Appendix XXII: Power-Personality Synthesis

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Again and again, the Papers make reference to "power-personality synthesis," or to "power-personality unification," or to "power-personalizing." This is a process of the putting together of power and personality. It seems to be one of the basic principles that governs evolutionary and experiential growth in the master universe, and concerns the experiential deities. It is the purpose of this Appendix to examine this principle in detail.

§ 1. DEFINITION OF TERMS: PERSONALITY AND POWER

Exactly what is it that is being put together in the process of power-personality synthesis? Some careful definitions are in order before we begin our examination of this subject. And here, we will get no help from the dictionary because the Papers attach their own meaning to the words power" and "personality."

The meaning of the word "personality. " The definition (or, actually, the description) of the word "personality" is suggested by the following citations:

(70,4) Personality is an unsolved mystery.

(29,3) It is much more than one of God's attributes; it "is the revelation of God."

(28,5) "God is personality."

(58,7) "God has will - he is will."

(59,1) ". . . infinity of will is his alone."

(1153,3) Personality (at least prepersonality) is one of the basic minimums that is required in connection with the historic exploration of past eternity. Even at ". . the hypothetical static moment of eternity ... we must assume the existence of the possibility of self-will."

With regard to subabsolute personality:

(1227,11-14) (a) Matter is subordinate, mind is co-ordinate, and spirit is directive in potential.

(1225,5) (b) It is relatively free from ". . . the fetters of antecedent causation. It is relatively creative or co-creative."

(1225,7) (c) It does not have identity in and of itself, but it can ". . . unify the identity of any living energy system."

We deduce: Personality stands in sharp contrast to the three energies -spirit, mind, and matter. The reality of these three energies can be expressed in terms of both quality and quantity. The reality of personality can be expressed in terms of quality only. This is particularly well illustrated in the estimates made concerning the four absolute gravity circuits. (131, Section 3) The action of gravity in the domains of matter, mind, and spirit, can be computed - but the operation of the Father's personality circuit, personality gravity, "is noncomputable."

As an illustration: Think of the color "red." We can think of it as an abstract reality - red, alone, all by itself. But this is not an actual reality; it is only an abstract concept. No one has ever actually seen the color red - as such, and all by itself. We always see something that is red. Neither do we ever perceive personality as an isolated reality. We always know someone who is a person. But the color "red" will completely determine the hue of the object that it colors, and personality will likewise pervade - dominate -the whole of the being that serves as the life vehicle for the unifying personality.

The meaning of the word "Power. " The Papers make it clear that they are not able to follow the definitions the English language gives to the words - power, energy, and force. (9,5) The Papers define their usage of these words as follows:

(11,5) Power mobilization, in relation to the Supreme, is described as an expanding mobilization and consolidating unification of total finite reality.

(505,3) The expression "total finite reality," includes the three energies - physical, mindal, and spiritual. The Supreme is the experiential unification of all the divinity in the grand universe.

(11,4) The Supreme is the synthesis of "experiential power and spirit personality."

(9,5) Power also means sovereignty.

In the physical realms, the word "power" (as in the phrase, "universe power") is applied to that stage of energy evolution at which emergent energy has become subject to the intelligent control of the Sevenfold and the Supreme. (470,5)

Concerning mind and spirit, we would accordingly reason by analogy: Emergent mind and emergent spirit (spirit emerging from the Deity Absolute) would also have their stages of matured development that would be analogous to "universe power." These three energies, when controlled by the Supreme Creators, and when integrated in the Almighty, would seem to represent power - the sovereign power of the Almighty Supreme - in the fullest sense of the word. (See 1271, Section 6 and 1273, Section 6)

§2. WHY DOES POWER-PERSONALITY SYNTHESIS TAKE PLACE?

Is there a basic reason, or need, for the process of power-personality unification? Is there something in the nature of God, or in the relationships which God has established, that makes this process inherently natural and divinely inevitable? With this question in mind let us examine the nature of God, review the manner in which he has expressed his nature in diversity; and then, consider how he has co-ordinated this diversity by existential techniques. To do this, it will be necessary to consider the following:

(a) The absolute unity of God's nature
(b) The dual expression of God's nature in actuality
(c) The functional co-ordination of actual reality
(d) A contrastive comparison of Actuals and Potentials

After we have studied what happened existentially, we should go on to consider the experiential repercussions and consequences of these existential transactions.

(a) The absolute unity of God's nature.
(58,6) God is defined as ". . . purposive energy (creative spirit) and absolute will . . ."
(638, 3-4) God could not possibly be dual in nature, physical and spiritual, because God "is absolutely unified." Pure energy and pure spirit both converge in his person, and there they are one.

We start out with the absoluteness of God's unity. In him there is no such thing as spirit energy and not-spirit energy. At this point we are thinking on a concept level that is prior, and ancestral, to both Paradise spirit and Paradise monota.

(b) The dual expression of God's nature in actuality.
(127,1) When the Father gives expression to the Original Son, the repercussion to this act is the appearance of the Isle of Paradise. God thus projects actual reality in two directions: the personal-spiritual versus the nonpersonal-non spiritual, the Son versus Paradise.
(471,4-5) The energy of the Paradise Isle is called monota; it is the nonspiritual expression of the energy of the Father. The spiritual energy of the Eternal Son is the spiritual revelation of the energy of the Father. On Paradise these two energies are apparently identical in nature; they are distinguished only by name - Paradise spirit and Paradise monota.
(1181,7) The Eternal Son (like the Father) is preminded. Both are minded, and their mindedness is some thing that is the ancestor of the mind of the Infinite Spirit.
(120,2) Paradise is neither alive nor dead; it is composed of absolutum, and this is the primal non spiritual expression of the nature of God.
(127,2) Paradise is, in some way, minded, but it is not conscious as we "could ever understand such a term."
(328,8) Living machines can have intelligence in the
(329,1) absence of all spirit, and though devoid of all powers of choice.

The identity, the absolute sameness, of monota and spirit on Paradise is a revelation of the absolute oneness, in the nature of God, of that which becomes spirit energy in the Son and nonspirit energy in the eternal Isle. There is consciousness (mindedness) prior to the appearance of the Conjoint Actor, but there is, as yet, no actual mind.

(c) The functional co-ordination of actual reality.
(127,1) Tension appears when the original unity of reality is projected, as actuality, in two directions: in the Eternal Son, and as the eternal Isle. And then, in the presence of this tension the Father and the Son, jointly, will to act; this gives expression to the Spirit and to the central universe.
(90,7) With the appearance of the Infinite Spirit, ". . . the cycle of eternity is established. The
(91,1) -Paradise Trinity is existent."
(98, 4) -The Conjoint Actor responds to both material and spiritual realities.
(101,7-8) He personally functions on behalf of both the Father and the Son. He is not genetically related to Paradise, but he does activate the central Isle.
(103,3) The Conjoint Actor is the source of mind.
(15,7) It was by God's will and choice that the material (Paradise) and the spiritual (Son) should be co-ordinated by mind.
(7,11) Paradise is unique and isolated. "Paradise represents nothing and nothing represents Paradise. "

These statements will stand some very careful analysis. This analysis should carefully consider what did not happen, as well as what did happen. Consider, then, the following:

Mind co-ordinating matter and spirit. The absolute actualities of the Son and Paradise (the personal-spiritual versus the nonpersonal-nonspiritual) were co-ordinated by mind. Mind appeared as an absolute actuality with the appearance of the Conjoint Actor, the source of mind.

A co-ordination, but not a synthesis. The Conjoint Actor so functions as to produce a co-ordination of the Eternal Son and the Isle of Paradise; this is not a synthesis. It is a co-ordinating function of mind in relation to spirit and matter. This function is entirely unlike a synthesis - such as the complete unification of the Deity Absolute and the Unqualified Absolute by the Universal Absolute. The synthesis of the Absolutes is so complete that it is said, "in infinity they are ONE." (15,5)

Thesis upon thesis. God does not synthesize all actual reality. Instead of doing this, he begins to repeat the thesis of deity. (And, we submit, this action could not have been predicted at this point.) The Conjoint Actor is a new thesis, -a new expression of the Father-Son partnership. Thus, in effect, God is superimposing thesis upon thesis,. (And, again we submit, this is an unpredictable free will choice on the part of God.) He, himself, is the prethesis of deity; the Son is the unqualified thesis of deity; the Spirit is the conjoint thesis of deity; the Trinity is the undivided thesis of deity. This superimposition of thesis upon thesis does not appear to be a resolution of tension; it rather appears to be an augmentation of tension - tension between the deified and the undeified, between the personal and the nonpersonal, between matter and spirit.

The isolation of the Paradise Isle. Paradise remains isolated. This isolation of the source of all material reality thus constitutes a potential challenge to the later-appearing experiential deities, trinities, creators, and creatures.

Existential power-personality unification. The deity union of the Father-Son, in and as the Conjoint Actor, provides for the existential co-ordination of power and personality by the action of mind. The Conjoint Actor functions in all energy domains -physical, mindal, and spiritual (99,4), even in the bestowal of personality. (106, 9)

To summarize: In this analysis we did not observe that there was a synthesis of the Eternal Son and the Isle of Paradise. Paradise remains isolated. What did happen was the appearance of a threefold thesis of deity, culminating in the final existential thesis of undivided deity - the Paradise Trinity. Actual Deity is united and unified; Paradise (which is nondeity) is not; it is isolated.

(d) A contrastive comparison of Actuals and Potentials.
(13,6 The Father expresses himself (as an actuality) in the Son, in the Spirit, and in Paradise and Havona. But he does not thus express himself outside of Havona. His extra-Havona presence is concealed in the "potentials of infinity." He remains ". . . space concealed in the Unqualified Absolute and divinely enshrouded in the Deity Absolute . . ."
(116, 5) The Deity Absolute is the prepersonal and existential potential of total Deity." The Deity
(13, 4) Absolute contains the potential of the experiential realization of absolute divinity.
(14,6) "The Unqualified Absolute is nonpersonal, extradivine, and undeified."

Observation: So far, this is a good parallel to the story of the expression of God's nature in actuality. Again we find two primary expressions that are exact opposites: one is a deity reality, the other is a nondeity reality.

(13,6) The two Absolutes (deity and nondeity) become as one in the presence of the Universal Absolute, ". . . the unrevealed infinity-unity of the
(15, 5) Paradise Father." "On subinfinite levels" there are three Absolutes, "but in infinity they are ONE."

The two stories of the expression of God's nature - in actuality and in potentiality - run parallel at the start, but the parallel breaks down when we come to the point of the unification of the deified-spiritual expression with the opposite expression which is undeified and nonspiritual. The unification, or synthesis, is perfect and complete with respect to the three Absolutes of Potentiality; such unification is not even suggested with regard to the three Absolutes of Actuality. Paradise remains unique and isolated. What does take place is not a union of all actual reality, but a union of all actual deity reality in the Paradise Trinity. The problem of the unification of total actual reality appears to be a problem that has been projected for solution by experiential deity - God the Supreme, God the Ultimate, and God the Absolute.

We believe this is the eternity background of the post-Havona challenge of power-personality synthesis.

§3. THE CHALLENGE OF POWER-PERSONALITY SYNTHESIS

The revelation of God can never be complete. It could become final only if all extra-Havona capacity could become experientially exhausted by becoming real - only if all potentials could emerge as actuals. This would mean that three goals would have to be reached:

(a) God's physical manifestation would have to become experientially infinite. This would require the final exhaustion of the capacity to give forth the "stuff of nebulae" (space potency) in the Unqualified Absolute. (126, 4) This would mean the actual completion, the total materialization, of an infinite creation. But we have been instructed that the Unqualified Absolute is limitless. ( 49, 7)
(b) God's personal manifestation would have to become experientially infinite. This would require the completed experiential emergence of the Deity Absolute. The (potential and existential) Deity Absolute would have to emerge completely (actualize experientially) as God the Absolute. This would be the experiential equivalent of the existential Eternal Son. The Eternal Son is the existential absolute person; the full emergence of God the Absolute would constitute him the experiential absolute person. This would mean the experiential realization of absolute divinity. (13, 4)
(c) Unification. The Unqualified Absolute as expressed in the infinite experiential creation, and God the Absolute as an experiential and actual deity, would have to be completely and experientially unified.

The experiential exhaustion of the potentials of the three limitless Absolutes is unthinkable! But, as we look at their existential relationship we find that the three Absolutes are already one; they are unified in, and by, the Universal Absolute. God is existential in eternity, and so he has an existential "self consciousness of infinity." But it will require another eternity to achieve the experiential self-realization of what is contained in the limitless reservoirs of the three Absolutes. (The five preceding paragraphs are an analysis of page 645, paragraphs three to five, in the Papers.)

We observe, that in unifying the Absolutes (15, 5) the Universal Absolute is doing something existentially that the Second Experiential Trinity cannot do experientially (16, 5); and that even the Trinity of Trinities may be unable to accomplish in the universal sense. (1172, 2) But this threefold trinity is not wholly experiential - it is really an existential-experiential trinity because it includes the Paradise Trinity. (1171,5)

The experiential unification of the three Absolutes would be the final, and the universal, power-personality synthesis. This appears to be impossible on absolute levels. But it is not impossible on subabsolute levels - on finite levels of supremacy, and on absonite levels of ultimacy. On these levels it is possible to power-personalize the total finite and then to power-personalize the total absonite.

§4. WHY DOES IT TAKE PLACE ON THREE LEVELS?

We have seen from the definitions of personality and power, that their synthesis takes place through the unification of organized energy (physical, mindal, and spiritual) with personality. We have noted that personality is never manifested by itself, and we will find that the nature of the deity personalizations that participate in these transactions is always spirit-personality. We will discover that this unification of power and personality is taking place on three levels - absolute, absonite, and finite.

Original Reality is eternally present on the existential and absolute level; and provision was made for ". . . two subabsolute and evolutional levels of power-personality manifestations in the master universe." ( 15, 7) At the same time, we should recognize that the Paradise Trinity "is existential in actuality" (15, 8), but in function, "all potentials are experiential." (ibid.) The Trinity, from the beginning, has a potential for function on three levels: (1171,2)

(a) Finite functions. When the Trinity acts in relation to the finite level of reality, it is denominated the Trinity of Supremacy. (113, 6)
(b) Absonite functions. When the Trinity acts in relation to the absonite level of reality, it is designated the Trinity of Ultimacy. (116, 3)
(c) Absolute functions. When the Trinity functions in the absolute sense, this action is the action of Total Deity, the activation of the Deity Absolute. (116,4-5)

Now, we should carefully bear in mind that these actions on the part of the Paradise Trinity are experiential in potential. The Trinity is existential in fact, but its potentials are experiential. This is why there are three potential experiential deities - Supreme, Ultimate, and Absolute.

These three experiential deities are personalizing on their respective levels because the Paradise Trinity originally functions on these levels, and because such functions are experiential in potential. We can summarize this again, from still another perspective:

(a) God the Supreme. The first experiential deity is power-personalizing ". . . on the first ... level of unifying Deity revelation . . ." ( 4, 11)
(b) God the Ultimate. The second experiential deity is powerpersonalizing on ". . . the second experiential level of unifying Deity manifestation." ( 4,12)
(c) God the Absolute. The third experiential deity is power-personalizing on ". . . the third level of unifying Deity expression and expansion." ( 4,13)

Let us, for the moment, ignore God the Absolute and consider the two experiential deities that are power-personalizing on subabsolute levels - the Supreme and the Ultimate. Their appearance on these two levels makes the formation of the two experiential trinities inevitable. ( 15,7) The correlation of the sum total of all divinity activities on the finite level power-personalizes in God the Supreme and unifies impersonally in the First Experiential Trinity - the Trinity Ultimate. Likewise, the correlation of the sum total of all divinity activities on the absonite level power-personalizes in God the Ultimate and unifies impersonally in the Second Experiential Trinity -the Trinity Absolute.

We are informed that a trinity always reaches out to envelop all possible deity realities ( 16, 2), and that deity realities are always seeking for the completeness of self-realization in personalization. (ibid.) The experiential deities are, therefore, certain to factualize because they are potential in the Paradise Trinity (ibid.); and the experiential trinities are certain to appear because of the evolution of the experiential deities. This appears to be something of a chain reaction.

The experiential deities may be potential in the Paradise Trinity, but their actual emergence on the cosmic scene of action is dependent on two things:

(a) Their own efforts, ". . . their own experiential functioning in the universes of power and personality ( 16, 2), and
(b) The achievements of "the post-Havona Creators and Trinities." (ibid.)

As we study the phenomena of power-personality synthesis we will find that the story is different on each of the three levels of reality - the finite, the absonite, and the absolute.

§5. FINITE POWER-PERSONALITY SYNTHESIS

There is no experiential trinity that is pre-supreme. The first of the evolutionary deities, the Supreme Being, is to become a member of the First Experiential Trinity ( 16, 4); and it can hardly form as a factual reality until he has completed his own growth. Nor could the existential trinity, the Paradise Trinity, so unify as to experientialize the Supreme. The Paradise Trinity is not an experiential trinity; it could hardly "unify" because it has always been absolutely unified. It possibly could have existentialized the Supreme Being, but it never could have experientialized him.

What the Paradise Trinity actually did was to produce the spirit person of God the Supreme ( 11, 2), ( 12, 2), and this spirit person is the volitional focal point of all finite power-personality unification.

God the Sevenfold. The Supreme Being emerges as a result of the evolutionary achievements of God the Sevenfold, as a result of the successful collaboration between the Supreme Creators and the Deities of Paradise. ( 11, Section VIII) This relationship is emphasized in the summary appearing on the facing page. This summary stresses the three levels of the Sevenfold:

(a) The Supreme Creators - the post-Havona creators
(b) The Supreme Being - the first experiential deity
(c) The Paradise Deities - Father, Son, and Spirit

The evolutionary emergence of the Supreme Being takes place in the absence of the unification of any experiential trinity; none is in existence that could unify. The growth of the Supreme is the result of the interaction of the three levels of God the Sevenfold. Internally, there is also a certain unification that takes place in the Sevenfold Deity: The Corps of the Supreme Creators does achieve an experiential unification that constitutes it (in the unified deity sense) one of the three members of the First Experiential Trinity.

Why does Almighty power converge? What is it that causes the time-space acts and efforts of the time-space creators to focalize in the converging power of the Almighty? We are informed that there are two "unities" in the time-space creations that so interact as to cause this inflowing convergence of experiential power. ( 641, 3-4) These are presented as follows:

(a) The unity of divinity. The divinity of purpose in the Supreme Creators results in the "unifying power potential" of the Almighty. (It will be recalled that divinity is defined as " . . . the characteristic, unifying, and co-ordinating quality of Deity." ( 3, 3 )
(b) The impersonal energy-unity of the universe. This is the background, in relation to which the "divinity of purpose" sets up a tension; a tension that can be resolved only as the power potential of the Almighty unifies with the spirit person of the Supreme.

The personality factors of God the Supreme emanate from the Paradise Trinity and unite with the focalizing power prerogatives of the Almighty on the pilot world of the outer Havona circuit. This unification takes place through the function of Supreme Mind. ( 641, 4) Triune Paradise Deity is evolving in two aspects of Supremacy, and these two aspects are unifying in power and personality as one Supreme Being. Or, from another perspective, God the Sevenfold is power-personalizing in the Supreme Being. ( 12, 2) And finally, the spirit person of the Supreme is inseparable from the power of the Almighty. (1167, 4)

An expansion of the concept of God the Sevenfold. The evolutionary growth of the Supreme, as we have considered it so far, is relatively simple. But we are carefully instructed that God the Sevenfold is not a simple association:

(1160,16 God the Sevenfold provides a revelation of the divinity of the Father to finite creatures, "...but there are other sevenfold relationships of the First Source and Center which do not pertain to ... the God who is spirit."
p. 1164, par. 4 The personal and spiritual divinity of God the Sevenfold is what man encounters, but there are other-than-spiritual and personal phases of the Sevenfold. All of these aspects of the Sevenfold are "... destined to be unified in the Supreme."

What are these aspects of Sevenfold Deity that are other-than-spiritual and other-than-personal? (See the summary facing this page, A General Presentation of the Sevenfold Deity.) We know about the Sevenfold Controllers (1273,7-13), and we have speculated concerning a possible "mind aspect" of the Sevenfold Deity. (See Appendix XII, §2; Is there a Mind Aspect of God the Sevenfold?)

The power prerogatives of the Almighty derive from the Creator Sons via the Master Spirits, from the Physical Controllers via the Power Directors, and both converge in the spirit person of the Supreme. Perhaps they also derive from the span of ministry of creature mind in the local universes to the ministry of the cosmic mind in the superuniverses, and from the Creative Spirits via the Master Spirits to Majeston - who is the focal point of the factualizing Supreme Mind. (5,13) And, perhaps, there are still other aspects of the Sevenfold Deity that are beyond our conception, but which also converge in the power-personality synthesis of total finite reality. (11,5)

We are reminded that the Father is actual in the Son, Spirit, and Paradise; that he is potential in the three Absolutes. The Supreme is both, he is actual and potential, and is expressive of both in the total finite sense. (1279,8) The impersonal, and not-personal, aspects of cosmic reality are in process of being unified with the spirit and personal aspects of reality in the experiential deities. (1167,4)

A new relationship between Pattern and Person. The unification of the other-than-divinity aspects of the cosmos with the divinity values of deity, appears to result in the establishment of a new relationship between Pattern and Person. This is a transaction that is taking place in the unification of the experiential deities and trinities. (1171,3-4) Consider the following statements concerning Pattern and Person:

(1303,8) The Conjoint Actor correlates the Paradise mechanism with the Eternal Son.
(ibid.) The Universal Absolute similarly operates". . . with respect to the theoretical mechanisms of the Unqualified and the potential person of the Deity Absolute."
(ibid.) The evolution of the Supreme (and the Ultimate) is actually uniting ". . . certain impersonal phases ... with their volitional counterparts (ibid.) This constitutes a new relationship between pattern and person."
(1304, 5) The Supreme Being is becoming the personality synthesis of matter, mind, and spirit in the grand universe."
(10,5) "Eternal Paradise is the absolute of patterns; the Eternal Son is the pattern personality ..."
(109,6) The Eternal Son is the absolute personality.
  • Observations:
(a) The Paradise Isle is the absolute mechanism; the Eternal Son is the absolute person.
(b) The Unqualified Absolute is a theoretical mechanism; the Deity Absolute is a potential (absolute) person.

Something new is evidently taking place in the evolutionary emergence of experiential deity. There appears to be a wider scope to that reality which is being power-focalized, then personality-unified. This scope appears to be total as concerns the level of reality on which power-personality unification is taking place - total finite, and total absonite. In the experiential deities everything - matter, mind, and spirit - is being unified with personality. The divergence of the three energies. At this point in our study we would raise the question: Is there any relationship between this process of all-inclusive unification and the divergence of the three energies (material, mindal, and spiritual), as they radiate outward from Paradise to the time-space creation?

  • Consider the following citations:
(1275,8) The absolute oneness of Paradise Spirit and Paradise energy (monota) on the central Isle stands in contrast to the distinguishable difference between Havona substance (triata) and Havona spirit in the central universe. The contrast is still greater in the seven superuniverses,
(1276,1) here ". . . there is a great divergence . . . between cosmic energy and divine spirit." (104,6) The more that spirit and energy diverge " the greater the observable function of mind the maximum function of the cosmic mind is in the time universes of space." (140,11)

The three energies are co-ordinate on Paradise, (484,4) but, in the evolutionary universes ". . . energy (1275,2) matter is dominant except in personality, where (1280,1) spirit, through the mediation of mind, is striving (1281,5) for the mastery." (This statement, as cited above and with modifications, appears many times in the Papers.) (484,4) Mind dominates matter and, in turn, can respond to spirit overcontrol.

(484,2) In time and space physical energy seems to dominate nonpersonal situations, but as ". . . spirit-mind ... approaches divinity of purpose and supremacy of action, the more nearly . . . does . . . spirit . . . become dominant." Spirit increasingly dominates on the higher superfinite levels of reality.(505,3)

The association of the function of the three energies (material, mindal, and spiritual) must take place in the Supreme. In him occurs . . . the experiential unification of all grand universe divinity." On Paradise there is neither discernable nor measurable difference between spirit and monota. In Havona there is a difference between spirit and energy (triata), but there is no functional disharmony - spirit and matter are perfectly co-ordinated. In the superuniverses there is major divergence between divine spirit and cosmic energy; this divergence produces many problems and disharmonies. These many problems offer many challenges to creatures and creators who thereby gain experience in the harmonizing of this divergence

In the Supreme all three energies are being power-personality unified by evolutionary experience. The greater the experiential challenge, the greater the possible experiential growth. (1276,1-2) The personal activity of the Supreme.

We know that the experiential deities grow partly as a result of their own efforts ". . . their own experiential functioning in the universes of power and personality . . ." (16,2) This means that each emerging experiential deity takes an active part in the evolutionary growth process; he is "a volitional creative participant" in his own achievement of actualization.,-- (1282,3) The spirit person of the Supreme is "Trinity derived," and his almighty power is "creator evolved" (ibid.), and he works personally in the "universes of power and personality."

He is also growing as he is able to experientially actualize "the associative-creative potentials" of Paradise Deity. (10,6) We have encountered these three words before - associative, creative, and potential - words used to describe three of the seven levels of Total Deity function. (2,6-8)

They are defined, in relation to the manifestation of Deity, as follows:

1. Creative level, "self-distributive and divinely revealed"
2. Associative level, "self-personalized and divinely fraternal"
3. Potential level, "self-willed and self-purposive"

The Supreme Being is engaged in making real (actualizing) certain potentials of these three levels. Paradise Deity has previously filled, and will continue to fill, these three levels existentially; it now devolves upon the Supreme (and the Ultimate) to fill them experientially.

§6. ENRICHMENT OF EXPERIENTIAL REALITY BY PARADISE DIVINITY

Thus far in our study of power-personality unification, we have given first consideration to the evolution of experiential power in the time-space creations and to the unification of such sovereign power with the spirit person of experiential deity. But whence comes this "spirit person?" Our study of the process of power-personality unification should give some consideration to the factors of Paradise divinity that are directly introduced into the experiential realms. The Paradise Deities and the Paradise Trinity are active participants in this entire process. The Trinity-origin of experiential deity: Supreme and Ultimate. The Supreme and the Ultimate both have historic origins, origins in time. (13,3) They begin their existences as spirit beings in Havona. (162,4)

The Supreme Being is described as having "a perfect and symmetrical spirit nature" before the beginnings of the synthesis of personality and power. (161,11) Concerning the origin of the Supreme, we are informed: (1270,12) God the Supreme is of origin in the Paradise Trinity. (162, 4) The personal presence of the Supreme is in Havona. (11,2) Here he is the personal spirit reflection of the triune Paradise Deity." (12,2) He "derives his personality and spirit' attributes" from the Paradise Trinity. The original projection of the Supreme is as a spirit person, and this spirit personality is created by the Paradise Trinity. This is the factor of Paradise divinity that is evermore present in the nature of the Supreme. This is the spirit-and-personality focal point for finite power-personality synthesis.

And what is true of the Supreme, would appear to be true (in principle) of the Ultimate: (12,6) "The Ultimate is a supersupreme eventuation of Deity." (1166,7)

The Ultimate is now present in Havona - present "in the absonite and superpersonal sense."

We deduce: what the Paradise Trinity is to the Supreme on the finite level, so also is it to the Ultimate on the absonite level. In other words, the Paradise Trinity is also the source of the absonite superpersonality of the Ultimate, and this must be the focal point for absonite power-personality synthesis. With both experiential deities, the Paradise Trinity is the source of their original being as well as the entity of absolute stability that supports their evolutionary growth.

A different concept of the Sevenfold. We have all along considered the Sevenfold Deity as it functions in the association of God the Sevenfold (and the Sevenfold Controllers). But there is another way of looking at "the Sevenfold," and this concept is one of lateral diversification, rather than one of descending ministry. This concept of "lateral diversification," is one that considers the Seven Master Spirits as the sevenfold diversification of the unity of triune Paradise Deity. Consider the following citations:

(11,3) God personally escapes from the limitations of infinity and eternity by trinitization - by simultaneous duality (Father-Son) and trinity (Father-Son-Spirit) personalization.

(110,6) This triune expression of deity is existential and it completes the expression of existential deity. The next expression of deity is sevenfold, and is experiential in nature.

(189,4) This sevenfold expression of deity (the Seven Master Spirits) is subabsolute in nature and function.

(186,5) Each of the Master Spirits is diverse in nature and is the personification of one ". . . of the seven possible associations of triune Deity . . ."

(184,11) The Master Spirits, accordingly, present seven different aspects of Paradise Deity to the post Havona creations.

(11,3) The Supreme Being is evolving as the (finite) . . . personality unification of the sevenfold manifestation of Deity . . ." in time and space.

We have previously noted this Principle of Divergence-Convergence. (See Appendix XIV, §1; The Principle of Convergence-Divergence ) It involves the diverse distribution of Original Unity by divergence, and then the reassembly of the divergent factors, by convergence, to produce a new and different kind of Unity. In this instance the Original Unity is existential Deity; this is the Unity that diverges. The resulting unity, the unity that is produced by convergence, is Supreme Unity -experiential deity. And there is a further difference:

(11,4) When the Supreme has completed his growth, he will personify ". . . the eternal fusion of the finite and the infinite . . ."

(13,3) The Supreme and the Ultimate embody certain eternal and infinite potentials of deity, but they, themselves, are neither infinite nor (past) eternal.

(15,9) They are derived deities created or eventuated by the existential Paradise Trinity" -hence subinfinite.

The power-personalization of the Supreme thus incorporates certain Paradise values of divinity, and projects the diversification of the Original Unity of Deity (the Trinity) onto the finite level of reality by the technique of converging unification. Similarly, the Ultimate actualizes certain absonite values of Paradise (12,5), and projects the divergence of the Original Unity of Deity onto the absonite level of reality by converging unification.

(1279,4) When time-space experience is united with Paradise perfection, the net result is something new in the meanings and values of the levels concerned.

Neither the Supreme nor the Ultimate is the undivided deity of the Paradise Trinity, but each is a reflection of this unified deity - the Supreme Being, a reflection on the finite level- God the Ultimate, a reflection on the absonite level. This is probably what the Papers mean when they state: "The Supreme is the Paradise Trinity unification comprehended by finite beings; the Ultimate is the unification of the Paradise Trinity comprehended by absonite beings." (12,6)

The infusion of Paradise divinity into the experiential domains. The entire process of power-personality unification, on all levels, is being continually enriched by the steady infusion of Paradise divinity into the time-space (and the time-space-transcended) creations. This takes place because it is God's will that Paradise divinity be so attenuated and diluted as to be functionally effective and creature-comprehensible on relative (subabsolute) levels of existence. Basically, this must be the reason for the appearance of the Supreme Creators and for the formation of the deity association of God the Sevenfold. (1269,8)

The whole of the creature-creation is being constantly enriched by the ceaseless outpouring of mind, spirit, and personality, by the eternal Deities of Paradise. (102,7); (100,8); (70,3) This constant infusion of Paradise divinity, this continual enrichment of experiential reality, is described in the Papers as follows:

(1270,14) Mind, emanating from the Conjoint Actor provides the "arena of creature choice" that is in dispensable to evolutionary progression. Mind

(1271,1) is the factor that unifies all functional reality. It is Supreme Mind (bestowed by the Conjoint Actor) that unifies converging almighty power with the spirit person of the Supreme.

(1271,2) The experiential unification of the creator and the creature is the result of the creature bestowals of the Creator Sons. This is the subsupreme unification of the Paradise divinity of a creator, with the experiential nature of an evolutionary time-space and imperfect creature.

And, if divinity can partake of human nature, then it follows that humanity can partake of the divine nature. On the level of finite deity, the Supreme is evolving as both creator and creature.

(1271,3) The unification (fusion) of existential divinity and experiential humanity is the indwelling function of the Father-fragments - in mortal man, the Adjusters. The Adjuster is to the ascending mortal, ". . . what the Paradise Trinity is to the Supreme Being." The Adjuster is a prepersonal entity of absolute stability that serves as an eternal foundation for the evolutionary construction (by free will creature choice) of the future-eternal nature of a finaliter. The Paradise Trinity is the impersonal entity of absolute stability that serves as the absolute foundation for the evolutionary construction (by free will deity choice) of the future-eternal natures of the Supreme and of the Ultimate.

(70,3-6) And all of this free will choice is the result of the bestowal of personality by the universal (106,9) Father, or by the Conjoint Creator, acting for himself or for the Father.

These, then, are some of the elements of Paradise divinity which are constantly enriching the entire process of power-personality unification, and which are being incorporated on all levels: on creature levels, as when man fuses with an Adjuster; on creator levels, as when a Creator Son becomes like one of his creatures; on deity levels, as in the power-personalizations of the Supreme and the Ultimate.

§7. THE ABSONITE LEVEL: PRE-SUPREME STATUS

When we undertake the study of power-personality unification on the absonite level, we are considering something that is inseparable from the development of the whole master universe. If we limit our consideration of this subject to the post-Havona ages of master-universe growth, then it breaks down into two major divisions:

(a) Pre-supreme status - the state of affairs prior to the emergence of the Supreme Being, and all that is associated therewith, and -
(b) Post-supreme status - the state of affairs in the master universe subsequent to the full emergence of the Supreme Being, and all that is associated with his completed evolution.

In this section we propose to examine the control, and the overcontrol, that is now being exercised in relation to the master universe, as it presently exists, prior to the emergence of the Supreme Being.

The master universe is controlled, existentially, by the Trinity of Ultimacy - by the Paradise Trinity functioning in relation to the absonite. (136,6); (113,7) From the experiential standpoint, the control of the total master universe is the function of:

(a) In potential - by the three Absolutes
(b) In direction - by the emerging Ultimate
(c) In evolutionary co-ordination - by the emerging Supreme
(d) In pre-administration - by the Master Architects (136,7-8); (137,1-2)

In this relationship, the Supreme and the Ultimate are functioning as potentials (like the Absolutes), rather than as actuals. They are modifying and conditioning the unconditioned potentials of the Absolutes. They are maturing these potentials for utilization on the absonite, and on the finite levels of creative-evolutional activity. (See Appendix IX, §2, The Maturation of Potentials.)

Prepersonal status of experiential deity. The status of experiential deity, before full emergence, is designated "prepersonal." (113,7) Stated otherwise, this is the status of evolving (and eventuating) experiential deity before the full completion of "experiential power development." (ibid.) During this period, such "prepersonal experiential deity" is a qualified representation of the Paradise Trinity to the level of reality concerned - finite reality, in the case of the Supreme - absonite reality, in the case of the Ultimate. During this prepersonal stage of development the personal Deities of Paradise do not work personally with the experiential deities - only through the Paradise Trinity (115,5), just as they work with the (prepersonal) Deity Absolute. (116,4-5) This relationship, presumably, will change whenever the experiential deities emerge as completed power-personalizations. (115,5) Perhaps the personal Deities of Paradise (Father, Son, and Spirit) will then collaborate personally with God the Supreme and God the Ultimate. And, perhaps the Supreme and the Ultimate will then sustain a new and different relationship to the Paradise Trinity.

The Architects of the Master Universe. The eventuated Master Architects are the one experiential group that began their function in relation to the growth of the master universe as a fully developed corps. They are designated "eventuated beings" and apparently were all in existence in the First Universe Age - perhaps even in the hypothetical Zero Age. (See Appendix I, §1; The First Universe Age, and Appendix I, §3; The Zero Age ) At any rate, these Architects do provide for a uniform and unified pre-administration of the entire master universe. They function as full administrators prior to the assignment of "specific rulers" to the various realms of the master creation. (137,2)

This, then, is the picture of the co-ordination of the affairs of the master universe prior to the evolutionary emergence of the Supreme Being.

§8. THE ABSONITE LEVEL: POST-SUPREME STATUS

The final evolutionary emergence of the Supreme Being introduces four new elements into the absonite level of reality:

  • 1. The First Experiential Trinity. With the emergence of the Supreme Being, the Trinity Ultimate can form as a factual reality. He is a member of this trinity, together with the Supreme Creators and the Master Architects. (16,4)
(a) The Supreme Being. The Supreme Being will have a future function in the outer space universes as a postfinite (absonite) experiential deity. This is his tertiary function, and it stands in contrast to his primary function (in Havona as a spirit person), and to his secondary function (in the superuniverses as a personality of power). (1268,5) Among other things, this tertiary function in the master universe is visualized as the activity of a superalmighty (ibid.), and as the expression of some unknown aspect of mind. (1269,5)
  • 2. The Corps of Supreme Creators. The finished evolution of the Almighty Supreme (in time and space) is to the Corps of the Supreme Creators what the appearance of the Infinite Spirit (in eternity and on Paradise) is to the partnership of the Father and the Son. (1270,12) We deduce that the completed evolution of the Almighty Supreme experientially qualifies the emerged and unified Deity of the Corps of the Supreme Creators to function as a member of the First Experiential Trinity. (See Appendix X, §3; Evolution of the Members of the Trinity Ultimate) At the same time, this development may release the superfinite potentials of the Creator Sons for absonite function. (p. 1318, par. 6) We are informed that the Ancients of Days (among the Stationary Sons of the Trinity) are not "finite limited." (218,7); (219,1-2) And we are also informed that the Master Spirits have attributes that are superfinite. (185,3-4)
(b) Postfinite creatures. These are all the creatures, perfect and perfected, who have participated in the evolutionary growth of the Supreme, and in association with him escape previous (finite) limitations, and begin the new adventure toward a new goal of creature existence on new levels of ultimate reality. (11,5); (1287,6) This emergence of ex-finite creatures on the absonite level is a direct result of the divinity success of God the Sevenfold in the time-space creations -the seven superuniverses.

These, then, are some of the new elements that will appear on the absonite level of reality in the Third Universe Age, and will function throughout each of the post-supreme ages (Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth) of the outer space levels. They will add to the forces, personalities, and influences, that previously operated in the outer space levels of the master universe, and on the absonite level of reality - the Architects of the Master Universe and the Trinity of Ultimacy (the Paradise Trinity functioning in relation to the absonite).

How will the emerging Ultimate be related to these new factors that are making their appearance on the absonite level? We will reserve the consideration of his relationship to the two trinities (Paradise Trinity and Trinity Ultimate) for the next section, and will discuss his other relationships in this section.

Relationship of the Ultimate to the Sevenfold (or Tenfold?) We are informed that God the Sevenfold began to function when the seven superuniverses were organized, and that this function "will probably expand" with the opening up of the outer space levels. (12, 4) We have considered the possible expansion of ministry into the outer space universes by the Sevenfold Deity, and the possible internal expansion of the Sevenfold Deity into a Tenfold Deity. On the summary facing this page we have attempted to suggest how the structure of Sevenfold Deity might possibly expand into a Tenfold structure. We have the opinion that this deity association (Sevenfold-becoming-Tenfold) will continue to function on the creative frontier when this frontier moves from the superuniverses outward into the Primary Space Level; and have the opinion that its additional experiential development will repercuss in the Deity of the Corps of the Supreme Creators in the First Experiential Trinity, thus contributing to the absonite expansion of this Deity Member of the Trinity Ultimate, and to the absonite unification of this experiential trinity.

There is one important difference between the Sevenfold Deity and the (possible) Tenfold Deity: The Sevenfold is co-ordinated only by existential Paradise Deity; both the Infinite Spirit and the Universal Father are functional members of God the Sevenfold and of the Sevenfold Controllers (1270,3-9); (1273,7-13), and this is also the case with the Tenfold Deity. But, in addition, the Tenfold will enjoy the experiential co-ordination of the completed Supreme Being.

The Ultimate in relation to the Supreme. Our attempts to visualize the techniques of power-personality synthesis on the absonite level are complicated by the fact that God the Ultimate is the second of the experiential deities - God the Supreme is the first. There is no total experiential deity prior to the Supreme (except for the intermittent collective function of the Seven Master Spirits) but the entire growth process of the Ultimate (in the postsupreme ages) is dependent on the prior presence of the actualized Supreme.

We see four relationships emerging between the actualizing Ultimate and the completed Supreme:

(a) Through the First Experiential Trinity. The Trinity Ultimate is in process of unifying in the post-supreme ages. The Supreme Being is a member of this trinity. (16,4); (1166,1)
(b) Within the (emerging) Second Experiential Trinity. Both the Supreme and the Ultimate are members of this trinity (16,5), and the Trinity Absolute exists only as a qualified reality in the post-supreme ages. (1291,8) This trinity cannot factually form until the close of the Sixth Universe Age and the completion of the master universe. (1167,3)
(c) Within God the Tenfold. The Supreme will again be present in this relationship of the Tenfold Deity along with the Ultimate. (See Appendix XII., §4; Will the Sevenfold Become Tenfold in Outer Space? ) Presumably God the Tenfold (an expansion of God the Sevenfold) will be operative in the outer space universes.
(d) Directly, as between two experiential deities. It seems likely that the Supreme and the Ultimate have (or will have) a direct relationship. Their relationship is the fundamental association of subabsolute deity; together they correlate all master-universe growth - creation, evolution, and eventuation - all progressive change. (1294,9) It appears likely that this relationship foreshadows their future function as the Supreme-Ultimate. (See Appendix XXV; The Trinitized Nature of God the Absolute ) The relationship may also possibly involve the Trinity of Trinities. (See Appendix XXIII, §4; Supreme-Ultimate Trinitization, and Appendix XXIII, §6; The Stage of Growing Unification: Stage 3) In any event, the relationship appears to be a part of the tertiary function of the Supreme Being in the master universe. (See Appendix XI, §3; The Supreme in the Inner and Outer Universes)

The Supreme Being appears to be the connecting link between all of the experiential relationships of the emerging deity of God the Ultimate.

§9. THE ABSONITE LEVEL: POWER-PERSONALITY SYNTHESIS

The actual power-personality synthesis of God the Ultimate is a function of the First Experiential Trinity. This means that all of the activities of the absonite level must register in, and be co-ordinated by, this trinity.

The First Experiential Trinity. The emergence of the Supreme Being, and the unification of the Deity of the Corps of the Supreme Creators, makes possible the factual formation of the Trinity Ultimate. (See Appendix X, §3; Evolution of the Members of the Trinity Ultimate) The third member of this trinity is the Deity of the Corps of the Master Architects, and they have existed from the dawn of eternity. (351, §9 ) The Trinity Ultimate has, for a long time, been a qualified reality (1291,8), and now it becomes a factual reality and begins its long evolutionary growth toward the status of a unified reality. (See Appendix XIX., §5, The Evolutions of Experiential Trinities.)

The two trinities, existential and experiential. The Ultimate derives his personality (or superpersonality?) from the Paradise Trinity. (16,2) This existential trinity participates in the growth of the Supreme as the Trinity of Supremacy (113,6), and it will undoubtedly function in conjunction with the emergence of the Ultimate as the Trinity of Ultimacy. (113,7) This means that two trinities (Paradise, and First Experiential) may possibly be collaborating, and we know nothing about the possible implications of such a dual-trinity relationship. We have the opinion, however, that the Paradise Trinity will withdraw in existential function just as fast as the Trinity Ultimate is able experientially to replace such functions.

How does the Trinity Ultimate unify to factualize God the Ultimate. Here again, we encounter something new, an experiential deity will power-personalize as the result of the unification of an experiential trinity - the first trinity of its kind. Consider the following citations:

(16,6) The Trinity Ultimate can experientially unify in completion.
(12,5) God the Ultimate will finally emerge as a result of the complete unification of this trinity.
(1166,6) The Trinity Ultimate will co-ordinate the whole of the master universe.
(ibid.) God the Ultimate is the power-personalization of the completed master universe.

In our study of the evolution of the Supreme we observed there was no pre-existent experiential trinity; at least none had achieved factual formation. It would appear that the Corps of the Supreme Creators acted in the absence of an experiential trinity. But the Supreme Creators are not trinity. It must therefore follow that the emergence of the Ultimate will be something different from the evolution of the Supreme. Nevertheless, we can probably make some cautious comparisons between the Sevenfold (in relation to the Supreme) and the First Experiential Trinity (in relation to the Ultimate):

(1160,16) We cited certain passages (above) in considering those phases of Sevenfold Deity that are not
(1164,4) spiritual or personal but are all destined to be unified in the Supreme."
(1303,8) We observed that the inclusion of these notspiritual-or-personal realities constitutes the development of ". . . a new relationship between pattern and person."
(1171,3) The membership of the Trinity Ultimate, as presented, is an adequate portraiture of its divinity phases, but there are other aspects of this trinity which are perfectly unifying with the divinity phases.
(1167,4)We cannot consider the personal aspects of God the Ultimate ". . . apart from the other-than personal aspects of Ultimate Deity."

What is true of the power-personalization of the Supreme appears to be true - at least in principle - of the power-personalization of the Ultimate, only on a vaster scale. The Ultimate is going to take into his personalization of power a larger segment of Total Reality than did the Supreme. But this encompassment of Reality (things, meanings, and values of the master universe) will be similar to the power-personalization of the Supreme in that it will include that which is personal and spiritual and also that which is other-than-personal and other-than-spiritual. (1167,4) This seems to be a valid point of comparison between the Supreme and the Ultimate. But we are also instructed that, in terms of both quality and quantity, the emergence of the Ultimate is a more complex process than is the actualization of the Supreme. (1171,8) The Ultimate is more than an amplification of the Supreme. (ibid.)

§10. POWER-PERSONALITY SYNTHESIS ON THE ABSOLUTE LEVEL

If the completed evolution of the Supreme enables creatures to rise above the finite level and attain the absonite level of super-creature destiny (11,5), then will a similar development in God the Ultimate result in the opening up of a new creature destiny beyond the absonite level? This would appear to be a very likely prospect. (1169,4)

The Second Experiential Trinity. The completion of the power-personalization of the Ultimate makes possible the factual formation of the Trinity Absolute. (1167,3) The Supreme Being, God the Ultimate, and the Consummator of Universe Destiny constitute the membership of this trinity. (ibid.) Even now, this trinity probably exists as a qualified reality; with the emergence of the Ultimate it can form as a factual reality, and can begin the effort to attain the status of a unified reality. Total unification appears to be very doubtful, even impossible. (See Appendix XIX., §5, The Evolution of Experiential Trinities, and Appendix XIX, §6, The Non-Unification of the Trinity Absolute.)

The expanding scope of power-personalization. In our study we have been slowly moving from the finite, through the absonite, toward the absolute level of reality. In this expanding progression the power-personalizations of experiential deity have been taking in more and more of Total Reality - personal and spiritual, together with other-than-personal and other-than-spiritual. Consider these citations:

(1303,8) The evolution of the Supreme (and the Ultimate) is actually uniting ". . . certain impersonal phases . . . with their volitional counterparts..."
(1167,4) The person of the Ultimate cannot be separated from those aspects of Ultimate Deity that are other-than-personal.
(1171,4) The Second Experiential Trinity also has its 11 other-than-divinity values" which are being unified with the divinity phases, just as in the case of the power-personality synthesis of experiential deity.

With each step (from finite, through absonite, to absolute) more and more of Total Reality is being encompassed: the Supreme Being embraces the total finite of the grand universe in his power-personality synthesis; the Ultimate takes in the whole absonite potential of the entire master universe in his unification of power and personality; and, if the Second Experiential Trinity could completely unify, this would power-personalize God the Absolute out of the absolute-divinity and prepersonal potentials of the Deity Absolute. But, God the Absolute is also inseparable from the "other-than-personal" and the "other-than-divinity" values that are present on the absolute level of reality. This points directly to the Unqualified Absolute.

(1167,4) ". . . on the absolute level the Deity and the Unqualified Absolutes are inseparable . . . in the presence of the Universal Absolute."

In other words, what we have been discussing is the final power-personality synthesis. This is the attempt to bring about an experiential unification of the Absolutes; an attempt to do, by experiential techniques, what actually is done in eternity, by existential techniques. This is an infinite project; it has no end, no limit, no outside, no beyond! Existentially, and in eternity, the Absolute of potential power and the Absolute of potential personality are perfectly unified. The Universal Absolute perfectly unifies the Unqualified Absolute and the Deity Absolute. (15,5) But this is an existential unification; it is not an experiential unification.

This brings us back to a statement that was made earlier, in the third section of this Appendix. Let us repeat:

God is existential in eternity; thus, he has an existential "self-consciousness of infinity." But it will require all future eternity to achieve the experiential self-realization of what is contained in the limitless reservoirs of the three Absolutes.

We have come around the circle and are approaching the full cycle of eternity, but in order to exhaust infinity, we must reach the end of eternity. However, eternity is infinite just as infinity is eternal. Of one thing we may be sure:

The eternal growth process will never be terminated by an end. And this raises the question - is there such a thing as an "end?" Or, is the concept of an "end" merely a foible of thought resulting from the time-space limitations of human thinking?

Even the Paradise Trinity cannot "do the nondoable." (1299,1) It cannot experientialize the Deity Absolute. The Original Trinity is infinite, it has the power, but it could only experientialize God the Absolute out of the potentials of the Deity Absolute if it were, itself, an experiential, trinity.