PREVIOUS | HOME | TOC | ABR | NEXT
g. The sixth Ray influence produced the emergence in men's minds of the following knowledges:
The seventh Ray will change the theories of the advanced thinkers of the race into the facts of the future educational systems. Education and the growth of the understanding of illumination in all fields will eventually be regarded as synonymous ideals.
h. The sixth Ray taught the meaning of sacrifice, and of this teaching the crucifixion was the outstanding emblem, to the initiates. Philanthropy was the expression of the same teaching, to advanced humanity. The nebulous ideal of simply "being kind" is the same motivation, applied to the unthinking masses.
The seventh Ray will bring to the consciousness of the coming initiates the concept of group service and sacrifice. This will inaugurate the age of the "divine service". The vision of the giving of the individual in sacrifice and service, within the group and to the group ideal, will be the goal of the masses of advanced thinkers in the New Age, whilst for the rest of humanity, brotherhood will be the keynote of their endeavour. These words have a wider connotation and significance than the thinkers of today can know and understand.
i. The sixth Ray promoted the growth of the Spirit of individualism. Groups exist, but they are groups of individuals gathered around an individual. The seventh Ray will foster the group Spirit, and the rhythm of the group, the objectives of the group, and the ritual-working of the group will be the basic phenomena.
j. The sixth Ray influence conveyed to men the ability to recognise the historical Christ, and to evolve the structure of the Christian faith, coloured by a vision of a great Son of Love, but qualified by an excessive militancy and separativeness, based on a narrow idealism.
The seventh Ray will convey to man the power to recognise the cosmic Christ, and to produce that future scientific religion of Light which will enable man to fulfill the command of the historical Christ to permit his light to shine forth.
k. The sixth Ray produced the great idealistic religions with their vision and their necessary narrowness,—a narrowness that is needed to safeguard infant Souls. The seventh Ray will release the developed Souls from the nursery stage and inaugurate that scientific understanding of the divine purpose which will foster the coming religious synthesis.
l. The effect of the sixth Ray influence has been to foster the separative instincts,—dogmatic religion, scientific factual accuracy, schools of thought with their doctrinal barriers and exclusiveness, and the cult of patriotism.
The Incoming Seventh Ray
The seventh Ray will prepare the way for the recognition of the wider issues which will materialise as the new world religion which will emphasise unity but bar out uniformity; it will prepare for that scientific technique which will demonstrate the universal light that every form veils and hides, and for that internationalism which will express itself as practical brotherhood and as peace and goodwill between the peoples.
One of the first lessons that humanity will learn under the potent influence of the seventh Ray is that the Soul controls its instrument, the personality, through ritual, or through the imposition of a regular rhythm, for rhythm is what really designates a ritual. It might be wise here to elucidate somewhat the idea underlying ceremonial and ritual. There is so much revolt at this time against ceremonial, and so many good and well-meaning people regard themselves as having outgrown and transcended ritual. They pride themselves on having attained that so-called "liberation", forgetting that it is only the sense of individuality that permit this attitude, and that no group work is ever possible without some form of ritual. The refusal therefore to participate in uniformity of action is no sign of a liberated Soul.
153