The study of the rays has been undertaken by many, Alice Bailey and Elizabeth Prophet spring to mind, both providing contradictory information. There is a plethora of contradictory information available on the internet, and for the most part, supporting either Bailey or Prophet. Among all this confusion, we here at the Ascended Masters’ portal have undertaken an empirical study of the rays because of the Masters’ work with the rays. We have also been assisted in understanding what we see by the Masters themselves, but most comforting of all is the evidence of our own eyes and studies. We are becoming aware of the enormity of this topic, so here we present a little of what we have discovered through personal observation and from the Masters’ teachings.

What is a Ray of Incarnation?

The Rays are the energy manifestations of the attributes of God, individualised and focused within the universe and within every person. It is commonly believed there are seven rays of incarnation, but we have seen there are really eight rays of incarnation.

When we incarnate into each life, we are born with five of these rays. We see them in people’s auras. These five rays help manifest the life and spiritual lessons we are here to learn to attain within that ray. The Masters have taught those of us here at their portal in New Zealand where to look in the aura for these five rays and how to identify them in the various energy bodies.

From these eight rays, we incarnate with five of them in each lifetime. The major ray we incarnate on is our ascension ray, more commonly known as the soul ray. This is also the ray of our Ascension teacher (who is an Ascended Master). Not only do we incarnate on an ascension ray, but we incarnate on four other rays as well. These other four rays govern our personality. The most important of these is our Life ray (aka Personality ray); this is the ray that influences the life we have come to live and the lessons we have. The Life ray is supported by three lesser rays these are the mental body ray, the emotional body ray, and the physical body ray.

The Eight Rays of Incarnation

First Ray

If you are born on the First Ray, then you will have one of the First Ray Ascended Masters walking with you. These Ascended Masters are El Morya, Melchizedek, St. John the Baptist, Thomas Merton, Osiris, Metatron or Sitatapatra.

First Ray people are natural leaders. They can have focus. They see the plan, they know how to achieve it, and work at making it happen. This gives them power. Because they have this clarity, focus, and drive, they can appear abrupt, rude, officious, and definitely not a team player. Their thinking becomes, "I know what has to be done, this is what you have to do." The leader and worker scenario can occur. Their focus closes them to other options and other points of view. Dissent and difference aren’t easily understood by them.

The lesson of the ray is God's will and power. Translate this into individual life, and the lesson becomes My will and My way. Which is fine if there is a focused goal, but my will and my way can be transferred to all parts of their lives, which isn't good. Dissent from others can bring up anger, annoyance, and disrespect within the First Ray person.

First Ray people have the lessons of respect for others and realising power is not power over others, but personal power. Their lessons teach there are other ways to achieve the same goal, and they will come to realise other viewpoints and beliefs are valid. Respect for all is paramount, regardless of who they are, how they act, and what they believe.

The First Ray is a masculine warrior ray. First Ray people aren't afraid to go into battle, but they have to believe in what they are fighting for, and then they will plan what needs to be done. Most First Ray people are men. A woman on the First Ray has lessons of personal power, how they relate to power, and how they use power. They also have lessons on how they relate to non-First Ray women. All of this is tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Second Ray

Those on the Second Ray are on the yellow ray. The shades of yellow cover the entire spectrum of yellow. Each Master and Higher Self on the Ray has a unique variation in colour. For example, Jesus has a sunny yellow and Lord Lanto has a dark yellow. As the Masters say, “You will know us by our colours.”

If you are on the Second Ray, then you will have one of the Second Ray Ascended Masters with you - Jesus, Lao Tze, Kuthumi, Lord Lanto, Hera, Amaterasu, or Krishna. The Second Ray is the ray of Wisdom, Lightness of Being, and Joy. The Second Ray is the happiness ray. Our idea of Wisdom is serious though, and Joy is the opposite of serious. The Ascended Master Lao Tze is the best example of both of these in action. He is known for wisdom, but to see him, he is always laughing and smiling. The Dalai Lama is another example of a Second Ray soul in action. Wisdom with Joy with Lightness of Beingpersonifies the true Second Ray.

The Second Ray has many lessons. Lessons of being in balance with head and heart, lessons of thinking from the heart not from the head, lessons of realising true wisdom comes from the heart not from the mind, lessons of feeling versus thinking. Wise thoughts might erupt, but the lesson is expression. The lesson is sharing the wisdom, perhaps verbally or written. This can then bring up issues of ego.

When the head and heart aren't in balance, the mind can take over, and the heart is shut down. This takes the person away from the basis of the Second Ray - Lightness of Being. This can also lead to mental illness for some on the Second Ray. As Kuthumi said, he had to go out of his mind (literally) to come into his heart.

Second Ray people feel. They feel joy, they feel light, they feel heavy, they feel burdened, they feel wise. The lesson is to turn feelings into an outward expression and to share their experience. Feeling joy might be expressed as simply as a smile, a giggle, a laugh, or more overtly as humour. Their feelings might take a negative turn. When emotionally hurt, they feel in a deep way. They are susceptible to depression, and they can feel the highs and lows when not in balance. Some of the greatest comedians suffer from depression.

All of this is tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Second Ray people often need the Masters' Lighten spray to bring them back into balance with the Lightness of the ray.

Third Ray

The Third Ray is the pink ray of unconditional love. If you are on the Third Ray for your ascension or life ray, then you will have one of the Third Ray Masters with you - Kuan Yin, Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, Dom Ignacio, Ma'at, or Paul the Venetian.

Those on the Third Ray are usually kind and compassionate and have the lessons this brings. Don't think those on this ray are weak, because this is the ray of the Divine Mother. There is a warrior fierceness underlying those with Mother Mary and Kuan Yin. They can be the protectors of those in need. Third Rays are likely to be those leading the charge for a good cause. They have the power of the Divine Mother in them. Those with Mother Mary can be focused and determined and yet still have gentle compassion.

This is also the ray of the Home. Third Rays are likely to do everything they can to make where they live a home. It is also the creative ray, so combine home, love, and creation, and the Third Ray home becomes very inviting. Those with Paul the Venetian are on the creative and beauty aspect of the ray. They are the artists. They create in all forms; whether it is through food, paint, sculpture, cloth, or yarn. They will strive to bring beauty into the world.

Third Rays see beauty in life. They appreciate nature, they appreciate people, they have gratitude. You will find them saying thank you in the most unexpected ways and times.

Third Rays are observers. They remember what they see. They feel what they see. They care about what they see. They care about everything. The Divine Mother is awake in them. Caring. Gratitude. Kindness. Compassion. Love. Creativity.

The downside is they can care too much. They get easily hurt. Their caring for one thing might come at the expense of another, so if something isn't in their current focus, it doesn't exist at that moment. This inattention to things outside of their focus can lead to some serious repercussions in their lives. They can be seen as absent-minded, careless, thoughtless, and inattentive.

All rays need balance.

The Third Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Fourth Ray

The Fourth Ray is the white ray of harmony through conflict.

If you are on the Fourth Ray, you will have one of the Fourth Ray Ascended Masters standing with you - Serapis Bey, Amen Bey, or Inanna.

This is one of the hardest rays to incarnate on. Fourth Ray people are here to serve humanity in the hardest of ways, they are here to be facilitators so we can find harmony and resolution in our life’s problems . Fourth Ray people are at the nexus of all conflict. They can create the conflict, they can participate in the conflict, and with ascension, they can end the conflict so we can find the harmony . And for this they need our greatest thanks. But this never happens. The lesson of the ray is harmony through conflict. Harmony can't be achieved without conflict. They facilitate our lessons. 

This ray is the ultimate teaching ray, for this ray provides the life lessons for others. Those on the Fourth Ray are the facilitators of others change. The Seventh Ray looks at change too, but that is subtle and about self. Fourth ray change is for others, it is loud, in your face, and painful. And being the facilitator of this can be hard for fourth rays. They feel it in their mind, emotions, body, soul and spirit. If anyone needs a hug it is Fourth Ray people.

For those on the Fourth Ray, conflict can be internalised in the mind, emotions, body and soul, and externalised in relationships, work, family and life.  They can go through great personal suffering. They are great worriers. 

Fourth Ray people usually want to skip though to the harmony and they will do anything to make this happen for themselves and for others. The Fourth Ray person not knowing or understanding their role in humanity can become the victim because being at the centre of conflict, means everyone blames them. They will do anything to sidestep the very nature of their existence - which is to be the nexus of conflict. This can be they make up a story, or go into a dream world anything to get away from the conflict and into the harmony.

For those in their heart and in personal harmony, they are helpers in the life lessons of those around them. They can see the solution, they know how others can achieve the harmony and resolution they seek. Once they have helped others achieve harmony in some aspect of their life, they find the person leaves their life. So, friends come and go. People come and go. 

Few Fourth ray people find harmony in life if they aren’t heart based (heart based thoughts, heart based speech and heart based actions). Few recognise their place as humanities teachers and facilitators of change. Few realise it is their path to stand at the centre of conflict. Few are in their power, and so they have lives of pain and suffering. The mental anguish for Fourth Ray souls can be intense. They suffer for the service they offer humanity. 

If you know a Fourth ray person, give them a hug and honour what they do for all of us. 

The Fourth Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc. 

Fifth Ray

The Fifth Ray is the green and orange ray of healing, truth, and knowledge. If you are on the Fifth Ray, then you have one of these Ascended Masters with you - Hilarion, Ptah, Ganesh, Amaryllis the goddess of Spring, or Susan'oo.

This is a vast Ray. It is the Ray of the Self and the World. For those on the ray, it is about understanding themselves and understanding the world they live in. This can all be brought down to Truth. Truth though is subjective.

Fifth Ray people ask questions constantly. If you have a fifth ray child, they will be asking why, what, and how all the time. The lesson for the Fifth Ray person is to find these answers for themselves, and they do so through reading, watching documentaries, going to lectures, and any other source of knowledge they can find. Fifth Ray people know a lot. This doesn't make them good teachers though, as the question is always there. Sharing their knowledge isn't part of who they are. They gather knowledge for themselves.

The Fifth ray is also the healing ray. This isn't healing of others, but more about healing themselves. Fifth Ray people innately know healing is about personal truth. They know that looking at themselves in truth will help them heal. Those with Ganesh often have deep inner scars that need deep healing, though they hide this part of themselves from the world.

Fifth Ray people can be travelers too. They can go out to seek knowledge from all sources, wherever that is in the world. I can imagine the great explorers being on the Fifth Ray. They want to know, what is around this corner? What’s on the other side of this ocean? Those on the orange aspect of the Ray take this exploration internally, they want to understand themselves. And on a spiritual level, they find another level of consciousness opening up that they just have to explore.

The negative side of the Fifth Ray can be that the questions become more important than the answers. The questions can become lists of questions. They don't think about what the answers might be as the answers are less important than the questions. Some can use the questions as a means of social interaction, not aware that these continuous questions can alienate people.

The Fifth Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Sixth Ray

The Sixth Ray is the ray of the goddess and the ray of devotion. If you are on this ray, you will have one of these Masters standing with you - Lady Nada, Isis, Pallas Athena, Eros, Hathor, or Portia. Your ray colour will be either gold, ruby or purple.

Those on the ruby aspect embrace the divine feminine. They usually feel comfortable in their own skin. They will have a sensual awareness of themselves and the world around them. They will understand themselves in an intimate way. The ruby ray truly is the feminine ray.

The purple aspect of this ray is the external form of the ray. Those who are on the purple ray are the warriors of the ray. They fight for truth and for the rights of women, and they aren't afraid to fight for what they believe in. They are the female protectors. Their soul lessons come to them from the external world.

Those on the gold aspect of the ray are rare. These are the high priestesses or high priests of the divine feminine. They understand the divinity of the goddess. They understand devotion is the truth of the ray, devotion not to an external goddess, but rather devotion to the inner goddess.

The goddess ray embraces physical beauty and spiritual beauty. The Sixth Ray is the ray of sex for pleasure rather than procreation. The goddess embraces all forms of pleasure.

But like every Ray, there are lessons to be learned. Sixth Ray people can be self-centred and selfish. While caring for their own well-being, they can forget to care for others. Hedonists are on the Sixth Ray.

Sixth Ray people are drawn to each other. This is often a past life memory of their past lives as devotees to ancient goddesses. The memory of female sisterhood draws them to the recognition of the goddess energy in others.

The Sixth Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Seventh Ray

The Seventh Ray is the ray of change. It is the ray of surprise and the unexpected. It is the ray of magic and transmutation. It is the violet ray and the ray of the Violet Flame.

Expect the unexpected with Seventh Ray people. They like to see the world from different perspectives, viewpoints, and even places. They aren't explorers in the true sense, they are more observers of the world and of people.

They have courage. They have the courage to change and the courage to leap into the unknown. A leap of faith occurs quite naturally to them. They are quite serious people, with a touch of whimsy. Expect the unexpected even here.

They are open to change, both in their external world and internal self. They don't have rigid thinking or beliefs. Their motto might be, ‘Just because you knew me yesterday, don't think you know me today.’

On the negative side, they can be off-balance within themselves, never quite managing to find a stable foundation. Their lesson is to find balance, internally and externally, while leaping from one tight rope to the next, just to see what the world is like from that perspective.

The Seventh Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Eighth Ray

It is commonly thought there are only seven Rays, and the Eighth Ray is a hidden Ray, but we can see this isn't the case, as there are many people with the Eighth Ray as one of their five Rays. It is a very active ray within life and ascension. The other misconception is that the Eighth Ray is special, but it is just like all the other rays, not greater or lesser. It is different though.

The Eighth Ray is called the rainbow Ray. It contains within in it a part of the seven previous Rays - blue, red, silver, yellow, pink, copper, bronze, white, green, orange, purple, ruby, gold, and violet. A person who has the rainbow Ray for one of their five Rays will have a mix of these colours, for it is within those colours that their ascension and life lessons are contained. Their lessons come from everywhere, everyone, and every ray. It is a Ray of unity and oneness for it is inclusive of all.

If you are on the rainbow ray, you won't have the defined lessons that we see in the other rays. There are so many lessons within each ray and then to define which apply to you can be difficult and challenging. It is only in living that the lessons are revealed.

This inclusiveness can be found in Eighth Ray people. Their major lesson then becomes about inclusion and acceptance of everyone.

The Eighth Ray traits are tempered by their other rays, karma, past life patterns and lessons, personality, ancestral memory, education, beliefs, society, religion, life events, etc.

Your Five Personal Rays 

1. Ascension ray (also known as the soul ray) - this is the ray also of our Ascension Master teacher and the most important ray
2. life or personality ray - this is also the ray of our Life Teacher. For many this is the Master they are closest to.
3. mental body - the ray of our mental body Master
4. emotional body ray - the ray of our emotional body Master
5. physical body ray - the ray of our physical body Master

So, in effect, every single person on the planet is working on five rays each lifetime in a bid for Mastery of the rays, whether it is conscious or not. Most of humanity is not consciously ascending, nor are they striving to leave the cycle of rebirth, so they continue to incarnate life after life.

Each of these five rays is also linked to a specific ray Master according to the specific shade of the ray colour. So all of humanity at this time is energetically linked to five Ascended Masters. 

The rays and the Masters with them then have variations of colour. These colours can be seen in, The Masters and the Ray colours.