Overcoming the limitations of life

                             By Bayo Ogunmupe

     "Overcoming the limitations of life," was the theme of a public lecture by the Lagos Zone, the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC a fortnight ago. It attracted hundreds of people particularly the academia and self employed intellectuals. Given at the Isis Lodge, Ilupeju; the lecture was preceded by the introduction of the Order and a welcome address by the event's chairman, Johnson Ikube. The Ancient  and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) was introduced as a philosophical, cultural and humanitarian organization dedicated to the study and investigation of natural and spiritual laws and their application for the attainment of human health, happiness and peace.

     The Order worldwide is now 3,371 years old in its recorded history. In Nigeria it is 85 years old. It has been established in more than a hundred countries of the world. The AMORC is a school of life open to both men and women of all religions, nationalities, vocations, professions, races and cultures. In his keynote address, the chief executive of Ikube Online Services, Mr Ikube titled it as Towards greater alignment of our national priorities. He said as human beings, we have common needs even when we have different aspirations and wants. We all must learn how to transform the challenges in our lives for better living in a challenging world. He then introduced the guest lecturer of the day as Ekanem Kofi-Ekanem a renowned architect and the Grand Councillor, the Cross River State chapter of AMORC.

     Continuing his keynote address, Mr Ikube said that in the realities of our modern world, a nation must first and foremost rest squarely on its economy. The polity should be an enabler not the driver of the economy. That was partly what made the early days of our nation progressive: autonomous regions and a dependent centre. "We must rework our priorities such that we truly become a nation driven by our economy." He believes we are currently driven more by the politicians rather than by our economy. The political players of our six geopolitical zones are playing politics to the detriment of the economy. He said the zones should be renamed economic zones focusing on growing their economies. Then, the states would be more appropriately aligned to add more value to their zones.

     "We are plagued by a Nigeria where many receive money without producing anything or rendering service for the progress of the economy." Ikube said we should detach religion from governance, embrace spirituality which unites while the religions divide. He said election officials should recuse themselves from overseeing elections. He said modernity demands the election of leaders that understand intricately connected variables which is why we must elect people with appropriate education and tract record of service.

     In the main lecture, Mr Ekanem enunciated the Rosicrucian concept of 'All is law; all is Order. What exists, exists for a purpose. Learn the law and you will be rewarded by knowing how to use it.' He said the two limitations which affect us are: time and space. In our perception, time and space limit every aspect of our lives, intruding into our every working moment. This causes us to think in certain ways. But it isn't time and space that limit us but our attitude. Our attitude creates us a habit. The habit establishes a pattern. With constant repetition, patterns become fixed, making us prisoners.

     So habits established by time and space rule us and put up bars where there really aren't any. Thus, this realization marks the Rosicrucian instruction on how to grow beyond all our limitations through expanding our Consciousness. Perceived limitations which affect men include obstacles of birth, education, ill-health and wrong business activities. This perception builds fences around our best endeavors and cut us off from opportunities which would otherwise be ours. A Rosicrucian law states: Man cannot rise above his consciousness. It is not the limitations then that hold us back.Rather it is our inability to recognize them and thereby raise our consciousness above them.

     Consciousness in man is the inner, intuitive understanding of his own being as  well as his relationship with other beings and the principles of the universe. You raise your consciousness through life long learning and experimenting. Our consciousness determines the world in which we live. Our limitations will change when our consciousness of them changes. Your raised consciousness begins to change the manner of your sowing. And that immediately affects a change in the harvest you reap.