March 16, 2026
The Evolution of the Psychic Being Across Innumerable Lifetimes
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. 8This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/14/the-evolution-of-the-psychic-being-across-innumerable-lifetimes/
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 #psychic being #soul #rebirth #past lives
1
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,480
There is considerable confusion
about the concept of rebirth and
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,200
the development and growth of
the psychic being across
3
00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,920
multiple lifetimes.
Popular imagination has it that
4
00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,720
the same individual personality
is reborn and that under certain
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:21,360
circumstances past lives can be
identified and recalled.
6
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,760
Then they can find their
soulmate and re establish the
7
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,440
relationships of the past.
There is a strong desire to
8
00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,600
survive after death in some
recognizable manner.
9
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,800
Christians find this in an
eventual resurrection to heaven
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,280
to rejoin one's loved ones
there.
11
00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,440
The ancient Greeks had legends
where the shades of people who
12
00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,440
had died went to various holding
places in the underworld.
13
00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,240
The story of Orpheus and
Eurydice had Orpheus use his
14
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,800
musical skills to charm Hades
and Persephone into allowing him
15
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,840
to take his wife Eurydice back
to the living as long as he
16
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,920
followed the condition of not
looking back.
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,440
He failed the test, but the
message is clear that somehow a
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,560
departed soul can return and
resume its life in the world
19
00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,720
with its existing personality.
The Romans adopted a similar
20
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:25,240
view, and Virgil in the Aeneid
had the Trojan hero Eneus enter
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,200
the underworld and speak to his
departed father.
22
00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,040
Dante and the Divine Comedy
described various circles of
23
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:38,640
Hell, and the poet Virgil,
acting as his guide, showed him
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,880
the fate of numerous individuals
who had committed certain
25
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:46,400
heinous deeds and who maintained
their individual personality
26
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,760
during their stay in Hell.
A region called Purgatory
27
00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,720
contained souls that were
capable of redemption, and
28
00:01:54,720 --> 00:02:00,040
finally, he described Paradise,
where the innocent souls and
29
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,240
redeemed were able to reside in
bliss.
30
00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,000
Souls that were intended to be
reborn were first bathed in the
31
00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,520
waters of the river Lethe, which
wiped out the memory of the past
32
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,120
lifetime.
There are instances and
33
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,640
circumstances that indicate that
it is possible, but not probable
34
00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:25,360
or widespread, that a memory of
past incarnations can be brought
35
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,920
forward into the current
lifetime.
36
00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:32,920
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
tells Arjuna that while he
37
00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,000
recalls his past incarnations,
Arjuna does not.
38
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,520
Sri Krishna as an avatar was
able to transcend the usual
39
00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,920
circumstances of human birth.
Arjuna as a human being, did
40
00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:50,240
not.
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition
41
00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,560
has studied the question of
rebirth and determined that
42
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,120
certain realized souls could
take conscious birth to continue
43
00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,760
a lineage.
They brought with them in their
44
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,480
new incarnation an affinity for
specific items used in the prior
45
00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:10,480
incarnation in order to be
recognized, as well as a line of
46
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,800
development that allowed for the
continuance of the work of the
47
00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,640
prior incarnations without
necessarily carrying the entire
48
00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:24,200
burden of details of the lives
of past incarnations into the
49
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:28,720
current life.
Under normal circumstances, the
50
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,680
psychic being, as it develops
and matures, brings forward from
51
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,200
past lifetimes the essence of
the experience, not the
52
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,120
individual personality or
specific memories or
53
00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520
relationships.
The Greeks had it right to the
54
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,680
extent that the process removes
the specific details and
55
00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,640
memories of past lifetimes,
which otherwise would tie down
56
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,560
and limit the soul's experience
and development.
57
00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:07,040
A disciple asks what exactly is
the solar psychic being and what
58
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,760
is meant by the evolution of the
psychic being?
59
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,560
What is its relation to the
Supreme?
60
00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,959
The Mother responds quote.
The soul and the psychic being
61
00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:22,280
are not exactly the same thing,
although their essence is the
62
00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:25,680
same.
The soul is the divine spark
63
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,960
that dwells at the centre of
each being.
64
00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,160
It is identical with its divine
origin.
65
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,520
It is the divine in man.
The psychic being is formed
66
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:41,120
progressively around this divine
centre, the soul and the course
67
00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,920
of its innumerable lives in the
terrestrial evolution, until the
68
00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,640
time comes when the psychic
being, fully formed and wholly
69
00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,520
awakened, becomes the conscious
sheath of the soul around which
70
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,840
it is formed and thus identified
with the Divine.
71
00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,880
It becomes His perfect
instrument in the world.
72
00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:10,920
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother the psychic being
73
00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:16,360
soul, its nature, mission and
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
74
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,440
Nature of the Psychic being Page
8.
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,480
There is considerable confusion
about the concept of rebirth and
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,200
the development and growth of
the psychic being across
3
00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,920
multiple lifetimes.
Popular imagination has it that
4
00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,720
the same individual personality
is reborn and that under certain
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:21,360
circumstances past lives can be
identified and recalled.
6
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,760
Then they can find their
soulmate and re establish the
7
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,440
relationships of the past.
There is a strong desire to
8
00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,600
survive after death in some
recognizable manner.
9
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,800
Christians find this in an
eventual resurrection to heaven
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,280
to rejoin one's loved ones
there.
11
00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,440
The ancient Greeks had legends
where the shades of people who
12
00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,440
had died went to various holding
places in the underworld.
13
00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,240
The story of Orpheus and
Eurydice had Orpheus use his
14
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,800
musical skills to charm Hades
and Persephone into allowing him
15
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,840
to take his wife Eurydice back
to the living as long as he
16
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,920
followed the condition of not
looking back.
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,440
He failed the test, but the
message is clear that somehow a
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,560
departed soul can return and
resume its life in the world
19
00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,720
with its existing personality.
The Romans adopted a similar
20
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:25,240
view, and Virgil in the Aeneid
had the Trojan hero Eneus enter
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,200
the underworld and speak to his
departed father.
22
00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,040
Dante and the Divine Comedy
described various circles of
23
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:38,640
Hell, and the poet Virgil,
acting as his guide, showed him
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,880
the fate of numerous individuals
who had committed certain
25
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:46,400
heinous deeds and who maintained
their individual personality
26
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,760
during their stay in Hell.
A region called Purgatory
27
00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,720
contained souls that were
capable of redemption, and
28
00:01:54,720 --> 00:02:00,040
finally, he described Paradise,
where the innocent souls and
29
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,240
redeemed were able to reside in
bliss.
30
00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,000
Souls that were intended to be
reborn were first bathed in the
31
00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,520
waters of the river Lethe, which
wiped out the memory of the past
32
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,120
lifetime.
There are instances and
33
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,640
circumstances that indicate that
it is possible, but not probable
34
00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:25,360
or widespread, that a memory of
past incarnations can be brought
35
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,920
forward into the current
lifetime.
36
00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:32,920
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
tells Arjuna that while he
37
00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,000
recalls his past incarnations,
Arjuna does not.
38
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,520
Sri Krishna as an avatar was
able to transcend the usual
39
00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,920
circumstances of human birth.
Arjuna as a human being, did
40
00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:50,240
not.
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition
41
00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,560
has studied the question of
rebirth and determined that
42
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,120
certain realized souls could
take conscious birth to continue
43
00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,760
a lineage.
They brought with them in their
44
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,480
new incarnation an affinity for
specific items used in the prior
45
00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:10,480
incarnation in order to be
recognized, as well as a line of
46
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,800
development that allowed for the
continuance of the work of the
47
00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,640
prior incarnations without
necessarily carrying the entire
48
00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:24,200
burden of details of the lives
of past incarnations into the
49
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:28,720
current life.
Under normal circumstances, the
50
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,680
psychic being, as it develops
and matures, brings forward from
51
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,200
past lifetimes the essence of
the experience, not the
52
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,120
individual personality or
specific memories or
53
00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520
relationships.
The Greeks had it right to the
54
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,680
extent that the process removes
the specific details and
55
00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,640
memories of past lifetimes,
which otherwise would tie down
56
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,560
and limit the soul's experience
and development.
57
00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:07,040
A disciple asks what exactly is
the solar psychic being and what
58
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,760
is meant by the evolution of the
psychic being?
59
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,560
What is its relation to the
Supreme?
60
00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,959
The Mother responds quote.
The soul and the psychic being
61
00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:22,280
are not exactly the same thing,
although their essence is the
62
00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:25,680
same.
The soul is the divine spark
63
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,960
that dwells at the centre of
each being.
64
00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,160
It is identical with its divine
origin.
65
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,520
It is the divine in man.
The psychic being is formed
66
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:41,120
progressively around this divine
centre, the soul and the course
67
00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,920
of its innumerable lives in the
terrestrial evolution, until the
68
00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,640
time comes when the psychic
being, fully formed and wholly
69
00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,520
awakened, becomes the conscious
sheath of the soul around which
70
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,840
it is formed and thus identified
with the Divine.
71
00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,880
It becomes His perfect
instrument in the world.
72
00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:10,920
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother the psychic being
73
00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:16,360
soul, its nature, mission and
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
74
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,440
Nature of the Psychic being Page
8.
