This article is a contribution by Frater LIC who is an adept in the Sodalitas Rosae+Crucis & Solis Alati (SRC&SSA), a Rosicrucian society recently covered here on our blog at Pansophers.com
One of the primary characteristics of a Rosicrucian is humility. Many esoteric schools touch on this topic, but it takes some digging to actually find materials devoted to what this is, why it’s important, or how to properly develop it. Humility is a sign of success in spiritual development and is a pre-requisite for work on the higher planes.
Firstly, what is Humility? Let’s start with a definition. Humility is an attitude of modesty. The person down plays their importance, even if they are actually somehow better than other people. The person is empathetic, acknowledging and respecting others. They are genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of others.
The opposite of humility is perhaps easier to distinguish. A non-humble person acts superior to others. They are self-centered and arrogant. They often seek positions of power and authority over others. They use that to manipulate & control those they deem inferior, further boosting their ego. Ego & selfishness drive a lot of what they do.
Humility is often associated with a moral & ethical person. Those are topics for another discussion. Most people with good personal character are humble.
How do we view ourselves? On an individual level, humility is based on our self-worth. Humility is that balanced self-worth where we see our value, but do not over inflate it. This self-worth is usually framed by our core values. Are we successful at accomplishing & maintaining those things most important to us? The polar extremes on this scale would be a sense of worthlessness on one end, or a sense of superiority over other people on the other end.
How do we view others? In our daily lives, we encounter people with a diverse range of skills. In some cases, we shine. In others, we do not. That’s going to depend greatly on who we spend our time with. Being around people of similar aptitudes, allows for fair comparisons. Being around better people challenges you to become better. Being around lesser people is a good test of humility. Can you keep your ego in check while showing compassion and generosity to those less fortunate than yourself.
How do others view us? This is probably the best measure of our humility. Often, we are blind to our own faults. Others look at us & judge daily. What do they see? Humility greatly impacts our social interactions with other people. The humble individual tends to engender stronger social relationships. They are more respected and trusted. No one likes to hang around elitist jerks. No one likes to be mistreated. Whether conscious or not, people will quickly evaluate how someone treats others.
What does humility have to do with esoteric studies? Whether we’re talking about magical or mystical paths, humility is an outward sign of good personal character. There is no direct correlation between humility and morality, honesty or integrity, but we often find that a person has several of these traits, or none of them. In a Rosicrucian, we would expect to find all of these traits. The person is good, through and through. This is not by accident. The various paths to Rosicrucianism all contain personal work meant to improve one’s character. Aggression, deceit and selfishness are all flaws to be corrected. Success in such work results in good personal character.
So, why is good personal character important? We seek truth, understanding of creation & ourselves. Where did we come from? What is our purpose? What is our relation to the Divine Creator? Nothing less than truth will answer our questions. Nothing less than truth will bring us back into contact with the Divine. The higher we rise in the planes, the closer to the Creator we get, the more pure we must be. Proper answers to those questions can only come from the Divine. If you want to engross yourself in material world indulgences, don’t expect a lot of spiritual truths.
What is the difference between the higher & lower planes? The material world (lowest plane) is the most concrete, the most flawed, and the furthest from the Divine. Here, our ego spins delusions of individual importance and separation. We see ourselves at odds with other people. To get ahead, we must control & project our will on the world around us. The spiritual world (highest plane) will have nothing to do with that. Humanity is one soul. We are not separate from the Divine. Ego, the human persona and the physical body are but tools to be used in gaining life experience. They are the servitors, not the master. The one Divine Will directs & guides all that is spiritual.
Thus, all separation from the higher is by our own egos. In a Rosicrucian, the higher-self channels the Divine Will down into the little minds of men. The Divine directs everything, in harmony and union with all spiritual aspects of the created universe. There is a connection that extends across all levels. When the little minds (egos) do not acknowledge the higher, we are cut off from the Divine. Egos attempt to control & manipulate the universe for their own selfish desires. They project their flawed will upon the world around them & thus… cause their own pain & suffering. The Divine Will is hindered & bad things happen.
Reverence is a form of humility and a pre-requisite for most esoteric work. A person with no reverence for the Divine will not reunite with the Creator, will never know fulfillment and will never attain the highest blessings. The spark of the Divine is in all creatures. To disrespect those people is to disrespect the Divine. To cause harm to other people, is to cause harm to oneself. Negativity directed towards others is a poison to your own spiritual growth.
Most personal work that is labeled as magical is a course in self-development. We are given some knowledge to memorize & exercises to practice. In time, these open our awareness to the more subtle realms of the universe. We learn to shift our consciousness to other states of existence. We learn to recognize and manipulate our energy field. Mental & emotional control follow. Self-confidence grows. We learn better who and what we are. But all these tools we’re given are just that, neutral tools. Many have nothing whatsoever to do with morality. An advanced magician can just as easily use his skills to heal the sick as wreak havoc in an opponent’s life.
Magical work is projective in nature. Through force of will and training, we learn to invoke/evoke different forces. We create intent and focus in our minds, then do work to manifest our desires. With every success, our confidence grows. It’s very easy for our ego to feed on this & direct it to selfish purposes. Even if we don’t pursue material wealth, there’s a very real danger of developing arrogance and a sense of superiority.
Theurgy can be a safer path. Theurgy is passive in nature. There’s a great deal of prayer and meditation. Rather than projecting our opinions out onto the world, the mystic minimizes external stimuli and instead turns his focus inward. He analyzes himself. He works on his relationship with the Divine Creator. He practices silence and reverence. This path can lead to many of the same self-realizations as magical study, but I think with less danger of ego inflation. The drawback is the lack of a structured, step by step process.
The optimal course for self-development takes lessons from both paths. Master yourself. Love your Creator. Learn balance and harmony with the universe. Become a servant in the Great Work and strive to do what’s best for humanity, not the individual.
Humility is a sign of success in spiritual development. Selfless dedication to others is indicative of tapping into the higher realms, where ego cannot go. The path to humility is going to include many, many adjustments to our values and beliefs. And of course, shifts in our perspective and awareness.
Humility is a pre-requisite for work on the higher planes. Ego is the king and great manipulator in the material and astral planes. Here the individual is often separate from any higher power as well as humanity. A person can be unique, powerful, and control others. Thus, holding others down, tripping them up, even doing harm to them, puts the individual above others. The ego tells such an individual that they are superior & deserve better. Such little human minds have no part of Divine light.
Humility is seen as a highly valued character trait by most religions of the world.
The bible extols humility in numerous places. The humble shall be rewarded and granted wisdom and guidance. Mercy humbles us because when we extend kindness, compassion, and forgiveness to others, we realize how much mercy God extends to us and how unworthy we are to receive it.
Jewish ethical teaching calls humility “the root of the Divine service.” From it flows all other godly character traits. Humility allows us to learn from others and constantly refine ourselves.
In the words of Jacob Bohme, “Humility is the throne of love.”
In Buddhist texts, humility is one of the ten sacred qualities, derived from supreme spiritual attainments that transcend the ego.
Per the Quran, the root word for worship translates as expression of humility or humbleness. Worship is typically done from a prostrate position.
How do we grow our own humility?
1 – Show reverence towards the Divine Creator. Express gratitude. Bow or kneel when praying. Take your shoes off on holy ground. Refrain from cursing or negativity. Beware blasphemy from your lips.
2 – Shut up and listen. Quit projecting your opinions and will upon others. Instead pay attention to what they are sharing. You may actually learn something. Don’t boast about yourself. Instead give praise to others.
3 – Channel the Divine to those around you. Don’t hoard the blessings you receive. Pass them along to those in need. Love, mercy, compassion, charity. Treat them as you would like to be treated.
4 – Relinquish the delusion of control and authority. You are but a servant of the Divine. You serve humanity. They need your support, not more judgement, condemnation, cruelty and oppression.
5 – Find an outlet for community service. Don’t just donate money, food, etcetera to the needy. Directly donate your time & energy to the benefit of those less fortunate.
On behalf of our Pansophers community, thank you bro for this beautiful post.
