Are you evolving? If yes, you are not in the Self. But you are not out of the Self, because nothing can exist out of the Self. These six distortions do not exist in the Self.

Prasarana, expansion: Expansion implies there is something into which to expand. That which expands cannot be the basis for expansion.

Akunchana, contraction: Contraction means something shrinks from something else. Self does not withdraw or shrink from anything, so contraction does not exist in the Self.

Vriddhi, evolution: Evolution is becoming something that it is not already. Self is always the same, so it cannot evolve.

Self has no beginning. If God has a beginning, then He is not God. Click To Tweet

Kshaya, decay: There is no devolution or decay in the Self. It does not get old or stale. That is why when you are close to your Self, you do not feel that you are ageing.

Adi, beginning: Self has no beginning. If God has a beginning, then He is not God.

Abhava, lack: Self has no lack; it is complete. Lack indicates the existence of something outside itself that does not exist for the Self. So, if you feel you have not grown at all, do not worry, you are close to the Self.

Mind, like matter, evolves and devolves. That is how the experience of contraction and expansion is all play and display of the mind. Mind expands and contracts. When it expands, it comes close to the truth, which has no expansion. Are you still evolving? Good luck!