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Esoteric Psychology II - Chapter II - The Ray of Personality - The Appropriation of the Bodies
I diverged briefly for a moment and took up the subject of the rays of the three bodies of the personality before completing the detail of the outline previously given on the ray of personality. This I did with deliberation, as I was anxious to have clearly established the difference which will be found existing between the rays governing the elemental of the three lower bodies and that of the personality. The life of these three elemental is founded primarily in the three lowest centers in the etheric body:
  1. The sacral center - the mental elemental life
    Transferred later to the throat center.
  2. The solar plexus center - the astral elemental life.
    Transferred later to the heart center.
  3. The center at the base of the spine - the physical elemental life.
    Transferred later to the head center.

The life of the indwelling soul is focused in the three higher centers.

  1. The head center - the mental consciousness.
  2. The throat center - the creative consciousness.
  3. The heart center - the feeling consciousness.

Two important stages in the life of the man take place during the evolutionary process:

First: The stage wherein there comes the first great fusion or "assertion of control" by the soul. At this time the ajna center comes alive. This stage precedes a man's passing on to the Probationary Path and is the stage which distinguishes the average man and woman at this time in the world.

Second: The stage wherein there comes a more definite [305] spiritual awakening. At this time the center at the base of the spine comes into rapport - through its circulating life - with all the centers in the etheric body. This step precedes what is called initiation and signalizes the arousing into activity of the central focus of power at the heart of each of the chakras or etheric lotuses. In all the previous stages, it has been the petals of the various lotuses, chakras or vortices of force which have come into increased motion. At this later stage, the "hub" of the wheel, the "point in the center" or the "heart of the lotus" comes into dynamic action and the whole inner force-body becomes related in all its parts and begins to function harmoniously.

This is of value to remember and upon this the teaching of esoteric psychology is based. We have therefore, three stages of activity spread over a long evolutionary cycle, and differing according to ray and to the karmic conditions engendered.

1. The stage of being alive. This is the earliest and simplest stage wherein the man functions as an elementary human being. During this period all the centers are necessarily active in a slow and rhythmic way. All have a light in them, but it is dim and feeble; all have the three petals (not more) functioning and this the clairvoyant can see. As time goes on all the petals in the centers below the diaphragm become active, but they are not dynamic in the essential sense, nor are they brilliant focal points of light.

2. The stage of the first fusion as related above. Then all the centers have their petals vibrant. They are, at the same time, conditioned by

  1. The fact as to whether the drive of the life is above or below the diaphragm. [306]
  2. The nature of the particular ray energy.
  3. The stage already reached upon the evolutionary way.
  4. The type of physical mechanism, which is itself conditioned by the karma of the person and the field of service chosen in any one life.
  5. The quality of the aspiration and many other factors.

3. The stage of the second fusion, in which the initiate expresses himself through all the centers and in which both the group of petals and the central point of energy are fully and dynamically alive.

Christ symbolically expressed these three stages for us at the Birth experience, the Transfiguration enlightenment, and the Ascension liberation.

In summarizing, it might be said:

  1. At the stage of individualization
    1. The centers throughout the body awaken and begin to function faintly.
    2. The centers below the diaphragm receive the major impact and effect of the incoming life.
    3. Three of the petals in all centers are "awake" and demonstrate activity, quality and light.
  2. At the stage of intellection wherein a man is a self-conscious, self-directed being, and a definite personality,
    1. All the petals in all the centers are awake, but the central focal point of each center is quiescent. It glows with a faint light, but there is no true activity.
    2. The centers above the diaphragm, with the exception of the ajna and head centers, are receptive to impact and inflow of life. [307]
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