April 26, 2026
Psychic Love -- a Flame of White Light
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pp. 41-42This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/24/psychic-love-a-flame-of-white-light/
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 #yoga #integral yoga #Bhakti Yoga #spirituality #love #vital love #psychic love
1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,680
It is a quite common
circumstance.
2
00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,480
The heart centre appears to have
a very close connection with the
3
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,760
physical vital centres governing
the forces of sexual energy in
4
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,440
particular.
Thus, when there is an emotional
5
00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,360
attachment there is frequently a
physical bonding that occurs.
6
00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,960
When the psychic emotions
manifest, they often wind up
7
00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,400
trapped in this pre-existing
groove of human behaviour.
8
00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,560
The incidence of religious and
spiritual leaders who inspire
9
00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,680
people with a strong opening of
a higher form of love and then
10
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,280
utilizing that for their own
sexual satisfaction is something
11
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,000
that spiritual aspirants
everywhere have seen or
12
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,920
experienced.
With this issue in mind as one
13
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,800
of the concerns, certain
spiritual paths have taken a
14
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,720
direction of exclusive love and
devotion to the object of their
15
00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,280
worship, directing all of their
aspiration, self giving,
16
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:04,000
consecration, love and devotion
upward and avoiding a direct
17
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,800
touch with the external vital
nature.
18
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,360
This is a protective response to
an habitual reaction, but it
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,320
does not then act as a
transformative force for human
20
00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:19,720
interactions.
It is just this type of
21
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,200
separation that makes it seem
that psychic love is cold,
22
00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,920
distant, and unaffected by human
concerns.
23
00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,720
This is clearly a misconception
when we recognize the ecstatic
24
00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,800
expressions by devotees who
immerse themselves in love of
25
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,720
the divine in whatever form they
are attracted to.
26
00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,840
The love of the gopis for
Krushna, or the profound depths
27
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,840
of devotion that we find in
various religious orders, as
28
00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:52,600
well as the moving poetry and
writings of dedicated seekers,
29
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,240
makes it clear that psychic love
is a powerful and warm
30
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,760
expression.
The task before seekers, as Sri
31
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,240
Orvindo mentions, is to find a
way to translate this pure
32
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,280
uplifting an intense psychic
form of love into transformation
33
00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,680
of the external being and its
relation with others without
34
00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,200
falling into the long standing
habit of distorting it through
35
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,960
self seeking or self
satisfaction of various
36
00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,440
physical, vital or mental
preferences or desires,
37
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:35,360
Triorbindo notes quote.
It is also a mistake to think
38
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,840
that the vital alone has warmth
and the psychic is something
39
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,520
frigid without any flame in it.
A clear limpid goodwill is a
40
00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,320
very good and desirable thing,
but that is not what is meant by
41
00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,080
psychic love.
Love is love, and not merely
42
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,480
goodwill.
Psychic love can have a warmth
43
00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:01,120
and a flame as intense and more
intense than the vital, Only it
44
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,280
is a pure Friar, not dependent
on the satisfaction of ego
45
00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,440
desire, or on the eating up of
the fuel it embraces.
46
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,440
It is a white flame, not a red
one, but white heat is not
47
00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,200
inferior to the red variety in
its ardour.
48
00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,600
It is true that the psychic love
does not usually get its full
49
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,240
play in human relations and
human nature.
50
00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:29,040
It finds the fullness of its
fire and ecstasy more easily
51
00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:31,720
when it is lifted towards the
divine.
52
00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,360
In the human relation the
psychic love gets mixed up with
53
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,760
other elements which seek at
once to use it and over shadow
54
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,600
it.
It gets an outlet for its own
55
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:48,160
full intensities only at rare
moments, otherwise it comes in
56
00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,960
only as an element.
But Even so, it contributes all
57
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,720
the higher things in a love
fundamentally vital.
58
00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,680
All the finer sweetnesses,
tenderness, fidelity, self
59
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,480
giving, self sacrifice,
reachings of soul to soul,
60
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,000
idealizing sublimations that
lift up human love beyond
61
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,600
itself, come from the psychic.
If it could dominate and govern
62
00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,720
and transmute the other
elements, mental, vital,
63
00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,040
physical of human love, then
love could be on the earth, some
64
00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,800
reflection or preparation of the
real thing, an integral union of
65
00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,320
the soul and its instruments in
a dual life.
66
00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:37,720
But even some imperfect
appearance of that is rare.
67
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,400
End Quote.
Reference Sviro Bindu and the
68
00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:48,080
Mother, The Psychic being soul,
its nature, Mission and
69
00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,800
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
Nature of the Psychic Being,
70
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,120
pages 41 to 42.
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,680
It is a quite common
circumstance.
2
00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,480
The heart centre appears to have
a very close connection with the
3
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,760
physical vital centres governing
the forces of sexual energy in
4
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,440
particular.
Thus, when there is an emotional
5
00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,360
attachment there is frequently a
physical bonding that occurs.
6
00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,960
When the psychic emotions
manifest, they often wind up
7
00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,400
trapped in this pre-existing
groove of human behaviour.
8
00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,560
The incidence of religious and
spiritual leaders who inspire
9
00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,680
people with a strong opening of
a higher form of love and then
10
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,280
utilizing that for their own
sexual satisfaction is something
11
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,000
that spiritual aspirants
everywhere have seen or
12
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,920
experienced.
With this issue in mind as one
13
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,800
of the concerns, certain
spiritual paths have taken a
14
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,720
direction of exclusive love and
devotion to the object of their
15
00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,280
worship, directing all of their
aspiration, self giving,
16
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:04,000
consecration, love and devotion
upward and avoiding a direct
17
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,800
touch with the external vital
nature.
18
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,360
This is a protective response to
an habitual reaction, but it
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,320
does not then act as a
transformative force for human
20
00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:19,720
interactions.
It is just this type of
21
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,200
separation that makes it seem
that psychic love is cold,
22
00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,920
distant, and unaffected by human
concerns.
23
00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,720
This is clearly a misconception
when we recognize the ecstatic
24
00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,800
expressions by devotees who
immerse themselves in love of
25
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,720
the divine in whatever form they
are attracted to.
26
00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,840
The love of the gopis for
Krushna, or the profound depths
27
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,840
of devotion that we find in
various religious orders, as
28
00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:52,600
well as the moving poetry and
writings of dedicated seekers,
29
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,240
makes it clear that psychic love
is a powerful and warm
30
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,760
expression.
The task before seekers, as Sri
31
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,240
Orvindo mentions, is to find a
way to translate this pure
32
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,280
uplifting an intense psychic
form of love into transformation
33
00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,680
of the external being and its
relation with others without
34
00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,200
falling into the long standing
habit of distorting it through
35
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,960
self seeking or self
satisfaction of various
36
00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,440
physical, vital or mental
preferences or desires,
37
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:35,360
Triorbindo notes quote.
It is also a mistake to think
38
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,840
that the vital alone has warmth
and the psychic is something
39
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,520
frigid without any flame in it.
A clear limpid goodwill is a
40
00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,320
very good and desirable thing,
but that is not what is meant by
41
00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,080
psychic love.
Love is love, and not merely
42
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,480
goodwill.
Psychic love can have a warmth
43
00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:01,120
and a flame as intense and more
intense than the vital, Only it
44
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,280
is a pure Friar, not dependent
on the satisfaction of ego
45
00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,440
desire, or on the eating up of
the fuel it embraces.
46
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,440
It is a white flame, not a red
one, but white heat is not
47
00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,200
inferior to the red variety in
its ardour.
48
00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,600
It is true that the psychic love
does not usually get its full
49
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,240
play in human relations and
human nature.
50
00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:29,040
It finds the fullness of its
fire and ecstasy more easily
51
00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:31,720
when it is lifted towards the
divine.
52
00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,360
In the human relation the
psychic love gets mixed up with
53
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,760
other elements which seek at
once to use it and over shadow
54
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,600
it.
It gets an outlet for its own
55
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:48,160
full intensities only at rare
moments, otherwise it comes in
56
00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,960
only as an element.
But Even so, it contributes all
57
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,720
the higher things in a love
fundamentally vital.
58
00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,680
All the finer sweetnesses,
tenderness, fidelity, self
59
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,480
giving, self sacrifice,
reachings of soul to soul,
60
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,000
idealizing sublimations that
lift up human love beyond
61
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,600
itself, come from the psychic.
If it could dominate and govern
62
00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,720
and transmute the other
elements, mental, vital,
63
00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,040
physical of human love, then
love could be on the earth, some
64
00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,800
reflection or preparation of the
real thing, an integral union of
65
00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,320
the soul and its instruments in
a dual life.
66
00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:37,720
But even some imperfect
appearance of that is rare.
67
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,400
End Quote.
Reference Sviro Bindu and the
68
00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:48,080
Mother, The Psychic being soul,
its nature, Mission and
69
00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,800
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
Nature of the Psychic Being,
70
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,120
pages 41 to 42.
