Editing Involution (esotericism) (section)

===Introduction===
{{Sri Aurobindo}}
For [[Sri Aurobindo]], involution is the process by which the Omnipresent Reality, i.e. the [[Absolute (philosophy)|Absolute]], [[Brahman]] extends Itself to create a universe of separate forms from out of Its own Force/Energy.

''[[Sat (Sanskrit)|Sat]]'', ''[[Cit (consciousness)|Chit]]-[[Tapas (Sanskrit)|Tapas]]'', and [[Happiness|Delight]]/''[[Ananda]]'' are the three aspects of ''[[Satchitananda]]'', and they are part of involution. Spirit or consciousness manifests as these three, and then as the intermediate link of Supermind, which is transitional between the higher and lower (matter, life, and mind) nature.<ref>Sri Aurobindo, ''The Life Divine'', Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, 10th ed. 1977.</ref>

The reason for involution is Delight—the Delight of Being (the Spirit or Absolute) moving to Delight of Becoming (temporal existence, the cosmos). Being throws itself forward into a multiplicity of forms, becoming lost in the inconscience of matter,<ref>''The Life Divine'' Bk I, Ch.11-12</ref> and then through evolution it partakes in the Delight of rediscovering the Spirit which had been hidden in the interim.

Evolution is thus the movement forward by which the created universe evolves from its initial state of inconscience (i.e. as matter), evolves animated life forms and mental beings (i.e. humans), and continues to evolve spiritual properties, and in that process rediscovers its Source. Such an Evolution of animated forms is only possible because at each stage of development, the developing entity contains within itself the conception of what it may become. Thus, the evolution of animated life out of matter supposes a previous involution of that animated capacity. This is akin to a seed that already has the essence of the tree that will emerge from it.

Each plane emerges from an earlier plane through the evolutionary process, which takes place in chronological time. But in a parallel construction, each of these new planes can be understood as being a descendant of its corresponding higher order plane from the Infinite. Thus, when mentality emerged in the universe, the universal plane of Mind was implanted to a degree in those beings harboring that mentality.

The evolution is the development of all entities in the [[cosmos]], including [[humans]], in order to attain their fulfillment, including the discovery of spiritual Delight, which was, and always is, the experience of the Source Creator. The evolution is the progressive development from the original inconscience of matter into life (movement, sensation, desire, etc. and living physical beings), and from thence to [[Mental (Sri Aurobindo)|mind]] (in conscious animals and most especially humans—the self-conscious thinking animal), and from thence to spiritualized mind, culminating in [[Supermind (integral yoga)|The Supermind]]  or Truth Consciousness (as supramental individuals, and finally the supramental, i.e. a divine life on earth).<ref>''The Life Divine'' bk II, ch.27-28.</ref>