We are now in a position to begin to discuss the seven ray methods used in the construction process of the Antahkarana. In the last presentation, we started to look at the six stages a disciple goes through as it tries to construct the Antahkarana. The first two stages are common to all disciples, (1) Intention and (2) Visualisation. Up until this point, all disciples have the intention to create a point of energy in a ring-pass-not. They all have to prepare for the construction of the bridge by gathering the energy needed from two sources, (i) the persona and (ii) the soul. As a result of this focusing of energy and the resultant tension it creates; also by evoking the Spiritual Triad; the process of building the Rainbow Bridge starts at both ends, simultaneously. The disciple now enters the second phase of bridge building, that of the use of Creative Imagination, called here Visualisation. This, however, presents a real difficulty for 1st-ray and 7th-ray aspirants. Both these ray types are not very good at organising material energy, orientating it and then seeing this energy, pictorially, in their imagination. This just happens to be a process that is profoundly difficult for them to achieve. Nevertheless, this is a process that can not be sidestepped, because the use of visual imagination is an essential factor in the building process and is one of the major means of focusing prior to Projection. So good luck you 1st and 7th ray types!
This process of projection falls into three main activities:
After the focusing of energy and the careful, sequential and systematic picturing of the “rainbow bridge”, the disciple, by a distinct and separate effort, calls into focus the will aspect of its nature. This happens, are far as it is possible, in the current incarnation. It is now that the attributes of each ray energy make their appearance and determine what happens next.
The disciple now has to preserve, with steady focus, the triple consciousness. This is not a theoretical exercise. It is a factual occurrence. The three parallel lines of thought or the three streams of active energy are used simultaneously. What are these three streams?
The disciple is aware of themselves, their persona and their soul, as being occupied with the process of bridge building. The disciple never loses the sense of conscious identity.
The disciple is aware of the point of focused tension, which has been successfully produced and involves three distinct streams of energy. These are the focused energy of the persona, poised in the lower concrete mind (47:4-7), the inflow of magnetic energy from the soul (47:1-3), which streams out from the 9 petals of the casual lotus, plus the three extra petals, making 12 in total. Last but not least, there is the energy of the “jewel in the lotus”. They all stream into the centre of the tension on the mental level of the lower mind.
Finally, the disciple is aware of as much of the consciousness of its particular ray energy, as is possible, to enter into its awareness. It should be noted that this is causal ray energy, not the persona force. The disciple endeavours to see themselves as a point of particular energy, coloured by their ray life. It is carefully born in mind that this is their, particular, causal ray energy, through which the Monad is attempting to express itself. The disciple is also aware that the three tiers of the causal lotus are a reflection of and closely related to, the three aspects of the Spiritual Triad. It is the interplay between all these factors, which evokes the building of the Antahkarana and brings into radiant activity the “jewel in the lotus”.
When these three stages of realisation are complete, as far as the disciple feels there are capable of achieving, it is only then that that preparation is made for the distinctive use, relating to the particular ray type in preparation for the “projecting of sound”, otherwise known as the Word of Power.
It should now be clear that the process of building the “rainbow bridge”, is as scientific a process as you are going to find. The only difference, scientifically speaking, is that the whole process is carried out subjectively, in the realms of consciousness. This requires a focus of consciousness and a concentration that is not needed when working in the outer planes of awareness. One thing that must not be forgotten is that although to the disciple the process seems subjective, on the mental plane itself, it is very real and composed of matter from that plane. Daunting as this whole process may seem, and it is not an easy process, once mastered, it becomes automatic. I guess the same thing could be said about juggling with knives.
Let us summarise where we have got to so far, just before we get to the point of projection:
Intention: The process by which energy is focused and a state of tension is created.
Visualisation: which itself is produced by:
The Unity Consciousness (46) activity of “impression”.
The tension of the mental body
The imaginative processes of the emotional body
Projection:
The summoning of the Will aspect.
The preservation of the triple state of awareness so that:
The disciple is aware constantly of their own identity.
The disciple is conscious of a fixed point of tension.
The disciples are aware of the activities of their soul ray or their soul energy
The disciple is to use that distinctive ray energy correctly.
The disciple, when all the above is complete, uses the Word of Power, which is the agent of their will.
This short summary should hopefully help you to see how each stage proceeds from the previous one and when properly mastered, how this process can move forward rapidly. Well, actually not so fast; when we reach the stage of the distinctive use of ray energy, things are not that simple. Did you really think they were going to be? For the disciple to be successful in their endeavours, three things have to occur:
They have to hold their mind steady in the light. This preserves the point of tension at its highest possible point at any given time. This has to occur during the whole unfoldment and building activity.
There has to be a registration of conscious contact with the soul. This helps to bring about the fusion between the soul and the persona. This leads to that, now famous, “at-one-ment”. From a technical standpoint, the energy of the soul ray and that of the persona’s ray, merge. The soul ray is always the dominating ray. If for any happy circumstance, the soul and persona rays happen to be the same, things get a lot easier.
The disciple has to hold in their mind, specifically and in detail, the method to be employed in the building of the bridge. This is done according to the particular ray technique to relate, in a new and significant manner, the Spiritual Triad and the persona.
The net result of all this effort is that the soul, as a separate entity, begins to fade slowly out of the picture, as it is absorbed into the persona. Just a quick point of clarification, in case you have forgotten, the persona is the lower causal body. It is that part of the soul that detaches and surrounds the three envelopes of the 1st triad, making up the 1st Self of the Monad. The persona is now referred to as the “conscious soul incarnate”. Eventually, a relationship is established between the Spirit, which is our Monad and the Persona, which is known as form or matter. Why? Because it dwells on the 1st triad. There is a tiny point of consciousness, eternally present, which is both aware of both factors and yet preserves inviolate, its own identity. This results from the work carried out by the soul over aeons of time. Taking this into account, the soul does not really fade out, it remains. Why? Because in our solar system, there is nought else but only the consciousness of being. So if the soul was a point of consciousness, it isn’t going anywhere.
In the next presentation, we will start by looking at why the “rainbow bridge” is called by that name. We will then go on to look at the methods by which each of the seven rays is projected.