(From Soul Cycles of the Seven Rays,by Phillip Lindsay © 2005)
Humanity is entering a 2,160 year cycle called the Age of Aquarius, where astrology will gradually evolve toward that which is known as Esoteric Astrology. Esoteric Astrology looks towards causes rather than effects, to the life of the human soul that lies behind the outer form, the body.
The soul is that imperishable, perpetual existence that takes repeated cyclic embodiments - in male or female bodies and in varying cultures; part of its purpose is to expand consciousness, and to work out karma.
Most astrology practiced today is ‘personality’ astrology that ranges from the mundane to the quite spiritually oriented. Whether we are considering fortune-telling astrology or the more serious psychological astrology that strives to help bring about integration and wholeness, we are still limited by the tools with which we work.
One of the major new tools is the Science of the Seven Rays. They are seven streams of energy which enter this solar system from cosmic sources and condition every life form within it.
The rays can be studied by themselves and constitute what is known as Esoteric Psychology. One of the greatest psychologists of last century, Roberto Assagioli, developed his Psychosynthesis techniques from the Seven Rays.
The series of 24 books were written mainly for the many souls who would be incarnate in the West around the turn of the century. The teachings therein are profound, multi-levelled, and timeless, synthesising Eastern and Western traditions.
There needs to be a process of discrimination as to what ‘body’ is expressing which ray. For example, you may have Ray 7 for the physical, Ray 6 for the astral, or Ray 4 for the mental. You could be a Ray 2 soul with a Ray 3 personality, so these five Rays would constitute your ‘Ray Structure’.
This information does not come instantaneously, nor can be derived from your horoscope, but will emerge after patient pondering, meditation and reflection.
Ray 1Will or | Virtues: Strength, courage, steadfast, truthful, fearless, trustworthy, large-minded. Vices: Ruthless, hard, cold, proud, arrogant, ambitious, tyrannical, cruel, controlling. |
Ray 2 | Virtues: Calm, strength, endurance, patience, love of truth, intuition, serenity. Vices: Coldness, indifference, self pity, fear, love of being loved, personal wisdom. |
Ray 3 | Virtues: Wide abstract views, sincerity, clarity of intellect, patience, caution, planning. Vices: Intellectual pride, devious, scheming, inaccuracy, obstinacy, critical, busyness. |
Ray 4 | Virtues: Affectionate, sympathetic, courageous, devotion, generosity, quick intellect. Vices: Worrier, inaccuracy, self-centeredness, cowardice, extravagance, mood swings. |
Ray 5 Concrete | Virtues: Perseverence, commonsense, accuracy, rational, uprightness, keen intellect. Vices: Narrowness, harsh criticism, lack of sympathy, arrogant, proud, prejudice, cold. |
Ray 6 | Virtues: Devotion, single-minded, tenderness, intuitive, loyal, reverence, loving. Vices: Selfish, jealous, sentimental, deceptive, fiery anger, narrow, sectarian, fanatical. |
Ray 7 Ceremonial | Virtues: Strength, perseverence, courage, courtesy, detailed, self-reliance, practical. Vices: Formalism, bigotry, pride, opinionated, superficial judgements, narrowness. |
This may take a while, and one method is to ‘try a ray on’ for a month or so, observing yourself and others in your environment.
The rays are also dual in expression,
hence the following tabulation:
(Note the planetary rulers below can be applied to types A & B)
Ray 1 Purpose Destruction | Type A: Persistent. Never gives in. Depended upon by others. |
Type B: Destroys that which prevents free expression of life force. | |
Ray 2 Inclusive Coherence | Type A: Magnetic, radiant, sharing, compassionate, empathetic. |
Type B: Emphasis on wisdom, not knowledge. Dispassionate. | |
Ray 3 Active-Intelligence | Type A: Philosopher, theorist. Emphasis on abstract ideas. |
Type B: Businesslike. Practical. Manipulator. Gamesmanship. | |
Ray 4 Harmony/Conflict | Type A: Brings harmony from conflict. Mediator. |
Type B: Colourful. Strong contrasts. Artistic. Volatile. Forceful. | |
Ray 5 | Type A: Researcher. Intellectual. Accuracy. Clarity. |
Type B: Technician. Practical in applications. | |
Ray 6 Devotion/Idealism Idealism Persistence | Type A: Receptive. Passive. Loyal. Worshipful. Tranquil. Gentle. |
Type B: Fiery zeal. Strives toward ideals. Aspires. Aggressive. | |
Ray 7 Organisation Creative | Type A: Highly organised. Plays by rules. Meticulous in action. |
Type B: Emphasis on creative process. Manifests into forms. |
Identifying rays through Occupations
Ray 1 | Politicians, occultists, leaders, explorers, executives, managers, dictators. |
Ray 2 | Teachers, healers, sages, servers, scholars, humanists, philanthropists. |
Ray 3 | Philosophers, organisers, astrologers, mathe-maticians, economists, historians, business people. |
Ray 4 Harmony/Conflict | Artists, mediators, architects, poets, psychologists, musicians. |
Ray 5 Concrete Science | Scientists, researchers, alchemists, engineers, analysts, inventors. |
Ray 6 | Ministers, mystics, missionaries, devotees, orators, crusaders, zealots. |
Ray 7 | Builders, administrators, designers, revolutionaries, magicians. |
The Seven Rays correspond to many ‘septenaries’, which provide the basic building blocks of occultism. Planets ‘rule’ rays, similar to astrological rulerships, hence the interface between rays, planets & zodiac signs. Remember though, do not make the mistake of trying to ascertain the rays from the horoscope; determining the rays, then interpreting the horoscope in light of the rays, is ideally the correct procedure.
Ray | Chakra | Colour | Jewel | Planets |
Ray 1 | Crown | Red | Diamond | Vulcan |
Ray 2 | Heart | Indigo | Sapphire | Jupiter |
Ray 3 | Throat | Green | Emerald | Saturn |
Ray 4 Harmony/Conflict | Base | Yellow | Jasper | Mercury |
Ray 5 | Ajna | Orange | Topaz | Venus |
Ray 6 | Solar | Blue | Ruby | Neptune |
Ray 7 | Sacral | Violet | Amethyst | Uranus |
The above chakra assignations vary according to one’s stage of evolution.
A major cycle of Ray 6 has just finished in the Piscean Age, and a Ray 7 cycle is starting, which overlaps into the Aquarian Age.
These rays and Ages have their sympathetic resonances of course, ensuring maximum effect upon humanity.
Esoteric Astrology has been called the ‘science of all sciences’ because it is a system of relating every living entity - a planet, ray, sign or human being. It describes the qualities and energies of these living beings thereby allowing comprehension, and also understanding of how they interact with each other.
Therefore it is truly the Science of Relationships - human, planetary, zodiacal and stellar.
When the word ‘science’ is used, bear in mind that it refers not to concrete analysis that employs the tangible senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. ‘Science’ comes from the root ‘scire’ - to know or discern - it is really the knowledge of the ‘higher self’, soul or abstract mind, which perceives the whole synthetically, intuitively and inclusively; hence the term Occult Science.
The disciplines of Esoteric Astrology and The Ageless Wisdom incorporate the concrete tangible sciences, but also draw upon that intangible ‘sixth’sense: intuition.
‘Esoteric’ means: “understood by, or meant for a select few…the initiated”. (Macquarie Dictionary.) This is not to be misunderstood as any kind of elitism. What was esoteric becomes mainstream eventually, yet there will always be a core that remains esoteric, waiting to be unveiled by the generations of enquirers on the spiritual path.
Those who have done the necessary work, have undergone various disciplines (such as meditation) and have developed these ‘subtle’ senses, are ready to receive esoteric knowledge. The unprepared would have no foundation within which to ‘ground’ it, though many are capable of developing these faculties.
The zodiacal signs are another ‘occult’ factor, i.e. they are ‘unseen’, yet act as a channel through which the archetypes of the zodiacal constellations focus. That the two types of zodiac do not align, as argued by astrologers of the tropical and sidereal schools, or astronomical sceptics, is secondary to the primary fact that the potent ‘thoughtforms’ of the signs exist and act as gateways for the rays and planets.
Astrology is based upon illusion in the sense that the zodiac is built around the ‘ecliptic’, the apparent path of the Sun around the Earth. Of course we know that the Earth’s path or orbit is around the Sun, so we work within this paradox, in the knowledge that eventually humanity will transcend this illusion. This is the source of one of our greatest mysteries, and we are told that the situation will be ‘rectified’ in the Age of Capricorn, following the Age of Aquarius.
Demystifying Astrology Through Occult Knowledge
Astrologers and the lay public know in their hearts that astrology “works”, accurately describing their psychology and patterns in their lives. But ‘how’ does it work?
Therefore the reasoning processes have not been fully utilised in arriving at a true under-standing and hence astrology is experienced more from a mystical viewpoint, which relies mainly on intuition reflected in the feeling nature. This is partly why astrology gets so much criticism from the more concrete-minded scientific community and public at large, because there is no demonstration of ‘science’ or mental reasoning.
The path of Mysticism eventually leads to the path of Occultism, where qualities of heart and head are synthesised. Occultism is a wholistic science, and therefore has the potential to bridge to the concrete sciences. A synthesis of the mystical and occult paths lead to a blending of love and reason. However, there are many facets to occult science, all of which have to be learnt to understand the whole.
1. The solar system is a living being, as are all the individual lives which inhabit it, whether they be planets, asteroids, comets, human beings or any kingdom in nature. In some ways all these ‘lesser lives’ can be seen as ‘cells’ within the greater body. The main point here is that all these forms are inhabited by some kind of intelligence, from the very primitive mineral consciousness, to a human soul, to the “god” which inhabits a planet or a sun.
Just as humans have subtle energy centres or chakras, the so-called “seven sacred planets” in this solar system fulfill the same function. On a larger scale again, this solar system as a whole can be seen as one gigantic chakra or energy centre, inhabited by a stupendous consciousness that we may vaguely call “god”, or esoterically, the “Solar Logos”.
The Ancient Wisdom tells us that our sun is part of a corporate body of six other suns - which constitute a massive cosmic entity that undergoes an evolution upon its own level, and so on.
2. These seven suns, of which ours is one, are continually giving off forces which are the product of their ongoing evolution. It is said that these forces are absorbed through the seven stars of the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major) and their emanations are called the Seven Rays.
Suffice to say, the seven stars of Ursa Major have much history and mythology in human consciousness, and in India are known as the Seven Rishis, associated with the Will and in a simple generic way, are “masculine”. The ray forces emanating from these stars unite, we are told, with the seven stars of the Pleaides constellation, the so-called “Seven Sisters”, also rich in legend, and constituting forces which represent the “Cosmic Mother”, or “feminine” principle.
Here we have a true “marriage made in heaven” as these forces merge. Father and Mother produce a “son”, represented by the star Sirius. Together these three constellations, The Great Bear, The Pleaides and Sirius consitute a major conditioning triangle of forces influencing this solar system.
3. From these three constellations the seven ray energies stream through the seven stars of the Little Bear (Ursa Minor), and are then magnetized to one or other of the twelve zodiacal constellations, not to be confused with zodiacal signs. Certain rays transmit through particular constellations with which they have an affinity, and modified, stream toward our solar system.
5. The planets continually orbit our sun, creating a vast sea of magnetic forces, and transmit these energies to earth through its zodiac signs. Of course we know from ‘exoteric science’ that the Sun and Moon both have physical, emotional and mental effects; these are well documented in our earthly tides, full moon cycles, in sunspot activity, and the growth that occurs in nature - validated by many scientific experiments and discoveries. The other planets have less physical, but more psychological and psychic effects.
6. The planets transmit the ray energies through the zodiac; the zodiacal sign is another electromagnetic pattern or “thoughtform”. The understanding of what consitutes a thoughtform, something that all humans can create, is essential in the comprehension of why zodiacal energies condition human beings, but is beyond the scope of this discussion.
Our earth zodiac of “signs”, is an invisible reflection and focaliser of the energies from the visible constellational zodiac earlier mentioned. The zodiac can be considered as a ‘subtle’ body of the Earth, the ‘astral’ body, (astral meaning ‘starry substance’). Hence there are intangible, unseen energies that we are perceiving with our developing ‘intangible’ senses.
7. By the time these forces reach earth, there is a combination of three groups of energetic patterns from rays, planets and zodiac signs. They find their way through the major chakras of the planet (major cities, but also certain groupings) and are thence distributed to humanity.
The endocrine glands are stimulated into activity, releasing hormones into the bloodstream, which act as catalysts for physiological growth and psychological behaviour. This is a key as to how astrological energies affect human beings.
This completes a short description of the movement of conditioning energy from its emanataing source, stepped down as planetary forces at its final destination in a human being.
To recap the journey:
Seven solar systems of which ours is one.
Seven Rays emanate from the Seven Stars of the Great Bear constellation.
Seven Stars of the Pleaides.
Sirius.
Seven Stars of the Little Bear constellation.
Twelve zodiacal constellations.
Our Sun.
Seven Sacred Planets of our solar system.
Twelve zodiacal signs.
Chakras of the Earth.
Human kingdom
Animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms.
TO FINISH ARTICLE PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK HERE: http://www.esotericastrologer.org/MiscFiles/EAintro.htm
Replies
Thanks Kelly!
Love, Patrizia
Great article Kelly.
The world of astrology, numerology, tarot and so on are about to get a quantum kick in the arse.
Exciting times to be a gypsy.
Oh yes, Peter... am feeling it already, and a year ago I would never have understood it, it's quite unexplainable with words alone...
Very nice Kel..:-) Like what you posted a while back about the Seven Sisters too. Couldn't find the link.
All related to the Arcana and path of Dharma or initiation I believe?..
Found these links an interesting correlation perhaps?..
Agree with Luke, so wonderful to have such shining brothers and sisters with which to share the journey..:-)
Love and Blessings..
MasterYoda
"To those informed regarding the arcane disciplines and theories of the alternative reality tradition, sometimes called the perennial philosophy, or theosophia (divine wisdom), it soon became clear that certain parallels existed between Jung's teachings and what to them was long known as the path of initiation."
http://www.gnosis.org/gnostic-jung/The-Gnostic-Jung.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anima_and_animus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
Ah yes, I came at this years ago having Jung in my brain already, this is awesome thanks... will look for the links you describe, might be on my other computer....
Namaste, brother :-) Feeling these awesome vibes too, eh?
Thank you, Feather, it's been helpful to me and I like Philip Lindsay's work, he is a theosophist of the old school.
Kelly this is so brilliant, thank you for sharing .. Ive been meaning to get a handle on the Rays for some time .. I remembered a while ago you wrote about the seven Rays in a past blog and I was telling myself I need to study up on all of these teachings more ... then I see your blog here !! ..
if thats not Divine timing I dont know what is.
I really need to study and isnt it facinating because the well will never run dry .. there is so much to learn, so much Data to gather, so much to encompass and what a variety of Esoteric knowledge we have to choose from .. Im getting swallowed up in Sacred Geometry at the moment and isnt it remarkable how, after you delve into it, that physically, things literally POP out in front of you, whereas beforehand they had a less sharper edge to them .. dont know if that makes any sense but with Sacred Geometry I can see whats going on !! .. LOL ...
Anyway, thats for another blog I guess ..
How do you find the time to research, absorbe and intergrate all of this? .. I have about two hours on the Net in the evenings .. and half of that time is siving through what rings true for me and what dosent ring any bells .. occasionally I stumble accross some well clued in people who have their finger on the pulse of a Higher Conciousness and I read their blogs that are filled with Higher truths and some glorious inner wisdom and stuff that I just cant wrap my head around and it makes feel as small as a friggin peanut .. !!
and so I think ok, I have to get my mojo on .. Lol .
Kelly you are in there among a precious few, including your soul mate Drekx who continue to teach, inspire and uplift my Spirit..
thank you.
Thank you so much, Luke, it means a lot for me that you enjoy what I share. Lol, time to confess, I'm a nerd, always have been... I have had my nose in a book since I can remember learning how to read. When I found the internet I was like a kid in a candy store :-) But I found that reading and somehow "clicking" into it is different... I felt the same way about sacred geometry as you, somehow it just feels right, eh? I think your artistic eye will see sacred geometry everywhere now... look at the numbers too, it all is part of the programming of this reality.
BTW, the really good data I mined over the years is in my groups, especially Triangles, I always add the web site links so you can find some cool stuff when you have more time. Here is a site I highly recommend and the author is hilarious :-)
http://www.halexandria.org/
Superb material.....I recommend this to all seekers of the ageless wisdom...
Thank you, Drekx, I find this a bit easier to muddle through than the archaic language of some of the older texts. I think I should have added charts...