April 14, 2026
The Nature and Action 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. 31-32This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/12/the-nature-and-action-of-the-psychic-being/
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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 #spirituality #soul #psychic being #desire-soul
1
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,920
Sri Robindo describes here the
nature and action of the psychic
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,840
being.
The psychic being is developed
3
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,640
by the soul to interact with the
external being.
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:16,239
It gains experience and it gains
power as this development
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,120
occurs.
The psychic being develops over
6
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,480
many lifetimes and carries the
essence of experience, but not
7
00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,880
the external personality from
birth to birth.
8
00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,880
The prominence of the psychic
being and its ability to guide
9
00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,640
or control the external being
and personality is conditioned
10
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,360
by the development and maturity
of the psychic being in its
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,680
evolutionary process and the
power and dominance exercised by
12
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,520
the parts of the external
personality.
13
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,080
There is a clear distinction
between the aggrandizement of
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,360
the mind, the vital and the body
as they pursue their
15
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,800
characteristic lines of
fulfilment, and the action of
16
00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,760
the psychic being, which is
focused at all times on the
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,800
manifestation of the divine
intention.
18
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:14,360
The Vedic seers identified the
ultimate reality as Satyam,
19
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:20,000
Rutam, Brahat, the Truth, the
Right, the Vast.
20
00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:25,240
The psychic being is ever
attuned to manifesting that
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,000
reality.
All that is egoistic, self
22
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,520
dealing, desire filled is
contrary to the aspiration and
23
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,960
intention of the psychic being.
As the outer instruments
24
00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:44,480
develop, they focus on their own
modes of action and try to
25
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,240
achieve what they understand to
be their purpose and their
26
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,920
fulfilment.
They are, however, instruments
27
00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:56,080
whose powers are being
developed, not cognizant of the
28
00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,400
ultimate role they are intended
to play.
29
00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:04,880
Once the psychic being comes to
the fore trio Rubindo observes
30
00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:10,320
quote, the psychic being can at
first exercise only a concealed
31
00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,320
and partial and indirect action
through the mind, the life and
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,040
the body.
Since it is these parts of
33
00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,440
nature that have to be developed
as its instruments of
34
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,400
self-expression.
And it is long confined by their
35
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,120
evolution missioned to lead man
in the ignorance towards the
36
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,080
light of the divine
consciousness.
37
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,600
It takes the essence of all
experience in the ignorance to
38
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,360
form a nucleus of soul growth in
the nature.
39
00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,560
The rest it turns into material
for the future growth of the
40
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,640
instruments which it has to use
until they are ready to be a
41
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:49,880
luminous instrumentation of the
Divine.
42
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,280
It is this secret psychic entity
which is the true original
43
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,840
conscience in US, deeper than
the constructed and conventional
44
00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:04,040
conscience of the moralist.
For it is this which points
45
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:09,720
always towards truth and right
and Beauty, toward love and
46
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:15,320
harmony and all that is a divine
possibility in US, and persist
47
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,480
till these things become the
major need of our nature.
48
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,640
It is the psychic personality in
US that flowers as the Saint,
49
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,280
the sage, the seer.
When it reaches its full
50
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,080
strength, it turns the being
towards the knowledge of Self
51
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,760
and the Divine towards the
Supreme Truth, the Supreme Good,
52
00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,640
the Supreme Beauty, love and
Bliss, the divine heights and
53
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:47,440
largenesses and opens us to the
touch of spiritual sympathy,
54
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:53,680
universality, oneness.
On the contrary, where the
55
00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,000
psychic personality is weak,
crude or I'll developed, the
56
00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,080
inner parts and movements in US
are lacking or poor in character
57
00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,800
and power.
Even though the mind may be
58
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,720
forceful and brilliant, the
heart of vital emotions hard and
59
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:13,320
strong and masterful, the life
force dominant and successful,
60
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,240
the bodily existence rich and
fortunate and an apparent Lord
61
00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,880
and victor.
It is then the outer desire
62
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:27,720
soul, the pseudo psychic entity
that reigns and we mistake its
63
00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,240
misinterpretations of psychic
suggestion and aspiration, its
64
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,640
ideas and ideals, its desires
and yearnings for true soul
65
00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,360
stuff and wealth of spiritual
experience.
66
00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:45,600
If the secret psychic person can
come forward into the front and
67
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:51,480
replacing the desire soul govern
overtly and entirely and not
68
00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,400
only partially and from behind
the veil, this outer nature of
69
00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:02,480
mind, life and body, then these
can be cast into soul images of
70
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,600
what is true, right and
beautiful.
71
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,360
And in the end the whole nature
can be turned towards the real
72
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:15,360
aim of life, the supreme
victory, the ascent into
73
00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,440
spiritual existence.
End Quote.
74
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:24,000
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother, the psychic being soul,
75
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,400
its nature, mission and
evolution.
76
00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,600
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
77
00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,600
Psychic Being, pages 31 to 32.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,920
Sri Robindo describes here the
nature and action of the psychic
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,840
being.
The psychic being is developed
3
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,640
by the soul to interact with the
external being.
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:16,239
It gains experience and it gains
power as this development
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,120
occurs.
The psychic being develops over
6
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,480
many lifetimes and carries the
essence of experience, but not
7
00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,880
the external personality from
birth to birth.
8
00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,880
The prominence of the psychic
being and its ability to guide
9
00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,640
or control the external being
and personality is conditioned
10
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,360
by the development and maturity
of the psychic being in its
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,680
evolutionary process and the
power and dominance exercised by
12
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,520
the parts of the external
personality.
13
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,080
There is a clear distinction
between the aggrandizement of
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,360
the mind, the vital and the body
as they pursue their
15
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,800
characteristic lines of
fulfilment, and the action of
16
00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,760
the psychic being, which is
focused at all times on the
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,800
manifestation of the divine
intention.
18
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:14,360
The Vedic seers identified the
ultimate reality as Satyam,
19
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:20,000
Rutam, Brahat, the Truth, the
Right, the Vast.
20
00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:25,240
The psychic being is ever
attuned to manifesting that
21
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,000
reality.
All that is egoistic, self
22
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,520
dealing, desire filled is
contrary to the aspiration and
23
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,960
intention of the psychic being.
As the outer instruments
24
00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:44,480
develop, they focus on their own
modes of action and try to
25
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,240
achieve what they understand to
be their purpose and their
26
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,920
fulfilment.
They are, however, instruments
27
00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:56,080
whose powers are being
developed, not cognizant of the
28
00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,400
ultimate role they are intended
to play.
29
00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:04,880
Once the psychic being comes to
the fore trio Rubindo observes
30
00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:10,320
quote, the psychic being can at
first exercise only a concealed
31
00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,320
and partial and indirect action
through the mind, the life and
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,040
the body.
Since it is these parts of
33
00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,440
nature that have to be developed
as its instruments of
34
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,400
self-expression.
And it is long confined by their
35
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,120
evolution missioned to lead man
in the ignorance towards the
36
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,080
light of the divine
consciousness.
37
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,600
It takes the essence of all
experience in the ignorance to
38
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,360
form a nucleus of soul growth in
the nature.
39
00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,560
The rest it turns into material
for the future growth of the
40
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,640
instruments which it has to use
until they are ready to be a
41
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:49,880
luminous instrumentation of the
Divine.
42
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,280
It is this secret psychic entity
which is the true original
43
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,840
conscience in US, deeper than
the constructed and conventional
44
00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:04,040
conscience of the moralist.
For it is this which points
45
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:09,720
always towards truth and right
and Beauty, toward love and
46
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:15,320
harmony and all that is a divine
possibility in US, and persist
47
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,480
till these things become the
major need of our nature.
48
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,640
It is the psychic personality in
US that flowers as the Saint,
49
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,280
the sage, the seer.
When it reaches its full
50
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,080
strength, it turns the being
towards the knowledge of Self
51
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,760
and the Divine towards the
Supreme Truth, the Supreme Good,
52
00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,640
the Supreme Beauty, love and
Bliss, the divine heights and
53
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:47,440
largenesses and opens us to the
touch of spiritual sympathy,
54
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:53,680
universality, oneness.
On the contrary, where the
55
00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,000
psychic personality is weak,
crude or I'll developed, the
56
00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,080
inner parts and movements in US
are lacking or poor in character
57
00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,800
and power.
Even though the mind may be
58
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,720
forceful and brilliant, the
heart of vital emotions hard and
59
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:13,320
strong and masterful, the life
force dominant and successful,
60
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,240
the bodily existence rich and
fortunate and an apparent Lord
61
00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,880
and victor.
It is then the outer desire
62
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:27,720
soul, the pseudo psychic entity
that reigns and we mistake its
63
00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,240
misinterpretations of psychic
suggestion and aspiration, its
64
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,640
ideas and ideals, its desires
and yearnings for true soul
65
00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,360
stuff and wealth of spiritual
experience.
66
00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:45,600
If the secret psychic person can
come forward into the front and
67
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:51,480
replacing the desire soul govern
overtly and entirely and not
68
00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,400
only partially and from behind
the veil, this outer nature of
69
00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:02,480
mind, life and body, then these
can be cast into soul images of
70
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,600
what is true, right and
beautiful.
71
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,360
And in the end the whole nature
can be turned towards the real
72
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:15,360
aim of life, the supreme
victory, the ascent into
73
00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,440
spiritual existence.
End Quote.
74
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:24,000
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother, the psychic being soul,
75
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,400
its nature, mission and
evolution.
76
00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,600
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
77
00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,600
Psychic Being, pages 31 to 32.
