AMORC
<p ><i>The phrases "Rose-Cross" and "Rosicrucian" are in the public domain: a number of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucianism" title="Rosicrucianism" >organizations describe themselves as such</a>.</i></p>
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The <b>Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis</b>, also called the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucian_Order" title="Rosicrucian Order" class="mw-redirect" >Rosicrucian Order</a> (AMORC)</i>, is a worldwide philosophical and humanistic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraternal_organization" title="Fraternal organization" class="mw-redirect" >fraternal organization</a> devoted to "the study of the elusive mysteries of life and the universe."<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Mystical_Order_Rosae_Crucis#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup> The organization is non-sectarian and it is open to both men and women of legal adult age (18 years old in most countries) regardless of their various religious persuasions. It was founded in 1915 in New York<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Mystical_Order_Rosae_Crucis#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup> to make public a supposed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose-Croix" title="Rose-Croix" >Rose-Croix</a> Order that originated in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt" title="Ancient Egypt" >Ancient Egyptian</a> mystery schools.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Mystical_Order_Rosae_Crucis#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup></p>
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AMORC claims to be an authentic Western mystery school, the modern manifestation of the ancient Order, keeping the teachings of the ancient
Rose-Croix Order. Its teachings draw upon ideas of the major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher" title="Philosopher" class="mw-redirect" >philosophers</a>, particularly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras" title="Pythagoras" >Pythagoras</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales" title="Thales" >Thales</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solon" title="Solon" >Solon</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus" title="Heraclitus" >Heraclitus</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democritus" title="Democritus" >Democritus</a>, traditional healing techniques, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health" title="Health" >health</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intuition_(knowledge)" title="Intuition (knowledge)" class="mw-redirect" >intuition</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic" title="Psychic" >psychic</a> consciousness, material and spiritual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy" title="Alchemy" >alchemy</a>, sacred architecture, mystical sounds, breathing techniques,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation" title="Meditation" >meditation</a>, natural, mystical, and artificial <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol" title="Symbol" >symbolism</a>, the great religious movements, the psychic body, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma" title="Karma" >karma</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation" title="Reincarnation" >reincarnation</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Mystical_Order_Rosae_Crucis#cite_note-3" >[4]</a></sup>
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The name AMORC is an abbreviation for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin" title="Latin" >Latin</a> title <i >Antiquus Mysticusque Ordo Rosæ Crucis</i> ("Ancient and Mystic Order of the Rosy Cross") </p>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Spencer_Lewis" title="Harvey Spencer Lewis" >Harvey Spencer Lewis</a>, an author, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occult" title="Occult" >occultist</a> and mystic who founded AMORC in the United States of America, wrote that "from the very start, and with the issuance of the first public manifesto, the correct name of the international Rosicrucian organization was used, namely, the <i >Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis</i>. This is a slightly abbreviated form of the original Latin name, <i >Antiquus Arcanus Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis</i>, and the initials AMORC were immediately used as well as the true and original symbol of the Rosicrucian Order — the golden cross with but <i >one red rose</i> in the center."<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Mystical_Order_Rosae_Crucis#cite_note-4" >[5]</a></sup></p>