AMORC's Rosicrucian Monographs

Below is a brief description of what a AMORC students will learn during their future years of affiliation with AMORC.
These teachings are part of the Rosicrucian Monographs.
These are not the only subjects covered by the Rosicrucian system. The list contained here, which should be perceived as unofficial, is adapted from the Rosicrucian Home Study Lessons section of the Web version of the Mastery of Life published by the English Grand Lodge for the Americas.

AMORC Grade Structure

The AMORC grades, or as they called, Degrees, are arranged into four sections or groups:

• Neophyte section - That is the basic section and includes three degrees.
• Temple section – That is the intermediate section and includes eight degrees. After the year 2000, there was a reformation of the degrees, and their titles changed as well as the name of this section.
• Illuminati section – That is the advanced section and includes four degrees. After the year 2000, their titles changed. For instance, the Illuminati section was split in three sections:
• The Illuminati proper section, including the 9th, 10th, and 11th degrees.
• The Esoteric Hierarchy section, including the 12th degree as an introduction to a new entire new section called the Ordo Summum Bonum
• Ordo Summun Bonun section - That section has a subsection entitled the Planes, which includes another set of nine degrees. The “Plane” degrees were created by HSL's son Ralph Maxwell Lewis (1904–1987), initiate name: Sar Validivar, during his period as AMORC Imperator (1939 to 1987). Those degrees are purely philosophical in nature and discuss the nature of the Cosmic and its Natural Laws.

Neophyte section

Like in ancient times, if a person wanted to study the great mysteries of the world, they would have to petition for admittance as a student and become a Neophyte. The Neophyte would be granted admittance to the Atrium, or reception chamber to the temple. In the Atrium the Neophyte would receive the preliminary instructions and beginning teachings, before they would be allowed entry into the temple. Following ancient times the Rosicrucian monographs are called Atrium lessons, and beginning Rosicrucian students are called Neophytes.

Introductory lessons

Presents basic Rosicrucian concepts that can be applied in practical ways. One of the first things the students will learn as a Neophyte is that they are a dual being. In addition to the student's five physical senses, the student also has a psychic sense. The exercises in these introductory lessons are designed to gradually awaken and develop the psychic faculty. The exercises allow the students to discover for themselves through direct experience how these principles work. Topics include:

• Mystical Sounds
• Spiritual Alchemy
• Time and Space
• Human and Cosmic Consciousness
• Meditation
• Development of the Intuition
• Introduction to: Human Aura, Telepathy, Metaphysical Healing

First Atrium

The first Atrium explores consciousness as the organizing principle of matter and explains the composition and structure of matter and its vibratory nature. You'll learn how the creative power of thought affects the material world. This power is demonstrated through exercises in the techniques of concentration, visualization, and mental creation. Topics include:

• Composition and Structure of Matter
• Power of Thought and Concentration
• Visualization
• Telepathy
• Mental Projection
• Law of the Triangle

Second Atrium

The student's understanding of the connection between mind and matter will now be expanded to include the connection between the mind and the physical body. The second Atrium explores how the students' thoughts influence their health, the role of proper breathing in psychic development as well as health and vitality, and Rosicrucian healing techniques. As the students develop their body's psychic centres, the student will gradually awaken psychic faculties, such as the ability to perceive the aura. the student will also experience the mystical effect of sounds. Topics include:

• Origin of Diseases
• Influence of Thoughts on Health
• Mystical Art of Breathing
• Rosicrucian Healing Treatments
• Perception of the Aura
• Awakening the Psychic Consciousness
• Mystical Sounds

Third Atrium

The Third Atrium moves beyond the physical body and the psychic faculties into the realm of the mystical. As the student become more attuned with the inner source of wisdom, they will become more receptive to the subtle inner prompting of intuition, inspiration and illumination. These lessons also explode the nature of Soul and spiritual evolution, reincarnation and karma, and the cycles of the soul. Topics include:

• Reincarnation
• Karma
• Free Will
• Good and Evil
• Intuition Inspiration and Illumination
• The Great Religious Movements
• The Nature of Soul
• Purpose of our Spiritual Evolution

Temple section

Having completed the lessons of the Neophyte section, the student stands at an important milestone in progress along the mystical path. the student are now ready to enter the Temple. The studies in the Neophyte section established the foundation for the lessons of the Temple Degrees. The students have been introduced to the various elements of the Rosicrucian system and had the opportunity to practice many of the principles presented through simple experiments. Now the Temple Degrees will further develop these elements, providing additional depth and practical applications of the principles.

First Temple Degree (Zelator, later "Juniorius" and currently "Studiosus")

The First Temple Degree introduces the concept of polarity and its relationship to the subatomic world and its differing rates of vibration. It introduces the full spectrum of physical and non-physical manifestation. An understanding of these subjects gives the student an appreciation for the system and order of the universe, the interconnectedness of all nature and how everything is governed by natural law. Topics include:

• Structure of Matter
• Positive and Negative as Vibratory Polarities
• Electricity, Magnetism, Electromagnetism and their Rosicrucian definition
• Subatomic Particles
• Elements
• Material Alchemy

Second Temple Degree (Theoricus)

The Second Temple Degree explores the workings of the mind. Students will learn how to use various mental faculties to strengthen will, eliminate bad habits and establish good ones, tap into the levels of the subconscious, reason more effectively, and integrate principles of psychology and mysticism to achieve their personal goals. Topics include:

• Cosmic Consciousness
• Our Objective and Subjective Consciousness
• Mental and Sensory Illusions
• Imagination and Memory
• Physical, Psychic, and Spiritual Influences on the Subconscious
• Psychology and Mysticism

Third Temple Degree (Practicus)

The Third Temple Degree explores the meaning of life on many levels, including living and "non-living" matter, life on the cellular level, the mysteries of death and rebirth, and the eternal nature of the Soul. Topics Include:

• Cosmic Purpose of Life
• Vital Life Force and Reproduction
• Cellular Life
• Living and Non-Living Matter
• Incarnation of the Soul
• Transition of the Soul
• Initiatic Aspects of Death

Fourth Temple Degree (Philosophus)

The Fourth Temple Degree introduces Rosicrucian ontology (the study of the nature of being), and lays out the cosmological framework for all creation. It explores the meaning, understanding and use of symbols as the language of the subconscious. Topics include:

• Noumena and Phenomena
• Natural Symbols
• Artificial Symbols
• Mystical Symbols
• Sacred Architecture
• Vital Life Fource and the Living Soul
• Cycles of Life and the Constant States of Flux

Fifth Temple Degree (Adeptus Minor)

A mystic, by nature, is fundamentally a philosopher. In the Fifth Temple Degree, the student will study excerpts from the works of classical philosophers. The student's exploration of the ancient roots of Rosicrucian philosophy will demonstrate the timelessness of these principles. Thoughts of the following philosophers are presented:

• Thales
• Solon
• Pythagoras
• Heraclitus
• Democritus
• Empedocles
• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle

Sixth Temple Degree (Adeptus Major)

The Sixth Temple Degree presents the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components of health and disease. You'll learn specific Rosicrucian healing techniques. Topics include:

• Spiritual Dimension of Food
• Breathing and Respiratory Health
• Composition of Blood
• Cell Consciousness and Cellular Health
• Rosicrucian Therapy and Self Healing
• Druids and Fixes
• Personal Treatment to Restore Psychic Equilibrium
• Autonomic Nervous System
• Physical and Mental Prevention of Disease
• Emotional and Spiritual Prevention of Disease
• Self-healing

Seventh Temple Degree (Adeptus Exemptus)

The exercises and experiments of all the previous Degrees have contributed to gradual development, providing the student with the necessary foundation for the advanced techniques of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Degrees. In the Seventh Degree, the students will learn how to accomplish psychic projection (Astral Projection), how to develop their personal aura and perceive other people's auras, and how to further develop psychic centres and perception. Students will also receive a thorough explanation of the physiological, psychic, and spiritual influence of specific mystical sounds. Topics include:

• The Psychic Body (compare with: Subtle body and Astral body)
• The Psychic Centres (compare with: Chakra)
• Nature and Symbolism of Dreams
• Psychic Projection (experiments) (compare with: Astral projection, out-of-body experience)
• Perception of the Aura (experiments) (compare with: Clairvoyance)
• Mystical Powers of Vowel Sounds and Mantras

Eighth Temple Degree (Magistericus Templicated)

The Eighth Temple Degree explores indepth the theme of immortality - the mysteries of birth and death, reincarnation and karma and the evolution of the soul personality. The goal is to learn the constituents of the human soul and how it evolves from incarnation to incarnation.
Topics include:

• Universal Soul and Human Soul
• Divine Consciousness and Self Consciousness
• Spiritual Evolution of Humans
• Mastery of Karma
• Reincarnation of the Soul
• How to Remember Past Incarnations (experiments) (See Reincarnation)
• The Mystery of Birth and Death
• Help to the Dying, Before and After Death
• The work of the Adept
• Psychic contact with the Great Intelligences
• Prayer
• Psychic development using vocalic sounds (mantras)
• Vibroturgy

Nineth Temple Degree (Magus)

To learn the high principles of spiritual alchemy deriving benefit from the student divine nature acting not only different levels of the human being but also in the visible and invisible environment. These practices are regarded as the alchemy of matter, consciousness and life.
The ninth degree is a long and careful ascent that gives the student every opportunity to put into practice what has been learned in the preceding temple degrees.
Among the topics covered are:

• Macrocosm and Microcosm
• The Four Principles: Earth, Water, Air, Fire
• Symbolism of the Cross, Triangle, Square, Circle, Rose-Cross
• F.U.D.O.S.I.
• Mental Alchemy
• Experiments on Telepathy, Telekinesis, Vibroturgy, Radiesthesy, Invisibility, Attunement with the Cosmic Consciousness
• The Triangle of Lights
• The Power of Will
• The Circles of Protection and Harmonization and the 3 planes of consciousness
• The Cosmic Plane
• Developing the cloud of invisibility and using the cosmic cloud and the Cosmic Spiral as the gateways to other realms
• The Invisible Masters
• The “Lost Word”
• The Assumption of individualities and the Cosmic Assumption

Illuminati section

Tenth Temple Degree (Magus, later "Ipisissimus", currently "Illuminatus Minor")

To learn to walk on the path of the Masters. Introduction to the religious doctrines which the Masters gave birth to and understanding the beliefs that have been available to us for centuries and how humanity is evolving towards a Universal Religion and the student part on it.
Subjects:

• Introduction to Zoroastrism
• The Tibet
• Ancient Mystery Schools of Atlantis, Egypt and Essenes
• Introducing Master Moria-El
• The RigVeda
• The Great White Brotherhood* Exercises of Materialization
• Telepathy
• Psychic Projection (advanced)
• The esoteric concept of Sin
• Reincarnation
• The psychic senses
• The ritual magic
• Astrology
• The human Aura
• The Pineal Gland and the 4th dimension
• The nature of the electrons of spirit
• Sufi mysticism
• Psychic Harmonization

Eleventh Temple Degree (Illuminati, currently "Illuminatus Major")

To learn the student’s journey through the great traditions those have marked the spiritual history of humanity. This journey began in Atlantis and completed this phase through the Martinist movement in France in the 19th Century. It is also the threshold for admission to the Ordo Summun Bonum (the Order of Highest Good). Subjects:

• The heritage of CRC
• The Khunrah method
• The Dark Night of the soul
• The Gateway Keeper
• The Regeneration
• The Invisible Fraternity
• The Rosicrucian Inner Circle
• The Holy Spirit* The Mystical Egypt
• The Cosmic Harmonization
• The Cosmic Consciousness
• Development of the Third Eye* The signs of the psychic development
• Mantras
• The effects of the Cosmic Consciousness
• The Cloak of Invisibility (advanced)
• Esoteric foundation of the religions
• Esoteric teachings of Jesus
• The Christus* Programming the next incarnation
• Esoteric formulae
• Using the Water
• The “Lost Word”
• Contacting the Invisible Masters
• The Rosicrucian Hierarchy

Twelfth Temple Degree (Illuminati, later "Esoteric Hierarchy", currently "Illuminatus Exemptus")

Those who have attained the Esoteric Hierarchy become, in fact, intermediaries between the Cosmic and the Imperator (…) placed in a position to periodically commune with the Cosmic and receives inspiration and illumination which one should pass to the Imperator for what he may make of the knowledge of the Order.
To learn how to contact the sacred Esoteric Hierarchy to serve the Order as described above. Also to learn how to develop the Body of Light to be used to attain high states of divine communion.
Subjects:

• Christian Rosenkreuz and the Rosicrucian teachings
• Contact with the Masters (El Morya, Danius, Saint Germain)
• Esoteric Hierarchy
• Celestial Hierarchy
• Mystical Silence
• Cosmic Consciousness* The fundamental note or vibration tone
• Cosmic Harmonization techniques
• Planetary influences (Moon cycles, Sun cycles and the planets)
• The Cosmic counter part
• The Vibration spectrum
• Rosicrucian Ethics
• Alchemy of Water (Cagliostro)
• Benefits of the Cosmic Harmonization (regeneration)
• Master’s chambers
• Alchemy of Fire
• Cosmic Harmonization techniques
• Astral projection
• Principles of Cosmic Harmonization
• Psychic currents
• Assumption technique and its applications (distance healing)
• Rosicrucian Manuscripts (Michael Maier and the Libber H)
• Esoteric Principles
• The Dark Night of the Soul and the Golden Dawn
• Astrology* External influences
• Procedure to recall past life experiences
• Development of the Inner Voice
• The Rosicrucian Method
• Using the Cosmic Forces
• The mystic life of Harvey Spencer Lewis
• The Templars
• Cagliostro and the Rose Cross
• Developing the Body of Light (New)

Ordo Svmmvm Bonvm section

This section is considered by AMORC as a totally separate Order, but the student automatically starts to receive the monographs related to that degree or section as soon as they finished receiving the previous degree (the 12th).
That section was conceived to go more in depth into philosophical questions about the deity, the Laws of Nature, moral and ethics applying the Summun Bonum principle; the principle of a common understanding of the basic experiences of human life. Each Plane represents a group of certain principles and experiences of life, which jointly, the student needs to study and understand.

 Plane 1 to 9 Degrees

Metaphysical lectures related to the Rosicrucian ethics and how to achieve the summum bonum.