March 20, 2026
Ghosts, Vital Formations and the After Death Experience
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. 11
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/18/ghosts-vital-formations-and-the-after-death-experience/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #Dr. Dalal #The Mother #integral yoga #yoga #spirituality #psychic being #soul #ghosts #vital formations #after death experience
1
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:04,320
The Titiria Upanishad describes
the process of departure of the
2
00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,400
soul from an embodiment in the
world.
3
00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,600
Quote the Spirit who is here in
a man, and the Spirit who is
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,840
there in the sun.
It is one Spirit, and there is
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,640
no other.
He who knoweth this, when he
6
00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,360
hath gone away from this world,
passeth to this Self which is of
7
00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,920
food.
He passeth to this Self which is
8
00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,520
of prana.
He passeth to this Self which is
9
00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,360
of mind.
He passeth to this Self which is
10
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,720
of knowledge.
He passeth to this Self which is
11
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,720
of bliss.
End Quote.
12
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,920
Translated by Sri Robindo, The
Upanishads, Tituria Upanishad
13
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,360
Brahmanandavali, Chapter 8, page
273.
14
00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,160
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
takes the reader through a
15
00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,680
corresponding process whereby
the embodied being departs, the
16
00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,680
physical body moves into the
vital world, eventually either
17
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,400
becoming liberated or prepared
to take a new birth based on the
18
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,400
affinities that have attached to
the being, the trend and
19
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,600
momentum of the life force that
has taken that birth and now
20
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,520
departed.
There are corresponding worlds
21
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,720
that are native to the various
elements that make up the being
22
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,000
in the Earth life.
Those worlds include subtle
23
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,200
physical realms, vital worlds,
and mental worlds.
24
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,080
The corresponding parts of the
being can go to the realms to
25
00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,560
which they are related.
Similarly, A formation that has
26
00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,600
taken a definitive shape may
continue to abide within the
27
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,000
Earth atmosphere, at least for a
time.
28
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,320
This has led to the experience
of various types of vital
29
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,280
presences, including the
experience of ghosts.
30
00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,760
William Shakespeare was deeply
familiar with the phenomena of
31
00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,840
ghosts.
In his play Julius Caesar, he
32
00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,080
has the ghost of Caesar visit
Brutus.
33
00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,160
Ahead of the decisive battle
which led to the defeat of
34
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,680
Brutus and his death in Richard
the Third, King Richard is
35
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,200
visited by the ghosts of a
number of individuals he had
36
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,280
arranged to be murdered so he
could ascend to the throne.
37
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,560
In Macbeth, the ghost of Banquo
appears to pressure Macbeth for
38
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,520
his heinous deeds in the pursuit
of power.
39
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,480
In Hamlet, the story is brought
forward by the appearance of the
40
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:40,040
ghost of the dead King, Hamlet's
father, to reveal the actions
41
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,760
that led to his death by murder
carried out by his own brother
42
00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,440
who desired the throne and the
wife of the dead king to become
43
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,440
his queen.
Hamlet explains the appearance
44
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:58,240
of the ghost to his friend.
Quote There are more things in
45
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,800
heaven and earth, Horatio, than
are dreamt of in your
46
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:07,400
philosophy.
End Quote While the idea of
47
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,200
ghosts is dismissed by many in
the scientific community, it is
48
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,160
quite clear that something
exists that has provoked so much
49
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,360
attention across the entire
world and throughout human
50
00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,160
history.
The appearance of ghosts
51
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,720
represents A vital or a subtle
physical manifestation of a
52
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,120
formation that persists for some
time after the death of the
53
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,400
body, particularly in a well
formed vital personality.
54
00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,520
Shakespeare's ghosts all had a
strong vital attachment and
55
00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,160
unfinished business that kept
the formation together.
56
00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:49,600
A ghost is not the spirit or
soul, despite the confusion that
57
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,080
is attached to the word ghost by
associating it with the word
58
00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:57,520
spirit.
Once again we are tripped up by
59
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,960
imprecise terminology to
conflate 2 vastly different
60
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:08,040
things under 1 concept.
Srior Bindu observes quote.
61
00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,560
The ghost is of course not the
soul.
62
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,360
It is either the man appearing
in his vital body or it is a
63
00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,079
fragment of his vital that is
seized on by some vital force or
64
00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:23,200
being.
The vital part of us normally
65
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,680
exists after the dissolution of
the body for some time and
66
00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,480
passes away into the vital
plane, where it remains till the
67
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:36,680
vital sheath dissolves.
Afterwards it passes, if it is
68
00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,520
mentally evolved in the mental
sheath, to some mental world,
69
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,600
and finally the psychic leaves
its mental sheath also and goes
70
00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,800
to its place of rest.
If the mental is strongly
71
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,360
developed, then the mental part
of us can remain.
72
00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,200
So also can the vital, provided
they are organized by and
73
00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:05,120
centered round the true psychic
being, for they then share the
74
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,080
immortality of the psychic.
Otherwise the psychic draws mind
75
00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:15,200
and life into itself and enters
into an internatal quiescence.
76
00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,240
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
77
00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,320
Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
78
00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,000
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
79
00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,880
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, page 11.
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:04,320
The Titiria Upanishad describes
the process of departure of the
2
00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,400
soul from an embodiment in the
world.
3
00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,600
Quote the Spirit who is here in
a man, and the Spirit who is
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,840
there in the sun.
It is one Spirit, and there is
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,640
no other.
He who knoweth this, when he
6
00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,360
hath gone away from this world,
passeth to this Self which is of
7
00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,920
food.
He passeth to this Self which is
8
00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,520
of prana.
He passeth to this Self which is
9
00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,360
of mind.
He passeth to this Self which is
10
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,720
of knowledge.
He passeth to this Self which is
11
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,720
of bliss.
End Quote.
12
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,920
Translated by Sri Robindo, The
Upanishads, Tituria Upanishad
13
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,360
Brahmanandavali, Chapter 8, page
273.
14
00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,160
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
takes the reader through a
15
00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,680
corresponding process whereby
the embodied being departs, the
16
00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,680
physical body moves into the
vital world, eventually either
17
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,400
becoming liberated or prepared
to take a new birth based on the
18
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,400
affinities that have attached to
the being, the trend and
19
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,600
momentum of the life force that
has taken that birth and now
20
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,520
departed.
There are corresponding worlds
21
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,720
that are native to the various
elements that make up the being
22
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,000
in the Earth life.
Those worlds include subtle
23
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,200
physical realms, vital worlds,
and mental worlds.
24
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,080
The corresponding parts of the
being can go to the realms to
25
00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,560
which they are related.
Similarly, A formation that has
26
00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,600
taken a definitive shape may
continue to abide within the
27
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,000
Earth atmosphere, at least for a
time.
28
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,320
This has led to the experience
of various types of vital
29
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,280
presences, including the
experience of ghosts.
30
00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,760
William Shakespeare was deeply
familiar with the phenomena of
31
00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,840
ghosts.
In his play Julius Caesar, he
32
00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,080
has the ghost of Caesar visit
Brutus.
33
00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,160
Ahead of the decisive battle
which led to the defeat of
34
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,680
Brutus and his death in Richard
the Third, King Richard is
35
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,200
visited by the ghosts of a
number of individuals he had
36
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,280
arranged to be murdered so he
could ascend to the throne.
37
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,560
In Macbeth, the ghost of Banquo
appears to pressure Macbeth for
38
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,520
his heinous deeds in the pursuit
of power.
39
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,480
In Hamlet, the story is brought
forward by the appearance of the
40
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:40,040
ghost of the dead King, Hamlet's
father, to reveal the actions
41
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,760
that led to his death by murder
carried out by his own brother
42
00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,440
who desired the throne and the
wife of the dead king to become
43
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,440
his queen.
Hamlet explains the appearance
44
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:58,240
of the ghost to his friend.
Quote There are more things in
45
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,800
heaven and earth, Horatio, than
are dreamt of in your
46
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:07,400
philosophy.
End Quote While the idea of
47
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,200
ghosts is dismissed by many in
the scientific community, it is
48
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,160
quite clear that something
exists that has provoked so much
49
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,360
attention across the entire
world and throughout human
50
00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,160
history.
The appearance of ghosts
51
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,720
represents A vital or a subtle
physical manifestation of a
52
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,120
formation that persists for some
time after the death of the
53
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,400
body, particularly in a well
formed vital personality.
54
00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,520
Shakespeare's ghosts all had a
strong vital attachment and
55
00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,160
unfinished business that kept
the formation together.
56
00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:49,600
A ghost is not the spirit or
soul, despite the confusion that
57
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,080
is attached to the word ghost by
associating it with the word
58
00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:57,520
spirit.
Once again we are tripped up by
59
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,960
imprecise terminology to
conflate 2 vastly different
60
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:08,040
things under 1 concept.
Srior Bindu observes quote.
61
00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,560
The ghost is of course not the
soul.
62
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,360
It is either the man appearing
in his vital body or it is a
63
00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,079
fragment of his vital that is
seized on by some vital force or
64
00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:23,200
being.
The vital part of us normally
65
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,680
exists after the dissolution of
the body for some time and
66
00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,480
passes away into the vital
plane, where it remains till the
67
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:36,680
vital sheath dissolves.
Afterwards it passes, if it is
68
00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,520
mentally evolved in the mental
sheath, to some mental world,
69
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,600
and finally the psychic leaves
its mental sheath also and goes
70
00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,800
to its place of rest.
If the mental is strongly
71
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,360
developed, then the mental part
of us can remain.
72
00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,200
So also can the vital, provided
they are organized by and
73
00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:05,120
centered round the true psychic
being, for they then share the
74
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,080
immortality of the psychic.
Otherwise the psychic draws mind
75
00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:15,200
and life into itself and enters
into an internatal quiescence.
76
00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,240
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
77
00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,320
Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
78
00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,000
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
79
00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,880
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, page 11.
