Second: The situation is still further complicated by [46] the fact that both these rays influence and express themselves (as is ever the case) in a dual manner and have always a lower and a higher form of manifestation, which is a correspondence in this connection to the personality, and the egoic expression of every human being. In the case of the outgoing ray, the higher form (which is ever the first to manifest in germ) is rapidly disappearing or is being absorbed into the newer idealism, thus contributing all that is best to the new presentation of truth so that the emerging culture will be properly rooted in the old. The lower forms are, however, tenacious and dominant and because of this they definitely constitute today the major problem of the Hierarchy, so much so that they require the calling in of the first ray (or the Shamballa force) in order to effect their destruction. Bear this in mind as you study the world situation. The lower forms of the seventh ray expression are still in an embryonic stage. This you can see clearly if you consider the one to which I chose to refer - the spiritualistic movement - which began to take shape only during the last century and has achieved its curiously phenomenal growth only because it started upon the American continent. The United States of America was the center of old Atlantis and hence inherited a psychic and ancient religious form which was existent and potently alive in that part of the world for many centuries.

In spite of these facts, the higher and more living energy of the seventh ray is the most active at this time and its resultant idealism and consequent New Age concepts are playing upon the sensitive minds of the race and preparing humanity for a great and much needed change. The work of the Ray of Ceremonial Order is to "ground" or make physically visible the results of bringing spirit and matter [47] together. Its function is to clothe spirit with matter, producing form.