Jan. 25, 2025
The Power of the Soul in Relation to the Other Parts of the Being
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XX The Psychic, pg. 156 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/23/the-power-of-the-soul-in-relation-to-the-other-parts-of-the-being/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,440
The development of the human
being takes place in several
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,440
successive stages, and as
individuals mature they begin to
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,160
manifest and express the powers
of the nature as they
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:18,600
successively come to the fore.
Not every individual develops
5
00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,920
and expresses all the powers
fully in a particular lifetime.
6
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,360
For the power of the soul, the
development of the psychic
7
00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,640
being, this can actually take
many lifetimes, as the being
8
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,760
generally has to go through the
development, use, enjoyment and
9
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,920
disillusionments that accompany
the powers that develop earlier,
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,360
before the soul can actually
come forward and take charge of
11
00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,240
the being and its outlooks and
actions.
12
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,880
We are all able to identify the
physical man who has a strongly
13
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,640
developed physical body and is
happiest undertaking actions
14
00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,320
that suit the physical being.
At a certain stage, the vital
15
00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,160
man evolves and becomes highly
focused on enjoyment of the
16
00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,720
vital forces of exercising
power, influence, vital
17
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,960
satisfactions and fulfillment of
desires.
18
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,400
The evolution of the mental man
brings with it the powers of the
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:24,160
rational intellect, the logical
faculties and a focus on issues
20
00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,640
that go beyond either physical
needs or vital desires, but
21
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,360
enter into the realms of
reflection about the world,
22
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,920
their lives and the answer to
the questions of where do we
23
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,440
come from, how do we exist and
what is our purpose?
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,520
Through all these phases, the
human individual undergoes the
25
00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:52,160
joys of success, the suffering
of setbacks and defeats, and as
26
00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,120
that occurs, they gain rich
experience that nourishes the
27
00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:01,040
soul, which for the most part
remains behind the scenes as a
28
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:06,680
secret or silent influence, or
in some cases, a factor in the
29
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,520
direction the individual takes
as the pressure of the soul's
30
00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,600
emergence begins to influence
the life.
31
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,000
When the soul comes forward, it
comes with the knowledge of its
32
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:24,400
source, its purpose and its
significance in life, and it
33
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,520
orients its actions towards
fulfillment of the divine
34
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:33,440
mandate that resides within each
being, Sriorbindo observes
35
00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,920
quote.
The soul in itself contains all
36
00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:41,960
possible strength, but most of
it is held behind the veil, and
37
00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,560
it is what comes forward in the
nature that makes the
38
00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,160
difference.
In some people the psychic
39
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,960
element is strong, and in others
weak.
40
00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,760
In some people the mind is the
strongest part and governs, in
41
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,960
others the vital is the
strongest part and leads or
42
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,160
drives.
But by Sadhna the psychic being
43
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,240
can be more and more brought
forward, till it is dominant and
44
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,240
governs the rest.
If it were already governing,
45
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,480
then the struggles and
difficulties of the mind and
46
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,360
vital would not at all be
severe, for each man in the
47
00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,000
light of the psychic, would see
and feel the truth and more and
48
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,360
more follow it.
End Quote.
49
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,960
Reference.
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
50
00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:35,000
Powers within, Chapter 20.
The Psychic, pages 155 to 156.
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,440
The development of the human
being takes place in several
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,440
successive stages, and as
individuals mature they begin to
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,160
manifest and express the powers
of the nature as they
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:18,600
successively come to the fore.
Not every individual develops
5
00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,920
and expresses all the powers
fully in a particular lifetime.
6
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,360
For the power of the soul, the
development of the psychic
7
00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,640
being, this can actually take
many lifetimes, as the being
8
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,760
generally has to go through the
development, use, enjoyment and
9
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,920
disillusionments that accompany
the powers that develop earlier,
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,360
before the soul can actually
come forward and take charge of
11
00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,240
the being and its outlooks and
actions.
12
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,880
We are all able to identify the
physical man who has a strongly
13
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,640
developed physical body and is
happiest undertaking actions
14
00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,320
that suit the physical being.
At a certain stage, the vital
15
00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,160
man evolves and becomes highly
focused on enjoyment of the
16
00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,720
vital forces of exercising
power, influence, vital
17
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,960
satisfactions and fulfillment of
desires.
18
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,400
The evolution of the mental man
brings with it the powers of the
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:24,160
rational intellect, the logical
faculties and a focus on issues
20
00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,640
that go beyond either physical
needs or vital desires, but
21
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,360
enter into the realms of
reflection about the world,
22
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,920
their lives and the answer to
the questions of where do we
23
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,440
come from, how do we exist and
what is our purpose?
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,520
Through all these phases, the
human individual undergoes the
25
00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:52,160
joys of success, the suffering
of setbacks and defeats, and as
26
00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,120
that occurs, they gain rich
experience that nourishes the
27
00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:01,040
soul, which for the most part
remains behind the scenes as a
28
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:06,680
secret or silent influence, or
in some cases, a factor in the
29
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,520
direction the individual takes
as the pressure of the soul's
30
00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,600
emergence begins to influence
the life.
31
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,000
When the soul comes forward, it
comes with the knowledge of its
32
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:24,400
source, its purpose and its
significance in life, and it
33
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,520
orients its actions towards
fulfillment of the divine
34
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:33,440
mandate that resides within each
being, Sriorbindo observes
35
00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,920
quote.
The soul in itself contains all
36
00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:41,960
possible strength, but most of
it is held behind the veil, and
37
00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,560
it is what comes forward in the
nature that makes the
38
00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,160
difference.
In some people the psychic
39
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,960
element is strong, and in others
weak.
40
00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,760
In some people the mind is the
strongest part and governs, in
41
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,960
others the vital is the
strongest part and leads or
42
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,160
drives.
But by Sadhna the psychic being
43
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,240
can be more and more brought
forward, till it is dominant and
44
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,240
governs the rest.
If it were already governing,
45
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,480
then the struggles and
difficulties of the mind and
46
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,360
vital would not at all be
severe, for each man in the
47
00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,000
light of the psychic, would see
and feel the truth and more and
48
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,360
more follow it.
End Quote.
49
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,960
Reference.
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
50
00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:35,000
Powers within, Chapter 20.
The Psychic, pages 155 to 156.