Rays and the Initiations: A Treatise on the Seven Rays (Rays & the Initiations)

Rating:
Summary: The Rays and the Initiations
Review: A detailed explanation of the universal forces which affect everyone and everything, and which can be manipulated for good, that's what I've learned from this work of DK and Alice Bailey. Clearly enumerated and explained are the rules for disciples and initiates, a must for anyone who is serious about serving mankind. Words of power affecting these forces, called "rays" in Alice Bailey's books, are divulged to the attentive reader, who wishes to follow the path of the chela, or student of the Masters, whose fields of activity are also shared with the readers. This book is a MUST for all industrious servers of mankind.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the AAB books.
Review: Out of the many volumes of Alice Bailey books, there are a few that truly are written at a higher level, and whose contents will endure long into the future. "Treatise on Cosmic Fire" is one of those, being exhaustively profound all through. "The Rays and the Initiations" is another, whose information is valuable in a profound way. The book offers many esoteric catechisms and allegories that are intrinsically valuable to anyone seriously into meditation and contemplation. The "14 rules for initiation" given in the early volume "Initiation Human and Solar" are reproduced at a "higher consciousness" level. Whether the casual observer needs to believe this is beside the point. The wisdom and esoteric knowledge hinted at in this book makes it stand out as a valuable tool.

The descriptions and implied definition of initiation is non-sectarian and considers the person as a soul, who passes through many incarnations in order to "stand at the portal" to participation in a permanent and elevated awareness of life. I've had complaints from readers of AAB that she was at times antisemitist, talking of Aryans and all that! I think that the intention of the author was not racist, and that the reader should seek to view it that way.

Intitiation is a testing experience, and many of the pitfalls and potential hazards are described here. It seems that true seekers of illumination risk their sanity at many points along the way. However, just reaching the "door" to this experience is triumph in itself.

There is emphasis in this book on "group awareness". This is due to the time coming when there is inner awakening of the disciple to the group of sisters and brothers. These are not literally our siblings, but the inner family with whom we share our spiritual journey in service to the planet and its living creatures.

There is also a very practical large section on building the link between lower and higher self. This link is known as the "rainbow bridge" in some books, or, as here, is called the Antahkarana. Many meditation techniques use this sort of idea to reach higher awareness.

Finally, its worth adding that AAB books can get rather heavy, especially if you try to read them as you would a novel. However, this book has a lot going for it spiritually (I think at least) and the purely interested intellectual reader may find there is lots to try put into a perspective.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the AAB books.
Review: Out of the many volumes of Alice Bailey books, there are a few that truly are written at a higher level, and whose contents will endure long into the future. "Treatise on Cosmic Fire" is one of those, being exhaustively profound all through. "The Rays and the Initiations" is another, whose information is valuable in a profound way. The book offers many esoteric catechisms and allegories that are intrinsically valuable to anyone seriously into meditation and contemplation. The "14 rules for initiation" given in the early volume "Initiation Human and Solar" are reproduced at a "higher consciousness" level. Whether the casual observer needs to believe this is beside the point. The wisdom and esoteric knowledge hinted at in this book makes it stand out as a valuable tool.

The descriptions and implied definition of initiation is non-sectarian and considers the person as a soul, who passes through many incarnations in order to "stand at the portal" to participation in a permanent and elevated awareness of life. I've had complaints from readers of AAB that she was at times antisemitist, talking of Aryans and all that! I think that the intention of the author was not racist, and that the reader should seek to view it that way.

Intitiation is a testing experience, and many of the pitfalls and potential hazards are described here. It seems that true seekers of illumination risk their sanity at many points along the way. However, just reaching the "door" to this experience is triumph in itself.

There is emphasis in this book on "group awareness". This is due to the time coming when there is inner awakening of the disciple to the group of sisters and brothers. These are not literally our siblings, but the inner family with whom we share our spiritual journey in service to the planet and its living creatures.

There is also a very practical large section on building the link between lower and higher self. This link is known as the "rainbow bridge" in some books, or, as here, is called the Antahkarana. Many meditation techniques use this sort of idea to reach higher awareness.

Finally, its worth adding that AAB books can get rather heavy, especially if you try to read them as you would a novel. However, this book has a lot going for it spiritually (I think at least) and the purely interested intellectual reader may find there is lots to try put into a perspective.

Rating:
Summary: A true souce of wisdom
Review: Some works of litterature is truely byond reviewing in the normal sense: You dont choose to take on the challenge of understanding the works of Søren Kierkegaard or C.S.Peirce because they got a better review than say the works of Kant or Hegel. I think in most cases you study such a work because they promise a deeper understanding of the general questions that you are strugeling with in life. In this case i would suggest that an interest in making true your aspirations for a life in service of humanity and a desire to expose yourself to a range of advanced suggestions from your freind and teacher Djwhal Khul would make up a sound basis for the study of this book. If you choose to do so The Rays and the Initiations offers a continuous source of inspiration which you will properbly value for decades. Leaving the advertising of quick fixes to others the book represents a clear view of the longterm goals in the unfoldment of your soul-pontential. In the way that it speaks to your deeper layers of soul wisdom I think that it is very suggestive of the relationship that you will devellop with ur master as you progresses on the path. There is in my experience a very real spiritual stimulation resulting from any attemt to grasp the vision of this book.