Part 2 - AMORC
Part 2 - AMORC Part 2 - AMORC
The Languedoc regionthe east to the Garonne river in the west, and fromthe Auvergne in the north to the Roussillon in thesouth. This area had a cultural unity quit differentfrom the north of France. It had different formsof land ownership and inheritance, and even adifferent language Occitan (the langue d’oc). And itwas not part of the kingdom of France at the time.The independent lords of the south stroveto ensure that no single power could dominateCathar traditions can be traced back tothe prophet Mani.the region. Nevertheless, one of them, the Countof Toulouse, who belonged to the St. Gilles family,was indisputably the most influential and powerfulof them all. The domains and power of this familyhad grown through the 10 th and 11 thcenturies so that by the late 11 th century,Count Raimon (Raymond) IV had theresources to become one of the leadersof the 1 st Crusade to the Holy Land. Asthe armies of the First Crusade passedthrough Constantinople, in her bookThe Alexiad, Princess Anna Komnenedescribes Raymond’s superior intellect,the purity of his life and how greatly hevalued the truth. For these reasons herfather the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Iheld him in great esteem.The greatest rival in Occitàniato the Counts of Toulouse were theCathar traditions can be tracedback to the prophet Mani, wholived in the Persian Empire inthe 3 rd century CE.Counts of Barcelona. They acquired the kingshipof Aragon in 1137, the kingship of Mallorca in 1228and the kingship of Valencia in 1238. The lessernobles of the region, like the Counts of Foix andthe Viscounts of Béziers, Carcassonne, Narbonneand Montpelier exploited the conflict betweenthese great noble houses by transferring theirallegiance from one lord to another to maximizetheir independence.Origins of CatharismMuch has been written about these remarkablemystics, their probable origin, their history andconnections with other so-called “heretical” sectsof the Middle Ages. Reliable information however,can be obtained from various historical reportsand also from an intelligent interpretation of thereports compiled by the Inquisition. Naturally,discrimination must be used in analysing thoselatter reports, as they are bound to bear the markof that institution, its partiality and fanatical spirit.Cathar traditions can be traced back to theprophet Mani, who lived in the Persian Empire inthe 3 rd century CE. He was a student of Buddhismand Chaldean philosophy, and delved into themysterious knowledge of the Egyptians. Later onhe became a devout Christian, and from the vastknowledge he acquired from those diverse spiritualsources, he drew up a synthesis on which he basedhis teachings, trying through different paths toreach the Great Universal Truth. His disciples,who were called Manichaeans, spread hisdoctrine, which was based at one and thesame time upon the spirit of renunciation of theeastern religions and upon the great law of loveand compassion of Christian inspiration.Interesting documents, writings of Mani andhis disciples, were discovered shortlybefore World War I in Turkestan andChina, and also in the Fayum in Egypt.Some of those documents escapedburning when the followers of Maniwere persecuted. From the East, Mani’sfollowers migrated to Europe throughthe Byzantine Empire, initially toBulgaria. According to some authorsit was from there that their teachingspenetrated into Italy via Bosnia, andlater, in a movement westwards, toSpain and France, where we find themtowards the end of the 11 th centurywhere they were called the “Cathars.”12The Rosicrucian Beacon -- June 2008
The symbol of the Cathar dove hewn through a rockMonotheistsThey believed in a sole one unique God butadmitted to the existence of two opposingprinciples which manifested as spirit and matter.As dualist Christians they believed in Lightand Darkness or good and evil. Light, or thepositive constructive principle, was opposedto the negative, destructive principle which theCathars believed to be with the demon RomanCatholic doctrine.Through matter, the divine principlein Man, the Soul, is plunged into Darkness, fromwhich it has to work out its salvation, throughsuccessive reincarnations, in a series of lives uponthis Earth. Through suffering and the practice oflove and charity, it slowly emerges from Darkness,from the delusion of matter, to eventually reunitewith the Divine Light, the First Principle, theCreator or God.InitiationsIn order to help their disciples in the slow andprogressive unfoldment of their souls, Catharsperformed initiations. But to be worthy of thoseinitiations, the followers had to purify themselvesthrough gradual asceticism, through fasting,abstinence and a great and sincere desire forperfection. Poverty was also considered as a meansof liberating the self from worldly fetters.Hell did not exist for them, believing thathell was a state of existence on this very Earth. Thefire of the lower regions of the Powers of Darknesswas the actual suffering of human beings, hereand now, and not in some afterlife. The souls ofmen, they believed, could therefore be saved andredeemed through the trials and tribulations of thisterrestrial life.Although specific, the Cathar teachingswere not dogmatic. The work of Cathar ministers,usually referred to as Perfects by the Inquisition,was not to impose a blind faith but to convincetheir followers through persuasion and livingopenly as shining examples of purity and probity.They were truly practising the highest possiblespirituality, and deserved the appellation “Perfect”or the “Pure.”To the Cathars themselves they were simplycalled the Bons Òmes (Good Men), Bonas Femnas(Good Women) or simply as Bons Crestians (GoodChristians). Such were the ministers, but therewere of course more humble followers, the greatmultitude of simple Believers who worked andprayed under the guidance of the Perfects, whoinstructed and tended them on the path of spiritualknowledge. The liberation of the soul from thebonds of matter and the love of others were thefundamental tenets of their doctrine.Their leaders were well read students ofThe only valuable sacrament in marriagewas the true union of two souls.philosophy and took an active part in all discussionsand controversies that might enlighten them. Butacademic teachings were not their only source ofknowledge: through concentration and meditationthey tried to attune directly with the CosmicSpirit, the Consciousness of Christ. To this end,they practised fasting before initiation as wellas sometimes even after; and also before greatreligious celebrations.The ConsolamentumOne peculiarity of their rites was the layingonof hands, called the “Consolamentum” or“Consolation.” It was considered as a baptism. TheCathars did not recognise the church’s baptism bywater as established by John the Baptist; for themthere was only one true baptism…, that of the HolySpirit and as practised by Jesus. Thus only couldthe Divine Spirit of Life penetrate the soul of man,permeating and transmuting the grosser vibrationsof matter.The Consolamentum was considered aThe Rosicrucian Beacon -- June 200813
- Page 2 and 3: www.amorc.org.ukne can’t help not
- Page 4 and 5: y Christian Bernard, FRCImperator o
- Page 6 and 7: with its Judeo-Christian and Greco-
- Page 8: he rose is linked by A chainof asso
- Page 12 and 13: y Marcus Aurelius(Roman Emperor 121
- Page 16 and 17: means of redemption and at thesame
- Page 18 and 19: Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)Cathar
- Page 20 and 21: The crimes committed in the name of
- Page 22 and 23: y Edgar Wirt, FRChe “Master Withi
- Page 24 and 25: t is really amazing how manymisconc
- Page 26 and 27: y Samuel Avital, FRCThe guest resid
- Page 28 and 29: y Paul Goodall, FRCThe alchemical M
- Page 30 and 31: effect which culminates in a harmon
- Page 32 and 33: y Doris Knollbrook SPARKS the imagi
- Page 34 and 35: of us when we must take stock, and
- Page 36 and 37: y Valerie Peterst is important to b
- Page 38 and 39: y Mary Jones , SRCThe philosophers
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- Page 42 and 43: own homes, and came to the school d
- Page 44 and 45: The Nobel Laureates Professor Alber
- Page 46 and 47: EINSTEIN: Is it not polyphonic?TAGO
- Page 48: Knowledge of the Soulis the only un
The Languedoc regionthe east to the Garonne river in the west, and fromthe Auvergne in the north to the Roussillon in thesouth. This area had a cultural unity quit differentfrom the north of France. It had different formsof land ownership and inheritance, and even adifferent language Occitan (the langue d’oc). And itwas not part of the kingdom of France at the time.The independent lords of the south stroveto ensure that no single power could dominateCathar traditions can be traced back tothe prophet Mani.the region. Nevertheless, one of them, the Countof Toulouse, who belonged to the St. Gilles family,was indisputably the most influential and powerfulof them all. The domains and power of this familyhad grown through the 10 th and 11 thcenturies so that by the late 11 th century,Count Raimon (Raymond) IV had theresources to become one of the leadersof the 1 st Crusade to the Holy Land. Asthe armies of the First Crusade passedthrough Constantinople, in her bookThe Alexiad, Princess Anna Komnenedescribes Raymond’s superior intellect,the purity of his life and how greatly hevalued the truth. For these reasons herfather the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Iheld him in great esteem.The greatest rival in Occitàniato the Counts of Toulouse were theCathar traditions can be tracedback to the prophet Mani, wholived in the Persian Empire inthe 3 rd century CE.Counts of Barcelona. They acquired the kingshipof Aragon in 1137, the kingship of Mallorca in 1228and the kingship of Valencia in 1238. The lessernobles of the region, like the Counts of Foix andthe Viscounts of Béziers, Carcassonne, Narbonneand Montpelier exploited the conflict betweenthese great noble houses by transferring theirallegiance from one lord to another to maximizetheir independence.Origins of CatharismMuch has been written about these remarkablemystics, their probable origin, their history andconnections with other so-called “heretical” sectsof the Middle Ages. Reliable information however,can be obtained from various historical reportsand also from an intelligent interpretation of thereports compiled by the Inquisition. Naturally,discrimination must be used in analysing thoselatter reports, as they are bound to bear the markof that institution, its partiality and fanatical spirit.Cathar traditions can be traced back to theprophet Mani, who lived in the Persian Empire inthe 3 rd century CE. He was a student of Buddhismand Chaldean philosophy, and delved into themysterious knowledge of the Egyptians. Later onhe became a devout Christian, and from the vastknowledge he acquired from those diverse spiritualsources, he drew up a synthesis on which he basedhis teachings, trying through different paths toreach the Great Universal Truth. His disciples,who were called Manichaeans, spread hisdoctrine, which was based at one and thesame time upon the spirit of renunciation of theeastern religions and upon the great law of loveand compassion of Christian inspiration.Interesting documents, writings of Mani andhis disciples, were discovered shortlybefore World War I in Turkestan andChina, and also in the Fayum in Egypt.Some of those documents escapedburning when the followers of Maniwere persecuted. From the East, Mani’sfollowers migrated to Europe throughthe Byzantine Empire, initially toBulgaria. According to some authorsit was from there that their teachingspenetrated into Italy via Bosnia, andlater, in a movement westwards, toSpain and France, where we find themtowards the end of the 11 th centurywhere they were called the “Cathars.”12The Rosicrucian Beacon -- June 2008
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