Understanding the Seven Rays

"Understanding the Seven Rays gives you the ability to see people as they are... By seeing people from different aspects, from different facets, your understanding deepens."

- Master Choa Kok Sui

One of the ways to help us understand our strengths as well as weaknesses and realize our character to an extent is to get equipped with the knowledge of the seven rays. According to Holy Master DK, the knowledge of the seven rays can enable all the true servers to work with greater skill and effectiveness in their chosen field of activity.

Every person belongs to a certain ray that decides his/her attitude, perspective towards life and therefore his/her actions in life. One of the factors that causes misunderstandings and arguments among people is lack of such knowledge.

Different people get different interpretations about the same issue, all of which might be correct simultaneously. The reason behind such diverse conclusions is looking at the subject matter from different perspectives and the knowledge of the seven rays can solve such miscommunications, as it will broaden our understanding about people.

In this series the aim is to discuss about different rays in detail and describe the virtues, vices and qualities relayed to each ray. May this knowledge help us understand the people around us and enable us to work in harmony and peace.

What are the Seven Rays?

To explore this broad subject that many great thinkers and spiritual teachers have discussed including Alice Bailey, Madam Blavatsky, Ernest Wood and Master Choa Kok Sui, we first need to understand what the Seven Rays are. For this matter there are a number of points to consider:

1. There is only one Life and the seven basic qualities or aspects are originated from it through the diversity of forms.
2. These seven qualities are called the Seven Rays and are in fact the seven lives that give life to the forms, the laws and their urge for evolution.
3. Life, Soul and Body, constitute all that exists, with a capacity for growth, activity, manifestation of beauty and full conformity of the Plan. This Plan is rooted in the consciousness of the Seven Rays Lives.
4. These Seven Rays whose nature is expression of qualities produce cyclically the manifested world. They work together in the closest union and harmony and cooperate intelligently with the Plan, under the guidance of the Great Architect of the Universe.
5. Each Ray predominantly expresses itself through one of the seven sacred planets; but the life of all the seven, flows through every planet, including the Earth and therefore affects every form. Each planet is a small replica of the general scheme and following the purpose of the whole.
6. Humanity is an expression of the life of God and every human being has come forth along one line or other of the seven ray forces. Each human being's form, qualities and character is affected by the ray that breathed him forth in every world period; the form and nature change from life to life according to the cyclic need and the environing group condition, which is decided by the ray or rays in incarnation at the time.
7. The Monad is the Life, living in union with the seven ray lives. The structure of the manifested world is composed of one Monad, seven rays and myriads of forms.
8. The Laws, which govern the quality or soul, though the medium of forms, are simply the mental purpose and life direction of the Lords of the Rays, whose vision is perfect and whose justice is supreme.
9. The method of the development of humanity is self-expression and self-realization. When the self that is expressed is the One Self and the realization is the revelation of God as the quality and life behind the manifested world, this process is fulfilled.
10. The method to bring this realization is experience, beginning with individualization and ending with initiation.

Seven Rays and Their Qualities

As discussed, a Ray is referred to a particular force or type of energy, with a certain quality that it exhibits. So when we discuss about certain ray energy, basically we are considering that quality and the purpose aspect of the great Life who is known as the "Lord of the Ray". His divine intention, will and purpose create a radiation or stream of energy that affects all forms of manifested life within our planetary ring-pass-not.

"Different aspects of Truth can be seen through the Seven Rays. Each Ray sees things differently and has its own way of doing things. Each Ray has a different opinion."

Alice Bailey

• First Ray Strength - I will be strong, brave persevering in His service.(Read more about Ray one)


• Second Ray Wisdom - I will attain the intuitional wisdom, which can be developed only through perfect love.(Read more about Ray Two )


• Third Ray Adaptability or Tact - I will gain the power of saying and doing just the right thing at the right time moment of meeting each man on his own ground, in order to help him more efficiently.(Read more about Ray Three )


• Fourth Ray Beauty and Harmony - So far as I can, I will bring beauty and harmony into my life and surroundings, that I may be more worthy of Him; I will learn to see beauty in all nature, that so I may serve Him better.(Read more about Ray Four )


• Fifth Ray Science (detailed knowledge) - I will gain knowledge and accuracy, that I may devote them to His work.(Read more about Ray Five )


• Sixth Ray Devotion - I will unfold within myself the mighty power of devotion, that through it I may bring others to Him.(Read more about Ray Six )


• Seventh Ray Ordered Service (ceremonial magic) - I will so order and arrange my service of God along the lines which He has prescribed that I may be able fully to take advantage of the loving help which His Holy Angels are always waiting to render.(Read more about Ray Seven )

Seven Rays and The Masters

The Lords of the Rays are in fact the creating and sustaining energies that implement the Will of the planetary Logos. They cooperate with Him in the defining and expression of His supreme purpose. They create the needed new forms, vitalize and qualify that through which the immediate divine intention is expressing itself; and they cause the fading out or dying of the form aspects. In this way they produce cycles of destruction and thus make room for the new forms and expressions of life.

The Central Light, which we call Deity, the one Ray of Divinity, manifests firsts as a Trinity and then as a Septenary. The One God shines forth as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and these three again are reflected through the Seven Planetary Logos.

"One Life sought expansion"" resulting in seven aeons, or emanations, manifesting in the expression of life, becoming the "seven Rishis of all the ancient scriptures."

Alice Bailey