May 29, 2026
The Psychic Being Carries the Essence of Experience Through Rebirth and the Evolution of Consciousness
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 3 Growth and Development of the Psychic, pg. 72This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/05/27/the-psychic-being-carries-the-essence-of-experience-through-rebirth-and-the-evolution-of-consciousness/
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 #Evolution of consciousness #rebirth #reincarnation #All the World's a Stage
1
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,240
We are born into the world, we
grow, we learn, we participate
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,840
in it, we age, and eventually we
die.
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,640
Many people look at this process
without trying to understand any
4
00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,160
deeper significance.
They involve themselves in the
5
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:22,880
process and do not look at what
happened before, what caused the
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,440
existence we participate in, and
what happens afterwards.
7
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,960
They live within a plot line of
events and relationships without
8
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,960
any deeper significance and
without identifying the parts of
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,840
the story that are outside the
stage we act upon.
10
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,040
This imagery is neatly laid out
in Shakespeare's play As You
11
00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:50,920
Like It Quote.
All the world's a stage and all
12
00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,000
the men and women merely
players.
13
00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:58,680
They have their exits and their
entrances, and one man in his
14
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,080
time plays many parts, his axe
being 7 ages.
15
00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:09,480
At first the infant muelling and
puking in the nurse's arms, and
16
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:15,320
then the whining schoolboy with
his satchel and shining morning
17
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:20,040
face creeping like snail,
unwilling to school.
18
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:26,120
And then the lover sighing like
furnace with a woeful ballad
19
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:31,520
made to his mistress eyebrow.
Then a soldier full of strange
20
00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:37,120
oaths and bearded like the pard,
jealous in honour, sudden and
21
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,200
quick in quarrel, seeking the
bubble reputation even in the
22
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,840
cannon's mouth.
And then the justice in fair
23
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:51,640
round belly with good Cape
unlined, with eyes severe and
24
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,680
beard of formal cut, full of
wise saws and modern instances.
25
00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:02,600
And so he plays his part.
The 6th age shifts into the lean
26
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,040
and slippered pantaloon, with
spectacles on nose and pouch on
27
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,720
side.
His youthful hose well saved a
28
00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:16,560
world too wide for his shrunk
Shank, and his big manly voice
29
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,880
turning again toward childish
trouble.
30
00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:28,160
Pipes and whistles in his sound.
Last seen of all that ends this
31
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,440
strange eventful history is
second childishness and mere
32
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,480
oblivion.
Sand's teeth, sand's eyes,
33
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,680
sand's taste, sands, everything.
End Quote.
34
00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,080
When we look at the vast and
highly detailed machinery of the
35
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,920
Universal Creation, it becomes
obvious that all of this
36
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:57,440
structure, all of this
complexity, all of this genetic
37
00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,920
coding, cellular structure, the
electromagnetic spectrum, all of
38
00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:07,040
these interrelationships cannot
be and are not simply random,
39
00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,200
meaningless events that occurred
without a preceding cause and
40
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,400
without a follow on effect.
What we are missing in this very
41
00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,320
limited view is not the picture
in front of us, but rather an
42
00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,400
understanding of how our lives
fit into the patterns and
43
00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:33,120
developments in the universe.
Sages and rishis, philosophers
44
00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:38,560
and scientists, seers and
Mystics, visionaries and those
45
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,120
guided by mental reason, all
have through the ages explored
46
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,480
the question of the significance
of our lives, where we come from
47
00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,960
and why and where we are going
to, and how.
48
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,640
Sri Aurobindo explored these
issues at great depth and
49
00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,760
concluded that our world is the
setting for an evolution of
50
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,840
consciousness.
That our current lifetime is
51
00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,440
just one in a series of
lifetimes that allow us to carry
52
00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,240
not an individual personality
forward, but rather the essence
53
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:17,200
of the experience distilled in a
soul entity, which he called the
54
00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,800
psychic being that utilizes the
process as one of development
55
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:26,680
and maturation to eventually
express the Divine consciously
56
00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:31,360
through the body, life, mind
complex that we inhabit during
57
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,480
our lifetime.
While he explored these
58
00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,840
questions at great length in
rebirth and karma as well as in
59
00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,640
the Life Divine, he encapsulates
this view in his visionary
60
00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,840
poetic expression.
Sri Robindo writes in his epic
61
00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:53,760
poem Savitri, a legend and a
symbol in Book 2, Canto 14
62
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,200
quote.
A person persistent through the
63
00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:03,720
lapse of worlds, although the
same forever in many shapes, by
64
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:08,560
the outward mind unrecognizable,
assuming names unknown, in
65
00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,360
unknown climes, Imprints through
time upon the earth's worn page,
66
00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,640
a growing figure of its secret
self, and learns by experience
67
00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:24,200
what the spirit knew till it can
see its truth alive and God.
68
00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,320
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
69
00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,840
Mother, the psychic being soul,
its nature, mission and
70
00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:36,000
evolution.
Section 3.
71
00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,160
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, page 72.
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,240
We are born into the world, we
grow, we learn, we participate
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,840
in it, we age, and eventually we
die.
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,640
Many people look at this process
without trying to understand any
4
00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,160
deeper significance.
They involve themselves in the
5
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:22,880
process and do not look at what
happened before, what caused the
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,440
existence we participate in, and
what happens afterwards.
7
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,960
They live within a plot line of
events and relationships without
8
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,960
any deeper significance and
without identifying the parts of
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,840
the story that are outside the
stage we act upon.
10
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,040
This imagery is neatly laid out
in Shakespeare's play As You
11
00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:50,920
Like It Quote.
All the world's a stage and all
12
00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,000
the men and women merely
players.
13
00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:58,680
They have their exits and their
entrances, and one man in his
14
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,080
time plays many parts, his axe
being 7 ages.
15
00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:09,480
At first the infant muelling and
puking in the nurse's arms, and
16
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:15,320
then the whining schoolboy with
his satchel and shining morning
17
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:20,040
face creeping like snail,
unwilling to school.
18
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:26,120
And then the lover sighing like
furnace with a woeful ballad
19
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:31,520
made to his mistress eyebrow.
Then a soldier full of strange
20
00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:37,120
oaths and bearded like the pard,
jealous in honour, sudden and
21
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,200
quick in quarrel, seeking the
bubble reputation even in the
22
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,840
cannon's mouth.
And then the justice in fair
23
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:51,640
round belly with good Cape
unlined, with eyes severe and
24
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,680
beard of formal cut, full of
wise saws and modern instances.
25
00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:02,600
And so he plays his part.
The 6th age shifts into the lean
26
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,040
and slippered pantaloon, with
spectacles on nose and pouch on
27
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,720
side.
His youthful hose well saved a
28
00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:16,560
world too wide for his shrunk
Shank, and his big manly voice
29
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,880
turning again toward childish
trouble.
30
00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:28,160
Pipes and whistles in his sound.
Last seen of all that ends this
31
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,440
strange eventful history is
second childishness and mere
32
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,480
oblivion.
Sand's teeth, sand's eyes,
33
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,680
sand's taste, sands, everything.
End Quote.
34
00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,080
When we look at the vast and
highly detailed machinery of the
35
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,920
Universal Creation, it becomes
obvious that all of this
36
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:57,440
structure, all of this
complexity, all of this genetic
37
00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,920
coding, cellular structure, the
electromagnetic spectrum, all of
38
00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:07,040
these interrelationships cannot
be and are not simply random,
39
00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,200
meaningless events that occurred
without a preceding cause and
40
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,400
without a follow on effect.
What we are missing in this very
41
00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,320
limited view is not the picture
in front of us, but rather an
42
00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,400
understanding of how our lives
fit into the patterns and
43
00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:33,120
developments in the universe.
Sages and rishis, philosophers
44
00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:38,560
and scientists, seers and
Mystics, visionaries and those
45
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,120
guided by mental reason, all
have through the ages explored
46
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,480
the question of the significance
of our lives, where we come from
47
00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,960
and why and where we are going
to, and how.
48
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,640
Sri Aurobindo explored these
issues at great depth and
49
00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,760
concluded that our world is the
setting for an evolution of
50
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,840
consciousness.
That our current lifetime is
51
00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,440
just one in a series of
lifetimes that allow us to carry
52
00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,240
not an individual personality
forward, but rather the essence
53
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:17,200
of the experience distilled in a
soul entity, which he called the
54
00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,800
psychic being that utilizes the
process as one of development
55
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:26,680
and maturation to eventually
express the Divine consciously
56
00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:31,360
through the body, life, mind
complex that we inhabit during
57
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,480
our lifetime.
While he explored these
58
00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,840
questions at great length in
rebirth and karma as well as in
59
00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,640
the Life Divine, he encapsulates
this view in his visionary
60
00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,840
poetic expression.
Sri Robindo writes in his epic
61
00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:53,760
poem Savitri, a legend and a
symbol in Book 2, Canto 14
62
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,200
quote.
A person persistent through the
63
00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:03,720
lapse of worlds, although the
same forever in many shapes, by
64
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:08,560
the outward mind unrecognizable,
assuming names unknown, in
65
00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,360
unknown climes, Imprints through
time upon the earth's worn page,
66
00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,640
a growing figure of its secret
self, and learns by experience
67
00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:24,200
what the spirit knew till it can
see its truth alive and God.
68
00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,320
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
69
00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,840
Mother, the psychic being soul,
its nature, mission and
70
00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:36,000
evolution.
Section 3.
71
00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,160
Growth and Development of the
Psychic, page 72.
