DIVINE LAW

Perhaps no other phrase is used as much in the books of the Fraternitas Rosæ
Crucis as the Divine Law.

There is nothing particularly mysterious about the Divine Law. It is simply

the Universal Operating Law of Creation. It is a Law of Universal Balance, a
Law of Equal Exchange. Each great spiritual teacher of humanity has taught
its basic principles and adapted them to the people of the time. While each of
these interpretations may seem to vary since they were conceived for a specific
time and group of people, the underlying Law does not, and cannot, change.
Divine Law is unchangeable because it is the only Law that allows the present
state of Creation to exist. There is nothing arbitrary about the Divine Law,
since all existence is completely dependent upon its absolute perfection of
operation.

There is order in all creation. For such order to exist, there must be a
balancing Law of exact debits and credits in all facets of our Universe. We are
all “reimbursed,” be it good or not so good, for every thought, desire and deed.
This reimbursement will usually be in kind, although not necessarily so.

This Law is simple, but infinitely complex in its execution. It leaves nothing to
chance. If we all understood and accepted the fact that we are all under the
Law of Equal Compensation, a man or woman would have to be insane to do
ill to themselves or others.

This Law is found in business and science. In accounting we have the balance
of debits and credits; we also have the expected compensation for every
honest task performed. In science, we find even more exemplification of the
Law of Equal Exchange. For every action there is an equal but opposite
reaction. Matter cannot be destroyed or created (except by a nuclear reaction),
only transformed. Each side of every chemical or mathematical equation must
be equal.

The Divine Law is not an arbitrary Law. It is not just God's idea of how a
Creation should be run. Rather, it was the only Law and set of rules and
regulations that could create a Universe out of undefined matter. Take away
the Divine Law, and you immediately return Creation to Chaos and
consideration of humanity to only a vague memory.

This set of principles that God found to be essential to establish the Universe
and to prevent it from immediately returning to Chaos is what we now call
the Divine Law.

This Law is not arbitrary. It is simply the only functioning mechanism that is
sufficiently balanced and powerful to sustain matter in its various organized
forms to produce the Universe we now know and love. As such, it should be
obvious that the Divine Law can show no partiality. It is, and must remain,
completely neutral. It is for this reason that the Bible informs us:
“God (insert Divine Law) is no respecter of persons.”
(Acts 10:34)
God does not punish! No, like the Nazarene and other Master Teachers before
him, God weeps to see the suffering of those who, out of ignorance or desire,
attempt to defy the Divine Law and thereby bring upon themselves the
reaction of this exact Law.

The Divine Law is not a capricious edict of the Creator. It is simply the only
functioning mechanism under which our Universe can exist. When the various
spiritual texts of each authentic religion admonished humanity to "obey" the
will of God, they used language they felt the common people could understand
and apply, but which, in fact, is not the full explanation. What they would have
said if the people had ears to hear was:
“Learn to understand the Divine Law, and live in harmony with it.
Since this is the basic Law of your existence, any attempt to defy God’s
Law will always create an undesirable reaction for you.”

How the Divine Law Impacts Each Life

The Divine Law is nothing more or less than the functioning mechanism of
our existence. It manifests in every conceivable manner, since there is nothing
in all of life, human and otherwise, that can function in any way without
interfacing with this Law. If our actions are in harmony with its principles, we
prosper and gain all that is good and useful in life- both spiritually and
worldly. If, on the other hand, we attempt to work counter to the principles of
this functioning mechanism, we will suffer the consequences of our ignorance
or defiance. Neither people nor God can set aside the reaction of this
mechanism.

There is one thing that distinguishes humans from all other creatures that
function under the Divine Law. We have a reasoning mind that allows us to
decide, first, what is the Law and, second, whether we choose to follow the
Divine Laws governing our existence. Unlike animals, we are not required by
instinct or by external forces (like the stars and planets) to follow the Divine
Law. We have been given a choice, and this Divine gift of free will introduces
into Creation the factor of drama. Will we or will we not follow the Divine
Law? Once we learn to do so, we will, as promised, become like the gods,
knowing good and evil?

This is the great secret of all action and reaction in our world. No one sits in
judgment on our actions; no one punishes us because we break some arbitrary
rules set up by a jealous and vengeful God long ago. We create reactions only
from the actions we perform of our own free will. If these actions are in
harmony with the functioning mechanism of our existence (the Divine Law),
the resulting reactions will be what we generally call “good.” If our actions are
not in harmony with this functioning mechanism, they will be what we call
“bad” or unpleasant.

Regardless of what others do, you can live in harmony with the Divine Law
and reap the beneficial reaction of the good thoughts, desires and actions that
you alone have created. The Nazarene stated this teaching point as,
“what difference does that make to you? You follow me.”
John 21:22
“Follow me” means follow the Divine Law no matter what others do. What
matters most is that your good thoughts and actions return to you with more
good. This is one of the most reassuring facets of the Divine Law.

The Law of Exchange: The Golden Rule

One of the most important principles of the Divine Law is its absolute reliance
on balance and equal exchange. It is this principle that allowed the Creator to
make Order out of Chaos. For this reason we have the assurance that “Order is
Heaven's first Law,” and such order can only be obtained, and equally
importantly, maintained by the reliance on balance and equal exchange.

We find that the Mystery Schools and Master Teachers throughout the ages,
including the Master from Galilee, taught the Law of balance and
compensation in different words, so that the Law would be adapted to those to
whom they spoke. However, in all instances the message was the same:
There is an exact balance to the Divine Law. You will be treated by the
Law in exact proportion to the way you treat the Law and thereby
others. Whatever actions you take will create an equal reaction that
will, in time, return to you with interest, be that good or ill.

It is just for this reason that the Golden Rule exists as one of the main tenets
of the world’s oldest religions:
Christian:
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Luke 6:31

Judaism:
“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire
Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shaddab 3id

Islam:
“No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which
he desires for himself. Sunnah

Confucianism:
“Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will
be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.”
Analects 12:2

Buddhism:
“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” Unana-
Varga 5,1

Hinduism:
“This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not
have them do unto you.” Mahabharata 5,1517
 Taoism:

“Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as
your own loss.” Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

Zoroastrianism:
“That nature alone is good which refrains from doing to another
whatsoever is not good for itself.” Dadisten-I-dinik,94,5

Egyptian:
“He sought for others the good he desired for himself. Let him pass on.”

The Divine Law is not only the Law of balance and equal compensation; it is
also the Law of power. It is the Law of all positive and negative energy. It is the
Law of Yin and Yang; male and female; day and night; Summer and Winter;
growth and death and, then, rebirth once again. It is the Law of motion and
action, for motion is life and there can be no life without motion and there can
be no motion without such opposites.

Cause, Effect and Consequences

God does not, and would not, attempt to circumvent the Divine Law. The rest
of Nature (animal, vegetable and mineral) cannot circumvent the Divine Law.
Only humans, possessing both a mind and free will, have the ability to attempt
to circumvent the Divine Law. The Bible describes the attempt to defy Divine
Law as “sin” and the resultant consequence as “punishment.”

At the beginning of Creation God set the Divine Law into motion as the only
possible way of maintaining order in the Universe. God well knew that not
even God could alter this Law once it was set into motion without destroying
the entire Creation. This Law, this Divine Law, is self- perpetuating and self-
maintaining. It does not, cannot, show favourites; to do so would be to destroy
the balance of the Law and this, as discussed, would instantly destroy the Law
itself and with it all of God's Creation.

We do not find the scientific nature of this “cause and effect” reaction of
Divine Law explained in Scripture because the people were not yet that far
advanced. However, it is easily explained today. Under the Divine Law all
must remain in balance, or the entire system will return to Chaos; there is no
middle ground. To maintain this essential exact order, the Divine Law must be
self-maintaining. That is, the action of the Law must be such that any
movement in one direction must at the same time be compensated by a
reactive motion in the opposite direction.

Thus evil, sin, wrongdoing, misfortune, catastrophe, call it what you will, is
the result of our attempted defiance of the Divine Law. God will not (and the
rest of existence cannot) attempt to defy God’s own Divine Law. We, not God,
not other individuals, and not fate are responsible for the good and adverse
reactions that come to us. We have been the creators of all the good and bad
reactions we find in our world. Furthermore, if the bad is to be corrected and
changed, it is we and we alone who must do the correcting and changing,
because the balanced reactive nature of the Divine Law will allow for no other
corrective measures.

Equal exchange has to be one of the obvious principles of a just and orderly
Law. The Divine Law is just that. For whatever we receive in this life we must
be willing, even eager, to make full and just compensation. This is essential to
maintain the necessary balance required by the Divine Law. As we become
more and more acquainted with the Divine Law, we come to understand that
all so called “sin” is nothing more or less than an attempt to take that which
we do not deserve, because under the Divine Law we have not yet paid the
price. That is, we were not willing to make the proper compensation to the
Divine Law so as to allow it to preserve its required balance. Since the Divine
Law cannot become unbalanced, whenever we attempt to take that which we
have not earned, the Law must take from us that which we have earned
previously to compensate it for the loss. This is a hard concept to accept at
first, but it is the only way the Divine Law can maintain the required Universal
Order.

Since there is always a certain amount of interest to be extracted by the Divine

Law so that its “books” are balanced in regard to the time interval between the
attempted “stealing” and the “payback,” there is always a steady loss to all
those who insist on “stealing” from the Law. Some may take exception to the
word “stealing” and yet there is none better, for that is exactly what transpires.
When you attempt to take that which you have not yet earned, you must,
under the reaction of the Law, attempt to take from someone who has earned
it. All that exists belongs to someone or something, and you cannot
legitimately attempt to take it unless you give just compensation in return. To
do otherwise is to set into motion an adverse reaction of the Divine Law to the
perpetrator.

Perhaps the best example of this principle of cause and effect of Divine Law is
the exercise of the sexual nature of men and women. God’s Divine Law
arranged the sexual nature of men and women to provide all good things for
them and the world we know as Earth. God carefully designed things so that
this sexual function, like everything else in life, provided both privileges and
responsibilities. The privileges are the undeniable pleasures of the sexual
embrace. The responsibilities, on the part of the husband is the care and
protection of his wife and family, and on the part of the wife is the trials and
dangers of bearing children as well as the required dedication to raising them.
Under these circumstances, we should not be surprised to discover that one of
man's and woman’s first efforts to circumvent the Divine Law was an attempt
to enjoy the pleasures of sexual congress without accepting the natural
consequences of such acts.

Moses details this “original sin,” our first attempt to circumvent the Divine
Law, in his story of Adam, Eve and the serpent. This initial act of humans
trying to defy Divine Law is expressed as Adam and Eve experiencing their
new sense of “nakedness” (Genesis 3:7). Moses used the story of Adam and
Eve to explain the consequences of our actions under Divine Law.
Adam and Eve symbolize the beginning of human desire to transgress the
Divine Law by attempting to “steal” sexual pleasure while refusing to accept
the responsibilities for their actions. In fact, such desires and resultant actions
are the root of nearly all the “sin,” disease and suffering in the world today. It
does seem that many continue to follow in the footsteps of Adam and Eve.
Such actions create the same debt that forced Adam and Eve out of the Garden
of Eden, the same debt that brought about the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah, the same debt that produced the downfall of Greece and Rome. It
was, and is, our greatest obstacle to finding true health and happiness on this
planet.

Our Creator set into motion a great law to give all of us humans the best of
everything. This Divine Law assures us that if we are willing to do our part we
can always count on it to do its part. It shows no favourites, it is no respecter
of persons; it treats rich and poor alike. It has neither creed, nor colour, nor
gender bias. Its basic principle is simple:

Whatever you give to me, I will give back to you in kind. If you bring me
love, I will return to you love in abundance. If you bring me hate, it is
hate that you shall receive until it is overflowing. You make the choice. I
only reflect your choice-with interest.

Biblical Teachings Concerning The Divine Law

There is nothing arbitrary about the Divine Law, since all existence is
completely dependent upon its absolute perfection of operation. The Nazarene
intimated the degree of this perfection when he stated,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will
fall on the ground without your Father’s will. But so far as you are
concerned, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.”
(Matthew 10:29-30)

If we substitute “the Divine Law” for “your Father’s will” this statement is in
full harmony with all that has been taught in the “Mysteries.” The Nazarene
did not mean that God went around counting hairs of people’s heads. The
Nazarene is teaching us that the Divine Law of God is omnipresence and
omnipotence. The Divine Law is so inclusive in its monitoring of Creation that
no detail, no matter how minuscule, could be overlooked by it in its efforts to
maintain order and prevent a return to Chaos.

This same inference (that of the Father being a synonym for the Divine Law) is
given in the statement,
“Therefore, you become perfect, just as your Father in heaven is
perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

What the Nazarene is telling his listeners is, “Learn to function in harmony
with the Divine Law which, by its very nature, must be perfect or the world as
you know it would immediately return to Chaos.”

Moses taught this Divine Law as,

 “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Exodus
21:23-25)

While most think of these verses only as the command for punishment, it is
actually a statement of the Law of Equal Exchange. Moses meant his people to
understand that not only were they to extract such punishment, but that
under the Law of Exchange, such punishment would be visited on them if they
broke the Law.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew we find the same Law but in different words
from the mouth of the Teacher from Galilee,
“For with the same judgment that you judge, you will be judged, and
with the same measure with which you measure, it will be measured
to you.” (Matthew 7:2)

Saint Paul restated the Divine Law when he assured his listeners:
“But let every man examine his own work, and then may he glory
within himself alone and not among others. For every man shall bear
his own burden. Let him who is taught the word become a partaker
with him who teaches all good things. Do not be deceived; God is not
mocked; for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He who
sows things of the flesh, from the flesh shall reap corruption; he who
sows things of the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap life everlasting.”
(Galatians 6:4-8)

To show the fineness of the Law we have more words from the Nazarene,
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:30)

This verse from Matthew tells us that there is no detail so seemingly

insignificant that it does not come under the Law of Equal Exchange and
Balance. Every single hair (every thought, word and deed) is counted under
Divine Law.

Lastly, the Nazarene tells us that we are not free of the consequences of our
attempts to defy Divine Law until we, by our own efforts, make exact
compensation for them:
“Try to get reconciled with your accuser promptly, while you are
going on the road with him; for your accuser might surrender you to
the judge, and the judge would commit you to the jailer, and you will
be cast into prison.
Truly I say to you, that you would never come out thence until you
had paid the last cent.” (Matthew 5:25-26)

If you break the Divine Law of Equal Exchange you will not be free of the
reaction of your initial act until you have paid all back to the smallest possible
fraction, a “cent” as it were.

Conclusion
The Divine Law is the functioning Law of Creation. It is not a capricious
creation of God or people. The Divine Law is the only functioning mechanism
that can hold the Creative material of Chaos together to form the Universe.
Humans are unique in that we have the ability to work in harmony with the
Divine Law OR attempt to circumvent it. We have this ability because we were
given the gift of free will.

When we attempt to circumvent Divine Law, we always bring reactions that

are in direct proportion to the extent of the attempted circumventions. The
Law is utterly impartial. It returns whatever is sent forth on its “waters.” Send
all things good and positive and they shall return to you in abundance. Send
those things that hurt and destroy and these too will be returned by the Divine
Law with equal enthusiasm.

The Divine Law is with us to stay. We can either live a life that is at odds with
the Law in almost everything we do and consequently reap the husks and
noxious weeds of existence or we can learn to work in harmony with it and
prosper in every possible way. The choice is ours. The greatest gift we have
from our Creator is the ability to make this choice.

THE GREAT WORK

Even if we learn to accept the principle of the Divine Law, we might well ask
these questions, “Why did God give the power of free will to human beings?”
“Would it not have been easier just to make men and women mere followers of
instincts like the rest of the animals?”

The answer is simple:

Only with such free will are we able to reach the Divine estate intended
by our Divine Creator, to become “as one of the gods.” The process and
effort required to reach this spiritual attainment is rightfully called the
Great Work.

The ancient Mystery Schools taught that the accomplishment of the Great
Work is the main reason for our sojourn on Earth. They, like the Nazarene
himself, taught that this was the only way to the fulfillment of all the desires,
ambitions and loves of earthly life, and the only road to an immortal
productive and creative existence once earthly life is completed.

The Creation Story

In order to gain a solid grasp of the concept of the Great Work, we need to
move back in history several hundred thousand years to a time when human
beings as we know today did not exist. In the world of that time, all Creation
was functioning in full harmony with the Divine Law instituted by our Creator.
However, at some point in time, one of God’s celestial beings- what we call
souls, had a desire to come down and experience life on earth.
On the Earth, the creature we now call Homo sapiens had evolved to a point
where some of God’s celestial beings in the soul world (souls) could descend to
earth and inhabit the physical bodies of early upright human beings. This
rather fascinating and intriguing situation produced what the Bible terms the
“Garden of Eden.”

What has been taught us by the “Keepers of the Mysteries,” was that the
combination of this Celestial entity (the soul) and the human body had done
very well for a while, but eventually the angelic part of this dual being allowed
the mortal part to corrupt the more Godly. This is when human beings first
disobeyed the Divine Laws of Universal Balance. This time period, when the
mortal part of the soul-body human being became dominant, is illustrated in
the Bible by Adam and Eve being evicted from the Garden of Eden.

Once this dual entity, soul and human body, by its free will, attempted to
circumvent the Divine Laws of God, the angelic part of became entrapped in
the physical body of this two-legged animal and a new being was formed:

A hybrid of animal and angel that we now call a human being.

Humans are thus a paradoxical dual being that is part mortal and part
immortal. A being that is less than an angel, but because of the opportunity to
learn from our transgressions, a being that has the ability to become greater
than an angel- one of God’s Celestial Helpers.

Only through personal effort to overcome the animalistic passions of our

nature, thereby resuscitating the angelic portion of this dual entity, can we
obtain our lost estate. The soul, the one time angelic part of men and women,
must learn to find wisdom by overcoming the same weaknesses that cost us
our original innocence. This effort will allow us to gain godhood by “knowing”
both good and evil and choosing, of our own free will, the good over the evil.

This is the great Drama of the Ages. It is the supreme experiment of God to
date. It is what has always been known as The Great Work, and such it truly
is.

Once the angel-human being attempted to circumvent the Divine Law, God’s
creation on earth became a whole new ball game. Drama, wonderful drama,
was introduced into this perfect but perhaps dull world. The famous British
Initiate Lord Bulwer-Lytton once wrote a novel entitled, What Will He Do
With It? This statement perfectly describes the underlying nature of what
Initiate Masters call The Drama of the Ages.

Prior to the “fall of man” (which is again, the animal part of us having
succeeded in gaining control over the angelic part of us) the world had no real
drama. That is, there was no suspense, no indecision, no guessing- no fun!
However, with this “fall” all these and many more fascinating opportunities
were introduced into Creation. For the first time since God's “Big Bang” (the
formation of organized matter out of Chaos), even God could not predict what
might go on in the world of earth.
It is for this reason that Sidney Beard described the Great Work as both an
adventure and a romance:

“The Workers and Teachers of the higher spheres see to it that all
requisite help is rendered and instruction given- faithful and constant
cooperation alone being asked in return. The earthly pilgrimage then
becomes a romance, filled with unsuspected happenings that are
intentionally brought about, and all of which tend to facilitate the
progress of the aspirant for Real Knowledge and that higher service in
God's Kingdom which becomes possible for those who are spiritually
and mentally qualified.”

(Our Real Relationship To God, by Sidney Beard)

The Biblical Precepts of the Great Work

Scripture describes the first descent of the angelic soul into the newly formed
Homo sapiens body as:

“the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they
took them wives of all which they chose.” (Genesis 6:2)

Using less poetic patriarchal language, our angelic souls (sons of God) were
permitted by God to leave their heavenly abode and enter the human bodies of
both men and women (took wives from daughters of men).

This rather fascinating and intriguing situation produced what the Bible
terms the “Garden of Eden,” a period in human history aptly described in
Scripture:

“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when
the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare
children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men
of renown.” (Genesis 6:4)

Unfortunately, this halcyon time of the “men and women of renown” did not
last for long. If we go to the next Biblical verse that follows the above, we
discover that all was not well in Paradise:

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

Our angelic part, our soul, was the quintessence of innocence prior to its
earthly escapades. As such, it was but a servant of God and God’s Helpers.
However, with our soul’s attempt to defy and circumvent Divine Law (our
“fall”), it gained a new opportunity, as indicated in this verse from Genesis:

“And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil: [he discovered evil by his attempt to circumvent
 the Divine Law] and now, lest [if] he put forth his hand, and take also
of the tree of life [accomplish the Great Work], and eat [follow the
Divine Law], and [then he will] live for ever: [having made of himself
an immortal god].” (Genesis 3:22)

One of the most intriguing phrases in the Bible is the first line from this verse:

“Behold, the man is become as one of us.”

It should not take more than a moment's contemplation for an astute seeker
to see the fascinating concepts inherent in this verse. It is obvious that God is
talking to others who, like God, are godlike in that they too understand the
nature of good and evil (that which is in harmony with the Divine Law and
that which is not). To these other Celestial Helpers (gods), God clearly states,
in this chapter and verse, that the human “fall” was not entirely that bad. For
our “fall” also gave us the opportunity and ability find our way back to God
and become like the “gods,” one of God’s co-worker. This is true, provided we
follow the Divine Law and make the effort to complete the Great Work.

How Is this Great Work Accomplished?

Now that you have an idea of what the Great Work is, we can address the
manner in which it must proceed. Our unique dual being (half angel–half
mortal) must return to the “scene of the crime” (come back to Earth) over and
over until one of two things occurs:

1. The angelic part is able to so transform the mortal self that it is able to
restore its pre-fall contact with the Creator. Once this state of Soul
Illumination is achieved, the Soul has the option of taking its place in the
Celestial world above or returning to Earth to help others.

or

2. The animal part succeeds in completely destroying the angelic. In this case
the body may survive, but without the angelic, all hope of immortality is lost
and only oblivion follows the death of the body. The remnant of what was the
soul is returned to God forever losing the possibility of Immortality.

The Great Work consists of several parts. One of the most important is the
willingness and successful effort to pay all past debts. Whenever there is an
attempted transgression of the Divine Law, a debt is incurred. Most of us have
a large cache of these past debts, not alone from this life, but also from our
many other incarnations since we first became dual beings eons ago. All such
debts must be paid on the plane of their creation:

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto
God the things that are God's.” (Matthew 22:21)
Each area of activity has its own province; debts created in Heaven must be
paid in Heaven and those created on this physical plane must be paid on this
physical plane.

The Initiate Masters (individuals who have completed the Great Work in its
totality) assure us that there are two ways to pay these debts:

1. We may pay them by suffering the reaction of the Divine Law, or

2. We may pay them by neutralizing them by our good deeds in the present
or future lives.

For example, an individual may kill many of his fellow-humans in one life,
only to neutralize the Divine Law's adverse reaction by saving the lives of
many more in a subsequent incarnation.

While no one can complete the Great Work or forego this “Circle of Lives”
until he or she has compensated for all past debts created here on Earth, this
is only the physical or first part of the Great Work. There still exists the
spiritual part to be accomplished. This is the effort to attain Soul Illumination
and begins with the process of transmutation.

TRANSMUTATION

Transmutation means change, specifically the change of the lower into the
higher. Transmutation is the process by which the destructive elements of our
animal being are changed into those of our angelic nature. Transmutation is
transformation.

The process of transmutation rests on the principle that all things in the
world were originally good and only our misuse of them has made them
harmful. Therefore, in transmuting we do not seek to destroy, but rather to
change or transform the destructive component of any part of our being (be it
a thought, desire or action) into its original God-ordained nature.

In this manner, hate can be transmuted into love, greed into practical
generosity, fear into prudence and resentment into compassion.

Here is a brief description of how this is to be accomplished. The human

brain is so constructed that as we think and act, these activities are
automatically recorded and programmed into the nerve cells. The more we
think or do something, the stronger and stronger this nerve imprint becomes.
Science calls this “molding” or “imprinting.” On the other hand, if we do not
think or do certain things, the nerve impressions of these items gradually fade.
If we consciously replace adverse thoughts and actions by those in harmony
with the Divine Law, these more constructive imprints will gradually replace
the less desirable imprints.
 By first changing our thought patterns we are eventually able to change our
emotions, and with the change in our emotions we are able to modify our
actions. This is the basic physical functioning of transmutation. It takes a
strong desire and constant effort on the part of an individual to accomplish
such a work, but it is an absolutely essential part of the Great Work.

Therefore, the daily practice of this activity, transmutation, is one of the main
cornerstones of the development of every true seeker after things Spiritual. By
the efforts at transmutation, the student on the Path is able to set the stage so
that the soul, that celestial Divine Spark is cleared of much of the debris
heaped upon it over life times of circumventing Divine Law. With the process
of transmutation, the Soul Spark is able to “see” more clearly to build its Inner
Centre, the Holy Temple within.

SOUL ILLUMINATION

In the literature of the Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis you will find the phrase Soul
Illumination used again and again. A comprehension of this phrase is
paramount to a complete understanding of the Great Work.

Eons ago, when our animal nature managed to corrupt the angelic part of us,
our Soul was displaced from the Centre it had established when it first entered
the human “animal” body. This Soul Centre is referred to as a throne, inner
sanctum and sanctum sanctorum in sacred literature. Only from this Centre is
the Soul able to establish conscious contact with God, the Creator. In addition
to transmutation, the second part of the Great Work is the effort to assist the
remnant of our Soul, the Divine Spark, to come forth and rebuild its Soul
Centre. The resultant state achieved by rebuilding the Soul Centre is called
Soul Illumination and immortality is assured.

A Metaphor for Soul Illumination

Perhaps we can clarify this concept if we think of the original combination of
angel and human as a nation ruled by an Initiate king or queen- as were many
of the finest civilizations of ancient days. Since arcane and sacred literature
often refers to the soul in terms of divine feminine, we will proceed with this
metaphor using a queen ruler:

This Initiate queen was our angelic being (soul) and the nation she
ruled was our animal or lower mortal self. She was like a Solomon in
that she was just, compassionate and merciful. She always attempted to
follow Divine Law in all aspects of life because it was the Law of her
being and her subjects.

Under this fair and gentle governor, the nation prospered and grew in
wisdom and strength. However, as was so common then and now, there
were those who did not like her rule because they wanted to do those
things not allowed by the Divine Law. However, the just queen would
 not allow it. As long as she stayed on her throne and followed the
Divine Law there was little they could do because here, on her throne,
0she was invincible.

One day a double agent who pretended to befriend the queen, but who
in reality was allied with those who would overthrow her (our lower
passions), suggested to her that she get to know her people better by
moving among them and learning their ways. To the queen this
sounded like a good and worthy idea.

So, dressed in common clothes, she set out to live as the common
people did. Once the good queen was away from her throne (Soul
Centre) and among the common people (susceptible to human lower
passions), the renegade forces were able to stage a coup and even
attempted to assassinate the good queen. This they were not able to do,
but they were able to wrest the throne from her and force her to flee
into a hidden exile where they could not find her to destroy her. This is
where she still resides in most individuals. Although the lower forces of
the body were not able to destroy her (except in a few cases), the only
way she has to help guide her people is by a few weak communications
(our conscience) that she is able to get past the dictators who now
control this nation (our dominant lower mortal self).

Now that the renegade forces have control of the nation, there is little
or no justice. The common citizens of the nation live lives of quiet
desperation and great suffering. At first the citizens of the nation
listened to the siren call of the rebels, but they soon realized what they
had lost and now long for the wisdom of their exiled queen, but do not
know how to help her back to power. The rebels (our lower passions)
promise much, but deliver little except short-term pleasures followed
by long-term pain and suffering. They, like the emperors of ancient
Rome, offer circuses rather than the Bread of Life.

But the deposed queen has not forgotten the people! Even though in
her exile she is weak and treated very poorly, she is always trying to
help her nation. She sends various emissaries to help enlist the nation's
aid in restoring her to her rightful place, but in almost every instance
the rebels are able to convince the people that these emissaries are only
false prophets, and that the queen is really dead, and that only they, the
mortal self passions, have any reality.

This is the situation that most individuals find themselves in today. Our just
queen (our Soul) has been exiled also and is now in hiding. More than that,
she is in a piteous state, since we give her little support. She must now live in
squalor and is clothed in rags. In order for us to reinstate our just and fair
queen on her throne, we must do several things.

First, we must do all we can to convince her that we want her back on her
throne. After all, it was we who listened to the rebels in the first place and
allowed them to displace her. One of the best ways we have of convincing her
of our sincerity is by rejecting the siren voice of the rebels and attempting to
once again follow the ways of the Divine Law that our faithful queen taught us
long ago. As time goes on and we are able to make amends for the grave
mistreatment we gave our queen, we will be able to help her invest herself
with the raiment of a true monarch. Most certainly we cannot enthrone a
queen in dirty rags (our past Karmic indebtedness) and expect her to be
accepted as the great and noble ruler she is. Once we have assured her by our
desires and efforts that we want her to reign again, we must first remove her
disreputable raiment (transmute our ignoble passions), clothe her anew in
suitable attire (replace our previous thoughts and actions with those of a more
exalted nature) and then help her rebuild her throne (the seat of the Soul) by
those methods taught in all of the authentic Mystery Schools. Only when all
this is accomplished will she able to return and be re-crowned by the Creator
(Soul Illumination).

This procedure of developing the Divine Spark into the glorious radiant Soul
in its Centre is the crux of what the ancient secret schools called the
“Mysteries.” It is a process taught in all of the authentic mystery schools since
the very beginning of soul bearing sentient beings. This same procedure was
taught in the Mystery Schools of Egypt, the Pythagoreans, the Gnostic schools,
the Magi of Persia, and the Alchemists. The Nazarene taught this “Mystery” to
his disciples with the same method of procedure as is taught today in the
Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis.

Soul Illumination is the state produced when the Divine Spark (the remnant of
the angelic part of us) has completed its Centre and has been animated by the
spiritual “fire” (Illumination) of God. Once this takes place, human mortality
has put on immortality and our angelic being within us is in control once
again.

Biblical Description of Soul Illumination

One of the most fascinating and revealing passages in the New Testament
describes the Soul Illumination of the apostles during Pentecost:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled, while they were
assembled together. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them tongues which were divided like flames of
fire; and they rested upon each of them. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in various languages,
according to whatever the Spirit gave them to speak.”
(Acts 2:1-4)

In all literature available to the public there is no more accurate and beautiful
description of Soul Illumination than this. The Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost in the
King James Version) is the Illumined Soul, that is, the Soul in its Centre that
has been activated by the "fire" of the Creator from above. The Biblical
“tongues of fire” are what the Illuminating force looked like to the Biblical
writers. They had no better words to describe it, and in fact we cannot do very
much better today.
The Nazarene had carefully prepared his apostles for the day of Pentecost.
They had been taught and had learned to obey the Divine Law, had completed
the early steps of the Great Work and needed only a final effort by their
embryonic Soul to ready themselves for the Illuminating fire of the Creator.

Conclusion
With a more mundane metaphor, we may think of the event of Soul
Illumination as the throwing of the power switch to turn on the lights of a
newly constructed stadium. Before the lights can be lit and the structure
illuminated, a great deal of planning, effort and work must be expended. Only
after all this hard work can the switch be thrown. So it is with our own Soul
Illumination. The real work must go before; the actual Soul Illumination is
just the culmination of this process.

While Soul Illumination is a major milestone in the potential spiritual

development of men and women, it is not an end in itself, but rather the
developing of a new insight. If the student of the Great Work is faithful in his
or her efforts, the Divine Spark may be able to build and Illuminate the Centre
for the Soul before all the individual's earthly debts are paid. Once the student
has reached Soul Illumination, it should be much easier to pay what
indebtedness remains since now, with new Soul sight, he or she will be better
able to understand the Divine Law and more likely live in harmony with it.

In arcane literature, Soul Illumination may be presented under many other

names, such as Philosophical Initiation, Soul Consciousness, Cosmic
Consciousness or God Consciousness. While these terms may each have a
slightly different meaning to the Initiate, we may consider them to mean
approximately the same thing, the only real difference among them being in
degree, not in their nature.

One Soul Conscious poetically summed Soul Illumination as:

“The Divine Spark in every individual is ordained to become a well-
rounded, fully defined centre of pure, white, radiant Light; a dynamic
nucleus, or centre of fire that is the expression of love and compassion;
kindliness and generosity; devotion and adoration.

We are the architect whose Divine Mission is to Rebuild the temple

after the pattern followed by Solomon. We must create a Spiritual
structure not built by hands, nor the sound of hammer, but by the
refined, exalted desire, devotion and adoration of all that is beautiful;
by the love in our heart, and the wisdom we may obtain from the Divine
Law. The Light upon the Altar in the innermost Sanctum Sanctorum
will be the Flame that is Love from God, who is Love.”