Fraters and Sorors:

As a result of the impression made on me by the First Degree Initiation in our Rose Cross Order, I kept thinking of days that come in cycles, and began observing everything to see whether or not it fit into a cycle. And so it is that I have now reached the conclusion that everything that I know of is governed in some way by a cycle.

Although the cycles may appear very simple, they are of great importance. For example: we have a period during which we have the sensation of hunger and another when we no longer do, a time when we are thirsty, another time we cease to be, a time when we feel the need to breathe air in and a time when we release it, a time when we feel like covering ourselves a little more, and another when we uncover.

As you may have come to realize in the examples I have presented, the materials that effect our body are being considered: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

The Earth element makes up our body; all of the atoms that compose our body are found in the earth. All the atoms that compose our body are united in such a way that a perfect order and equilibrium exists between them. However, our organism eliminates some of these atoms after they have accomplished their function, and we pass from a state of equilibrium into a state of disequilibria, and it is in that moment when the sensation of hunger comes as an expression of the need for equilibrium. And when we swallow food we are complying with the law of equilibrium, which can be translated into tranquility or a period during which we are free of the hungry sensation.

In the same way, when we are thirsty, water restores the equilibrium, or when we feel the cold or heat and our body reacts by trying to maintain a temperature equilibrium; if it is caused by cold, our body raises its temperature, and if we are hot, we are cooled by means of sweat.

All the cycles of our material body that we have mentioned can be perfected through knowledge. If one acquires the knowledge of a good diet, that is learns how to balance the elements so that our body receives the quantity of energy from proteins, vitamins, and minerals, that it needs and if our Rosicrucian practice of energizing our food at least once a day is joined to this, this does bring the cycle of the earth element to a more perfect equilibrium.

The same occurs with the water element; a knowledge of the quantity to be ingested, plus its energizing, brings this element to equilibrium.

In the case of the air element; if one practices breathing the fresh morning air, we energize our self through respiration.

And finally the fire element, helping our body keep its temperature equilibrium through garments to help adaptation to the environmental temperature can be joined with the Rosicrucian knowledge of how to raise or lower our temperature.

We can see that the lack of mastery in balancing a cycle of nature translates into pain and suffering. This is not bad, since pain indicates something being wrong which in the long term may cause harm. If our skin had no nerve endings to indicate pain, we could accidentally put our hand on a hot surface without realizing it, and the skin could get burned. Without such protection the organism remains exposed to multiple infections. Thanks, however, to the pain receptors that we have, we remove the hands, hence avoiding the possible harm or at least reducing it to a great extent.

A Rosicrucian axiom says: NO SUBSTANCE CAN REACH PERFECTION WITHOUT LONG SUFFERING and the explanation given by the Order says “in the same way that the purest diamond, before reaching that state, must come from a state of a black charcoal in the womb of the earth, suffering extreme pressure and profound modification. Reaching its pure and perfected state and being completely hardened, it becomes the hardest element in nature, the most noble and most coveted”.

A cycle is like a SIPRAL PATH that leads to perfection, it is the path of change and transmutation, a path which is not easy to travel through, as much pain does exist, many struggles will have to be overcome, we may become immersed in the deepest obscurity, but it is important not to give up. PERSEVERE; firmly maintain the thought and aspiration that, if it is in harmony with GOD’S WORK, may soon bring the new dawn. By this I mean mastery in the application of the knowledge of the cosmic laws, of the cycles that exist in nature, finalized into a prefect equilibrium and harmony that, once attained, leads to what we call Peace Profound.

In one of our lessons it is said that “to have evolution it is necessary, primary, that there be first a period of involution”, and by means of what I have observed of a cycle, there are 3 parts, so to speak: an initial stage in which a state of equilibrium exists, beginning the cycle with what the book, “The Alchemist” calls “the luck of the participant” in which one feels that all works out well and the inner changes are being observed, then a second stage of feeling that no progress is being made, and a third stage in which one arrives at a more perfect equilibrium. I have been able to see this in works of esoteric type such as:

In the Opera “Percival”, by Richard Wagner: in the first part the protagonist is characterized as possessing a low level of awareness, and is allowed to participate in an important ritual. In the second part he suffers temptations, battles and pain. In the third part, because of his elevated level of consciousness he is recognized as king, along with leading the most important ritual in which someone can participate at the same temple.

In the book: “the Alchemist”, by Paul Coelho: In the first part the protagonist lives a peaceful life with his pastoral duties. The second part is about the experiences and the difficult path he had to travel in order to reach the treasure he was seeking. In the third part, the protagonist finds his treasure in the same place from which his adventure started, but now with a more elevated level of consciousness.

In the work, “Siddhartha”, by Herman Hesse, in the first part the protagonist has received a religious education during childhood and begins his voyage in search of a perfect union with God. In the second part he acquires experiences from the profane world that submerge him into the most profound suffering. In the third part, or that of returning to religion, he attains enlightenment.

In the work: “The Pilgrim”, by Paulo Coelho the protagonist finds himself in a ritual where he is going to be initiated to the highest grade of an order, but he fails in the test of his initiation and as a consequence he is not given a sword. In the second part, the protagonist follows a path that enriches him with experiences, and where he suffers considerable pain. In the third part he is given the initiation into the highest grade of his order and receives his sword.

In the Holy Scriptures, it speaks first of Jesus’ baptism, in which the spirit of God descended as a dove. In the second part it speaks of how Jesus had to suffer pain during forty days of fasting, and then confront temptations. In the third part the angels came and served him.

Fraters and Sorors, I wish to end with these words that our Order tells us in one of the lessons: “Remember that the darkest time of the night is just before dawn, PERSEVERE, as in those moments of darkness and dejection, the Golden Dawn is already near.


Peace Profound.