The First Ray

Wisdom Teachings
The Seven Rays
Book: The Seven Rays

The divine Will is expressed through the First Ray. The Eastern scriptures long ago gave a complete explanation of the ray of cosmic Will. But when we read scriptures like the 'Agni-Purana' or the 'Agni Suktas' of the Vedas directly, they appear to us only as fairy tales. It is not possible for us to understand the symbolism contained in them. But the books of A.A. Bailey and H.P. Blavatsky contain explanations from the Masters giving us the seeds for understanding this symbolism. Master Morya, considered the Master of the First Ray, gave us knowledge of cosmic fire through the 'Agni Suktas' and 'A Treatise on Cosmic Fire'. His work was done in utmost silence.

The three fires described in the book 'Cosmic Fire' are: electric fire, solar fire and fire by friction. When we speak of electric fire, which is the fire of the First Ray, we must remember it is not possible to perceive electric fire if we do not act as souls, because this fire is beyond the subjective. We can, however, turn to it with the help of wisdom. If we are aware of and under the direction of the soul, we can work effectively with the energies of the three fires. We cannot understand them only with the lower mind.

In Sanskrit, the First Ray of divine Will is called sushumna. Sushumna is the central radiant bluish-white column of consciousness that goes from the head to the base centre. The sushumna is the electric fire in us and the centre through which the Will is transmitted. It brings about the balance between the energies of materialisation, called ida, and the energies of spiritualisation, pingala.

The cosmic First Ray is called the first Logos or Agni, Shiva and Rudra. Agni, the god of fire, is but Shiva; his vibration is Rudra. Shiva is also called Mahadeva, the great Deva who rules over all Devas, the most auspicious one. In the Indian scriptures, the colour of Shiva is white. White is the colour of Synthesis. The seven colours or rays arise from the white ray. The Energy of Synthesis is neither Will nor Love as we understand these terms. It is both and is understood as the 'principle of directed intention'. The first Ray of Will contains all the other six rays.

The colour of Agni and Rudra is pure red. It is the first colour in manifestation. Red is the Will that leads creation from seeming nothingness into apparent something. The Lord comes forth as red colour and divides into the copper red. Red is Will, and the copper colour is its manifestation on the mental plane. This means that the will of man is the Will of the Lord, which expresses itself through the mind via the senses and the limbs. It is also expressed as life through the respiration and the circulatory organs of the body.

Will is at the beginning and also the end of every periodic activity. Even the days begin with red on the eastern horizon and end with red on the western horizon. Every beginning and every ending requires will power. People who cannot begin should invoke Rudra. Those who cannot stop should also invoke Rudra. Rudra regulates the path of entry and exit. He helps in entry into the body and in development. He also helps in withdrawal from objectivity. He helps the return of the sense activities into the mind and then into the soul. Rudra dissolves impurities in us and destroys that which is to be destroyed. Thus, he helps us to ascend and he leads us to liberation.

The Will of the First Ray is needed for building as well as for destroying. Blockages easily arise in activities. Will is needed to dissolve such blockages. The red colour can be meditated upon to awaken the Will. When we contemplate on the red colour of the sky during the morning hours, it gives us will. But only advanced students can work with red. Others are advised to use orange, a variant of red. Sensitive people like children are advised to contemplate upon pink. Looking into a flame also helps with inner purification and burning past karma.

To awaken and strengthen the Will, we can intonate the sound OM and invoke the Lord of the First Ray. Children at the age of five are given the mantra 'OM Namah Shivaya' before they go to school. It helps to build a positive, dynamic and effective will so that the child can flourish harmoniously and radiantly. The symbol is the five-pointed star.

When we say that someone has a strong will, we colloquially understand it to mean a person who follows their own path and does not listen to any advice. We think of people who are obstinate, fight for everything and criticise others. But from a spiritual point of view, obstinacy is a lack of willpower and gives a negative and false image. People with real willpower are not rigid or disagreeable to others. They are polite, gentle in their behaviour and they never offend others. Those who have the first ray as a soul quality can manifest the work of good will in a very effective way.

We use will when we intend to do something. The intelligent use of our faculties is the activity of the third ray, while the entire work is guided by the first Ray of Will. In acts of good will, love and wisdom also appear. Then the first, second and third rays are together.

The Will is like a knife with which we can cut vegetables or we can even kill someone. The Will can be dangerous as well as helping us solve problems and resolve conflicts. Until we begin using the Will to do something useful for others and become absorbed in the work, no spiritual evolution takes place in us. Therefore, the first ray is of great importance in action.

When we read in the Alice A. Bailey's books that 'the first ray burns or destroys', we often misunderstand the words. Flames only destroy when we use fire incorrectly. If there is a destructive trait in us, it should not be attributed to the first ray, but to our wrong approach. We need discernment in action. The knowledge of how to do and not do things exists in nature as natural laws.

The first ray type is the ruler, the second ray is the teacher and the priest. The abilities of people with first ray energy lie in governing and ruling. With a good connection of first and second ray they can use their power with loving understanding. They do their work because they know that is their task to do and they do not want to be praised for it. An initiate always attributes praise within himself to the Divine and does not take it for himself. Thus, he remains humble. Strong-willed people otherwise tend to be proud, self-centred and possessive. They cannot stop at a certain point and then they destroy everything they have created with their will.

When persons of the first ray feel that something is good and useful for others, they will themselves decide on the kind of action and begin to work. Their decisiveness causes a certain amount of karma because they have initiated the action; they are prepared to take this karma upon themselves. People of the second ray wait for a hint from outside, even if they receive an inner perception. They wait for others to approach them. So, there is no involvement in the law of karma.

When a knower acts, the Will of the Lord, the first ray, is behind him. The choice of the path depends on the teacher and also corresponds to the evolutionary stage of the disciple. According to our soul quality, we may follow one direction or the other, and each path can lead to perfection. We cannot say which of the ray qualities is best, but it is important to recognise how much we may still be centred in the personality. The Manu as well as Master CVV work with the First Ray. Master EK works with the Second Ray. A second ray Master only gives suggestions, which are in fact orders. But if we do not listen to the suggestions, then in a greater cycle the energy of the First Ray comes and sets us right through the fire of pain.

It is said that the First Ray is mostly asleep. It manifests only at times of need and otherwise it exists in all but in a sleeping state. When the soul is too much asleep in matter and a normal process does not seem to work, then something happens so that the child awakens. According to the place and the time, the Father has his own methods. If they do not work, some kind of ‘healing touch’ has to be given. One or two slaps will help awaken us. It is the only way to see that the person wakes up and behaves well. These events happen in small cycles and in greater cycles. In the present age some kind of visit of the Lord of the First Ray has happened and is happening. Consequently, there is much awakening through the stimulation of the planetary principle of Uranus, ruler of Aquarius. This awakening is what we call the Aquarian activity.

Sources used: K.P. Kumar: Uranus. Div. seminar notes / E. Krishnamacharya: The Seven Rays. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India