“When our members who attend our Lodge convocations enter one of our Temples, they are reminded of the fact that they come there for the purpose of work and worship. The work consists of the study and mastership of certain laws and principles, the rendering of service to others and the laboring over their life’s problems; the worship consists of the profound concentration upon the adoration of God’s great wisdom and Nature’s sublime perfection”

Neurotheology is a relatively new branch of science that seeks to explain how spiritual experience affects our brain and overall physiology.  Andrew Newberg is of the foremost pioneers in this discipline, he has spent the past two decades scanning the brains of highly religious individuals from all faiths and background, from American pastors to Franciscan nuns and Buddhist monks.

Newberg’s research reveals that when these individuals focus intently on worship their brain reacts in several interesting ways. First, as you might expect, the prefrontal lobes which are responsible for managing attention light up. This of course, signifies that a person is concentrating extremely hard on a specific concept. However, as this meditative state reaches its peak, the parietal lobes which govern our sense of self and time cease to function at all. As activity in the parietal lobe slows to a halt, the boundaries between the individual and the outside world become increasingly blurred.  These effects become more pronounced with each round of meditation, worship and prayer. 

Interestingly, in cases where the practitioner tries to surrender their will to this higher power, activity in the frontal lobes decreases as well. Instead the thalamus, a tiny region of the brain responsible for regulating our sensory responses, kicks into hyper drive.

According to Newberg, the development of these impulses can be correlated to building muscles in the gym. In other words, the more you train certain brain patterns, the stronger they become. In some cases, these effects can be seen in as little as two weeks. Now, place this knowledge in the context of AMORC’s rituals of initiation.

“These rituals are not purely religious or purely symbolical. The purpose of them is to attune the candidate for the work that is to follow; to prepare him: to adjust his mind and soul to the conditions at hand.”

The monograph itself admits that it is preparing recruits for a higher purpose. In this case, worship and prayer are not being recommended for your emotional or spiritual benefit, they are part and parcel of a coordinated strategy. Now, think about why a group would wish to reduce your sense of personhood before admitting you into its fold.

“The day following your initiation or ceremony, or that same evening, send to the Grand Lodge Secretary a report of the date, hour, and incidents of the ceremony…You are not to explain or describe to anyone a single word, phrase, or incident of your initiation ceremony, except in your official letter”

Does the intent become clearer now? Your worship and work are immediately linked to the Rosae Crucis and noone else. Unbeknowst to the devoted recruit, the society is subconsciously placing itself as the sole focus during  periods of lowered self-awareness.  As you train your brain to reach this state more and more easily, the separation between you and AMORC will become increasingly immaterial until every one of your actions, thoughts and feeling are ascribed to the Society. If you think this is far-fetched then just think about how the concept of God’s will affects the everyday lives of the religious.