May 31, 2026
The Evolution of Forms, the Evolution of Consciousness and the Destiny of the Individual
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/05/29/the-evolution-of-forms-the-evolution-of-consciousness-and-the-destiny-of-the-individual/
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 #soul #psychic being #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #evolution #evolution of consciousness #rebirth
1
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,960
As with all things that are
considered for the first time,
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,240
new concepts appear difficult to
grasp.
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,160
Cognitive scientists have shown
through studies they have done
4
00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,920
that the brain builds grooves
through which thoughts flow
5
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,480
smoothly.
These grooves develop over time
6
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,520
through repeated attempts.
The concept of the evolution of
7
00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,000
consciousness goes far beyond
the concept of the evolution of
8
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,200
forms.
Even the evolution of forms has
9
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,960
taken over 150 years to have
even general acceptance, and
10
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,960
considerable holdouts remain who
reject the very idea of
11
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,520
evolution.
A yet further extension is the
12
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,840
idea that the individual psychic
being the soul's projection into
13
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,320
the external world, accumulates
the essence of experiences
14
00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:55,920
across multiple lifetimes as it
develops and gains maturity, As
15
00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,320
most people have not had the
opportunity to reflect deeply on
16
00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,000
the significance of the
individual and the mechanism
17
00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:07,280
that carries the universal
manifestation forward.
18
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:13,000
Thus, when Triorobindo combines
all three of these concepts into
19
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:18,520
a coordinated interrelationship,
it is difficult to grasp for
20
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,120
those considering it for the
first time.
21
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,400
The Mother clearly and concisely
explains the significance in her
22
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,600
response to a disciple grappling
with these concepts.
23
00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,560
A disciple inquires about the
citation from the Life Divine
24
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,800
cited in the immediately prior
page.
25
00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,080
Quote.
It is difficult to understand.
26
00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,960
Sweet Mother.
End Quote.
27
00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:46,360
The Mother responds.
Quote.
28
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:52,720
Ah, if you take terrestrial
history, all the forms of life
29
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,720
have appeared one after another
in a general plan, a general
30
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:02,440
program, with the addition
always of a new perfection and a
31
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,200
greater consciousness.
Take just animal forms, for that
32
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,560
is easier to understand.
They are the last before man.
33
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,360
Each animal that appeared had an
additional perfection in its
34
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,320
general nature.
I don't mean in all the details
35
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,600
a greater perfection than the
preceding ones.
36
00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,880
And the crowning point of the
ascending March was the human
37
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,840
form, which for the moment, from
the point of view of
38
00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,960
consciousness, is the form most
capable of manifesting
39
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,760
consciousness.
That is, the human form at its
40
00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,240
height, at the height of its
possibilities, is capable of
41
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,280
more consciousness than all
preceding animal forms.
42
00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:50,080
This is one of nature's ways of
evolution.
43
00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,160
Sri Robindo told us last week
that this nature was following
44
00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,600
an ascending progression in
order to manifest more and more
45
00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,880
the divine consciousness
contained in all forms.
46
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,000
So with each new form that it
produces, nature makes a form
47
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,200
capable of expressing more
completely the spirit which this
48
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,040
form contains.
But if it were like this, a form
49
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:22,720
comes, develops, reaches its
highest point and is followed by
50
00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,160
another form.
The others do not disappear, but
51
00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,800
the individual does not
progress.
52
00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:34,640
The individual dog or monkey,
for instance, belongs to a
53
00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:38,680
species which has its own
peculiar characteristics.
54
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,120
When the monkey or the man
arrives at the height of its
55
00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,880
possibilities, that is, when a
human individual becomes the
56
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,400
best type of humanity, it will
be finished.
57
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,560
The individual will not be able
to progress any farther.
58
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,840
He belongs to the human species.
He will continue to belong to
59
00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,320
it.
So from the point of view of
60
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,440
terrestrial history, there is a
progress, for each species
61
00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,840
represents a progress compared
with the preceding species.
62
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,440
But from the point of view of
the individual, there is no
63
00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,360
progress.
He is born, he follows his
64
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,600
development, dies and
disappears.
65
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,520
Therefore, to ensure the
progress of the individual, it
66
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,880
was necessary to find another
means.
67
00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,440
This one was not adequate.
But within the individual
68
00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,360
contained in each form, there is
an organization of consciousness
69
00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,040
which is closer to and more
directly under the influence of
70
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,960
the inner divine presence.
And the form which is under this
71
00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:53,840
influence, this kind of inner
concentration of energy, has a
72
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:56,200
life independent of the physical
form.
73
00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:01,360
This is what we generally call
the soul or the psychic being,
74
00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,680
and since it is organized around
the divine centre, it partakes
75
00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,320
of the divine nature, which is
immortal, eternal.
76
00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:16,040
The outer body falls away and
this remains throughout every
77
00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,280
experience that it has in each
life.
78
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,440
And there is a progress from
life to life, and it is the
79
00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:28,160
progress of the same individual.
And this movement complements
80
00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,120
the other in the sense that
instead of a species which
81
00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:36,600
progresses relative to other
species, it is an individual who
82
00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,280
passes through all the stages of
progress of these species and
83
00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:45,600
can continue to progress even
when the species have reached
84
00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:50,800
the limit of their possibilities
and stay there or disappear.
85
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,680
It depends on the case.
But they cannot go any farther.
86
00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,800
Whereas the individual, having a
life independent of the purely
87
00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:05,920
material form, can pass from one
form to another and continue his
88
00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:10,720
progress indefinitely.
That makes a double movement
89
00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:15,360
which completes itself, and that
is why each individual has the
90
00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,600
possibility of reaching the
utmost realization independent
91
00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,600
of the form to which he
momentarily belongs.
92
00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,600
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
93
00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,040
Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
94
00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,600
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 3.
95
00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,520
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, pages 73 to 75.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,960
As with all things that are
considered for the first time,
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,240
new concepts appear difficult to
grasp.
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,160
Cognitive scientists have shown
through studies they have done
4
00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,920
that the brain builds grooves
through which thoughts flow
5
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,480
smoothly.
These grooves develop over time
6
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,520
through repeated attempts.
The concept of the evolution of
7
00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,000
consciousness goes far beyond
the concept of the evolution of
8
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,200
forms.
Even the evolution of forms has
9
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,960
taken over 150 years to have
even general acceptance, and
10
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,960
considerable holdouts remain who
reject the very idea of
11
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,520
evolution.
A yet further extension is the
12
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,840
idea that the individual psychic
being the soul's projection into
13
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,320
the external world, accumulates
the essence of experiences
14
00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:55,920
across multiple lifetimes as it
develops and gains maturity, As
15
00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,320
most people have not had the
opportunity to reflect deeply on
16
00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,000
the significance of the
individual and the mechanism
17
00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:07,280
that carries the universal
manifestation forward.
18
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:13,000
Thus, when Triorobindo combines
all three of these concepts into
19
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:18,520
a coordinated interrelationship,
it is difficult to grasp for
20
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,120
those considering it for the
first time.
21
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,400
The Mother clearly and concisely
explains the significance in her
22
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,600
response to a disciple grappling
with these concepts.
23
00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,560
A disciple inquires about the
citation from the Life Divine
24
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,800
cited in the immediately prior
page.
25
00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,080
Quote.
It is difficult to understand.
26
00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,960
Sweet Mother.
End Quote.
27
00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:46,360
The Mother responds.
Quote.
28
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:52,720
Ah, if you take terrestrial
history, all the forms of life
29
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,720
have appeared one after another
in a general plan, a general
30
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:02,440
program, with the addition
always of a new perfection and a
31
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,200
greater consciousness.
Take just animal forms, for that
32
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,560
is easier to understand.
They are the last before man.
33
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,360
Each animal that appeared had an
additional perfection in its
34
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,320
general nature.
I don't mean in all the details
35
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,600
a greater perfection than the
preceding ones.
36
00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,880
And the crowning point of the
ascending March was the human
37
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,840
form, which for the moment, from
the point of view of
38
00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,960
consciousness, is the form most
capable of manifesting
39
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,760
consciousness.
That is, the human form at its
40
00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,240
height, at the height of its
possibilities, is capable of
41
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,280
more consciousness than all
preceding animal forms.
42
00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:50,080
This is one of nature's ways of
evolution.
43
00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,160
Sri Robindo told us last week
that this nature was following
44
00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,600
an ascending progression in
order to manifest more and more
45
00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,880
the divine consciousness
contained in all forms.
46
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,000
So with each new form that it
produces, nature makes a form
47
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,200
capable of expressing more
completely the spirit which this
48
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,040
form contains.
But if it were like this, a form
49
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:22,720
comes, develops, reaches its
highest point and is followed by
50
00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,160
another form.
The others do not disappear, but
51
00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,800
the individual does not
progress.
52
00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:34,640
The individual dog or monkey,
for instance, belongs to a
53
00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:38,680
species which has its own
peculiar characteristics.
54
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,120
When the monkey or the man
arrives at the height of its
55
00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,880
possibilities, that is, when a
human individual becomes the
56
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,400
best type of humanity, it will
be finished.
57
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,560
The individual will not be able
to progress any farther.
58
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,840
He belongs to the human species.
He will continue to belong to
59
00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,320
it.
So from the point of view of
60
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,440
terrestrial history, there is a
progress, for each species
61
00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,840
represents a progress compared
with the preceding species.
62
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,440
But from the point of view of
the individual, there is no
63
00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,360
progress.
He is born, he follows his
64
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,600
development, dies and
disappears.
65
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,520
Therefore, to ensure the
progress of the individual, it
66
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,880
was necessary to find another
means.
67
00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,440
This one was not adequate.
But within the individual
68
00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,360
contained in each form, there is
an organization of consciousness
69
00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,040
which is closer to and more
directly under the influence of
70
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,960
the inner divine presence.
And the form which is under this
71
00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:53,840
influence, this kind of inner
concentration of energy, has a
72
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:56,200
life independent of the physical
form.
73
00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:01,360
This is what we generally call
the soul or the psychic being,
74
00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,680
and since it is organized around
the divine centre, it partakes
75
00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,320
of the divine nature, which is
immortal, eternal.
76
00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:16,040
The outer body falls away and
this remains throughout every
77
00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,280
experience that it has in each
life.
78
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,440
And there is a progress from
life to life, and it is the
79
00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:28,160
progress of the same individual.
And this movement complements
80
00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,120
the other in the sense that
instead of a species which
81
00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:36,600
progresses relative to other
species, it is an individual who
82
00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,280
passes through all the stages of
progress of these species and
83
00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:45,600
can continue to progress even
when the species have reached
84
00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:50,800
the limit of their possibilities
and stay there or disappear.
85
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,680
It depends on the case.
But they cannot go any farther.
86
00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,800
Whereas the individual, having a
life independent of the purely
87
00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:05,920
material form, can pass from one
form to another and continue his
88
00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:10,720
progress indefinitely.
That makes a double movement
89
00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:15,360
which completes itself, and that
is why each individual has the
90
00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,600
possibility of reaching the
utmost realization independent
91
00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,600
of the form to which he
momentarily belongs.
92
00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,600
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
93
00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,040
Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
94
00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,600
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 3.
95
00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,520
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, pages 73 to 75.
