Course XXXI - Teaching 15: Primordial Substance and Seven Rays

The Primordial Substance is perfectly equal to the Absolute One, Spirit-Consciousness, but it is not the Spirit in Se.
To the mind of man, this eternal and real union between Spirit in Se and Primordial Substance remains a mystery.
The divine and absolute part of the Primordial Substance is totally identified with itself, and is of the same divine nature of the Spirit in Se; but the substantial part of the Primordial Substance is of different nature, but emanating from the divine nature of the Eternal One.
To the mind of man, this transition remains a mystery.
This transition gives the Universal Creation.
This mysterious and divine union between Non-Being and Being, this union between spirit and eternal substance is the soul of the Cosmos. You cannot separate these two expressions that are mutually equal, since they are equally eternal, indivisible and unknowable, but perfectly divisible in relation to their causes.
So, the primary cause of the Universal Creation cannot be proved by reason or knowledge, but man can rationally prove it through derived causes of the Cause. These causes are mind, energy and matter. In other words, one may say you know the Absolute One by the relative aspect.
The Spirit in Se, the Primordial Substance and the Primary Cause are the Divine Creational Trinity. This Primary Cause develops in se and a se, like a ball of wool, and its movements are causes of Life. These movements of Substance, or Great Element of the Cosmic Ether, are the Seven Rays.
They are the stream of the living wave in the Cosmos, and every form is made, kept and undone by its vibratory transformations.
A constant change in this wave of cosmic life is the creational movement of forms.
It is a constant association of these vibratory waves that keeps forms. A constant and quick dissociation of these vibratory waves destroys and renews forms.
The Great Element is the raiment of the Primordial Substance, and the Seven Rays are the movement of this raiment.
The First Ray is synthetically manifested in the Cosmos because it pervades a se the entire Cosmos and holds it.
It is the Circle or limit of the Cosmic Consciousness.
The Second Ray is dimensionally manifested, by devising potentially the Nature that still is not expressed in Life.
The Third Ray emits the Creational vibration or movement of Life, because separates ideally the Cause from Causes, and the Consciousness from consciousnesses.
It is the knife of God transfixing the Divine Substance.
The Fourth Ray is the power of the Creational Will, or Word made flesh.
Solar Initiates emanate from this power of Eternal Life.
The Fifth Ray is the subjective determination of the Creational Will. Before God creates the world, He determined it subjectively in His Thought. Once this Thought is launched, possesses its own life. Will of Wills.
The Sixth Ray mobilizes the immensity of Life in which infinite individual forms move.
Drop of water in the Ocean of Life.
The Seventh Ray is the factor of any extant form. The Primordial Substance expresses itself in it entirely as a finished Work. Matter is its main agent.