What is Hermeticism? by Sebastian Niklaus

CONTENTS:
I. The living stream of Hermetic tradition
II.  The Arcana as mediator to the Hermetic stream
III. The experience of conscious life
Postscript: The Rose-Cross Method

What are the steps of the path, in concrete terms? The general principle of development is described at the end of the IV. Arca-num “The Emperor”. In order to become “a human being in the true sense” and an image and likeness of God, the lower in man’s nature needs to be restrained, so that his true being can blossom forth:

“But if they (i.e. human beings) are to become, again, what they are in their essential nature they must undergo the work-ing of sublimation. This process is crucifixion for what in them is lower, and is at the same time a blossoming forth of what is their true being. Cross and Rose, the Rose-Cross is the symbol for this process of the realization of the true human being.”
(VT: Meditations on the TARO, Letter on IV. Arcanum)

The general principle of development is, therefore, the principle of the Rose-Cross: The black cross from whose central point bloom seven roses. The image has the following meaning: The lower is to be restrained or extinguished, so that the purified blood of the human being can flower in such a way that the soul can strive towards the spirit as chastely as a flower strives towards the sun (seven roses in bloom). Blood that has been purified in this way will be able to receive and be a bearer of the essential being of man. Rudolf Steiner gave this exercise to many of his personal pupils, as something to accompany them on their path, together with the exercises that were designed for each one individually (cf. RSt: GA 267, p. 165-215 or 307-423).