Epigenesis (creative intelligences)

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For other uses of the word epigenesis, see Epigenesis.

Epigenesis is the philosophical/theological/esoteric idea that since the mind was given to the human being, it is this original creative impulse, epigenesis, which has been the cause of all of mankind's development.

According to spiritual evolution, human beings build upon that which has been already created, but there is also something new due to the activity of the spirit and thus it is that humans become creative intelligences — creators. In order that human being may become an independent, original Creator, it is necessary that his training should include sufficient latitude for the exercise of the individual originality which distinguishes creation from imitation. When Epigenesis becomes inactive, in the individual or even in a race, evolution ceases and degeneration commences.

This conception is based upon the Rosicrucian view of the world as a training school, where often mistakes are made during a lifetime. However, at the same time it is acknowledged that humans often learn much more from mistakes than by successes. Suffering is considered to be merely the result of the mistakes made, and their impression upon the consciousness causes humans to be active along other lines which are found to be good; that is to say, in harmony with nature. The human beings are then seen as Spirits attending the school of life for the purpose of unfolding latent spiritual power, developing themselves from impotence to omnipotence (related also to development from innocence into virtuous), reaching the stage of creative Gods at the end of mankind's present evolution: Great Day of Manifestation.