The Ascended Masters & The Rays

There are numerous definitions of master. However, the word is said to come from ‘magister’, which is a teacher and expounder as well as an applier of the law (magistrate). Master also signifies achievement – mastery.

>From the Occult Glossary: A Master is one who has his higher principles awakened and lives in them; and ordinary men do not.

Ascended Master: The term 'Ascended Masters' refers to those souls who after many incarnations and life experiences, have mastered the lessons of the physical realm and then ascend - return to higher consciousness of thought and light. They have chosen to serve planet Earth in its ascension process as mass consciousness evolves to its nature state of being.

Introduction

We will consider this subject under the two viewpoints of organised Religion and New Age.

Religion:
As a generalisation, Religions tend to be conservative with concentrated dogma surrounding one Master. New Age beliefs are wide-ranging and inclusive of just about any imaginable theory. Lack of knowledge leads those with psychic abilities to misinterpret visions and channelled messages from the inner planes. There is a lot of information out there. The occult sciences – as in the Theosophical Society – have a careful and pragmatic approach to the mysteries of life. Their answers are the result of long research and much study of the words of the Masters, along with input from knowledge of the ancient wisdom. This is not presented as dogma – everyone is encouraged to find their own Truth. Nevertheless, there have been disagreements and splits in these organisations leading to some significant differences in the material presented.

New Age:
Ascended Masters are enlightened spiritual beings who once lived on the earth just like we do. Over the course of many lifetimes of devotion and striving, they fulfilled their mission and reason for being – their divine plan – and ascended back to their divine source, reuniting with spirit. They once had physical bodies like we wear; they now dwell in the heaven world, or spiritual environment, and have bodies of light.

They come from every era, culture and religion, and they are united in what is called the ‘Great White Brotherhood’. The term White has nothing to do with race but refers to the tremendous white light that surrounds their forms.

When an ascended being is entirely free of negative karma, he can chose where he would wish to serve. He may choose to continue evolving with the earth or to move on to other worlds. Many ascended masters choose to stay connected with souls on earth to guide them on the path of soul development and in transcending self.