"God is everywhere in the universe he himself created. And yet he
is separate from the universe. To shed light on this notion, we
can use an image, that of the snail. The snail’s body is tender
and soft, while its shell is hard. At first sight, the snail
seems to have nothing in common with its shell. Yet, the snail
itself secreted it, and the shell has gradually grown, because
the snail’s etheric body, which penetrates the tiny cracks, has
pushed the particles of matter apart.
The snail is separate from its shell but secreted it itself and
made it bigger. And in the same way, God is not the universe, but
he created it as a fluidic emanation of himself, which then
condensed to form worlds, constellations and galaxies. To keep
the universe evolving, God tirelessly continues to permeate it
with his life. So the universe, which is alive, transforms itself
as a result of the life of the Lord, but the Lord is a separate
entity. He is everywhere in the universe but not one with it."
Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
