June 14, 2026
The Progress of the Psychic Being -- Individualising While Transcending the Ego
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 3 Growth and Development of the Psychic, pp. 92-94This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/06/12/the-progress-of-the-psychic-being-individualising-while-transcending-the-ego/
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 #rebirth #spirituality #soul #psychic being
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,080
Individuals who take up
spiritual practice are generally
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,400
advised that they have to
overcome the ego and free
3
00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,000
themselves from its desires,
ambitions, wants, or needs.
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,080
As the practice advances, the
seeker begins to recognize that
5
00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:23,440
he is not that ego personality,
either as the specific person or
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,600
in the larger formations of the
ego, the family, the community,
7
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,960
the nation, the religion.
At the same time, we can
8
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,680
recognize that the development
of the individuality associated
9
00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,960
with what we understand to be
the ego is actually part of the
10
00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,240
advancement of the evolution of
consciousness.
11
00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,920
Consciousness in matter is not
differentiated.
12
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,560
Much of the creation prior to
the advent of the more highly
13
00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,280
evolved forms that incorporate a
well defined mental awareness is
14
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,400
undifferentiated as well.
Progress in these levels is
15
00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,200
slow, taking place across
millennia.
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,280
With the advent of the
individualized consciousness, we
17
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,200
experience the opportunity for
what might be seen as parallel
18
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,480
processing, where different
individuals are able to work on
19
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,720
development from different
standpoints and with different
20
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,800
tools at their disposal, thus
creating an engine of progress.
21
00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:34,080
As with everything, there are
benefits but also limitations.
22
00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,160
At a certain point the
limitations need to be overcome.
23
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,880
Sri Robindo described this in
his aphorism quote.
24
00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,000
When we have passed beyond
individualizing, then we shall
25
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,480
be real persons.
Ego was the helper.
26
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:57,440
Ego is the bar.
End Quote The next stage in
27
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,360
spiritual development is to be
able to utilize the
28
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,120
differentiation, the
individualization, without the
29
00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,960
limitations of being tied to the
desires and wants of a specific
30
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:15,640
ego formation.
A disciple inquires in What does
31
00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,000
a psychic being's progress
consist?
32
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:25,400
The Mother replies quote
individualization, the capacity
33
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,120
to take up all experiences and
organize them around the divine
34
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,360
centre.
The aim of the psychic being is
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:37,040
to form an individual being,
individualized, personalized
36
00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,120
around the divine centre.
Normally, all the experiences of
37
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,440
the external life, unless one
does yoga and becomes conscious,
38
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,880
pass without organizing the
inner being.
39
00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,720
While the psychic being
organizes these experiences
40
00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,480
serially, it wants to realize a
particular attitude towards the
41
00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,960
divine.
Hence it looks for all
42
00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,440
favourable experiences in order
to have the complete series of
43
00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:09,720
opportunities, so to say, which
will allow it to realize this
44
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:15,080
attitude towards the divine.
Take someone, for example, who
45
00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,560
wants to have the experience of
nobility.
46
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,560
A nobility which makes it
impossible for you to act like
47
00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,480
an ordinary person, which
infuses into you a bravery, A
48
00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,640
courage which may almost be
taken for rashness, because the
49
00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:35,120
attitude, the experience,
demands that you face danger
50
00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:39,960
without showing the least fear.
I was telling you a while ago
51
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,960
that I would explain to you what
one could acquire by entering
52
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,640
into the body of a king.
A king is an ordinary man, isn't
53
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,480
he?
Like all others, he does not
54
00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,600
have a special consciousness,
but through the necessities of
55
00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,800
his life, because he is a kind
of symbol to his people, there
56
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,560
are things he is obliged to do
which he could never do if he
57
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,800
were an ordinary man.
I know this by experience, but I
58
00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,040
saw this also while looking at
photographs which represented a
59
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,760
king In actual circumstances.
Something had happened which
60
00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,600
might have been an attempt on
his life, but was averted.
61
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:24,320
The photograph showed the king
inspecting A regiment.
62
00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,400
All of a sudden, someone had
rushed forward, perhaps with a
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,360
bad intention, perhaps not, for
nothing had happened.
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,200
In any case, the King had
remained completely impassive,
65
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:42,680
absolutely calm, the same smile
on his lips, without moving the
66
00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,800
least from the place where he
was, and he was quite within
67
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,440
sight, an easy target for one
who wanted to rush forward and
68
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,960
hurt him.
For all I know, this king was
69
00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:58,720
not a hero, but because he was a
king, he could not take to
70
00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,480
flight.
That would have been ignoble.
71
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:07,600
So he remained calm without
stirring, without showing any
72
00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,880
outward fear.
This is an example of what 1 can
73
00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:17,640
learn in the life of a king.
There is also a true story about
74
00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,000
Queen Elizabeth.
She had come to the last days of
75
00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,840
her life and was extremely ill.
But there was trouble in the
76
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,360
country and about questions of
taxation.
77
00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:33,800
A group of people, merchants I
believe, had formed a delegation
78
00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,800
to present a petition to her in
the name of a party of the
79
00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,960
people.
She lay very ill in her room, so
80
00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,080
I'll that she could hardly
stand, but she got up and
81
00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,120
dressed to receive them.
The lad who was attending upon
82
00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,600
her cried out.
But it is impossible you will
83
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,320
die of this.
The Queen answered quietly.
84
00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,560
We shall die afterwards.
This is an example from a whole
85
00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,720
series of experiences one can
have in the life of a king, and
86
00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,080
it is this which justifies the
choice of the psychic being when
87
00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:14,240
it takes up this kind of life.
It is memories of this kind
88
00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,080
which prove the authenticity of
the experience.
89
00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,960
For what generally happens when
people tell you about their past
90
00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,400
lives is this.
In these lives there is always a
91
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,320
progress, naturally, so they
become more and more splendid
92
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,240
people in more and more
marvellous circumstances.
93
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,960
It is wrong.
Things never happen like that.
94
00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,840
The psychic being follows a
certain line of existence which
95
00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:42,480
develops certain qualities,
certain powers, etcetera.
96
00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,400
But the psychic being always
sees what it lacks and it can
97
00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,360
choose the opposite line in a
future life.
98
00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,680
A negation, so to say, of this
experience in order to have
99
00:06:55,680 --> 00:07:02,560
complementary experiences.
End Quote Reference Sri Orobindo
100
00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,800
and the Mother, the psychic
being soul, its nature, mission
101
00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,360
and evolution.
Section 3.
102
00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:14,280
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, pages 92 to 94.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,080
Individuals who take up
spiritual practice are generally
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,400
advised that they have to
overcome the ego and free
3
00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,000
themselves from its desires,
ambitions, wants, or needs.
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,080
As the practice advances, the
seeker begins to recognize that
5
00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:23,440
he is not that ego personality,
either as the specific person or
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,600
in the larger formations of the
ego, the family, the community,
7
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,960
the nation, the religion.
At the same time, we can
8
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,680
recognize that the development
of the individuality associated
9
00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,960
with what we understand to be
the ego is actually part of the
10
00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,240
advancement of the evolution of
consciousness.
11
00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,920
Consciousness in matter is not
differentiated.
12
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,560
Much of the creation prior to
the advent of the more highly
13
00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,280
evolved forms that incorporate a
well defined mental awareness is
14
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,400
undifferentiated as well.
Progress in these levels is
15
00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,200
slow, taking place across
millennia.
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,280
With the advent of the
individualized consciousness, we
17
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,200
experience the opportunity for
what might be seen as parallel
18
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,480
processing, where different
individuals are able to work on
19
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,720
development from different
standpoints and with different
20
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,800
tools at their disposal, thus
creating an engine of progress.
21
00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:34,080
As with everything, there are
benefits but also limitations.
22
00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,160
At a certain point the
limitations need to be overcome.
23
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,880
Sri Robindo described this in
his aphorism quote.
24
00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,000
When we have passed beyond
individualizing, then we shall
25
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,480
be real persons.
Ego was the helper.
26
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:57,440
Ego is the bar.
End Quote The next stage in
27
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,360
spiritual development is to be
able to utilize the
28
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,120
differentiation, the
individualization, without the
29
00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,960
limitations of being tied to the
desires and wants of a specific
30
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:15,640
ego formation.
A disciple inquires in What does
31
00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,000
a psychic being's progress
consist?
32
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:25,400
The Mother replies quote
individualization, the capacity
33
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,120
to take up all experiences and
organize them around the divine
34
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,360
centre.
The aim of the psychic being is
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:37,040
to form an individual being,
individualized, personalized
36
00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,120
around the divine centre.
Normally, all the experiences of
37
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,440
the external life, unless one
does yoga and becomes conscious,
38
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,880
pass without organizing the
inner being.
39
00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,720
While the psychic being
organizes these experiences
40
00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,480
serially, it wants to realize a
particular attitude towards the
41
00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,960
divine.
Hence it looks for all
42
00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,440
favourable experiences in order
to have the complete series of
43
00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:09,720
opportunities, so to say, which
will allow it to realize this
44
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:15,080
attitude towards the divine.
Take someone, for example, who
45
00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,560
wants to have the experience of
nobility.
46
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,560
A nobility which makes it
impossible for you to act like
47
00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,480
an ordinary person, which
infuses into you a bravery, A
48
00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,640
courage which may almost be
taken for rashness, because the
49
00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:35,120
attitude, the experience,
demands that you face danger
50
00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:39,960
without showing the least fear.
I was telling you a while ago
51
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,960
that I would explain to you what
one could acquire by entering
52
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,640
into the body of a king.
A king is an ordinary man, isn't
53
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,480
he?
Like all others, he does not
54
00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,600
have a special consciousness,
but through the necessities of
55
00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,800
his life, because he is a kind
of symbol to his people, there
56
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,560
are things he is obliged to do
which he could never do if he
57
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,800
were an ordinary man.
I know this by experience, but I
58
00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,040
saw this also while looking at
photographs which represented a
59
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,760
king In actual circumstances.
Something had happened which
60
00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,600
might have been an attempt on
his life, but was averted.
61
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:24,320
The photograph showed the king
inspecting A regiment.
62
00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,400
All of a sudden, someone had
rushed forward, perhaps with a
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,360
bad intention, perhaps not, for
nothing had happened.
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,200
In any case, the King had
remained completely impassive,
65
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:42,680
absolutely calm, the same smile
on his lips, without moving the
66
00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,800
least from the place where he
was, and he was quite within
67
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,440
sight, an easy target for one
who wanted to rush forward and
68
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,960
hurt him.
For all I know, this king was
69
00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:58,720
not a hero, but because he was a
king, he could not take to
70
00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,480
flight.
That would have been ignoble.
71
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:07,600
So he remained calm without
stirring, without showing any
72
00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,880
outward fear.
This is an example of what 1 can
73
00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:17,640
learn in the life of a king.
There is also a true story about
74
00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,000
Queen Elizabeth.
She had come to the last days of
75
00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,840
her life and was extremely ill.
But there was trouble in the
76
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,360
country and about questions of
taxation.
77
00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:33,800
A group of people, merchants I
believe, had formed a delegation
78
00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,800
to present a petition to her in
the name of a party of the
79
00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,960
people.
She lay very ill in her room, so
80
00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,080
I'll that she could hardly
stand, but she got up and
81
00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:49,120
dressed to receive them.
The lad who was attending upon
82
00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,600
her cried out.
But it is impossible you will
83
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,320
die of this.
The Queen answered quietly.
84
00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,560
We shall die afterwards.
This is an example from a whole
85
00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,720
series of experiences one can
have in the life of a king, and
86
00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,080
it is this which justifies the
choice of the psychic being when
87
00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:14,240
it takes up this kind of life.
It is memories of this kind
88
00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,080
which prove the authenticity of
the experience.
89
00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,960
For what generally happens when
people tell you about their past
90
00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,400
lives is this.
In these lives there is always a
91
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,320
progress, naturally, so they
become more and more splendid
92
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,240
people in more and more
marvellous circumstances.
93
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,960
It is wrong.
Things never happen like that.
94
00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,840
The psychic being follows a
certain line of existence which
95
00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:42,480
develops certain qualities,
certain powers, etcetera.
96
00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,400
But the psychic being always
sees what it lacks and it can
97
00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,360
choose the opposite line in a
future life.
98
00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,680
A negation, so to say, of this
experience in order to have
99
00:06:55,680 --> 00:07:02,560
complementary experiences.
End Quote Reference Sri Orobindo
100
00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,800
and the Mother, the psychic
being soul, its nature, mission
101
00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,360
and evolution.
Section 3.
102
00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:14,280
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, pages 92 to 94.
