The Alchemical and Rosicrucian Compendium and Rosicrucian Mythology by Simon Levien

The Rosicrucian order is an organization that spans nearly 20 languages and operates internationally--you would assume by its intercontinental nature it's an NGO. Instead, this organization is among the unconventional and the bizarre. The Rosicrucians are members of a fraternity/secret society known as Rosicrucianism. The fraternity, Rosicrucianism, is a philosophical and religious group sharing elements of mythology, alchemy, Christianity, and of course, with all secret societies, a relation to the Freemasons. Their symbol is the rosy cross (pictured below) and is designed in the drift of hermeticism--a series of esoteric religious beliefs founded upon the writings of Hermes Trismegistus, a mystic who is responsible for studying and expanding astrology. However unlike other modern clandestine fraternities, Rosicrucianism places a heavier emphasis on mythology. Rosicrucians focus on the idea of self in their religious studies along with the spiritual combination of mythological creatures and their influence in life. At its core, Rosicrucianism is a syncrestic religion, meaning it draws from multiple other religious beliefs. However, the monsters the traditional Rosicrucians believe in are original to the Rosicrucianism.

The Rosicrucian mythology is held within a 1760 manuscript-anthology known as The Alchemical and Rosicrucian Compendium crafted by an unknown author in the transient period before the French Revolution where Robespierre's Cult of the Supreme Being, an enlightenment-era philosophical and religious movement (if anyone still remembers from world history last year), would take inspiration from.
The manuscript contains colored sketches of two-tailed lions, a dissected dragon, three-headed mystical pythons, etc. Its difficult to put into words the nature of these beings. Pictured below are four of these bizarre creatures. 

Most people are accustomed to traditional mythologies (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, etc.) however upon viewing of the mythological creatures in this compendium, the differences between esoteric cultures and more studied and practiced religions become definite. Take Hercules' Hydra in Roman mythology for example. Everyone has heard of the Lernean Hydra and how it was one of Hercules' (or Heracles as the Achaeans referred to him) 12 labors. Hydra, the multi-headed, fire-breathing dragon is a classic and simple myth. In contrast the occult Rosicrucian "python" (see picture) is completely absurd (and that is certainly the most ridiculous of the images in the compendium that I could find). It looks as if a child drew it taking inspiration from his/her creative daydreams. However, these absurd other-worldly creatures have yet to be substantiated by the Rosicrucian Order for the knowledge of nonbelievers looking in. Instead, the Rosicrucians that remain (there are few in number, Rosicrucianism's hay day of the 18th century is long gone) point towards the Rosicrucian sacred texts such as The Alchemical and Rosicrucian Compendium. These Rosicrucian writings open a Pandora's box of arcane and outlandish beasts. Many of these monsters and myths have fallen away into the obscurity of an obscure cult. Yet, these monsters still hold to be venerable and historic symbols for thriving Rosicrucians today. 


(Sorry for how the pictures are strewn, I can't seem to format the pictures properly.)

We are What We Read By Ashley Lasko

While this phrase is heavily inspired by the phrase, “you are what you it eat”, I say it in the opposite context. Rather that the books shaping our image, our books are shaped by who we are as a society.

We have recently finished finished our second unit in English, and one focal point during the unit was how heroes in a culture’s story reflected the values of the culture. We focused on Beowulf, who was described to be strong, brave, honorable, and wise. These traits, naturally, reflected the values of the Geats; Beowulf being a Geat himself. We were tasked with an essay, in which we analyzed how a myth of our choice embodied its country of origin’s values.

As I began analyzing the values of my myth to the values of its country, I began to grow curious. I hypothesized that, just as myths had reflected the cultures of centuries ago, modern books, TV, shows, and movies likely represented our society today.

Popular stories these past years, such as The Hunger Games, Lord of The Rings, and Harry Potter reflect our society's emphasis on individuality and overachievement. Stories such as Pitch Perfect represent our society's views of the importance of having a good laugh, being unique, and never abandoning dreams. Novels and fantasies such as The Fault in Our Stars place significance on loyalty, mental endurance, and pure love.

This blog may not open your mind to a completely new concept, or teach you something you’ll apply everyday. However, it is intriguing to think of how the stories we wish to tell as a society reveal our values. Simply, it’s compelling to think, next time you pick up a book or sit down to watch a movie or TV show, that the story you are experiencing is the values of world today translated for enjoyment.