April 21, 2026
Spiritual Realms, Evolution in the World, and the Role of the Psychic 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, pp. 36-37This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/19/spiritual-realms-evolution-in-the-world-and-the-role-of-the-psychic-being/
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 #Dr. Dalal #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being #spiritual
1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,600
People are generally skeptical
about the existence of beings
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,600
outside our normal experience of
life in the world.
3
00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,200
At the same time, there is an
incredible interest in other
4
00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,600
beings, and the search for life
forms in the universe occupies
5
00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,720
the minds of many people.
People frequently report
6
00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,040
encounters with other beings,
whether they are called gods,
7
00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:29,000
celestial beings, angels,
demons, asuras, rakshasas,
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,880
ghosts, apparitions, or alien
beings.
9
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,920
There are reports worldwide
about the existence of these
10
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,400
beings, and many highly revered
texts recount visitations,
11
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,120
meetings, and teachings provided
by otherworldly beings.
12
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,880
The Bible has numerous tales of
angels interacting with human
13
00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,120
beings.
The ancient Greeks and Romans
14
00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,200
describe the interaction of
various beings designated as
15
00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:02,400
gods who interacted with and
intervened in the lives of men.
16
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,160
They also referred to ghosts,
shades of men that survived in
17
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:13,880
an incorporeal existence.
Tibetan texts describe various
18
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,800
beings in their worlds of
residence, as also can be found
19
00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,360
in texts of India.
Scriptural texts from all
20
00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,920
corners of the world provide
information on ethereal beings,
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,640
subtle presences, etcetera.
The Titaria Upanishad provides
22
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,920
an insightful description of the
levels of bliss Ananda
23
00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,920
attainable by various beings and
in chapter 8 of the Brahmananda
24
00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,200
Wali, the seer describes these
beings and the ascending level
25
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,200
of subtle existence that they
occupy above the human world.
26
00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:55,200
The chapter also notes quote the
spirit who is here in a man and
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,240
the spirit who is there in the
sun.
28
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,000
It is one spirit and there is no
other.
29
00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,560
End Quote.
Human beings perceive beings
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,360
that provide sensory input to us
within a certain limited range
31
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:15,040
of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Vibrations below and above this
32
00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,760
range are generally
imperceptible to us, although we
33
00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:24,280
know both that they exist as we
can measure some of them, and
34
00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,040
that some beings on the planet
can actually see or hear at
35
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,000
levels outside our own ability
to perceive with various
36
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,520
instruments.
Scientists have found living
37
00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,720
beings at the microscopic level
that we could not directly know
38
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,720
without access to these
instruments.
39
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,400
At a certain point, the
existence of vibratory ranges
40
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,800
outside the human field and the
known fact that beings exist in
41
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,200
those other ranges make it clear
that as Hamlet relates to
42
00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:00,520
Horatio in Shakespeare's famous
play quote, there are more
43
00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,720
things in heaven and earth
Horatio than are dreamt of in
44
00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,800
your philosophy.
End Quote.
45
00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,040
Those ranges that represent
vibratory levels above the human
46
00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,960
are known as spiritual levels.
The evolution of consciousness
47
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,400
slowly begins to extend the
range into levels currently
48
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:24,840
beyond our level of perception,
just as the vital range extended
49
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,600
beyond the physical and the
mental range extended beyond the
50
00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:33,520
physical and the vital levels.
Beings that exist currently at
51
00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,680
those levels in some cases are
able to interact with human
52
00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,080
beings and in other cases may
try to take possession of the
53
00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,680
physical existence of an
individual.
54
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,040
Rishis, seers and sages have
indicated, based on their
55
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,120
experience and interactions,
that one of the lures of
56
00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,360
existence within the earth plane
is the evolutionary potential.
57
00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,560
It seems the beings on other
planes are static beings not
58
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,640
able to progress and develop.
This development includes the
59
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,560
extension of awareness into more
subtle spiritual ranges.
60
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,800
In the meantime, beings who
exist at those levels would need
61
00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,519
to take birth in the world to
actively participate in this
62
00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:26,560
evolutionary development.
The psychic being is the divine
63
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,440
essence that acts in the world
and provides the central
64
00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,680
evolutionary impetus to carry
out the divine intention in the
65
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,400
world.
While the spiritual realms are
66
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,840
experienced above the being, the
psychic is experienced deep
67
00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:48,240
within, behind the heart center.
A disciple inquires, Quote, What
68
00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,640
is the difference between
spiritual and psychic?
69
00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:57,200
End Quote, the Mother responds.
It is not the same thing.
70
00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,960
The psychic is the being
organized by the Divine
71
00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,680
Presence, and it belongs to the
earth.
72
00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,520
I am not Speaking of the
universe, only of the earth.
73
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,520
It is only upon earth that you
will find the psychic being.
74
00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,840
The rest of the universe is
formed in quite a different way.
75
00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,840
The universe contains all the
domains higher than the
76
00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:22,480
physical.
There is a global physical
77
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:26,200
comprising the mental, the
vital, et cetera, and all the
78
00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,680
domains above the mental are
domains of the spiritual order,
79
00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,600
domains which are for us domains
of the spirit.
80
00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,080
And it is this spirit which
little by little progressively
81
00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:42,280
materializes itself to arrive at
matter as we conceive it.
82
00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,320
The beings of the Overmind, for
instance, and all the beings of
83
00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,720
the higher regions have no
psychic being.
84
00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,840
The angels have no psychic
being.
85
00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,640
It is only upon earth that the
psychic life begins, and it is
86
00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,080
just the process by which the
Divine has awakened material
87
00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,720
life to the necessity of
rejoining its divine origin.
88
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,480
Without the psychic, matter
would never have awakened from
89
00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,280
its inconscience.
It would never have aspired for
90
00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:15,880
the life of its origin, the
spiritual life.
91
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,080
Therefore, the psychic being in
the human being is the
92
00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,760
manifestation of spiritual
aspiration.
93
00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,920
But there is a spiritual life
independent of the psychic.
94
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,440
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
95
00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,360
Mother.
The psychic being soul its
96
00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,080
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
97
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,560
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, pages 36 to 37.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,600
People are generally skeptical
about the existence of beings
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,600
outside our normal experience of
life in the world.
3
00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,200
At the same time, there is an
incredible interest in other
4
00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,600
beings, and the search for life
forms in the universe occupies
5
00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,720
the minds of many people.
People frequently report
6
00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,040
encounters with other beings,
whether they are called gods,
7
00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:29,000
celestial beings, angels,
demons, asuras, rakshasas,
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,880
ghosts, apparitions, or alien
beings.
9
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,920
There are reports worldwide
about the existence of these
10
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,400
beings, and many highly revered
texts recount visitations,
11
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,120
meetings, and teachings provided
by otherworldly beings.
12
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,880
The Bible has numerous tales of
angels interacting with human
13
00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,120
beings.
The ancient Greeks and Romans
14
00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,200
describe the interaction of
various beings designated as
15
00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:02,400
gods who interacted with and
intervened in the lives of men.
16
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,160
They also referred to ghosts,
shades of men that survived in
17
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:13,880
an incorporeal existence.
Tibetan texts describe various
18
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,800
beings in their worlds of
residence, as also can be found
19
00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,360
in texts of India.
Scriptural texts from all
20
00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,920
corners of the world provide
information on ethereal beings,
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,640
subtle presences, etcetera.
The Titaria Upanishad provides
22
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,920
an insightful description of the
levels of bliss Ananda
23
00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,920
attainable by various beings and
in chapter 8 of the Brahmananda
24
00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,200
Wali, the seer describes these
beings and the ascending level
25
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,200
of subtle existence that they
occupy above the human world.
26
00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:55,200
The chapter also notes quote the
spirit who is here in a man and
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,240
the spirit who is there in the
sun.
28
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,000
It is one spirit and there is no
other.
29
00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,560
End Quote.
Human beings perceive beings
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,360
that provide sensory input to us
within a certain limited range
31
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:15,040
of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Vibrations below and above this
32
00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,760
range are generally
imperceptible to us, although we
33
00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:24,280
know both that they exist as we
can measure some of them, and
34
00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,040
that some beings on the planet
can actually see or hear at
35
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,000
levels outside our own ability
to perceive with various
36
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,520
instruments.
Scientists have found living
37
00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,720
beings at the microscopic level
that we could not directly know
38
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,720
without access to these
instruments.
39
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,400
At a certain point, the
existence of vibratory ranges
40
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,800
outside the human field and the
known fact that beings exist in
41
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,200
those other ranges make it clear
that as Hamlet relates to
42
00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:00,520
Horatio in Shakespeare's famous
play quote, there are more
43
00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,720
things in heaven and earth
Horatio than are dreamt of in
44
00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,800
your philosophy.
End Quote.
45
00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,040
Those ranges that represent
vibratory levels above the human
46
00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,960
are known as spiritual levels.
The evolution of consciousness
47
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,400
slowly begins to extend the
range into levels currently
48
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:24,840
beyond our level of perception,
just as the vital range extended
49
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,600
beyond the physical and the
mental range extended beyond the
50
00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:33,520
physical and the vital levels.
Beings that exist currently at
51
00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,680
those levels in some cases are
able to interact with human
52
00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,080
beings and in other cases may
try to take possession of the
53
00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,680
physical existence of an
individual.
54
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,040
Rishis, seers and sages have
indicated, based on their
55
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,120
experience and interactions,
that one of the lures of
56
00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,360
existence within the earth plane
is the evolutionary potential.
57
00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,560
It seems the beings on other
planes are static beings not
58
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,640
able to progress and develop.
This development includes the
59
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,560
extension of awareness into more
subtle spiritual ranges.
60
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,800
In the meantime, beings who
exist at those levels would need
61
00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,519
to take birth in the world to
actively participate in this
62
00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:26,560
evolutionary development.
The psychic being is the divine
63
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,440
essence that acts in the world
and provides the central
64
00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,680
evolutionary impetus to carry
out the divine intention in the
65
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,400
world.
While the spiritual realms are
66
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,840
experienced above the being, the
psychic is experienced deep
67
00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:48,240
within, behind the heart center.
A disciple inquires, Quote, What
68
00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,640
is the difference between
spiritual and psychic?
69
00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:57,200
End Quote, the Mother responds.
It is not the same thing.
70
00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,960
The psychic is the being
organized by the Divine
71
00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,680
Presence, and it belongs to the
earth.
72
00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,520
I am not Speaking of the
universe, only of the earth.
73
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,520
It is only upon earth that you
will find the psychic being.
74
00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,840
The rest of the universe is
formed in quite a different way.
75
00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,840
The universe contains all the
domains higher than the
76
00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:22,480
physical.
There is a global physical
77
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:26,200
comprising the mental, the
vital, et cetera, and all the
78
00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,680
domains above the mental are
domains of the spiritual order,
79
00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,600
domains which are for us domains
of the spirit.
80
00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,080
And it is this spirit which
little by little progressively
81
00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:42,280
materializes itself to arrive at
matter as we conceive it.
82
00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,320
The beings of the Overmind, for
instance, and all the beings of
83
00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,720
the higher regions have no
psychic being.
84
00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,840
The angels have no psychic
being.
85
00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,640
It is only upon earth that the
psychic life begins, and it is
86
00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,080
just the process by which the
Divine has awakened material
87
00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,720
life to the necessity of
rejoining its divine origin.
88
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,480
Without the psychic, matter
would never have awakened from
89
00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,280
its inconscience.
It would never have aspired for
90
00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:15,880
the life of its origin, the
spiritual life.
91
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,080
Therefore, the psychic being in
the human being is the
92
00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,760
manifestation of spiritual
aspiration.
93
00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,920
But there is a spiritual life
independent of the psychic.
94
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,440
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
95
00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,360
Mother.
The psychic being soul its
96
00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,080
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
97
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,560
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, pages 36 to 37.
