The determination of the nature and essence of Hyponoesis or Universal Mind involves a logical paradox: from an ultimate point of view, Hyponoesis cannot be defined or qualified with any of the concepts used by the analytical mind. So, there's only the way of the via negativa . On the other hand, since we are manifestations of Hyponoesis and as such fully qualified and determined, we are able to postulate positive statements about Hyponoesis. This is, however, only for the sake of acquiring a more comprehensive understanding of our world and ourselves and therefore remains relativistic in its assertoric character.

Aspectlessness

Aspects or Noemes are actualized manifestations and expressions of Hyponoesis and are therefore classified as phenomenal rather than as noumenal, to use Kantian terminology. Hyponoesis is neither one aspect nor the other, neither mental nor physical. (see also my Essay about Noemes).

Pure Potentiality

Hyponoesis per se is undefined, undetermined, formless, and not contingent upon the time-space continuum and causality of our world. As potentiality it includes everything and therefore can actualize itself into infinite forms and individual entities. Actuality is the existence or subsistence of the potential that is ultimately pure substance or essence or Beingness.

Transcendent Immanence or Immanent Transcendence

Hyponoesis is neither and both: transcendent insofar as it is pure potentiality and therefore different from its actualizations and immanent insofar as it represents the totality of all actualized forms. Those manifested forms are not something outside or apart from Hyponoesis. The very essence of Hyponoesis is the totality of the world and its individual entities. This is its immanent aspect. But since its actuality is at the same time also its potentiality, the transcendent aspect is revealed by this identity of actual and potential. The actual is ultimately nothing apart from the potential. It's an absolute identity, the distinction is purely conceptual.

Timelessness

Hyponoesis is not contingent upon time, although time is the essential property of its actualized forms. Time only exists for the actualized entities of Hyponoesis. There is no time in the pure Beingness of Hyponoesis, so we cannot label it with the term "eternity", because that involves the concept of time, although of an infinite or unlimited time, but still time. The concept of time is not applicable to Hyponoesis at all.

Spacelessness

The same is true for the concept of space, which is idiosyncratic of actualized entities and not of Hyponoesis itself. Space represents the essential nature of our world and therefore belongs to the existence of the world's particular, actualized objects. The concept of space, therefore, cannot be applied to Hyponoesis.

Statelessness/Non-Existence

Hyponoesis cannot be declared to be in a particular state. A state is a specific phase in the duration of an existing object. Everything that exists, exists in space and time. State also represents the different stages that underlie the process of change, which is the very essence of everything that exists. Everything is in a state of constant change and modification. Hyponoesis, however, is stateless, because it does not exist in the sense a particular, actualized object or entity exists. Hyponoesis is pure Beingness and not existence.

Processlessness

A corollary from the aforementioned point. Hyponoesis is neither static nor dynamic, because both attributes belong to an entity that exists as a constantly evolving and permuting process. Actually, there's no staticness in our world. It's a relative term used from our human perspective to describe a system of processes that seem to us as not evolving or only evolving over a long period of time so that changes are not directly visible. Hyponoesis does not evolve or change, because it is not manifested as a specific form. The very nature of a specific form is process. Motion may be described as a fundamental property of actualized forms, and I don't just mean exterior motion of the body, but interior movement of our mind (thoughts, feelings, etc.).

Non-"Mind"

Although I use the term Universal Mind as a synonym for Hyponoesis, the word "mind" may not be used for Hyponoesis in the same sense as we use it for the human mind. It's not mind as we know it, it's that which is behind our mind, the origin and root of our mind and of everything that exists.

Uncreatedness

Hyponoesis does not create or produce the plurality of its manifestations. Actualization is not be confused with creation. Actualization does not create entities ex nihilo or from an existing substance. Hyponoesis is its actualizations, the actualizations are Hyponoesis. There's no process going on that constantly produces or creates new forms, at least not in the sense of our understanding of process. It's very difficult to explain what I mean with the limited concepts of our thinking. The actualized forms are there all the time, potentially first. They become actualized as intelligible entities only through an intelligence, such as a human mind or through a low-order consciousness, such as that of a biological form (animals). As long as there is no perceiving or conceiving mind, the actualized forms are as such not distinctive features of a world. We can therefore postulate a generative power of the Individual Mind (Exonoesis) or consciousness that is able to in-form those actualizations out of the potentiality of Hyponoesis.

Non-Individuality

Hyponoesis cannot be equated with a personal deity, such as the Christian God. No anthropomorphisms can be applied to Hyponoesis, therefore we cannot say that it is omnipresent, omnipotent or omniscient. These are terms applicable to the human world and therefore of validity only within the boundaries of our conceptual thinking. Even the concept of pure energy cannot be used to describe the essence of Hyponoesis. Energy is a manifestation of Hyponoesis. As I mentioned already, no property of a manifested, actualized form can be applied to Hyponoesis.

Purposelessness

Hyponoesis is also not a superior Intelligence that creates the world and human beings with a purpose in mind. Hyponoesis has no meaning, no purpose, no goal in short, no teleological properties are applicable.

If we have to use a concepts for the Hyponoesis, the following concepts or analogies from East and West could come closest to it:

• Quantum Physics: the quantum vacuum, out of which everything existing emerges and is produced.
• Zen Buddhism: the Void, the ultimate paradox: it is nothing and everything, and neither of both.
• Taoism: Tao as the unity and identity of Yin and Yang or of all manifestations in the world.