Five wonderful events (and I suspect more will be announced) are scheduled for the Rosicrucian Cultural Center in New York City in the coming months. Remember, one need not be a member of either the Rosicrucian Order or the Traditional Martinist Order to enjoy these Rosicrucian and Martinist workshops and programs, although one of them is bound to get you thinking about partaking in these philosophies and practices.
The Rosicrucian Cultural Center is located at 2303 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard in New York City.
The Way of the Heart:
The Sophia Tradition
Monday, June 16 through Friday, June 20
Nightly from 6:30 to 7:30
One of the central pillars of the Western Esoteric Tradition is the Sophia Tradition, or the Path of Divine Wisdom. Essential in Martinism, it is strongly present in mystical Judaism, Christianity. and Islam as well, and is connected to similar paths in many world spiritualities.
With its feminine imagery for the Divine, the Sophia Tradition leads us into the very core of our being, where the soul is united to its Divine Source in a Mystical Marriage. According to Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin:
“The only initiation I advocate and search for with all the ardor of my soul is the one through which we can enter into the heart of God and make God’s heart enter our own, there to make an indissoluble marriage which makes us friend, brother, and spouse of our Divine Repairer.”
This workshop will explore some of the major figures in this ancient manifestation of the Primordial Tradition, and its themes and spirituality. Included will be practical suggestions for learning more about Sophia, and entering into the practice of the Tradition.
The facilitator of this workshop, Steven A. Armstrong, M.A. Hum., M.A., M.Div., is a professional historian, philosopher, and teacher based in the San Francisco Bay area. He currently serves at the Grand Lodge (San Jose) in Membership Services. He is an active member of both the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC and the Traditional Martinist Order, and has served as an officer in both Orders.
His current areas of interest include how the Primordial Tradition permeates all world traditions, and the way in which the Rosicrucian and Martinist paths provide a unique and unifying viewpoint on those traditions.
The Prayer of the Heart Practicum
Monday, June 23 through Friday, June 27
Nightly from 6:30 to 7:30
Deep, heart-centered prayer is at the core of the mystical practice of Martinism, as well as many world spiritual traditions. It is a practical and real way to actualize the Sophia Tradition and the Way of the Heart. This work allows practitioners to realize the union of their heart with the Divine Heart, beating with the rhythm of the Cosmos. As Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin puts it:
“There is no other mystery to arrive at this holy initiation than to go more and more down into the depths of our being, and not let go till we can bring forth the living vivifying root, because then all the fruit which we ought to bear, according to our kind, will be produced within and without us naturally, as we see occurs with our earthly trees, because they are attached to their particular root, and do not cease to draw up its sap.”
This five-day practicum will assist participants in meditation practices, leading up to and including the Prayer of the Heart. The exercises are non-sectarian, as the Prayer of the Heart is found virtually in all world spiritualities.
The facilitator of this workshop will be Steven A. Armstrong.
Learn Rosicrucian Healing Techniques
Tuesday, July 8 through Thursday, July 10
Nightly from 6:30 to 8
This experiential workshop will guide participants in learning how to use many Rosicrucian techniques to create radiant physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
The facilitator of this workshop will be Julie Scott, Grand Master of the Rosicrucian Order.
Tarot: A Rosicrucian Approach
Monday, August 18 through Friday, August 22
Nightly from 6:30 to 7:30
The Tarot is of perennial interest to students of esotericism. Its compact symbolism and connections to other Mystical Paths continue to intrigue us.
In this workshop, we will consider the Major and Minor Arcana of the Tarot from a Rosicrucian perspective, seeing how they connect with Kabbalah, Alchemy and meditation. After having taken a look at the history of Tarot, workshop participants will then have a chance to consider the symbolism of the Trumps and Suits, and to begin to develop a personal numerology, which comes from their own experience, as well as from the Primordial Tradition.
The facilitator of this workshop will be Steven A. Armstrong.
Mystics for Moderns
Monday, August 25 through Friday, August 29
Nightly from 6:30 to 7:30
Mysticism, according to the Rosicrucian approach, is not only for those on mountaintops and in monasteries. It is a real and vibrant practice available to all women and men in the modern world.
This participatory workshop will introduce / re-familiarize participants with some of the greatest mystics and their writings from our Rosicrucian lineage, across time and cultures. A brief historical introduction to each will then be complemented with meditative exercises utilizing their mystical writings and approaches.
Among the goals of the workshop is to assist us in growing in our ability to see the world and our lives as mystics—a holographic view which keeps the reality of “As Above, So Below” in our awareness.
The facilitator of this workshop will be Steven A. Armstrong.
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