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Esoteric Psychology I - Section Two - I. The Seven Creative Builders, the Seven Rays
5. Analysis of the Rays and Their Expression, from an Earlier Manuscript. There is a vast fund of interesting knowledge as to the action and results of the ray activity in the lower kingdoms of nature, but on this point no details can be given; and [201] the following summary of what we have been told is necessarily imperfect and admits of endless amplification. First Ray of Will or Power Special Virtues: Strength, courage, steadfastness, truthfulness arising from absolute fearlessness, power of ruling, capacity to grasp great questions in a large-minded way, and of handling men and measures. Vices of Ray: Pride, ambition, wilfulness, hardness, arrogance, desire to control others, obstinacy, anger. Virtues to he acquired: Tenderness, humility, sympathy, tolerance, patience, This has been spoken of as the ray of power, and is correctly so called, but if it were power alone, without wisdom and love, a destructive and disintegrating force would result. When however the three characteristics are united, it becomes a creative and governing ray. Those on this ray have strong will power, for either good or evil, for the former when the will is directed by wisdom and made selfless by love. The first ray man will always "come to the front" in his own line. He may be the burglar or the judge who condemns him, but in either case he will be at the head of his profession. He is the born leader in any and every public career, one to trust and lean on, one to defend the weak and put down oppression, fearless of consequences and utterly indifferent to comment. On the other hand, an unmodified first ray can produce a man of unrelenting cruelty and hardness of nature. The first ray man often has strong feeling and affection, but [202] he does not readily express it; he will love strong contrasts and masses of color, but will rarely be an artist; he will delight in great orchestral effects and crashing choruses, and if modified by the fourth, sixth or seventh rays, may be a great composer, but not otherwise; and there is a type of this ray which is tone-deaf, and another which is color-blind to the more delicate colors. Such a man will distinguish red and yellow, but will hopelessly confuse blue, green and violet. The literary work of a first ray man will be strong and trenchant, but he will care little for style or finish in his writings. Perhaps examples of this type would be Luther, Carlyle, and Walt Whitman. It is said that in attempting the cure of disease the best method for the first ray man would be to draw health and strength from the great fount of universal life by his will power, and then pour it through the patient. This, of course, presupposes knowledge on his part of occult methods. The characteristic method of approaching the great Quest on this ray would be by sheer force of will. Such a man would, as it were, take the kingdom of heaven "by violence." We have seen that the born leader belongs to this ray, wholly or in part. It makes the able commander-in-chief, such as Napoleon or Kitchener. Napoleon was first and fourth rays, and Kitchener was first and seventh, the seventh ray giving him his remarkable power of organization.
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