June 3, 2026
The Psychic Being: Its Growth and Development Through the Evolutionary Cycle
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 3 Growth and Development of the Psychic, pg. 78This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/06/01/the-psychic-being-its-growth-and-development-through-the-evolutionary-cycle/
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 #evolution #psychic being #evolution of consciousness #soul #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #Hitler #Fossey
1
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,040
There are certain questions
about the meaning and processes
2
00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,800
of the evolutionary cycle, the
existence and growth of the
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,400
psychic being and its relation
to our human external existence
4
00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,560
that most of us have a difficult
time addressing as we have not
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:22,280
had the experience or evidence
from our own investigations to
6
00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,720
understand them completely.
For most people, this means we
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,520
rely on a specific religious,
philosophical or scientific
8
00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,800
viewpoint to create an
understanding that we accept, if
9
00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,200
not dogmatically, at least
provisionally, until our own
10
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,400
experience can validate or
modify that understanding.
11
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,440
The Mother, relying on her
experience, provides her view of
12
00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,920
these issues and provides us a
way to reflect on them based on
13
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,320
what we are actually able to see
and respond to.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,920
We appreciate there are certain
qualities that are associated
15
00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,920
with the soul.
Qualities of caring, compassion,
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:12,400
spiritual aspiration, a feeling
of consecration, of sacredness
17
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:16,120
rising in the depths of the
being, a sense of oneness and
18
00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,120
unity with the rest of the
creation.
19
00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,840
These things develop over time.
Some people begin to exhibit
20
00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,920
these qualities at a very early
age, others may undergo various
21
00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,400
forms of traumatic or life
changing experience, while still
22
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,440
others may develop these
qualities as they mature and
23
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,280
reflect on their lives and
experience.
24
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,800
Rishis and Sages in India
developed a way of understanding
25
00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,200
the divine intervention into the
universal creation.
26
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,000
They speak of the Jivatman, a
spark of the divine that is
27
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,320
seated above and acts to
individualize the divine
28
00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,320
elements in beings through
creation of a psychic entity
29
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,680
which eventually flowers out to
become the psychic being as it
30
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,360
matures and develops.
Every being has the divine
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,400
spark, but this does not
automatically translate into the
32
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,400
full possession of an
individualized conscious soul or
33
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,200
psychic being.
This development takes place
34
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,520
over lifetimes and through
gathered essence of experiences
35
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:33,360
gained during those lifetimes.
We can recognize individuals who
36
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,720
develop these psychic qualities
as well as those who appear to
37
00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:41,280
not have any of them at all.
Many people have, for instance,
38
00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,720
asked whether Hitler had a soul.
Some people have indicated that
39
00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,600
whether he was born with a soul
or had not developed 1, he was
40
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,400
actually possessed by a demonic
vital being who had no concern
41
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,760
for humanity nor any positive
qualities we associate with the
42
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,280
soul.
He was intoxicated with power
43
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,720
and domination and a destructive
intent that was so massive that
44
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,120
it was impossible for people to
believe the extent of the
45
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,960
depravity until afterwards when
facts came out about the
46
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,520
concentration camps, the
torture, the mass
47
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:24,520
exterminations, et cetera.
He started out his career with
48
00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,760
the theme of making Germany
great again after the loss they
49
00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:32,000
suffered in the First World War.
He went on to conquer other
50
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,520
countries to expand into greater
Germany for access to land and
51
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,480
resources for his dream of
greatness.
52
00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,920
Once he realized that his dreams
for creating Germany first were
53
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:50,520
failing, he turned his wrath on
the loser German people and
54
00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,440
ordered his lieutenants to
destroy all civilian
55
00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,640
infrastructure so the German
people themselves would suffer.
56
00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,000
He occupied a human body, but
did he have a soul?
57
00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:09,400
On the other hand, researcher
Dian Fossey reported on juvenile
58
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,240
gorillas who had seen a young
gorilla in their band trapped by
59
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,640
a poacher's snare.
Thereafter, they went out
60
00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,200
seeking for snares and found
ways to consciously disable
61
00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:25,240
them, not to respond to an
immediate attack, but to protect
62
00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,320
other gorillas from being
trapped by those snares in the
63
00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,040
future.
They showed not only
64
00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:35,640
intelligence and insight, but a
degree of larger oneness and
65
00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,920
concern that spoke about some
element that went beyond purely
66
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,000
animal instinct to something
that evidenced qualities we
67
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,440
associate with at least the
incipient development of a more
68
00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:53,800
present and active psychic
being, the mother writes.
69
00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,320
Quote.
With regard to the evolution
70
00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,600
upwards, it is more correct to
speak of the psychic presence
71
00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:06,000
than the psychic being, for it
is the psychic presence which
72
00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,320
little by little becomes the
psychic being.
73
00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,000
In each evolving form there is
this presence, but it is not
74
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,440
individualized.
It is something which is capable
75
00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,760
of growth and follows the
movement of the evolution.
76
00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,680
It is not a descent of the
involution from above.
77
00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,720
It is formed progressively round
the spark of divine
78
00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,600
consciousness, which is meant to
be the centre of a growing
79
00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,880
being, which becomes the psychic
being when it is at last
80
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,280
individualized.
It is this spark that is
81
00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:43,280
permanent and gathers round
itself all sorts of elements for
82
00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:45,560
the formation of that
individuality.
83
00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,600
The true psychic being is formed
only when the psychic
84
00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,600
personality is fully grown,
fully built up round the eternal
85
00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,240
divine spark.
It attains its culmination, its
86
00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,480
total fulfillment, If and when
it unites with a being or
87
00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:08,320
personality from above, below
the human level, there is
88
00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,640
ordinarily hardly an individual
formation.
89
00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,000
There is only this presence,
more or less.
90
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,800
Of course, 1 cannot say that
every man has got a psychic
91
00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,440
being, just as one cannot refuse
to grant it to every animal.
92
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,560
Many animals that have lived
near man have some beginnings of
93
00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,800
it, while so often one comes
across people who do not seem to
94
00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:38,240
be anything else than brutes.
But on the whole the psychic in
95
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,640
the true sense starts at the
human stage.
96
00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:46,280
That is also why the Catholic
religion declares that only man
97
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:49,360
has a soul.
In man alone there is the
98
00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,960
possibility of the psychic being
growing to its full stature,
99
00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:58,360
Even so far as to be able in the
end to join and unite with a
100
00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,800
descending being, a godhead from
above.
101
00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,240
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother.
102
00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:12,000
The psychic being soul, its
nature, mission and evolution.
103
00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,440
Section 3.
Growth and Development of the
104
00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,800
Psychic.
Page 78.
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,040
There are certain questions
about the meaning and processes
2
00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,800
of the evolutionary cycle, the
existence and growth of the
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,400
psychic being and its relation
to our human external existence
4
00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,560
that most of us have a difficult
time addressing as we have not
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:22,280
had the experience or evidence
from our own investigations to
6
00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,720
understand them completely.
For most people, this means we
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,520
rely on a specific religious,
philosophical or scientific
8
00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,800
viewpoint to create an
understanding that we accept, if
9
00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,200
not dogmatically, at least
provisionally, until our own
10
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,400
experience can validate or
modify that understanding.
11
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,440
The Mother, relying on her
experience, provides her view of
12
00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,920
these issues and provides us a
way to reflect on them based on
13
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,320
what we are actually able to see
and respond to.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,920
We appreciate there are certain
qualities that are associated
15
00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,920
with the soul.
Qualities of caring, compassion,
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:12,400
spiritual aspiration, a feeling
of consecration, of sacredness
17
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:16,120
rising in the depths of the
being, a sense of oneness and
18
00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,120
unity with the rest of the
creation.
19
00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,840
These things develop over time.
Some people begin to exhibit
20
00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,920
these qualities at a very early
age, others may undergo various
21
00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,400
forms of traumatic or life
changing experience, while still
22
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,440
others may develop these
qualities as they mature and
23
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,280
reflect on their lives and
experience.
24
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,800
Rishis and Sages in India
developed a way of understanding
25
00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,200
the divine intervention into the
universal creation.
26
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,000
They speak of the Jivatman, a
spark of the divine that is
27
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,320
seated above and acts to
individualize the divine
28
00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,320
elements in beings through
creation of a psychic entity
29
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,680
which eventually flowers out to
become the psychic being as it
30
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,360
matures and develops.
Every being has the divine
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,400
spark, but this does not
automatically translate into the
32
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,400
full possession of an
individualized conscious soul or
33
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,200
psychic being.
This development takes place
34
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,520
over lifetimes and through
gathered essence of experiences
35
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:33,360
gained during those lifetimes.
We can recognize individuals who
36
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,720
develop these psychic qualities
as well as those who appear to
37
00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:41,280
not have any of them at all.
Many people have, for instance,
38
00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,720
asked whether Hitler had a soul.
Some people have indicated that
39
00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,600
whether he was born with a soul
or had not developed 1, he was
40
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,400
actually possessed by a demonic
vital being who had no concern
41
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,760
for humanity nor any positive
qualities we associate with the
42
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,280
soul.
He was intoxicated with power
43
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,720
and domination and a destructive
intent that was so massive that
44
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,120
it was impossible for people to
believe the extent of the
45
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,960
depravity until afterwards when
facts came out about the
46
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,520
concentration camps, the
torture, the mass
47
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:24,520
exterminations, et cetera.
He started out his career with
48
00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,760
the theme of making Germany
great again after the loss they
49
00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:32,000
suffered in the First World War.
He went on to conquer other
50
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,520
countries to expand into greater
Germany for access to land and
51
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,480
resources for his dream of
greatness.
52
00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,920
Once he realized that his dreams
for creating Germany first were
53
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:50,520
failing, he turned his wrath on
the loser German people and
54
00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,440
ordered his lieutenants to
destroy all civilian
55
00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,640
infrastructure so the German
people themselves would suffer.
56
00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,000
He occupied a human body, but
did he have a soul?
57
00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:09,400
On the other hand, researcher
Dian Fossey reported on juvenile
58
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,240
gorillas who had seen a young
gorilla in their band trapped by
59
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,640
a poacher's snare.
Thereafter, they went out
60
00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,200
seeking for snares and found
ways to consciously disable
61
00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:25,240
them, not to respond to an
immediate attack, but to protect
62
00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,320
other gorillas from being
trapped by those snares in the
63
00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,040
future.
They showed not only
64
00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:35,640
intelligence and insight, but a
degree of larger oneness and
65
00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,920
concern that spoke about some
element that went beyond purely
66
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,000
animal instinct to something
that evidenced qualities we
67
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,440
associate with at least the
incipient development of a more
68
00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:53,800
present and active psychic
being, the mother writes.
69
00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,320
Quote.
With regard to the evolution
70
00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,600
upwards, it is more correct to
speak of the psychic presence
71
00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:06,000
than the psychic being, for it
is the psychic presence which
72
00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,320
little by little becomes the
psychic being.
73
00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,000
In each evolving form there is
this presence, but it is not
74
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,440
individualized.
It is something which is capable
75
00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,760
of growth and follows the
movement of the evolution.
76
00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,680
It is not a descent of the
involution from above.
77
00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,720
It is formed progressively round
the spark of divine
78
00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,600
consciousness, which is meant to
be the centre of a growing
79
00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,880
being, which becomes the psychic
being when it is at last
80
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,280
individualized.
It is this spark that is
81
00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:43,280
permanent and gathers round
itself all sorts of elements for
82
00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:45,560
the formation of that
individuality.
83
00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,600
The true psychic being is formed
only when the psychic
84
00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,600
personality is fully grown,
fully built up round the eternal
85
00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,240
divine spark.
It attains its culmination, its
86
00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,480
total fulfillment, If and when
it unites with a being or
87
00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:08,320
personality from above, below
the human level, there is
88
00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,640
ordinarily hardly an individual
formation.
89
00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,000
There is only this presence,
more or less.
90
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,800
Of course, 1 cannot say that
every man has got a psychic
91
00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,440
being, just as one cannot refuse
to grant it to every animal.
92
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,560
Many animals that have lived
near man have some beginnings of
93
00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,800
it, while so often one comes
across people who do not seem to
94
00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:38,240
be anything else than brutes.
But on the whole the psychic in
95
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,640
the true sense starts at the
human stage.
96
00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:46,280
That is also why the Catholic
religion declares that only man
97
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:49,360
has a soul.
In man alone there is the
98
00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,960
possibility of the psychic being
growing to its full stature,
99
00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:58,360
Even so far as to be able in the
end to join and unite with a
100
00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,800
descending being, a godhead from
above.
101
00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,240
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother.
102
00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:12,000
The psychic being soul, its
nature, mission and evolution.
103
00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,440
Section 3.
Growth and Development of the
104
00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,800
Psychic.
Page 78.
