Editorial Page

Welcome to Volume 19 of the Rose+Croix Journal!

We are pleased to present the latest papers accepted for publication in the Rose+Croix Journal, an international, transdisciplinary, peer-reviewed online journal that focuses on topics that relate to the sciences, the arts, history, mysticism, and spirituality, especially transdisciplinary topics that traverse and lie beyond the limits of various fields of study. Since its founding in 2004, the Journal has provided readers and researchers with materials that enlighten, educate, challenge, and inspire.

Over the years, many individuals worldwide have contributed to the success of this journal, including our authors, peer reviewers, editors, translators, proofreaders, and most importantly, every reader of the Rose+Croix Journal. Thank you all so much for your participation!

This issue features the following papers:

“Tradition, Memory, and Transition in AMORC’s Traditional Knowledge: An Essay” by Luiz Eduardo Berni, PhD

“Mystery, Math, Magic, Myth, and Microbes in Seventeenth-Century Rosicrucianism” by Judy Kay King, MA

“Founders, Funders, Feminists: The Women Who Co-Founded, Co-Led, and Co-Inspired the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC” by Anne Nordhaus-Bike, BA

In the “Currents” section:

“Music Therapy as Mindfulness and Metaphor” by Christopher Eriksson, PhD

“Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Gong Baths on Body, Mind, and Soul” by Joan Stewart, BA

We are hopeful that the papers in this volume will inspire you to contemplate subject matter that is examined in novel ways and to appreciate their mystical import. Three of our papers feature insightful examinations of various aspects of the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC).

First, Luiz Berni, PhD, in his paper “Tradition, Memory, and Transition” examines these subjects in the context of AMORC and its relationship to Traditional Knowledge. Using the technique of Transdisciplinary Active Mediation as a comparative approach, Berni invites us to contemplate how AMORC interprets and also formalizes various life stages through its rituals and celebrations.

Next, “Mystery, Math, Magic, Myth, and Microbes in Seventeenth-Century Rosicrucianism” by Judy Kay King, MA, is an intriguing look at the cosmology and worldview of important Rosicrucian mystics of the past whose contributions have established them as seeking knowledge beyond the confines of previously established limits.

Following this, we have a contribution by Anne Nordhaus-Bike, “Founders, Funders, Feminists: The Women Who Co-Founded, Co-Led, and Co-Inspired the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.” This paper presents us with a large amount of research into the lives of so many women who, despite the obstacles of their time, gave their energies, devotion, and creativity to furthering the ideals of the Rosicrucian Order.

Under the Currents section, we are pleased to offer “Music Therapy as Mindfulness and Metaphor” by Christopher Eriksson, PhD, as a follow-up to his paper “Awakening the Musical Memory of Seniors with Dementia in a Retirement Home” published under Currents in Volume 18 of the Rose+Croix Journal. In this new paper, the author offers a transdisciplinary analysis of the efficacy of using music therapy as an essential adjunct to the memory care of older individuals with special emphasis on mindfulness as a means of enhancing cognitive and social well-being.

Also under Currents, please see Joan Stewart’s “Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Gong Baths on Body, Mind, and Soul” as an examination of sound therapy, particularly as it relates to recent research and the importance of mindfulness in awakening us to states of higher consciousness. Both Christopher Eriksson and Joan Stewart help us to reflect on the vibratory nature of the universe and our relationship with it.

All of these papers explore their various subject areas as well as transdisciplinary topics that expand our understanding of the natural laws around us. The abstracts for each of the papers are published in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Also included on the Journal’s website are tools for dissertation searches, research links, archival documents of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, and guidelines for submitting a paper. The submission deadline for the Rose+Croix Journal is May 15 for the following year’s annual issue; however, authors are encouraged to submit their papers for the peer-review process as soon as they are ready. Both Rosicrucian members and non-members are invited to submit papers for consideration.

If you would like to join our team of volunteers working on the Rose+Croix Journal, please let us know by emailing editor@rosicrucian.org. All areas and levels of expertise are welcome.

Again, thank you for reading the Rose+Croix Journal – enjoy!

Sincerely, 

Claudio Mazzucco
Executive Editor