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The problem can be posited and its extent made clear by the following tabulation which gives the Rays that may be supposed or imagined to govern or control a problematical or hypothetical man in a particular incarnation.

1. The Ray of the Monad (the life aspect)                        Second Ray of Love-Wisdom.
2. The Ray of the Soul (the consciousness aspect)                First Ray of Will or Power.
3. The Ray of the Personality (the matter aspect)                Second Ray of Love-Wisdom.

1. Ray of the mental body                                 Fifth Ray of Concrete Science.
2. Ray of the Astral body                                 Sixth Ray of Devotion.
3. Ray of the physical body                        Second Ray of Love-Wisdom.

Certain ideas should here be considered. They are here given in the form of statements, but we will not elaborate them, simply leaving them to the student for his pondering and careful thinking.

1. Only initiates are in a position to sense, determine, or discover the nature of their Monadic Ray or that of their disciples. The Monadic Ray is that life element in man with which They have definitely to deal as They seek to prepare him for initiation. It is the "unknown quantity" in a man's nature. It does not, however, greatly complicate his problem in the three worlds of ordinary human endeavor, as it remains relatively quiescent until after the third initiation, though it basically conditions the Etheric body itself.

2. The three Rays (termed, in The Secret Doctrine, "the three periodical vehicles") are therefore the Rays of the Monad, the Ego and the personality, and are essentially three streams of energy, forming one great life stream. These relate a human being to the three aspects or expressions of divinity in manifestation:

1. The Monadic Ray is the energy which, when consciously employed, relates the initiate to the Father or Spirit aspect and gives Him "the freedom of the solar system".

2. The Egoic Ray, when consciously utilised, relates the disciple to the second aspect of divinity and gives him the "freedom of the planetary sphere".

3. The Personality Ray, again when consciously governed and employed, relates a man to the matter or substance aspect of divinity and gives him the "freedom of the three worlds" and of the subhuman kingdoms in nature.

3. Taking the hypothetical chart given above, students should notice how the Rays of the personality relate them, within the sphere or periphery of their own manifestation, to the major Rays of the Monad, Ego or personality. This is a correspondence (within the microcosmic manifestation) to the macrocosmic situation, touched upon in the previous paragraph. In the case cited (which is one of quite usual occurrence) we find that

1. The fifth Ray of the mental body relates the man to his Egoic Ray, thereby facilitating Soul contact. Had it related him to his Monadic Ray a very different situation would have eventuated. The line of 1-3-5-7 must ever be remembered.

2. The sixth Ray of the Astral body relates the man to his Monadic Ray, and it will finally constitute his Astral-Buddhic approach to life, and will be employed when he takes the fourth initiation. This Ray relates him also to his personality and intensifies his natural problem. The line of 2-4-6 must also be carefully borne in mind.

3. The second Ray quality of his physical body relates him both to the personality and finally to the Monad. It is, therefore, for him a great problem, a great opportunity, and a great "linking" energy. It makes the life of the personality exceedingly dominant and attractive, and at the same time facilitates the future contact (whilst in a physical body) with the Monad. His problem of Soul consciousness will not, however, be so easily solved.

You will note also that the Monad (2nd Ray), the Astral body (6th Ray) and the physical body (2nd Ray) are all along the same line of activity, or of divine energy, creating a most interesting psychological problem. The Soul (1st Ray) and the mental body (5th Ray) are along another line entirely, and this combination presents great opportunity and much difficulty.

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