April 20, 2026
The Distinction Between Spiritual and Psychic
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. 36This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/18/the-distinction-between-spiritual-and-psychic/
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#Sri Aurobindo #The Mother #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being #spiritual
1
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:05,240
The distinction between
spiritual and psychic comes down
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:09,360
to the experiential basis.
For the most part, as mental
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,600
beings, we have a tendency to
try to define, delineate,
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:19,000
classify and analyze, creating
fine differences and trying to
5
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,760
then categorize based on these
differences.
6
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,640
Trior, Ovindo and the Mother
have described the psychic, the
7
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,920
soul, as a spark of the divine
in the individual being.
8
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,840
Spiritual is a term that relates
to the universal existence.
9
00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,400
Both terms share the common link
to the divine reality, while the
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,600
experience from one to the other
may vary based on the level and
11
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,400
the frequency of the vibration
that each one represents.
12
00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,920
The falling away of the
individual ego personality and
13
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,600
the shifting of the standpoint
of the consciousness to what the
14
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:04,319
Vedic grishes termed the Truth,
the Right, the vast is the
15
00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,520
experience that is termed
spiritual.
16
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,160
When the seeker enters this
experience, there is no element
17
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,320
of the ego present.
In fact, when the consciousness
18
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:19,960
first crosses over the boundary,
there can frequently be the
19
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,440
rising of the sense of fear that
one is dying or leaving one's
20
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,720
existence, as the awareness
recognizes that an entirely
21
00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,560
different order of reality is
now being presented.
22
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:38,000
If the seeker at that moment
allows the fear to rule, then he
23
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,680
is immediately brought fully
back into the individual mind,
24
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,920
life and body.
The experience of the psychic or
25
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,320
soul spark is of a different
character.
26
00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:55,200
There is frequently a sense, not
necessarily of wideness or an
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:02,200
abstract void, but of a flame of
aspiration, consecration, self
28
00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,040
giving, that is associated with
the role of the soul in
29
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,639
eventually turning the external
being toward the divine.
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,120
Essentially, the two different
experiences share the common
31
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,400
basis in the divine
consciousness.
32
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,880
The disciple asks, is there a
difference between the spiritual
33
00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,160
and the psychic?
Are they different planes?
34
00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:34,480
The Mother answers quote yes,
the psychic plane belongs to the
35
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,360
personal manifestation.
The psychic is that which is
36
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,880
divine in you, put out to be
dynamic in the play.
37
00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,240
But when we speak of the
spiritual, we are thinking of
38
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,920
something that is concentrated
in the Divine rather than in the
39
00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:54,320
external manifestation.
The spiritual plane is something
40
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,480
static behind and above the
outward play.
41
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,560
It supports the instruments of
the nature, but is not itself
42
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,880
included or involved in the
external manifestation here.
43
00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,320
But in Speaking of these things,
one must be careful not to be
44
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,760
imprisoned by the words we use.
When I speak of the psychic or
45
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,640
the spiritual, I mean things
that are very deep and real
46
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,720
behind the flat surface of the
words and intimately connected
47
00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,640
even in their difference.
Intellectual definitions and
48
00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:33,040
distinctions are too external
and rigid to seize the true
49
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,640
truth of things.
End Quote.
50
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,760
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother, the psychic being soul,
51
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,960
its nature, mission and
evolution.
52
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,120
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
53
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,080
Psychic Being.
Page 36.
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:05,240
The distinction between
spiritual and psychic comes down
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:09,360
to the experiential basis.
For the most part, as mental
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,600
beings, we have a tendency to
try to define, delineate,
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:19,000
classify and analyze, creating
fine differences and trying to
5
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,760
then categorize based on these
differences.
6
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,640
Trior, Ovindo and the Mother
have described the psychic, the
7
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,920
soul, as a spark of the divine
in the individual being.
8
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,840
Spiritual is a term that relates
to the universal existence.
9
00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,400
Both terms share the common link
to the divine reality, while the
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:46,600
experience from one to the other
may vary based on the level and
11
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,400
the frequency of the vibration
that each one represents.
12
00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,920
The falling away of the
individual ego personality and
13
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,600
the shifting of the standpoint
of the consciousness to what the
14
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:04,319
Vedic grishes termed the Truth,
the Right, the vast is the
15
00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,520
experience that is termed
spiritual.
16
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,160
When the seeker enters this
experience, there is no element
17
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,320
of the ego present.
In fact, when the consciousness
18
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:19,960
first crosses over the boundary,
there can frequently be the
19
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,440
rising of the sense of fear that
one is dying or leaving one's
20
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,720
existence, as the awareness
recognizes that an entirely
21
00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,560
different order of reality is
now being presented.
22
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:38,000
If the seeker at that moment
allows the fear to rule, then he
23
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,680
is immediately brought fully
back into the individual mind,
24
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,920
life and body.
The experience of the psychic or
25
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,320
soul spark is of a different
character.
26
00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:55,200
There is frequently a sense, not
necessarily of wideness or an
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:02,200
abstract void, but of a flame of
aspiration, consecration, self
28
00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,040
giving, that is associated with
the role of the soul in
29
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,639
eventually turning the external
being toward the divine.
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,120
Essentially, the two different
experiences share the common
31
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,400
basis in the divine
consciousness.
32
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,880
The disciple asks, is there a
difference between the spiritual
33
00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,160
and the psychic?
Are they different planes?
34
00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:34,480
The Mother answers quote yes,
the psychic plane belongs to the
35
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,360
personal manifestation.
The psychic is that which is
36
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,880
divine in you, put out to be
dynamic in the play.
37
00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,240
But when we speak of the
spiritual, we are thinking of
38
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,920
something that is concentrated
in the Divine rather than in the
39
00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:54,320
external manifestation.
The spiritual plane is something
40
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,480
static behind and above the
outward play.
41
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,560
It supports the instruments of
the nature, but is not itself
42
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,880
included or involved in the
external manifestation here.
43
00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,320
But in Speaking of these things,
one must be careful not to be
44
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,760
imprisoned by the words we use.
When I speak of the psychic or
45
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,640
the spiritual, I mean things
that are very deep and real
46
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,720
behind the flat surface of the
words and intimately connected
47
00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,640
even in their difference.
Intellectual definitions and
48
00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:33,040
distinctions are too external
and rigid to seize the true
49
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,640
truth of things.
End Quote.
50
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,760
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother, the psychic being soul,
51
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,960
its nature, mission and
evolution.
52
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,120
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
53
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,080
Psychic Being.
Page 36.
