The Energetics of Equilibrium, Inertia & Evolvement

[The above audio is an introduction to the following essay]

As humanity moves through the transition period of the transmutation cycle, there will inevitably be a split as people align themselves to differing realities and their resonant frequencies. I have mentioned previously in this series of essays how around the period of the juncture, or what some have termed as the ‘bifurcation,’ there is the increasing danger of a rising incoherence that paralyzes people between the extremes of external power and an increasing internal powerlessness. I also stated that there are always a portion of the populace who are unable to pass the ‘threshold of the epoch’ in terms of aligning with the frequencies of the incoming developmental impulse. This segment of society may then enter a path of devolvement for the remainder of the epoch as they have left the stream of evolutionary humanity. If developmental impulses are rejected and replaced with degenerative forces or energies, then the path forward for humanity will become severe. If the vital life is replaced by the mechanical, then the qualities/energies of inertia, ignorance, incapacity, and inaction come to the fore. These are the energies that darken, or obscure, the living realm. Such forces dampen the human will and dissolve its degree of concentration.

Certain impulses at the current time are aiming to make materialism all-pervading; and we should not be distracted into thinking that the digital realm is not a part of this stream of deep materialism. At the same time, such forces can also work to forward the evolutionary impulses by keeping them from falling into inertia. The push-pull of these seemingly opposing forces can be said to create the bifurcation that gives people a choice over which timeline, or stream, they decide to opt for. Looked at through the physical lens, it would appear that we are standing at the threshold of a global materialistic worldview of life. If the material consciousness remains attached and entangled within the physical, it becomes increasingly difficult for transcendental impulses to penetrate and have effect. Yet if human consciousness can benefit from these constricting and conflicting forces, to move away from physical entanglement and inertia, then a bifurcation is possible that allows for the individual to entrain to the new developmental frequency. This contestation of forces between growth/evolvement and inertia/devolvement is what has been personified in human mythology as the struggle between ‘good versus evil.’

What people often call ‘evil’ is really that which is moving in the contrary direction to the evolutionary stream within the current reality. That is, the word or label ‘evil’ represents a force that moves toward or aligns with non-existence (another term for evil is disequilibrium). It is a force that holds back or constrains the evolutionary or developmental impulses. That is, it pulls back and restrains this forward movement. If these so-called ‘evil forces’ are left unopposed, then the momentum towards inertia and stagnation become dominant. However, if the developmental or ‘good’ forces begin to directly resist the evil forces, then they are consumed by this endeavour and lose, or forfeit, their energies to be used for evolvement. This then also hampers the function of evolvement. These contrary ‘evil’ or entropic forces of devolvement must instead be dealt with not by direct resistance or attacking them but by either rendering them inert, useless; or by transmuting them into a force that is no longer entropic. As Jesus is recorded as saying: ‘But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.’ (Matthew 5:39). The restoration of equilibrium that remains dynamic rather than static is part of the function of the interplay between these polarizing forces. Equilibrium – that is, balance and order – keeps the game in play so that it is not pulled toward any one extreme. Yet within this overall fluidity and vitality of seeking equilibrium is the need to allow through enough of the developmental force to maintain a trajectory of evolvement and growth.

In the tradition of the Kabbalah there is the concept of tikkun, which refers to the idea that everyone is placed here on Earth to fulfil a particular mission. Another concept of tikkun is also that of ‘restitution’ that, according to Gershom Scholem, refers to the restoration of the ideal order, which forms the original aim of creation, and is also the secret purpose of existence. The restoration of the ‘ideal order’ – i.e., of equilibrium – is sometimes referred to as ‘salvation’ in other traditions. Another Kabbalistic concept is that of kelippot – defined by Scholem as ‘shells,’ ‘husks, or ‘forces of evil’ – that seem to also correspond to the notion of the ‘hostile forces’ in the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The kelippot or shards became the source of gross matter and represent also the source of ‘evil.’ The kelippot, or gross physical matter, have ‘sparks of divine light’ within them (i.e., the sacred spirit). These sparks of divine light can be redeemed by human actions, and in this way restitution (tikkun) will be accomplished and evil will be transformed and overcome. Until this transformation happens, the state of potential disequilibrium (or evil) remains a persistent presence. These vying forces of disequilibrium (entropy, inertia, etc) and evolvement are viewed as representing a grander cosmic process.

The question that then arises is: how can human beings hasten the restitution? And this is where various inner developmental or spiritual teachings come into play as an attempt to steer people into, at the least, living a balanced life; and, if/when possible, to participate consciously in the stream of advanced evolvement. Another view on the notion of ‘evil’ is to see it as a form of ignorance; and as such, they become those forces that work to establish, maintain, and prolong such ignorance among people, communities, and societies. In this view, evil can be said to be like an unconscious abyss; it is a separation from the awareness of Truth. Evil could be said to be those impulses that sustain an individual’s perception of separation from Source. And it is this separation from a source, or stream, of vital energies that creates an inertia. And living within this inertia is as living in ignorance and/or falsehood. This ignorance can be maintained by social-cultural agencies wishing to sustain the continuance of this error.

Yet life within the density of physical matter inevitably contains this ‘error’ or falsehood, for this is the nature of the vibratory realm of matter. As such, error – or ‘evil’ – has its necessary role to play within the whole. In other words, it is a necessary force within the cosmic structure and its processes. The unconscious (the ‘abyss’) requires to be equilibrated and harmonized with all opposing points of consciousness. Perhaps this ‘cosmic play’ is about returning to a state of equilibrium. As such, all such forces are indispensable within the life of the cosmos as well as within the Great Work. Transmutation and evolvement are not possible without vying forces of different charge and influence working in dynamic relationship. The same applies to the very constituent parts of materiality: for example, atoms require the positive charge (proton) and negative charges (electron) to be equilibrated in relation to the neutralizing forces (neutrons). In a similar way, the philosopher-mystic George Gurdjieff describes this relationship through the contesting forces of Holy Affirming (positive) and Holy Denying (negative) leading to a Holy Reconciling (neutral/equilibrium). Gurdjieff referred to this as the ‘Law of Three.’

In this context, we can see how the intermingling of contradictory impulses – such as matter and spirit – is necessary in order to seek resolution that would not only be an integration of these contradictory forces but at the same time a synthesis greater than the sum of their parts. This has been referred to in philosophical terms as the dialectical approach whereby an idea (thesis) gives rise to a counter idea (antithesis) and the original idea and counter idea merge to give rise to a new idea (synthesis). Or, using Gurdjieff’s terminology, the Holy-Affirming force (active) attracts a Holy-Denying force (reactive), and this contestation leads to a resolution of the Holy-Reconciling (unifying). Similarly, Rudolf Steiner noted how the fusion of these opposing principles is necessary for giving the human being a self-conscious force for evolvement: ‘It is this fusion of opposing principles which makes evil possible for man, but it also gives him the power of self-consciousness, choice and freedom . . .’¹

From this author’s perspective, negating forces can seemingly interfere with an individual’s mental field, or field of consciousness, infiltrating it with heavy and dark thoughts, leading to a psychological imbalance if they are not neutralized through counteractive impulses. That is why the path of inner work requires that a person maintain a state of balance – mentally, emotionally, and physically – at all times. Yet such interferences may still be necessary at particular stages of the transformational work. What we consider to be the ‘worst adversaries’ or negative influences are still a part of the overall cosmic manifestation that can, consciously or not, assist others in the great work of developmental transformation. It can be said that all earthly things are born in darkness and must themselves seek the light. Just as the plant is first seeded in the dark soil, it seeks the light for its own inner transformative processes through photosynthesis. So too do humans need to cultivate their own form of photosynthesis – i.e., of synthesizing the light – for their developmental growth. Too much focus and emphasis upon the material (the dark earth) will create an unbalanced materialistic tendency. The extreme of this will lead to a splintering, or separation, away from metaphysical impulses.

The physicalizing of metaphysical impulses is one of the falsehoods and deceptions of the negating forces. The soft-science of the quantum spiritualists is a case in point here. The notion of quantum entanglement can snare a person within the physical manifestation resulting from entanglement if they have not done sufficient work upon their own inner state. It is yet another false pathway of distraction whereby tempting shortcuts are dressed up in delightful ‘spiritual science’ that take people’s focus away from the inner path. And on the other side, too much immersion into the ‘spiritual path’ can take a person into a ‘la-la-land’ of crystal gazing and detach them from the responsibilities and necessities of participating within a physical life experience. At the current time of writing, it does seem that the negating forces of disequilibrium and inertia are taking dominance in what could result in the temporary rise of tyranny within our physical institutions and systems.

The Inertia of Tyranny

The power structures that come to constitute a social totalitarian order attempt to create a cultural narrative with the aim of presenting their system to be in agreement with a natural human order as well as a universal order. This is the illusion of ‘normalcy’ within tyranny which it seeks to establish. In other words, the forces of chaos or enforced rule present themselves as a form of natural order. This is chaos and inertia masquerading as order and development. The external world of physical existence attempts to impose itself over the metaphysical order of beingness. And yet, as Vaclav Havel presciently noted:

The whole power structure could not exist at all if there were not a certain metaphysical order binding all its components together, interconnecting them … This metaphysical order is fundamental to, and standard throughout, the entire power structure; it integrates its communication system and makes possible the internal exchange and transfer of information and instructions … This metaphysical order guarantees the inner coherence of the totalitarian power structure. It is the glue holding it together, its binding principle, the instrument of its discipline.²

The world of appearances is not without its unseen forces offering their energies of contestation, whether these be classed as ‘metaphysical’ or not. The danger here is that as an outward ‘world of appearances’ gains in dominance and extremity, it loses connection with the balancing forces and begins to mutate into a ritualistic realm of signs and totems and migrates increasingly into a pseudo-state of artificial construct that becomes the consensus reality. And as this newly mutated consensus reality, it gains strength as a form of tyranny or totalitarian power. It may even get to the stage where it has replaced any prior connection with reality – or the ‘Real’ – and becomes a self-contained reality itself, albeit one formed through artificial forms of power and control. The ritual has overtaken the presence of the reality hidden behind it. Or, put another way, ‘the significance of phenomena no longer derives from the phenomena themselves.’³

And this is why a physical system of tyranny and power has an inertia built into it, as it focuses and directs its energy on defending the false integrity of the world of appearances in order to sustain itself. Such a system attempts to seal itself off hermetically from developmental impulses in a bid to retain the status quo. They may even develop technologies that appear progressive; yet these are all cut-off from the vital forces of life and thus an inertia will creep into the entire system that will eventually bring it into disorder and either stagnation and/or breakdown.  

Any social system that does not tap into the impulses of evolvement, and the vital metaphysical forces, will have no real lasting power as it relies on a form of automation and mechanical motive power. The energetics of control and discipline are not as dynamic as those corresponding yet contrary energies of self-control and self-discipline. The force required to maintain the structures of an automated and mechanized system, lacking any connection to developmental impulses, is great indeed and cannot be maintained in the long term. The forces of inertia will creep into any socio-cultural system that relies on automatism, including that of a global technological civilization. The potential failure of modern humanity will come from choosing to step away from the vibrational threshold of heightened consciousness in favour of a future predicated upon the restriction of human cognitive capacities and a disconnect from metaphysical influences and the life of vital spirit.

[This essay is taken from the new book by the author: ‘Is There Life on Earth: A Transmutation Octave’, published 1st April 2024]

References

¹ Steiner, An Esoteric Cosmology: Eighteen Lectures Delivered in Paris, France, May 25 to June 14, 1906. (Rudolf Steiner Archive.)

² Havel, Vaclav (1985) The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe. London: Routledge, p10

³ Havel, Vaclav (1985) The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe. London: Routledge, p11