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"The Evolutionary Process -- Ascent and Integration"
(Book 2 Chapter XVIII)

Introduction
This chapter addresses the power that enables radically new principles, planes to emerge. They must emerge from the dynamically creative power of the involved spirit, emerging. This occurs particularly through the inner and upward movements of man -- through his double movement of connection to soul within and to the spiritual mind and higher above. (Thus, the further evolution in the universe is enabled by the higher consciousness in Man.)

This role of man in the evolution is further taken up in Chapter XXIII.

Also, an integration of that which has been [already] achieved must also be part of the process for the evolution to be complete.

 

Here are the main points:

The Evolutionary Process
-The involved spirit, the Conscious Force, is there in Matter, in Life, and Mind. It is the workings of this inner force that enables these successive planes to emerge; and can enable further planes to emerge in life up to Supermind.

Here's how it works: When the Force of concealed conscious being is so intensified in a plane, it develops a new principle of action, enabling a whole new plane to emerge out of it. This is the evolutionary process of ascent. (It should be pointed out that each principle is radically different from the previous one; it is a whole new creation, a miracle of metamorphous.)

-The higher plane emerges from within the lower plane, from a pressure of a superior plane above, which is dominant. [E.g. vital evolves to mind because of pressure of plane of Mind in the universe?]

[Questions: 1. So does the next plane merge because of the intensification of the Conscious Force in the current plane, or because of the pressure of the higher plane above, or both? 2. What intensifies the concealed Conscious Force? Is it the fact that it has excess energy; or that it is in the process of being organized, or what?  3. Why is the evolution called a 'reversal' of consciousness? What is being reversed? The contradictions of the plane?]

 

How We Effect the Evolutionary Process
[Paraphrase of MSS]: By connecting to our soul within and spiritual planes above, we develop a higher consciousness, which enables the contradictions to be resolved into complementaries at that plane, creating a reversal of consciousness that enables an evolution to higher planes. We can thus replace Nature's method [which appears to be the same, i.e. an upward movement of consciousness that ends in something new; though slower]. Thus, the double opening to the psychic and the spirit above is the Secret of the new evolution. [It is also suggested in Book 2, chapter XXIII that to enable the new evolution fully requires man to rise to Supermind to enable the greatest power of reversal.]

 

 

[DETAILS]

• There is an upward evolutionary progress, an ascent, of the consciousness itself from grade to higher grade.

• An integration of that which has been achieved must also be part of the process for the evolution to be complete.

• Matter is the foundation. It then is transformed into vital, living substance, and then into conscious, mental substance. But they each have their individual limiting aspects. Though the vital and mental improve on the physical and matter, they are limited and thus do not transform it, perfect it altogether. They transform it in substance but they do not transform it completely because the life nature is bound to death, and mind evolving is materialized and vitalized. So there must be an original creative power, a deeper occult Reality that can enable this total transformation. 

• Supramental Consciousness-Force is the power of the Supreme essence and substance of all things. It is the original creative, evolutionary Power. It is the original creative power that can enable this total transformation.

• At each movement among the planes, each principle, the involved spirit must be accounted for.

• There is this Consciousness-Force of the Divine secretly indwelling in matter, which makes its way up the higher gradations, manifesting in life and then mind; and therefore must then be able to manifest there Supermind and Supramental beings. 

• There are real, radical differences among the planes, so much so that each one seems to be a new creation; a miracle of metamorphosis, rather than something predictable or quiet in passing from state to state.

• Science has taken up the outer processes that see new forms emerging out of matter, but not the inner process.

• The difference between the stages of evolution are due to the workings of the inner Force and not in the outer process of the evolutionary transition. [Since the inner Force is inherently creative, it accounts for these differences in the planes.] Key Point!

• The transition from one state to the next is a stride from one principle of being to a different, higher principle.

• The higher plane emerges from within the lower plane, from a pressure from a superior plane above, where the new power is dominant.

• When the Force of concealed conscious being is so intensified, it develops a new principle of action. That is how the transition takes place. [This point can be applied to e.g. social growth?] [When the intensity reaches a point, the creativity inherent in spirit does its work with the emergence of a new power, plane, and principle of existence.]

• In man the whole thing begins to become conscious. There is a self-consciousness engaged in the process [of creation.]

• Man through his self-consciousness can move to the inner soul being and upward to spiritual mind and above. [Thus he can engage the process, release the spirit, enable the creativity of spirit, and create dramatic new powers, levels, and principles of existence.]