By: William Meader
Who am I?
Strangely, this powerful question is one that seems difficult to fully answer. It is a question that is asked by each of us, either consciously or unconsciously, every day of our lives. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that all aspects of life are arenas wherein we seek answers to this question. Though sometimes difficult to recognize, our personal relationships, the career path we follow, and the beliefs we hold to be true, are all unconscious attempts at answering this perplexing question.
Who am I?
When looked at from a spiritual perspective, it is the search for the Soul that is our quest. But how do we recognize the Soul within? And perhaps more importantly, is the Soul that is inwardly sensed of the same nature from one person to the next? The tendency is to believe that all Souls express the same essential quality. Such assumptions, however, are only partially true. Though all Souls are inherently conditioned by love, beyond this important commonality, significant variation between them exists.
The purpose of this article is to introduce the seven fundamental types of Souls. Before describing each unique Soul type, it is important to briefly comment on the nature of light, for it provides an important analogy that will help in our understanding of Soul variation. When white light is projected through a prism, it divides itself into the seven colors of the spectrum.
Each color is unique unto itself. Each affects us a bit differently. Each of the seven prismatic colors expresses a specific aspect of the white light that gave it birth. Interestingly, when we examine the various religions throughout the world, we see that Light is also frequently used as a symbol for God. The “Light of God” is a phrase commonly used by those who are spiritually inclined. And, most importantly, just as white light divides itself into seven colors, so too does the Light of God express itself in seven unique qualities. In the ancient Esoteric Philosophy, these seven divisions of “Divine Light” are referred to as the Seven Rays. And, most importantly, every human Soul is an expression of one of these Seven Rays.
Description of the Seven Rays
We will now discuss the various characteristics of each of the Seven Rays. It is important to know that these narratives, though brief, are only descriptive of each of the rays as they apply to the Soul. In truth, the Seven Rays condition all levels of human existence, including the various aspects of one’s lower-self. In fact, all of the rays condition each of us. The ray differences between people are related to the aspect of the individual that a ray is working through, and its intensity.
For example, a particular ray may condition an individual’s emotional nature. Yet, for another person, that same ray may instead give a certain quality to his/her mental nature. Nonetheless, for the purposes of introduction, describing the rays from the perspective of the Soul seems most fitting.
Ray 1
The Ray of Divine Will and Purpose
The intention of this Ray is to reveal the Purpose of Divinity within the human kingdom. All life is evolving, and it is the objective of this Ray to supply the power and direction to this evolutionary movement. Therefore, the function of the 1st Ray Soul is to express the power of divine purpose through loving strength and one-pointed vision. Its role is to shatter those forms that no longer adequately express the Love of God. In the ancient records, this great ray was called The Lightning which Annihilates, for it liberates Divine Life from outworn modes of outer expression. And, by so doing, frees the Life so that It may seek new forms through which to express Itself more radiantly.
Ray 2
The Ray of Love and Wisdom
The Second Ray is the ray that conditions all of life upon this planet with Divine Love. Its role is to reveal the unity that underlies all apparent diversity within creation. Love, as expressed through compassion and understanding, is how this ray is expressed for those whose Souls are conditioned by it. It is the ray of inclusiveness and relates all things to each other by revealing the love that underlies outer events. The ancient name for it is The Cosmic Magnet, for it attracts all unto Itself. Although all the rays are crucial to humanity’s development, none are of greater import than this, the 2nd Ray. For according to ancient record, it is this ray that governs the life of the entire solar system.
Ray 3
The Ray of Abstract Intelligence and Activity
The 3rd Ray is the ray that most relates to the expression of Divine Intelligence. Essentially, it is this ray that provides the underlying intelligence in all of nature. With respect to the human kingdom, it is the force that animates human thought. Its purpose is to reveal the Mind of God within the consciousness of humanity, as well as to give spiritual understanding to all human activity. For those Souls upon the 3rd Ray, their purpose is to reveal the Mind of God by demonstrating the interconnectedness of all ideas. In addition, this is also the ray most associated with karma, for it holds the memory of what was, as well as what is to be. For this reason the primeval name used to identify this ray was The Keeper of the Recorders.
Ray 4
The Ray of Harmony through Conflict
The 4th Ray is the force that creates a sense of equilibrium and beauty in creation. Within the manifested universe, all existence is perceived dualistically. All experiences can be seen in opposite ways. The function of this ray is to find balance and resolution to these warring dualities ever present within the human experience. Those people upon the 4th Ray tend to immediately see both sides of opposing ideas, and will persistently seek to find harmony between them. The Beauty of Divinity is what is sought, for when harmony is achieved beauty emerges. Within all expressions of life is a hidden seed of spiritual harmony. This is what is known and searched for by the one whose Soul vibrates to the 4th Ray. It is for this reason that the ancient name for this ray is The Seed that is the Flower.
Ray 5
Ray of Concrete Knowledge and Science
The 5th Ray is the ray that reveals the Clarity of Divinity through the pursuit of correct knowledge. Its role is to create within the consciousness of humanity the ability to discern Truth from fiction. Scientifically precise examination of reality gives clarity to what is observed in life. The one whose Soul is upon the 5th Ray will often dedicate his/her life to finding solutions (truth) to problems facing humanity. His/her spiritual purpose is to demonstrate that knowledge gives added understanding to the nature of the Spirit underlying all that we are witness to. In the archives this ray was called The Dispenser of Knowledge as a way of proclaiming Its mission.
Ray 6
The Ray of Idealism and Devotion
This is the ray that brings vision to humanity, for it instills within those who carry it, a yearning to spiritually aspire. Its purpose is to bestow the Vision of Divinity to humanity. Through its influence over the last several centuries, humanity has come into a realization of the spirit within. The 6th Ray has lifted our eyes to upwardly gaze, and to know that something much greater than life as we know it awaits those who aspire toward the light within. People whose Souls reside upon this ray are moved to devote their lives to those ideals that have the power to lift humanity into the realm of Spirit. For the 6th Ray individual, the path to enlightenment is in letting go of human desire, for desire is recognized as an anchor preventing one from upward ascent. In primeval language, this ray was often called The Negator of Desire.
Ray 7
The Ray of Ceremonial Order and Magic
The 7th Ray is the ray best known for bringing order out of chaos. Its purpose is to provide the energy needed to translate spiritual ideas into tangible realities. Through the influence of this ray, the Manifestation of Divinity is made possible. This ray influences humanity to outwardly create according to divine intention. People with 7th Ray Souls are said to be the true magicians, for they are naturally able create positive change in the world. This is achieved through the power of the spoken and written word. In short, this is the person who understands the magical power of speech as an instrument for creating new forms for Spirit to express Itself through. It is therefore not surprising that the ancient name for this ray is The Keeper of the Magical Word. The Path to Self Discovery Much of the spiritual journey relates to the gradual realization of who we are, spiritually considered. It is the quest for the Self, the Soul, that we are all seeking.
Yet, having some idea as to the qualitative differences between Soul types is an important consideration when traveling upon this path of Self-discovery. True it is that on a fundamental level all Souls are the same. For we are all part of the one Light, which is the One Life. Yet, when looking at the Soul, as It expresses through the personality, all Souls are not identical.
As I have briefly attempted to illustrate, there are seven types of Souls, each conveying a unique divine quality and intention. Each has something spiritually essential to convey to the world. Each is a fragment of divine Light seeking expression. The journey to enlightenment is more than simply finding the Soul within oneself, it is learning to discern Its nature and quality. Through such realization more of the Soul can be expressed. To know the Ray of the Soul, is to discover the unique spiritual mission we are each here to fulfill. It may be asked, how does one learn what is his/her Soul Ray? The answer to this question involves a variety of approaches. Most important is introspection.
Knowing about the Rays helps people look at themselves in a different way. In time, people begin to get a greater sense of which Rays are working through them, and at what level. There are also other techniques available for determining one’s Ray makeup. For example, there are several Ray assessment instruments designed to measure the Rays within the individual, and at what intensity. Also helpful is to have an astrological reading done by an Esoteric Astrologer.
In this form of astrology, Ray tendencies are clearly revealed, shedding much light on the question of one’s Soul and Personality Rays.
© 1998 William Meader Biographical Information: For over twenty years, William Meader has been a student and teacher of the Esoteric Philosophy. Much of his work has been focused on the subjects of White Magic, Esoteric Astrology and the Science of the Seven Rays. He is also an experienced teacher of various meditation practices. At present he is teaching in the United States, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. He resides in California, and can be reached at: WmMeader@aol.com
