Enfolding

Enfolding is the act of wrapping or enclosing something within another thing or space, often implying a gentle inward folding. In everyday language it can describe physical actions such as enfolding a blanket around a child, as well as metaphorical ones, like enfolding multiple ideas into a single, cohesive plan.

In philosophy, psychology, and related fields, enfolding is frequently contrasted with unfolding. Enfolding denotes inward containment, synthesis, or the embedding of complex structures within simpler forms, while unfolding refers to outward development, expression, or the disclosure of latent potential. A notable usage appears in certain systems and integral theories, where enfolding and unfolding are described as complementary dynamics that relate whole systems to their parts and to higher-order expressions of reality.

In scientific and mathematical contexts, the terms are sometimes employed to characterize dual representations or transformations that map one description of a system onto another. Enfolding can refer to compressing information or packaging it into a more compact form, whereas unfolding describes expanding that representation to reveal detail or to realize its potential. Because usage varies by field, practitioners typically define the relationship between enfolding and unfolding within the specific theoretical framework they are employing.