The Ascended Masters are our elder brothers and sisters on the path. Each of them once lived as we live, met what we meet, and through many lifetimes of effort mastered the lessons of this world and ascended into the light. They remain close to the Earth by choice, to help those who are making the same journey now.
This section of the library explains who the Masters are and how they serve, profiles ten of the Masters most active in the present cycle, and provides an index of others you are likely to meet.
What Is an Ascended Master?
An Ascended Master is a soul who has completed the human journey. Over many embodiments such a soul has balanced its karma, fulfilled its unique purpose, and gained mastery over thought, feeling and action. At the close of its final life it is reunited with its own I AM Presence in the event called the ascension, and is free from the round of birth and death.
The word master does not mean mastery over other people. It means mastery of oneself. And the word ascended does not mean departed. The Masters describe themselves as nearer to us than they were in life, since they are no longer confined to one body and one place.
The idea is far older than the name. Cultures in every part of the world have spoken of perfected ones, immortals, saints and sages who continue to guide the living. The ascension teachings gather these figures under a single understanding: that they are one family, that they work together, and that the path they walked is open to everyone.
How the Masters Serve
- As teachers. They offer instruction, directly in meditation and dreams, and through those who channel their words.
- As sponsors. A Master may take a particular interest in a student and quietly arrange the meetings, books and circumstances that student needs.
- As keepers of the flame. Each Master holds a focus of a particular divine quality on behalf of the whole planet, in an etheric retreat.
- As examples. Their lives show that the path can be completed, and how.
The Masters never command, never flatter, and never ask for anything for themselves. They respect free will absolutely. A Master will wait lifetimes to be asked. For guidance on recognizing a true contact, see Discernment and Protection.
The Seven Chohans of the Rays
Seven Masters hold the office of Chohan, a word meaning lord. Each Chohan administers one of the seven rays for the Earth and trains the souls who are developing on that ray.
| Ray | Chohan | Color | Qualities |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Ray | El Morya | Sapphire blue | Will, faith and protection |
| Second Ray | Lord Lanto | Golden yellow | Wisdom and illumination |
| Third Ray | Paul the Venetian | Rose pink | Divine love and compassion |
| Fourth Ray | Serapis Bey | Crystal white | Purity, harmony and the ascension flame |
| Fifth Ray | Hilarion | Emerald green | Truth, healing and wholeness |
| Sixth Ray | Lady Nada | Purple and gold with ruby | Peace, devotion and selfless service |
| Seventh Ray | Saint Germain | Violet | Freedom, mercy and transmutation |
Meet the Masters
El Morya
Master of divine will. El Morya teaches clarity of purpose, disciplined action and leadership that serves.
Lord Lanto
The golden sage. Lord Lanto teaches wisdom that is patient and reverent, and that ripens in the heart.
Paul the Venetian
The artist among the Masters. Paul the Venetian teaches that love becomes real when it is given form.
Serapis Bey
Keeper of the ascension flame. Serapis Bey trains those who are ready to make the path their whole life.
Hilarion
Master of truth and healing. Hilarion bridges science and spirit and has a special care for those who doubt.
Lady Nada
Master of selfless love. Lady Nada heals families, guards children and carries the Venusian frequency of the rose.
Saint Germain
Master alchemist and hierarch of the new age. Saint Germain brings the violet flame of freedom and transmutation.
Kuthumi
The World Teacher. Kuthumi brings a gentle, exact understanding of the soul and a deep love of the natural world.
Kuan Yin
The mother of mercy. Kuan Yin hears every cry and answers with a compassion that asks nothing in return.
Djwal Khul
The Tibetan. Djwal Khul makes the deepest teachings on the rays and the subtle bodies clear and usable.
Sanat Kumara and Lady Venus are often listed with the Ascended Masters, although they belong to Venus and did not ascend from the Earth. They are described in the section on the Venusian Council of Light.
An Index of the Masters
No complete list of the Ascended Masters exists, and the teachings say their number grows as more souls ascend. The index below gathers the names most often met by students. Names shown as links have a full entry in this library.
Djwal Khul
The Tibetan. Messenger of the Masters and teacher of the science of the seven rays.
El Morya
Chohan of the First Ray. Master of divine will, purpose and right leadership.
Gautama
Lord of the World. He holds the flame of illumination at Shamballa on behalf of all humanity, an office he received from Sanat Kumara.
Hilarion
Chohan of the Fifth Ray. Master of truth, healing and science.
Kuan Yin
Bodhisattva of Mercy. She hears the cries of the world and serves on the Karmic Board.
Kuthumi
World Teacher. The gentle master psychologist, said to have come to Earth from Venus.
Lady Nada
Chohan of the Sixth Ray. Master of selfless love and the healing of families.
Lady Portia
Goddess of Justice and twin flame of Saint Germain. She holds the balance of mercy and justice on the Seventh Ray and serves on the Karmic Board.
Lady Venus
Twin flame of Sanat Kumara and presiding presence of the Venusian Council of Light. A Master of Venus, listed here because she is so often called on with the Masters of the Earth.
Lord Lanto
Chohan of the Second Ray. The golden sage of patient, reverent wisdom.
Maha Chohan
The Great Lord. He oversees the seven Chohans and represents the Holy Spirit to the Earth and to the kingdom of nature.
Maitreya
The great initiator, holder of the office of Planetary Christ. His name means loving kindness, and he is the teacher of the teachers.
Mary Magdalene
Honored in the ascension teachings as a Master of the sacred feminine and of divine union, and a guide for those who lead from the heart.
Melchizedek
The eternal priest. He holds the ancient wisdom for this universe and is called on for the remembering of sacred knowledge.
Merlin
Master of the magical dimension. Regarded in some teachings as an earlier embodiment of Saint Germain, he is called on for the study of natural law and inner alchemy.
Mother Mary
Queen of the Angels and Archeia of the Fifth Ray with Archangel Raphael. She is the great mother of compassion and is said to carry the frequency of Venus.
Pallas Athena
Goddess of Truth. She serves on the Karmic Board as the representative of the Fifth Ray and is the patron of all who speak truthfully.
Paul the Venetian
Chohan of the Third Ray. The artist among the Masters, who teaches love expressed as beauty.
Saint Germain
Chohan of the Seventh Ray and hierarch of the new age. He brings the violet flame of freedom.
Sananda
The name by which the Master Jesus is known in the higher realms. He shares the office of World Teacher with Kuthumi and embodies the love of the Christ.
Sanat Kumara
The Ancient of Days. One of the Seven Kumaras of Venus, he came in Earth's darkest hour to hold the flame of life for humanity.
Serapis Bey
Chohan of the Fourth Ray. Keeper of the ascension flame and trainer of candidates for the ascension.
Masters, Archangels and Personal Guides
These terms are sometimes used loosely. Within the ascension teachings they describe three different kinds of helper.
| Who they are | How they help | |
|---|---|---|
| Ascended Master | A soul who lived as a human being, attained self-mastery and ascended. | Teaches from experience. Serves all of humanity, in every tradition. |
| Archangel | A great being of the angelic kingdom who has never been human. | Brings the pure power of one divine quality wherever it is called for. |
| Personal guide | A soul, often not yet ascended, who has agreed to assist one person through a lifetime. | Offers close, day-to-day companionship and prompting. |
How to Work With an Ascended Master
- Choose one Master to begin with. Read the entries and notice which name stays with you. That attraction is itself a form of contact.
- Ask. Say the Master's name and state, simply, what you would like help with. The Masters do not intervene unasked.
- Study their quality. Each Master embodies a virtue. To draw close to El Morya, practice constancy. To draw close to Kuan Yin, practice mercy.
- Keep a regular time. A few minutes daily, at the same hour, builds a connection that occasional long sessions do not.
- Act on what you receive. Guidance that is used is followed by more.
Questions People Ask
Are the Ascended Masters gods?
No. The Masters are clear that they are not to be worshipped. They are souls who have completed a journey that every soul is making, and they regard us as younger members of the same family.
Do I have to follow a particular religion?
No. The Masters come from every culture and tradition and they work with anyone who is sincere. Many people find that working with the Masters deepens the faith they already hold.
Can anyone become an Ascended Master?
Yes. This is the central teaching. The ascension is the natural goal of every soul. It may take many lifetimes, and it is assured.
How many Ascended Masters are there?
No fixed number is given. The teachings describe an open and growing company. Different lineages name different Masters, and no single list is complete.
Why do different sources describe the same Master differently?
Each channel receives through the lens of their own language and understanding, and the Masters adapt their manner to the person in front of them. Look for agreement in the quality of the teaching, not in the details.