The Ethical Nature of the Cosmos

The Four Ethical Layers of the Cosmos (The Four I's)
Layer 1 = Infinity: Essence is ever "self-improving" in an ineffable manner through the creation of existences.

Layer 2 = Inevitability: All selves originate within, and return inevitably to, deity

Layer 3 = Individuality: All solar purposes are fulfilled in their own chosen time

Layer 4 = Illusion: All that is judged to be good will outlast all that is judged to be evil

Each descending layer is an inferior reality than the one above it, and can be conceptualised as being nested within it, a mere illusion by comparison.

Layer 1 = Infinity
Essence creates existences through the definition of sets of ineffable and inevitable laws (see Fig. 1), divine frameworks which move gradually towards their own fulfilment. Once a creation has achieved its completion, its contents are returned to the essence for its own enrichment. At any given instant, the essence contains within it numerous separate created existences, each ruled over by its own entirely different ineffable law. Each will fulfil its own distinct finality.

Key Terms: Perfection, creation, existence, space, eternity

Layer 2 = Inevitability
Each created existence is ruled over by an ineffable law, which resides at its centre and proceeds to initiate the growth of numerous solar systems within itself (see Fig. 2). This is achieved by the generation of a creating deity, itself an extension of the central presiding law. This deity then proceeds to individuate its own consciousness into countless fragments, entering into an objective state of self-hood and "separateness" from itself through involution. As the solar system runs the course of its evolutionary lifetime, deity inevitably reawakens to itself, enriched with experience through the process. Each solar deity within existence will bring all its individual selves back to non-self, becoming once more selfless as it was at its birth.

Key Terms: Involution, spirit, life-force, evolution

Layer 3 = Individuality
Part of the process of a solar system's evolution back to selflessness is the fulfilment of each individual self's intended purpose (see Fig. 3). The conditioned consciousness of the individual removes itself from objectivity by pursuing what it itself finds to be meaningful. This pursuit is a right and completely subjective affair, and is above the judgements of human good and evil - the individual determines its own destiny and path back towards selflessness.

Key Terms: Growth, soul, purpose, virtue

Layer 4 = Illusion
Before the journey back to deity can be paved within an individual, the illusion of essential separateness must be overcome, and duality seen through as an unreality. Through the pursuit of that which is judged to be good and the struggle against that which is judged to be evil, the self comes to realise that these two conditions are in fact merely two polarities of the same reality - that of deity. Once this vital step of conscious evolution has been traversed, dichotomous judgements can be overcome and the truth of selflessness pursued.

Key Terms: Good, evil, duality, morality

Man's Right Course within his Existence
The essence seeks self-improvement at an accelerating rate, as this is the highest possible reality it knows. The essence of man is to be found through deity and creation. Deity (and therefore creation) is reached only through virtue. The deity of man is to be found through purpose. Purpose is reached only through meaning. The purpose of man is to be found through the good. The good is reached only through mores.

Therefore, to fulfil his destiny man must traverse the four worlds of his solar system, beginning upon the world of action, ascending gradually through the worlds of formation and creation to reach deity upon the world of emanation itself where evolution is completed. He should, then, progress through the following steps:

1) Obey the Laws of Man to ascend above the world of action.

2) Follow Ideals of the Good to ascend above the world of formation.

3) Pursue his own Solar Meaning to ascend above the world of creation.

4) Perfect his own Virtue to ascend above the world of emanation.

Each step is in essence a building upon the steps preceding it. Once one comes to pursue his own solar meaning, this does not mean he suddenly abandons the standards of ideal good, nor (more importantly) that he ceases to fulfil the law upon which this ideal good rests. It simply means that the fulfilment of this law is now habitual to him (perhaps despite outward appearance to others) and that he no longer needs to focus his attention within this domain, but in the next higher one.