The Psychic Being and the Management of the External Being and Its Action

0:00 There are a number of different management strategies we see in the world today. They range from attempts at total control, what we can call micromanagement, to total laissez faire release to permit individuals to do whatever they decide at each moment. Both of these extremes have their limitations. Micromanagement tends towards inflexibility and eventually fails to address changing facts and situations as they occur, while it also reduces initiative for the individual participants. Laissez faire freedom tends to a somewhat chaotic implementation without the central guiding principle or focus to Orient the action towards the intended goal. In a complex interaction.

0:52 One can see the failure of the laissez faire approach in the idea of simply turning a Symphony Orchestra over to that method and hearing the mismatched sounds and timing that inevitably occur on the other side. Micromanagement suppresses the free will so entirely that those subjected to it tend to act mechanically and without thought, insight or consideration, as these have been taken away from them by the central manager. It is interesting to note that the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the world's premier elite Symphony orchestras, is known for its unique and powerful performances. Because they have, through their intimate knowledge of the other members and their long rapport with each other, gone beyond being purely dominated by the strict control of the conductor and have found a way to blend their individual expression and personality into their orchestral performances. Management theories continue to work toward achieving something of an ideal balance between a central organizing and guiding principle and the flexibility needed in the implementation to address facts on the ground.

2:13 One can see this play out in various military organizations. Some are extremely rigid and hold command and control within a centralized team. If communication is broken down, or if unexpected things occur in the operation, things can go wrong very quickly, leading in some cases to absolute disaster. One of the attempts to overcome this limitation is to have the leadership set specific objectives and goals, Set general boundaries and guidelines such as rules of engagement, but train the team that has to actually implement the plan to be resourceful and free within those boundaries.

2:58 Some of the most elite military units in the world utilize this general approach. The balance between free will and destiny also partakes of a similar concern when applied to spiritual development. Some people hold that everything has been predestined down to the individual detail level in what is called the block universe theory. In this approach, free will is purely an illusion. If, however, the universal consciousness is evolving within a general framework, free will and destiny could actually coexist. The question about the guidance of the external being and its development in life to fulfill the spiritual aspiration of the psychic being revolves around these issues. If we assume that there is a complete control over every detail, we find that the external being, the body, the life energy and the mind tend to lose their initiative and in some cases actually rebel or go on strike when they feel like their needs and expectations are not being met. On the other hand, a flexible approach focused on a central aspiration and framework, but leaving the details to be worked out by the external instruments allows them a measure of development and growth that both makes them more effective over the long term and ensures that

4:33 the acceptance is not grudging or withheld by the external being. This approach may take longer and may lead to divergences, errors or failures along the way, but in the end it brings about a stronger, more stable change in the consciousness and action of the external being that is supporting and aligned with the psychic beings intended direction. A disciple inquires Mother, is the orientation of an individual's life directed by the psychic? The mother responds, quote Yes, absolutely unconsciously for the individual most of the time, but it is the psychic which organizes his existence only in what may be called the main lines.

5:26 Because for intervening in the details they would have to be a conscious union between the outer being, that is, the vital and physical being, and the psychic being. But usually this does not exist so externally in the details. For example, there was someone who in deep perplexity said to me, Well, if it is the psychic being or rather the divine in the psychic who directs our life, is it he who decides the number of pieces of sugar I put in my teacup? That was the question verbatim. So the answer had to be no, because it is not a detailed intervention of this kind.

6:13 End Quote reference Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, the psychic being soul, its nature, mission and evolution. Section 2. Role, function and Action of the Psychic. Pages 60 to 62.