Editing Involution (esotericism) (section)

==According to esoteric cosmology==
In [[Theosophy (Blavatskian)|theosophy]], [[anthroposophy]] and [[Rosicrucianism]], involution and evolution are part of a complex sequence of [[Esoteric cosmology|cosmic cycles]], called Round.  When the universe attains a stage of sufficient density, the individual spirit is able to descend and participate in the evolution.  Involution thus refers to the incarnation of spirit in an already established [[matter]], the necessary prerequisite of evolution:

{{quote|As an example, the so-called descent of the Monad into matter means an involution or involving or infolding of spiritual potencies into material vehicles which coincidentally and contemporaneously, through the compelling urge of the infolding energies, unfold their own latent capacities, unwrap them, roll them forth; and this is the evolution of matter.|[[Gottfried de Purucker]]<ref>[[Gottfried de Purucker]], ''Occult Glossary'', TUP, 2nd ed., 1996 [http://davidpratt.info/cyclicevo.htm]</ref>}}

That period of time devoted to the attainment of [[self (philosophy)|self]]-[[consciousness]] and the building of the [[Subtle body|vehicles]] through which the spirit in man manifests, is called ''involution''. Its purpose is to slowly carry life lower and deeper into denser and denser matter for the building of forms, till the nadir of materiality is reached. From that point, life begins to ascend into [[Plane (cosmology)|higher Worlds]]. This succeeding period of existence, during which the individual human being develops ''[[self-consciousness]]'' into ''[[divinity|divine]] [[omniscience]]'', is called "[[spiritual evolution]]".

In the [[cosmology]] of [[Surat Shabd Yoga|Surat Shabda Yoga]], involution and [[evolution]] apply to both the [[macrocosm]], the whole of creation, and the [[Macrocosm and microcosm|microcosm]], the constitution of an individual soul.

''[[The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception]]'', a Rosicrucian text written by [[Max Heindel]], advances the concept of [[Spiritual evolution|epigenesis]] as the ''key'' related to the evolution (after an ''involutionary'' period) of human beings.