THE "EGREGORE" OF THE ORDER

translated transcription
of a talk by
RAYMOND BERNARD

It seems to me useful to draw to your attention certain basic

principles relative to Rosicrucian work, in such a way that all of
you, whatever maybe your degree of understanding, may thoroughly
understand the fundamental value of your affiliation with the Order
and the efforts you have made on the path of personal evolution and
mystical realization. It is evident that this will concern solely the
Rosicrucian brotherhood and the bonds which unite its members. Now,
the explanation in this message will be limited to the Rosicrucian
Order AMORC, which alone interests us here and, as you will see, there
is much of individual and collective importance here. These few
details are the only ones which can be covered in a general talk, but
meditation on these different points will lead you to many and
fruitful conclusions, until more advanced teaching will deal with them
again at greater length and in detail.
Today we will examine the question of the "egregore" from a
general point of view. The best definition that we have found for
this term is this: - "An assembly of terrestrial and suora-terrestrial
entities forming a graduated whole, moved bv an idea-force".

What interests us in our respective responsibilities is,

obviously, the "egregore" of the Rose + Cross, manifest in the
perceptible world through the Rosicrucian Order AMORC.
The terrestrial entities are the active and regular members
of the Order, whether or not they have specific responsibility. By
'active' and 'regular' is meant not merely a dues-paying member in the
Order on earth, but one who studies the teachings and puts them into
practice in his daily life.
The supra-terrestrial entities make up the high conclave of
the invisible Masters and, in particular, those especially charged
with the care of the Rosicrucian wav manifested bv our Order.
The Hierarchy is formed of this invisible high conclave and
of all the officers of the Order, each in his own well-defined place
with a specific function, providing that such place and such function .
have been arranged in the name of the invisible high hierarchy,_and
according to the rules established for the visible organization, and
that they are^whollv in conformity with the temporal principles which
govern them.
 The_ idea-_force _is the_Rosicrucian mysticism guarded bv the
Rosicrucian Order AMORC. which explains to you why it_is_ imperative
fori each officer of the Order to maintain his activities (in thoughts,
words. writings, and in every wav) within the unique framework of our
Order, within its traditions, its Constitution, and its statutes each
time he acts as an officer of AMORC. As a private individual, each
person has full liberty of all areas, but whenever an officer exercises
his function with groups or members .of the Order,. and each time that
the Order acts in some wav, or he must give advice or make a decision.
he__is_bound__by_the__idea-force _of_ AMORC Rosicrucianism.__a_nd must
conform to it. If he did not do so, he would be acting against the
"egregore11 (there would be 'interference' in the '^qreaore11. as there
can be 'interference' on a radio) and naturally this would react, in
one way or another, according to what is involved.
To draw these varied ideas together into a typical
Rosicrucian explanation, it can be said that the weareaore" formed by
all the earthly entities (forming AMORC) and the supra-terrestrial
entities (the invisible conclave) is a psychic and spiritual mass, or
body, of considerable power. You can consider the "^qre'gore" as a
crystallization, a special condensation of the pure cosmic essence for
a definite goal - the collective and individual advance of that part
Ql .humanjfcy whigh js following gur_w<*y.

The strict discipline imposed on_ this Physical Plane, __and_the

unity _within AMORC perpetuates this crystallization,__this__conden
sation this concentration of positive forces, and is why the officers
of the Order, each in his place, take great care, to maintain_harmony
according to the rules and -regulations governing J.t. It is also why
expulsions (rare, it is true) are sometimes necessary. They are only
within the jurisdiction of the Grand Master, and are only decided upon
if they seem essential for the strength of the "egregore*1. and they
are conducted according to special ways, in harmony with proof
considered here and there, and sometimes by other officers. The
"egregore*1 thus removes an abscess which sight jaoison-it^ after having
allowed it to form, sometimes slowly, in order to purify the, 'bodvi
wjth.in_J:fte_ whglg.

Within the whole "egreaore". each one has his place. If a

member puts himself in harmony with the whole, he will bring his
'stone' and, at the same time, he will reap (in protection and
evolution) the fruits of his participation in the power of the whole.
If not, he will remove himself, or will be rejected by the "egregore"
often without realizing that his 'withdrawal' is due to an impulse
originating elsewhere than within himself. The law of harmony
operates in this area more actively than anywhere else. Every member
of the Order must, make his own "little egregore1* within tfte general
"egregore".
What is valid for the individual is also, at one stage, most
important. Each Rosicrucian group, from ithe_ creation of ths Order as
it is known by a visible hierarchy,__]iua__=_within ths general
!leqrggsre"., in harmony with_it^__an4 33 part of i ~ crystal! ze^
concentrate, its own "^crr^gore". This is not done in a day, and
necessitates (as much as on the individual level) loyalty,
perseverance, devotion, unity, and all the qualities which carry any
enterprise to success, even though this involves difficulties.
 Within the great "egregore" of the Order, each element of the
Order concentrates, then, on its own partial "egregore". and this
partial "egregore" can only be formed and receive the living power of
the general "egregore11 if the lesser is in constant harmony with the
greater. In fact, nothing is separated in a pyramid of this type. In
the whole, especially, all must vibrate in unison for the expression
of the idea-force. If a vibration is out of harmony, it places itself
outside the whole, in a sterile and dangerous isolation. The fruit of
individual work is thus lost, as well as the earlier efforts, and the
one concerned must "re-build, perhaps elsewhere.

ID_ail_wavs, regarding that which interests us here, the

important thing is to understand thoroughly the fundamental necessity
for each member, each officer._each Rosicrucian group._to crvstalize
its own "egregore" within the whole r "e'gregore" of the Rose + Cross
embodied in the AMORC. This whole "egregore" I. It has been formed
for a long time, and is living. A member, through his regular studies
and a life conforming to Rosicrucian principles - an officer of the
Order in the same way and, in addition, by a keen perception of his
responsibilities and by his work as an officer - the groups, by their
regular activities harmonized with the whole through careful
observance of rituals and of rules adopted to achieve a vibrant unitv
ofinspiration and manifestation - all, finally bv sincerity, loyalty.
and a common goal, can and should concentrate__th&__force of__the
"egregore" which is special to them. Such is each one's responsibility
in order that "All that is below may be as it is on high", because it
goes without saying that our Rosicrucian "e'gregore" itself vibrates in
unison with the cosmic whole, within which there is "life, movement,
and being". Thus is accomplished the miracle of unity, from the Jhigh
to the low, ^nd from the low to the high.
My most fervent wish is that each of you will build and
strengthen perfect attunement with our Rosicrucian "eore'aore". because
there is no doubt that in basing oneself always in such a group and,
consequently, giving it more of oneself, one reaps, individually, the
most wonderful blessings on all levels and,. collectively, what is
even more important, humanity is given a new impetus toward the better
future open to men of good will.