It will be remembered that the first great outpouring from the Logos vivified universal substance and caused every atom of matter within the "ring-pass-not" of His system to vibrate in seven different measures of vibration. The second outpouring caused molecular combinations, thus forming the six subplane below the atomic on each plane, and produced form. It was at the time of the second outpouring that each of the divine centers of consciousness put forth a thread of being into an atom of the highest subplanes of the atmic, the buddhic, and the manasic planes, - atoms destined to be the nuclei of the future bodies, each on its respective plane, the three forming the upper triad so often referred to. Now every atom is under the influence of one or other of the rays, and the atmic, buddhic and manasic atoms referred to all belong to the same ray; but this is not necessarily the same ray as that to which the over-shadowing center of consciousness belongs. In fact in the majority of cases, the ray of the [169] center of consciousness and the ray of the triad are different; the one modifies the other, the former being the primary (called by Mrs. Besant the monadic ray), the other being the secondary or individual ray, since the manasic atom is the nucleus of the future causal body in which the individual passes from life to life. This body is of course gradually built up of particles of matter belonging to the same quality and type as its nucleus atom, and when it is so built through long ages of evolution, the over-shadowing divine center of consciousness, which has through the ages also evolved individually, unites with it, and the immortal individual Ego starts on its upward climb through the human kingdom. This is the third outpouring for each soul. The influence of this secondary or individual ray constitutes the main factor in the earlier stages of evolution, i.e., in the elemental, mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms; but of course the deepest rooted influence must be that which affects the divine center of consciousness; therefore when the union above referred to takes place, and the entity has become the reincarnating ego, the primary ray becomes and remains the dominant force.

But there is still another influence to be spoken of. This is the planetary ray under which each human being is born. It must of course be understood that the so-called influence of a planet is really the influence of the Hierarchy ruling over that planet. This personal ray is an important factor in the character of a man during the one lifetime of its operation. I say one lifetime, but it may of course be one or more, if the karmic conditions demand it, for the moment of birth for every individual is fixed in accordance with karmic necessities, and probably all of us - whatever our primary or individual rays - have passed lifetimes again and again under the personal influence of all the seven rays. [170]