30 THE BIOCOSMOS GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



isni, the two elements are present, physical 

 and psychical. Moreover their presence is in 

 every part or point of the vital body, wrought 

 together in an indissoluble union, which will 

 not permit one to exist without the other. 

 Body is in the soul and soul is in the body; 

 their unity is, as we say, immediate. Even 

 if the one be essentially determining and the 

 other essentially determined, neither can do 

 without the other and exist. To be sure, we 

 shall find that the psychical element will reach 

 a stage in which it can separate from its em- 

 bodiment and be self-determining within it- 

 self; but that stage is beyond Life, transcend- 

 ing indeed Nature, though it is her goal and 

 very aspiration. Such is the deepest dualism 

 of this sphere (the Biocosmos), its two-sided 

 oneness; we might name it Life's bi-lateral 

 symmetry, which runs through every plant 

 and animal: The two sides, however, are not 

 simply fixed in their twoness and opposition; 

 the living soul is always getting outside in the 

 body, and the living body is always getting 

 inside in the soul; the two counter concep- 

 tions we must somehow grasp together: the 

 internal keeps externalizing itself and the ex- 

 ternal keeps internalizing itself this is the 

 double process in vital action. The dualism 

 of Nature is always present in Life, but is 

 always being overcome, from which view- 



