Great is the gulf which is interposed between manifestation and non-manifestation; and yet the two, in essence, are one. They are linked together as the stem of a flower is joined to its roots. Likewise one is visible, palpable while the other is invisible, impalpable though no less real and abiding. As the thin crust of earth separates the stem, leaves and flowers from the roots so the limitations of man's consciousness separate the manifest from the unmanifest. Similarly, as when the surrounding earth is removed from the roots and they are laid bare revealing their continuity and unity with the outputting stem and flowers, so, when the limitations of consciousness are removed by the subtle process of expansion to which the consciousness is amenable so that it can encompass the erstwhile unmanifest, it, too, will reveal the eternal unity of the kosmic polars—manifestation and unmanifestation.
There is but one barrier to ultimate knowledge and that is the human consciousness however paradoxical this may seem. The unutterable darkness which shuts out the so-called "unknowable" from our cognition is the limitation of man's upreaching consciousness. These limitations constitute the difference between the human intellect and the mind of the Logos. Nevertheless the outlying frontiers of man's consciousness gradually are being pushed farther and farther without. Every new idea gained, each new emotion indulged, each new conception conquered, and every mental foray which the Thinker makes into the realm of the conceptual, every exploration into the abysmal labyrinth of man's inner nature are the self's expeditionary forces which are gradually annihilating the frontier barriers of consciousness and thus approaching more closely upon the Ultima Thule of man's spiritual possibilities.
Space is in manifestation. It exists and has being whether it is viewed as an object, an entity or the mere possibility of motion. That it offers an opportunity of motion and renders it possible for objects to move freely from point to point cannot be denied and yet this fact has no bearing whatever upon the essential nature of space. The very fact of its appearance, its manifestation, makes it obvious that it is the nether pole of that eternal pair of opposites—manifestation and non-manifestation, being and non-being, which are essentially one.
It will be seen from figure 17 that the period of involution embraces seven separate stages, the monopyknon, duopyknon, tripyknon, etc., being the unit principle or engendering elements of the respective stages. Involution comprises all creative activity from the first faint stirrings of the void and formless chaos until the universe has actually become manifest and dense physical matter has appeared. It is divided into two cardinal periods, namely, the chaogenic period during which primordial chaos is given its character and directive tendencies for the world age. It is a phase of duration wherein the fiat of kosmic order is promulgated, and consist of three stages, monopyknosis, duopyknosis, tripyknosis[24] gradually, insensibly, gradating into the fourth or quartopyknotic; the chaomorphogenic period is likewise divided into three stages—quintopkynosis, sextopyknosis and septopyknosis, developing out of the fourth gradually. The quartopyknotic stage is the stage of metamorphosis or transmutation wherein the transition from non-manifestation to manifestation is completed; it is also the stage of kosmic causation, because from it spring the matured causes or "vital impetus" which engender all that follow.
Fig. 17.—Involution and Evolution
The close of the involutionary phase of the world age is marked by the final deposition of dense physical matter and this is closely followed by the beginnings of the evolutionary movement which, like the involutionary movement, is divided into two cardinal periods, namely, the morphogenic (during which are produced, in turn, insensible forms, sensible forms and spiritual forms) and the kathekotic period which marks the perfection, the consummation of the evolutionary movement. These two cardinal periods of the evolutionary phase of duration and the two cardinal periods of the involutionary phase complete the kosmic age, the "Great Day of Brahma." The concentric circles, beginning with the dot and ending with the seven concentric circles, and designated as a, b, c, d, e, f, g, are representations of the constitution of the respective units corresponding to each of the seven subdivisions. They symbolize the seven degrees of condensation or pyknosis which comprise the genesis of space, on the one hand, and on the other, the stages of unfoldment. Because, during involution all potencies, powers and characters were being infolded, involved; but during evolution, these are being unfolded, expressed, evolved.
The figure 18 is another view of these two major movements, involution and evolution. The genesis of space is here shown symbolized by the Kosmic Egg. The seven stages of involution are referred to as, the monopyknotic, duopyknotic, tripyknotic, quartopyknotic, quintopyknotic, sextopyknotic and the septopyknotic; while the corresponding stages of evolution are referred to as, the physical, the sentient, mental, causative or spiritual, the triadic, duadic and monadic, indicating that the principle of physicality is succeeded by the principles of sentience, mentality, spirituality, and the three forms of kathekotic being. This symbolism, it should be stated, is designed with respect to the universe and man and has no reference to other possible evolutions than the human and contemporaneous animal, plant and mineral evolutions.
Fig. 18.—The Genesis of Space