Jan. 11, 2025
The Reality of Psychic Powers
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XIX Occult Powers of the Subliminal, pp. 144-145 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/09/the-reality-of-psychic-powers/
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
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,720
The well known actress Shirley
MacLaine described in her book
2
00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,880
Out on a Limb and included in
the film version under the same
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,960
name, her experiences with
various psychic mediums who were
4
00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,040
able to actually relate to her
details from her life that were
5
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,400
not possibly known by them.
She began from a sceptical
6
00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:27,320
mindset, normal for the modern
Western mentality, but soon
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,320
became aware that there were
indeed individuals who could
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:36,720
sense, experience and describe
events in her life that had not
9
00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:41,160
been publicized and which were
private occurrences in nature.
10
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,240
They proved to her sceptical
mindset their bona fides.
11
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,240
Many people have had such
experiences one way or another,
12
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,640
which they, however, failed to
understand, appreciate, or value
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,760
for their real significance.
One individual reported having
14
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,680
seen several people in a dream
state that he would years later
15
00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,840
meet in the physical world.
He recognized them, understood
16
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,080
by that experience the role they
would play in his life, and in
17
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:18,480
fact, the limits that that role
would have and the time of
18
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,320
separation.
When that role was completed, he
19
00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:24,480
navigated through certain
decisions.
20
00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:30,080
Based on this knowledge, certain
law enforcement agencies have
21
00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,520
consulted psychics with mixed
results.
22
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,200
In some cases, the psychics were
able to provide information and
23
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:42,320
clues that helped solve the case
with facts that were otherwise
24
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:44,680
unknown to the police at the
time.
25
00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,560
In other cases, the agencies
determined that the information
26
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:55,840
was accurate but too general to
be of specific benefit, and in
27
00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,040
some other cases reviewed there
was little if any benefit.
28
00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,240
It is clear that not all
psychics are of equal caliber
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,600
and capability in these matters,
and that not all circumstances
30
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,759
can be equally amenable to
psychic view of the matter.
31
00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,920
But it is clear that between
reviews done by certain US
32
00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:21,320
agencies, including the
Department of Justice, DOJCIA,
33
00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:26,480
the FBI and various local law
enforcement agencies, the
34
00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,040
activity of qualified and
competent psychics has indeed
35
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,480
proven to be valuable and
extremely useful in solving
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,440
cases, Sri Orwindo writes.
Quote.
37
00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,920
The true and direct knowledge of
vision of past, present and
38
00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:47,560
future begins with the opening
of the psychical consciousness
39
00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,360
and the psychical faculties.
The psychical consciousness is
40
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,880
that of what is now often called
the subliminal self.
41
00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,920
The subtle or dream self of
Indian psychology and its range
42
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:05,920
of potential knowledge almost
infinite, includes a very large
43
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:11,760
power and many forms of insight
into both the possibilities and
44
00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,600
the definite actualities of
past, present and future.
45
00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,040
Its first faculty, that which
most readily attracts attention,
46
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,120
is its power of seeing by the
psychical sense, images of all
47
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:31,120
things in time and space, as
exercised by clairvoyance
48
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,640
mediums and others.
This is often, and indeed
49
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,920
usually, the specialized
faculty, limited, though often
50
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,920
precise and accurate in action,
and implies no development of
51
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,560
the inner soul or the spiritual
being or the higher
52
00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,840
intelligence.
It is a door opened by chance or
53
00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,840
by an innate gift, or by some
kind of pressure between the
54
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,840
waking and the subliminal mind,
and admitting only to the
55
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,480
surface or the outskirts of the
latter.
56
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,720
All things in a certain power
and action of the secret
57
00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:12,600
universal mind are represented
by images, not only visual, but
58
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:18,120
if one may use the phrase,
auditory and other images, and a
59
00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,720
certain development of the
subtle or psychical senses makes
60
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,400
it possible.
If there is no interference of
61
00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,200
the constructing mind and its
imaginations.
62
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,680
If, that is to say, artificial
or falsifying mental images, do
63
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:39,680
not intervene if the psychical
sense is free, sincere, and
64
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,520
passive to receive these
representations or
65
00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,920
transcriptions with a perfect
accuracy, and not so much
66
00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:52,800
predict as to see in its correct
images the present beyond the
67
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,880
range of the physical sense, the
past and the future.
68
00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,480
The accuracy of this kind of
seeing depends on its being
69
00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,520
confined to a statement of the
thing seen, and the attempt to
70
00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,640
infer, interpret, or otherwise
go beyond the visual knowledge
71
00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,200
may lead to much error, unless
there is at the same time a
72
00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:20,600
strong psychical intuition,
fine, subtle, and pure, or a
73
00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,720
high development of the luminous
intuitive intelligence.
74
00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,760
End Quote.
Reference.
75
00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,840
Srioro, Bindu and the Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 19.
76
00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:38,520
Occult Powers of the Subliminal
Pages, 1:44 to 1:45.
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,720
The well known actress Shirley
MacLaine described in her book
2
00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,880
Out on a Limb and included in
the film version under the same
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,960
name, her experiences with
various psychic mediums who were
4
00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,040
able to actually relate to her
details from her life that were
5
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,400
not possibly known by them.
She began from a sceptical
6
00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:27,320
mindset, normal for the modern
Western mentality, but soon
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,320
became aware that there were
indeed individuals who could
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:36,720
sense, experience and describe
events in her life that had not
9
00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:41,160
been publicized and which were
private occurrences in nature.
10
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,240
They proved to her sceptical
mindset their bona fides.
11
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,240
Many people have had such
experiences one way or another,
12
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,640
which they, however, failed to
understand, appreciate, or value
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,760
for their real significance.
One individual reported having
14
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,680
seen several people in a dream
state that he would years later
15
00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,840
meet in the physical world.
He recognized them, understood
16
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,080
by that experience the role they
would play in his life, and in
17
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:18,480
fact, the limits that that role
would have and the time of
18
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,320
separation.
When that role was completed, he
19
00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:24,480
navigated through certain
decisions.
20
00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:30,080
Based on this knowledge, certain
law enforcement agencies have
21
00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,520
consulted psychics with mixed
results.
22
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,200
In some cases, the psychics were
able to provide information and
23
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:42,320
clues that helped solve the case
with facts that were otherwise
24
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:44,680
unknown to the police at the
time.
25
00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,560
In other cases, the agencies
determined that the information
26
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:55,840
was accurate but too general to
be of specific benefit, and in
27
00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,040
some other cases reviewed there
was little if any benefit.
28
00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,240
It is clear that not all
psychics are of equal caliber
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,600
and capability in these matters,
and that not all circumstances
30
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,759
can be equally amenable to
psychic view of the matter.
31
00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,920
But it is clear that between
reviews done by certain US
32
00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:21,320
agencies, including the
Department of Justice, DOJCIA,
33
00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:26,480
the FBI and various local law
enforcement agencies, the
34
00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,040
activity of qualified and
competent psychics has indeed
35
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,480
proven to be valuable and
extremely useful in solving
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,440
cases, Sri Orwindo writes.
Quote.
37
00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,920
The true and direct knowledge of
vision of past, present and
38
00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:47,560
future begins with the opening
of the psychical consciousness
39
00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,360
and the psychical faculties.
The psychical consciousness is
40
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,880
that of what is now often called
the subliminal self.
41
00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,920
The subtle or dream self of
Indian psychology and its range
42
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:05,920
of potential knowledge almost
infinite, includes a very large
43
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:11,760
power and many forms of insight
into both the possibilities and
44
00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,600
the definite actualities of
past, present and future.
45
00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,040
Its first faculty, that which
most readily attracts attention,
46
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,120
is its power of seeing by the
psychical sense, images of all
47
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:31,120
things in time and space, as
exercised by clairvoyance
48
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,640
mediums and others.
This is often, and indeed
49
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,920
usually, the specialized
faculty, limited, though often
50
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,920
precise and accurate in action,
and implies no development of
51
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,560
the inner soul or the spiritual
being or the higher
52
00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,840
intelligence.
It is a door opened by chance or
53
00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,840
by an innate gift, or by some
kind of pressure between the
54
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,840
waking and the subliminal mind,
and admitting only to the
55
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,480
surface or the outskirts of the
latter.
56
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,720
All things in a certain power
and action of the secret
57
00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:12,600
universal mind are represented
by images, not only visual, but
58
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:18,120
if one may use the phrase,
auditory and other images, and a
59
00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,720
certain development of the
subtle or psychical senses makes
60
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,400
it possible.
If there is no interference of
61
00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,200
the constructing mind and its
imaginations.
62
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,680
If, that is to say, artificial
or falsifying mental images, do
63
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:39,680
not intervene if the psychical
sense is free, sincere, and
64
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,520
passive to receive these
representations or
65
00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,920
transcriptions with a perfect
accuracy, and not so much
66
00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:52,800
predict as to see in its correct
images the present beyond the
67
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,880
range of the physical sense, the
past and the future.
68
00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,480
The accuracy of this kind of
seeing depends on its being
69
00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,520
confined to a statement of the
thing seen, and the attempt to
70
00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,640
infer, interpret, or otherwise
go beyond the visual knowledge
71
00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,200
may lead to much error, unless
there is at the same time a
72
00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:20,600
strong psychical intuition,
fine, subtle, and pure, or a
73
00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,720
high development of the luminous
intuitive intelligence.
74
00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,760
End Quote.
Reference.
75
00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,840
Srioro, Bindu and the Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 19.
76
00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:38,520
Occult Powers of the Subliminal
Pages, 1:44 to 1:45.