June 13, 2026
Progress and Development of Physical, Vital, Mental, Psychic and Spiritual Elements in Our Earthly Lives
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 3 Growth and Development of the Psychic, pp. 90-92
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/06/11/progress-and-development-of-physical-vital-mental-psychic-and-spiritual-elements-in-our-earthly-lives/
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 #The Mother #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being #progress
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:06,280
We all recognize the pattern.
We are born, we grow, develop,
2
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,720
reach mature adulthood, carry
out our productive activities.
3
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,440
Later, as we age, various
elements of our bodies, our life
4
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:21,160
energies and our minds begin to
decline, until eventually the
5
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,520
deterioration creates a break
that leads to death and
6
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,680
decomposition of the body, with
the life energy and the mental
7
00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,320
being likewise returning to
their native elements.
8
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,680
This pattern is modified by what
we may call the will to progress
9
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,000
at any level.
Many people who have lived
10
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,000
productive lives in the external
society and economic structure
11
00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,440
reach a point where they retire
ostensibly to enjoy their golden
12
00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,080
years without the pressure of a
job.
13
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,720
Of course, many others simply do
not have the financial
14
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:02,440
wherewithal or security to
retire at peace, so they work as
15
00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,640
long as they are able to or as
long as they can keep a job as
16
00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:11,600
they age and the normal issues
begin to arise in their health
17
00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,720
and energies.
What we frequently see, however,
18
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,920
is that once the impetus of work
is removed, many people lose the
19
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,600
interest and will for progress.
They use their time for watching
20
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,440
television, undertaking
recreational activities without
21
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,680
pressure, or other activities
that do not involve further self
22
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,720
development.
They have developed their skill
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,840
sets to hold down a job.
Once that is no longer in the
24
00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,280
picture, they do not generally
appreciate the need to go
25
00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,680
further.
Some people, however, recognize
26
00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,960
that development of the body,
the life force, the emotional
27
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,160
being, the mind, and the psychic
being is something that is
28
00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,720
actually independent of and not
directly related to their
29
00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,760
position in society.
There are people who take up
30
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,639
advanced bodily conditioning,
mental training or spiritual
31
00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,520
practices who continue these far
beyond their time of employment.
32
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,480
Life in the world for these
people is an opportunity for
33
00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:24,320
continuous and progressive
growth and development on a
34
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,600
number of levels for purposes
outside the needs of their
35
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:34,400
external personality.
A disciple asks.
36
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,280
But for those who are not
conscious of their psychic, the
37
00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:46,240
mother replies quote, they are
compelled to progress whether
38
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,000
they want it or not.
The psychic being itself
39
00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,520
progresses in them, and they are
not conscious of it, but they
40
00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,880
themselves are compelled to
progress, that is to say, they
41
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,920
follow a curve, they follow an
ascent.
42
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:04,040
In life.
It is the same progress as that
43
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,600
of the growing child.
There comes a time when it is at
44
00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,680
the summit of its growth, and
then, unless it changes the
45
00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,240
plane of progress, unless the
purely physical progress turns
46
00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,240
into a mental progress, a
psychic progress, a spiritual
47
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,400
progress, it goes down the curve
and then there will be a
48
00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,320
decomposition and it will not
exist any longer.
49
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,760
It is just because progress is
not constant and perpetual in
50
00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,800
the physical world that there is
a growth, an apogee, A decline,
51
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,360
and a decomposition.
For anything that does not
52
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,760
advance falls back.
All that does not progress
53
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,680
regresses.
So this is just what happens
54
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,200
physically.
The physical world has not
55
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,600
learned how to progress
indefinitely.
56
00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:01,560
It arrives at a certain point,
then it is either tired of
57
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,840
progressing or is not capable of
progressing in the present
58
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,600
Constitution.
But in any case, it stops
59
00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,320
progressing and after a time
decomposes.
60
00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,360
Those who lead a purely physical
life reach a kind of summit,
61
00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,959
then they slide down very
quickly.
62
00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,800
But now with the general
collective human progress, there
63
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:28,400
is behind the physical progress
a vital progress and a mental
64
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,400
progress, so that the mental
progress can go on for a very
65
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,240
long time, even after the
physical progress has come to a
66
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,640
stop.
And through this mental progress
67
00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,080
1 keeps up a kind of ascent,
long after the physical has
68
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,880
ceased to progress.
And then there are those who do
69
00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,480
yoga, who become conscious of
their psychic being, are united
70
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,040
with it, participate in its
life.
71
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,080
These indeed progress till the
last breath of their life, and
72
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,720
they do not stop.
Even after death, when they have
73
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,120
left their body, under the plea
that the body cannot last any
74
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,680
longer, they continue to
progress.
75
00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,840
It is the incapacity of the body
to transform itself, to continue
76
00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,800
progressing that causes it to
regress and in the end become
77
00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,760
more and more open to the inner
disequilibrium, until one day
78
00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,640
that becomes strong enough to
bring about a total imbalance
79
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,120
and it can no longer regain its
balance and health.
80
00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,480
It is only in the pure spiritual
life, that which is outside all
81
00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,200
physical and terrestrial
existence, including the mental,
82
00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,720
that there is no progress.
You reach a static state and are
83
00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,480
outside all movements of
progress, but at the same time
84
00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,360
you are outside the
manifestation.
85
00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:00,480
Also, when you reach that state,
you no longer belong to the
86
00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,360
manifestation, you go out of the
manifested world.
87
00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,560
One must go out of the
manifested world in order to go
88
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,520
out of all progress, because the
two are identical.
89
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:19,520
Manifestation means progress and
progress means manifestation.
90
00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:25,720
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother, the
91
00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:30,200
psychic being soul, its nature,
mission and evolution.
92
00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,840
Section 3.
Growth and Development of the
93
00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:37,000
Psychic, pages 90 to 92.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:06,280
We all recognize the pattern.
We are born, we grow, develop,
2
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,720
reach mature adulthood, carry
out our productive activities.
3
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,440
Later, as we age, various
elements of our bodies, our life
4
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:21,160
energies and our minds begin to
decline, until eventually the
5
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,520
deterioration creates a break
that leads to death and
6
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,680
decomposition of the body, with
the life energy and the mental
7
00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,320
being likewise returning to
their native elements.
8
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,680
This pattern is modified by what
we may call the will to progress
9
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,000
at any level.
Many people who have lived
10
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,000
productive lives in the external
society and economic structure
11
00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,440
reach a point where they retire
ostensibly to enjoy their golden
12
00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,080
years without the pressure of a
job.
13
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,720
Of course, many others simply do
not have the financial
14
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:02,440
wherewithal or security to
retire at peace, so they work as
15
00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,640
long as they are able to or as
long as they can keep a job as
16
00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:11,600
they age and the normal issues
begin to arise in their health
17
00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,720
and energies.
What we frequently see, however,
18
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,920
is that once the impetus of work
is removed, many people lose the
19
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,600
interest and will for progress.
They use their time for watching
20
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,440
television, undertaking
recreational activities without
21
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,680
pressure, or other activities
that do not involve further self
22
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,720
development.
They have developed their skill
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,840
sets to hold down a job.
Once that is no longer in the
24
00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,280
picture, they do not generally
appreciate the need to go
25
00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,680
further.
Some people, however, recognize
26
00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,960
that development of the body,
the life force, the emotional
27
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,160
being, the mind, and the psychic
being is something that is
28
00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,720
actually independent of and not
directly related to their
29
00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,760
position in society.
There are people who take up
30
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,639
advanced bodily conditioning,
mental training or spiritual
31
00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,520
practices who continue these far
beyond their time of employment.
32
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,480
Life in the world for these
people is an opportunity for
33
00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:24,320
continuous and progressive
growth and development on a
34
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,600
number of levels for purposes
outside the needs of their
35
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:34,400
external personality.
A disciple asks.
36
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,280
But for those who are not
conscious of their psychic, the
37
00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:46,240
mother replies quote, they are
compelled to progress whether
38
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,000
they want it or not.
The psychic being itself
39
00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,520
progresses in them, and they are
not conscious of it, but they
40
00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,880
themselves are compelled to
progress, that is to say, they
41
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,920
follow a curve, they follow an
ascent.
42
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:04,040
In life.
It is the same progress as that
43
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,600
of the growing child.
There comes a time when it is at
44
00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,680
the summit of its growth, and
then, unless it changes the
45
00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,240
plane of progress, unless the
purely physical progress turns
46
00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,240
into a mental progress, a
psychic progress, a spiritual
47
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,400
progress, it goes down the curve
and then there will be a
48
00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,320
decomposition and it will not
exist any longer.
49
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,760
It is just because progress is
not constant and perpetual in
50
00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,800
the physical world that there is
a growth, an apogee, A decline,
51
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,360
and a decomposition.
For anything that does not
52
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,760
advance falls back.
All that does not progress
53
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,680
regresses.
So this is just what happens
54
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,200
physically.
The physical world has not
55
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,600
learned how to progress
indefinitely.
56
00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:01,560
It arrives at a certain point,
then it is either tired of
57
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,840
progressing or is not capable of
progressing in the present
58
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,600
Constitution.
But in any case, it stops
59
00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,320
progressing and after a time
decomposes.
60
00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,360
Those who lead a purely physical
life reach a kind of summit,
61
00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,959
then they slide down very
quickly.
62
00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,800
But now with the general
collective human progress, there
63
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:28,400
is behind the physical progress
a vital progress and a mental
64
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,400
progress, so that the mental
progress can go on for a very
65
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,240
long time, even after the
physical progress has come to a
66
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,640
stop.
And through this mental progress
67
00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,080
1 keeps up a kind of ascent,
long after the physical has
68
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,880
ceased to progress.
And then there are those who do
69
00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,480
yoga, who become conscious of
their psychic being, are united
70
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,040
with it, participate in its
life.
71
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,080
These indeed progress till the
last breath of their life, and
72
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,720
they do not stop.
Even after death, when they have
73
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,120
left their body, under the plea
that the body cannot last any
74
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,680
longer, they continue to
progress.
75
00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,840
It is the incapacity of the body
to transform itself, to continue
76
00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,800
progressing that causes it to
regress and in the end become
77
00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,760
more and more open to the inner
disequilibrium, until one day
78
00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,640
that becomes strong enough to
bring about a total imbalance
79
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,120
and it can no longer regain its
balance and health.
80
00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,480
It is only in the pure spiritual
life, that which is outside all
81
00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,200
physical and terrestrial
existence, including the mental,
82
00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,720
that there is no progress.
You reach a static state and are
83
00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,480
outside all movements of
progress, but at the same time
84
00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,360
you are outside the
manifestation.
85
00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:00,480
Also, when you reach that state,
you no longer belong to the
86
00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,360
manifestation, you go out of the
manifested world.
87
00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,560
One must go out of the
manifested world in order to go
88
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,520
out of all progress, because the
two are identical.
89
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:19,520
Manifestation means progress and
progress means manifestation.
90
00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:25,720
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother, the
91
00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:30,200
psychic being soul, its nature,
mission and evolution.
92
00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,840
Section 3.
Growth and Development of the
93
00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:37,000
Psychic, pages 90 to 92.
