438 ROSICRUCIANCOSMO-CONCEPTION
those currents, because of his way of living. If he is to attain
results at all, he must work in harmony with the constitution
of his vehicles. That is why the “Mysteries” were
established in different parts of Europe during the Middle
Ages. The Alchemists were deep students of the higher
occult science. The popular belief that the object of their
study and experimenting was the transmutation of baser
metals into gold, was because they chose that symbolic way
of describing their true work, which was the transmutation
of the lower nature into spirit. It was thus described to lull
the suspicions of the priests, without stating a falsehood. The
statement that the Rosicrucians were a society devoted to the
discovery and use of the formula for the making of the
“Philosopher's Stone” was and is true. It is also true that
most people have handled and do often handle this
wondrous stone. It is common, but of no avail to any but the
individual who makes it for himself. The formula is given in
the esoteric training and a Rosicrucian is no different in that
respect from the occultist of any other school. All are
engaged in the making of this coveted stone, each, however,
using his own methods, as there are no two individuals alike
and consequently really effective work is always individual
in its scope.
All occult schools are divisible into seven, as are the
“Rays” of Life, the virgin spirits. Each School or Order
belongs to one of these seven Rays, as does each unit of our
humanity. Therefore any individual seeking to unite with
one of these occult groups, the “Brothers” in which do not
belong to his Ray, cannot do so with benefit to himself. The
members of these groups are brothers in a more intimate
sense than are the rest of humanity.
Perhaps if these seven Rays are compared to the seven