that demonstrates this principle to you. It will be very useful as well in attaining an excellent insight with respect to yourself and your cosmic relationship.
First, let us return to the thoughts of the ancients in connection with this exercise you are to perform. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras and others spoke of reality in terms of a dichotomy, that is, a division into two. The first of these divisions was the macrocosm, or the great universe. The second was the microcosm, or the smaller universe.
The macrocosm represents the whole of the physical universe, the galaxies, stars, planets; in fact, all of reality as contrasted to man. The microcosm depicts man as a small universe in himself, corresponding in function to the phenomena of the greater universe. The ancients, in some accounts, declared the heart to be the center of the human universe, the microcosm. Other ancient thinkers said that the brain (mind), for instance, or certain of the endocrine glands, such as the pineal or pituitary, was the Sun of the human universe.
 
 
Ritual
 
You will see on the separate sheet enclosed two words at its top: on the left, the word Macrocosm; on the right, Microcosm.
On the extreme right and left note the word Symbol. Beneath the word "Macrocosm," you will notice a list of questions. Also beneath the word "Microcosm" is another list of questions. Now, remember that the macrocosm represents the greater universe. By contrast, the microcosm represents man--you, as a living, conscious entity.
Prepare your Sanctum, your study area as usual. Light the two tapers (candles) on your sanctum altar. Subdue the light in the room just sufficiently for you to read. Place the separate sheet between the candles or on a table before them.
B. Separate your feet, close your eyes, and then intone the vowels RA and MA three times--or mentally do so.
C. After the intonation, hold the thought in mind that you wish to be helped to receive the enlightenment which this exercise can provide.
D. Now read the first question listed under "Macrocosm." Then close your eyes and think. What is your personal answer to that question? If you arrive at what you think it is, then try to visualize it, image it. Simply, what picture or geometrical form would symbolize that idea to you?
E. Draw the symbol you finally decide upon opposite of the question in the column indicated "Symbol."
F. Repeat the same until all the questions have been meditated upon. If you have not arrived at a symbol for a question, just leave the space blank.
Next, follow the same procedure for the questions which are listed under "Microcosm."
When you have completed all or what you can of the lists of questions, you are then ready for the next and important phase of this exercise. At the bottom of the special enclosed sheet, you will note the symbol of the "All-Seeing Eye." This symbol has long meant to mystic-philosophers the Universal or Cosmic Consciousness which perceives all things. It also means the inner vision of man or the awareness of the higher consciousness of self.
Our purpose now is to have you arrive at a single image, a symbol, or word which in consciousness, will represent to you the meaning of all the other symbols which you have written or drawn.
First, look briefly at all the symbols under both "Macrocosm" and "Microcosm" that you have drawn or written.
Next, relax with hands unclasped in your lap. Concentrate on the "All-Seeing Eye" symbol. Wait for the intuitive flash to the fore of your consciousness of an idea, of a word or sign that to you is a composite of all the other symbols. When that occurs, that is your mental and psychic link; your finite link, in other words, with the infinity o the Cosmic. It matters not what different image, symbol, or word others may have. We repeat, each understands his existence in accordance with his own imagery of it.
We wish you every success with this experiment. We feel safe in saying that you will find it mentally stimulating, emotionally satisfying, and providing a more profound enlightenment.
Monographs of this Plane Six will follow soon. In the meantime, we will be interested in reports on this Sanctum Ritual.
Sincerely and fraternally,
YOUR CLASS MASTER