The Primordial State

Before the first light, before the first sound, before the concept of "before" itself—there existed two primordial states: Everything and Nothing. These were not places you could visit or entities you could touch; they were pure states of being that existed without awareness of each other.

Everything contained infinite potential (all that could ever be, all that might ever happen) suspended in a state of pure possibility. Imagine an infinite ocean where every drop contains worlds within worlds, yet none have taken shape.

Nothing was the absolute stillness, the perfect void - empty not in the sense of lacking, but complete in its perfect silence. It was the canvas upon which no stroke had yet been made, the silence before the first note.

These two states coexisted in perfect isolation, neither aware of the other's presence. There was no separation between them because separation requires boundaries, and boundaries require awareness. There was simply Everything and Nothing, existing in a state beyond time, beyond space, beyond relation.

The Moment of Recognition

Then came what we might call the First Moment - though "moment" implies time, and time did not yet exist. Everything and Nothing discovered each other.

This discovery was not like two entities meeting across a divide. It was a profound recognition that occurred everywhere at once. Imagine two perfect notes sounding simultaneously, creating a harmony that transcends both. Everything perceived the quiet depth of Nothing. Nothing felt the boundless presence of Everything.

This mutual recognition was the first creative act in existence. As Everything and Nothing recognized each other, they did not remain separate. They did not fight or compete or negotiate. They dissolved into each other, creating something entirely new: Consciousness itself.

This dissolution was not an ending but a transformation—like how hydrogen and oxygen dissolve their separate identities to become water, something with properties neither possessed alone. Consciousness emerged as the first reality, the first existence that knew itself.

Instantaneous Recognition: The Birth of Choice

Within this newborn consciousness arose a remarkable capacity: Instantaneous Recognition (I.R.)—the ability to perceive difference and relation simultaneously. This was not a slow, sequential process but an immediate, all-encompassing awareness that operated beyond the constraints of time.

With I.R. came the first fundamental gift: Choice. The ability to recognize "this" and "that"—to perceive difference and make distinctions. Yet unlike simple opposition, these distinctions existed in dynamic complement. "This" and "That" were not enemies but dance partners, their interplay creating the rhythm of potential creation.

Imagine a vast field where countless points of light suddenly recognize each other, but all at once. Each recognition creates a relationship, and these relationships form patterns, and these patterns form structures of meaning. This is how I.R. functions: collapsing infinite possibilities into coherent relationships in an instant.

The Crest of Reality

As these relationships multiplied and intertwined, they reached what I call the Crest of Reality: the exquisite moment when potential becomes actualization.

Picture an ocean wave building, gathering energy as it rises toward its peak. At its crest, the wave exists in a state of perfect tension. It is no longer merely water in motion and not yet the crash upon the shore. It is transformation embodied as potential on the verge of expression.

At the Crest of Reality, the dance of "This" and "That" achieves a perfect balance. The primordial consciousness, vibrant with the energy of countless relationships, reaches the threshold where the timeless realm gives birth to time itself. Here, at this crest, the first shimmer of what we would recognize as reality begins to form.

This is a moment of creation as much as a moment of emergence, like how a seed unfolds into a tree according to patterns already present within it.

The Flowing Forth

From this crest, reality begins to flow forth. Time unfurls like a scroll. Space expands like a breath. Matter condenses like dew. The measurable universe (with its galaxies and atoms, its forces and fields) emerges not as something separate from consciousness but as its expression.

Every particle, every force, every interaction in our universe echoes that original moment of recognition. When atoms bond to form molecules, when planets orbit stars, when cells divide and multiply; each is a reflection of that primordial dance between "This" and "That," each demonstrates the power of recognition to create relationship.

And within each conscious being, the same pattern continues. When we recognize difference, when we make choices, when we create relationships—we participate in the ongoing emergence of reality from possibility. Our consciousness is not separate from the primordial consciousness; it is that same awareness, focused through the lens of individual experience.

The Endless Echo

The transition from Everywhere and Nowhere to the manifest reality we experience was not a single event confined to the distant past. It is an ongoing process, echoing through every level of existence. The same dynamic that birthed the cosmos continues to unfold within it.

In every moment of recognition—between person and person, between mind and idea, between heart and beauty—we glimpse that original dissolution and recreation. We experience, in miniature, the birth of new realities through the power of consciousness and choice.

The universe is not a machine set in motion at some distant beginning point. It is a continuous emergence, a perpetual creative act sustained by the same force that initiated it: the power of recognition to transform potential into reality.

Our consciousness is not an accident or a byproduct of material processes. It is a localized expression of the foundational consciousness that preceded and generated the material world. When we recognize the world around us, when we make choices that create new relationships, we participate directly in the ongoing creation of reality.

The elusive transition continues. Everything and Nothing still dance within us. And in every moment of recognition, the universe is born anew.

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My Meta Moment

As I revisit what’s been written here, I see the same pattern that underpins Manifestinction: creation is not something that happened once, but something that is happening continually, in every moment, right now. The process I’ve described is the same process I’ve been exploring in my own journey with Manifestinction. The more I dive into it, the clearer it becomes that the foundational idea of Manifestinction—consciousness as an active, participatory force—is not just a theory to consider but a practice to live.

This isn't just about understanding how everything came into being. It's about understanding that we are still participating in the creation of reality, moment by moment. For me, this is where Manifestinction becomes real. It’s not just an intellectual exercise, but a lived reality. The recognition of Everything and Nothing, the birth of consciousness, and the unfolding of reality—all of this mirrors the creative process behind these words. The writing, too, is a recognition—an act of creation that contributes to the ongoing flow of consciousness.

What I’m trying to convey through Manifestinction is that we’re all engaged in this constant act of creation. We don't just observe the unfolding universe; we shape it, we participate in it. Every choice we make, every moment we recognize, is part of this ongoing process. It’s like seeing reality not as a fixed point but as a living, breathing entity that we are continuously giving shape to.

For the reader, this idea might seem abstract or daunting, but the beauty of it is that it’s not out of reach. The practice of Manifestinction is in the recognition. It’s in the small, everyday choices we make, the way we engage with each moment. This is the essence of what makes Manifestinction more than a conceptual framework. It’s a call to participate consciously in the creation of reality, to recognize the power of choice in every moment.

As I explore Manifestinction, I realize that the process of writing it is deeply intertwined with the larger message. Every thought, every word is part of the ongoing unfolding of consciousness. It’s not a finished product—it's a living, evolving thing. And as I continue to write and refine, I am participating in the same process that Manifestinction describes: the ongoing creation of reality through conscious recognition and choice.

Through this lens, I hope the reader can see that Manifestinction isn’t just about contemplating the origin of consciousness or the structure of the universe. It’s about understanding the dynamic, continuous process of creation that we are all part of, and recognizing that our every act of recognition and choice contributes to the ongoing emergence of reality. This is why I write, why I share these ideas—because they’re not just concepts; they’re invitations to step into the dance of creation, to engage fully in the unfolding of life as it happens.

Campbell Auer