March 18, 2026
Distinguishing Soul from Vital Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pg. 9
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/16/distinguishing-soul-from-vital-being/
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#Sri Aurobindo #The Mother #Dr. Dalal #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being #desire-soul
1
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,800
The lack of experience and
recognition of the action of the
2
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:08,480
soul makes it difficult for most
people to understand the reality
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,240
of the soul.
For this reason people tend to
4
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:17,960
confuse the true soul with the
vital soul of desire, which Rio
5
00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,840
Robindo calls the Desire Soul.
This is an expression of the
6
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:28,040
vital being and is seen as
passionate, sensuous and desire
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,560
filled.
The vital connection felt
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,200
between two individuals clues us
in to how people tend to
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,000
identify a soulmate.
Because people generally
10
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,200
identify with and live on the
surface of their being.
11
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,880
For the most part, anything
identified as soul turns out to
12
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,680
be related to the feeling we
experience in our vital nature.
13
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,920
The soul itself is not attached
to the experiences of the
14
00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:01,160
external beings per SE.
Soul experience relates to the
15
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,960
connection between the soul and
the Divine in the form of
16
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:11,040
aspiration, devotion,
consecration, and surrender
17
00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,920
through increased receptivity to
the spiritual principle and
18
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,920
action.
A disciple asks, Are the soul
19
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,120
and the psychic being one and
the same thing?
20
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,880
The Mother responds quote.
That depends on the definition
21
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,560
you give to the words.
In most religions, and perhaps
22
00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,960
in most philosophies also, it is
the vital being which is called
23
00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:40,280
soul, for it is said that the
soul leaves the body, while it
24
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,440
is the vital being which leaves
the body.
25
00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,480
One speaks of saving the soul,
wicked souls, redeeming the
26
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,080
soul, but all that applies to
the vital being.
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,120
For the psychic being has no
need to be saved.
28
00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,760
It does not share the faults of
the external person.
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,120
It is free from all reaction.
End Quote.
30
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,680
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother.
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,000
The psychic being soul, its
nature, mission and evolution.
32
00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,920
Section 1.
Meaning and nature of the
33
00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,200
psychic being.
Page 9.
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,800
The lack of experience and
recognition of the action of the
2
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:08,480
soul makes it difficult for most
people to understand the reality
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,240
of the soul.
For this reason people tend to
4
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:17,960
confuse the true soul with the
vital soul of desire, which Rio
5
00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,840
Robindo calls the Desire Soul.
This is an expression of the
6
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:28,040
vital being and is seen as
passionate, sensuous and desire
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,560
filled.
The vital connection felt
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,200
between two individuals clues us
in to how people tend to
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,000
identify a soulmate.
Because people generally
10
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,200
identify with and live on the
surface of their being.
11
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,880
For the most part, anything
identified as soul turns out to
12
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,680
be related to the feeling we
experience in our vital nature.
13
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,920
The soul itself is not attached
to the experiences of the
14
00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:01,160
external beings per SE.
Soul experience relates to the
15
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,960
connection between the soul and
the Divine in the form of
16
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:11,040
aspiration, devotion,
consecration, and surrender
17
00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,920
through increased receptivity to
the spiritual principle and
18
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,920
action.
A disciple asks, Are the soul
19
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,120
and the psychic being one and
the same thing?
20
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,880
The Mother responds quote.
That depends on the definition
21
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,560
you give to the words.
In most religions, and perhaps
22
00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,960
in most philosophies also, it is
the vital being which is called
23
00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:40,280
soul, for it is said that the
soul leaves the body, while it
24
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,440
is the vital being which leaves
the body.
25
00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,480
One speaks of saving the soul,
wicked souls, redeeming the
26
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,080
soul, but all that applies to
the vital being.
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,120
For the psychic being has no
need to be saved.
28
00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,760
It does not share the faults of
the external person.
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,120
It is free from all reaction.
End Quote.
30
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,680
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother.
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,000
The psychic being soul, its
nature, mission and evolution.
32
00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,920
Section 1.
Meaning and nature of the
33
00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,200
psychic being.
Page 9.
