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Esoteric Psychology I - Section Two - III. The Rays and Man
4. The Racial Rays The reader needs to remember that three rays are occultly quiescent and four rays are in varying degrees of activity. Let us recapitulate for a moment so that this thought may be clearly anchored in our minds: Rays one, four and six are at this time out of manifestation, though ray six began to decline in influence only three hundred years ago, and its potency, though greatly weakened, can still be felt. Rays two, three, five and seven are still potent. The following statement may give some idea of the relative "values" of these ray influences. Ray three has been the longest in incarnation, but in 1875 it occultly "completed its outgoing, and began to curve upon itself, and thus return." It is therefore just beginning to wane. When this event occurs in connection with any type [349] of energy, the effect produced is always of a crystallizing nature and is apt to produce "set forms which warrant prompt destruction." This causes mental conditions of a set and static nature. The inference is therefore clear that in the later stages of this ray's activity we have the demonstration of those dogmatic, sectarian and theological attitudes, for instance, which mark the decline and consequent uselessness of the various schools of thought which have in their time embodied man's ideas and sufficed for his helping during the period of their growth. Ray two has a rapidly recurring cycle. This is due to its excessive potency. Being the major ray of our solar system (of which all the other rays are but aspects), it might be said that this ray is really never out of incarnation. There are nevertheless constant cycles of waxing and waning potency, produced by the interplay of the rays which produce what is called in the ancient archives "the intrusion of one or another of the seven Brothers Who block the door from whence the force emerges", and "the disappearance of that radiant Brother Who passes on His way and leaves behind an open door through which another Brother can pass upon His mission preordained." The symbolism is clear. The cycles of the second ray are dynamic and recur in a regular rhythm at this time and during the twenty-five thousand years of a zodiacal cycle in sequences of five hundred years. Therefore in 1825 the potency of this ray began to decline as the peak of its two hundred fifty years emergence was reached. It was the gradual withdrawal of this ray which led to that growth of separativeness in the world which produced the European wars and the great World War. This ray will continue declining for another one hundred forty years. This does not necessarily mean the growth of physical violence and the prevalence of war. Humanity is now so much more responsive [350] to ray influences that the watching Hierarchy (through egoic stimulation and the sensitivity of certain nations to the inner guidance) can offset the more obvious major effects. This will give an interesting side light upon the vast importance of these cyclic happenings. Ray five is the latest of the rays to come into activity and is only in process of "coming forth to power." It is steadily increasing in potency, and the result of its influence will be to guide humanity into increasing knowledge. Its energy beats upon the minds of men at this time and produces that stimulation which lies behind all the scientific approach to truth in all departments of human thought. Being also the ray which governs the personality aspect of the fourth kingdom in nature, and being one of the rays determining or conditioning our Aryan race, its present potency is excessive. This is a point to be remembered with care, for it accounts for much that we can see happening in the world of thought. Ray seven is also in manifestation, and has been since the year 1675. This we shall consider in more detail when we take up our fifth point: The Rays in Cyclic Manifestation. The interplay, therefore, and the beauty of the blended energies are at this time great, for so many rays are either manifesting simultaneously or are just passing out and are therefore not entirely negligible; or are hovering near at hand ready to pass into the stage of revelation and so continue their cyclic work. Only one ray is today really out of manifestation altogether and functioning entirely behind the scenes, and that is the first ray. Where humanity is concerned, the first ray makes its presence felt, and its potency dominates, when the stage of accepted discipleship is reached. It increases in power as progress on the Path is gained. Thus there is beginning to be gathered on the subjective side of life a steadily growing group of those who can function [351] under the influence of this first ray. When enough of the sons of men can thus function, their united responsiveness will constitute a channel through which this first ray can come into manifestation. This is one of the main activities and objectives of the Hierarchy, and in the right understanding of the result of the responsiveness of humanity to the ray influences shall we arrive at the recognition of a law in nature hitherto undiscovered. This particular law is connected with the department of the Governor of the world, the Manu. It might be of interest here to note that ray six governs the Path of Probation and nourishes the fires of idealism in the aspirant. Ray two governs the Path of Discipleship and transmutes knowledge into wisdom, feeding likewise the Christ life in each disciple. Ray one governs the Path of Initiation, producing detachment from form, the destruction of all that hinders, and fostering that dynamic will in the initiate which will enable him to take the needed steps towards the Initiator.
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