March 17, 2026
The Soul and the Evolutionary Nature of the Psychic Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pp. 8-9
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/15/the-soul-and-the-evolutionary-nature-of-the-psychic-being/
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 #soul #psychic being
1
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,200
A seed contains the entire
genetic code from which the
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:09,320
external form, energetic
capacity and mental abilities of
3
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,040
a living being developed.
It can be seen as the most
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,720
concentrated form of that being,
a form that nevertheless has the
5
00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,520
capacity through time of
manifesting a physical form, a
6
00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,600
vital form, and eventually a
mental form.
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,120
Each of these layers take the
shape and carry out the energy
8
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,240
and direction of the seed from
which they developed.
9
00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,120
These levels are expressed over
time, with some developments
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,680
requiring what we consider to be
a long time when looked at from
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,040
the viewpoint of a single human
lifetime.
12
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,560
Since each of these levels
operates under a set of
13
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,000
guidelines that contain
opportunities and limitations
14
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,880
inherent in each sheath or
layer, they only express
15
00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:02,160
imperfectly the genetic code
contained in the seed.
16
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,720
The living being may also be
influenced by its environment,
17
00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,680
and thus, despite the pattern
requested by the code built into
18
00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,840
the seed, it may fall short of
the ideal or become twisted,
19
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:22,680
warped, or malformed.
Mutations may occur which change
20
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,680
the ability of that form or of
seeds that eventuate to create
21
00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:31,040
future beings.
Sexual reproduction combining
22
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:35,040
seed elements from different
beings creates a framework for
23
00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:40,320
systematic, organized mutation
built into the very process
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:44,200
itself.
The analogy of the seed and the
25
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,240
living being can be used to help
us understand the soul, its
26
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,800
role, and the development of the
inner being that carries out the
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,480
needs of the soul within the
overall manifestation within
28
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,880
which it is a participant.
What is missing from the seed
29
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,880
and its development, however, is
the element of the soul and the
30
00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,080
psychic being.
The soul, as the Mother
31
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:14,320
indicates, is the divine spark
that uses the external form to
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,680
manifest itself and its divine
nature.
33
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,240
The psychic being answers the
question about the purpose and
34
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,480
significance of our existence.
We are no longer a static seed
35
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,640
with a fixed genetic code
creating external forms without
36
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,680
any sense of purpose, mindlessly
repeating the code in each
37
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,520
formation.
Rather, we can see the psychic
38
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,920
being as a dynamic evolution of
the soul's essential nature to
39
00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:49,560
harvest the fruit of experience
across lifetimes and build a
40
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:53,520
maturing and ever increasing
soul manifestation.
41
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,160
As the psychic being matures and
develops, it gains the power to
42
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,160
more perfectly direct and
control the body, life, and mind
43
00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,480
that it takes on in a particular
lifetime.
44
00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,480
It utilizes the instruments form
from the code embodied in the
45
00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,640
external seed form.
It expresses the soul's
46
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:19,640
essential nature in the
manifestation.
47
00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,200
A disciple inquires in the human
being.
48
00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:30,960
Is the psychic being the entire
soul or do both the soul in its
49
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,600
essence as a divine spark in all
creatures and the psychic being
50
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:41,280
exist together?
The Mother answers quote the
51
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,840
soul is the eternal essence at
the center of the psychic being.
52
00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,080
The soul is in fact like a
divine spark which puts on many
53
00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,840
states of being of increasing
density down to the most
54
00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,720
material.
It is inside the body within the
55
00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:01,040
solar plexus, so to say.
By solar plexus the Mother is
56
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,480
referring to the heart, not the
naval region.
57
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,640
This is clear from statement she
has made elsewhere, As for
58
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,600
example in the following
statement.
59
00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,680
Generally, it is in the heart
behind the solar plexus that one
60
00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,320
finds this luminous presence.
Collected Works of the Mother,
61
00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:23,600
Volume 16, page 410.
These states of being take form
62
00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,400
and develop progress, become
individualized and perfected in
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,040
the course of many earthly
lives, and form the psychic
64
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,960
being.
When the psychic being is fully
65
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,200
formed, it is aware of the
consciousness of the soul and
66
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,200
manifests it perfectly.
End Quote.
67
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,080
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother.
68
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,640
The psychic being soul its
nature, mission and evolution.
69
00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,560
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
70
00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,400
Psychic Being, pages 8 to 9.
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,200
A seed contains the entire
genetic code from which the
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:09,320
external form, energetic
capacity and mental abilities of
3
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,040
a living being developed.
It can be seen as the most
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,720
concentrated form of that being,
a form that nevertheless has the
5
00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,520
capacity through time of
manifesting a physical form, a
6
00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,600
vital form, and eventually a
mental form.
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,120
Each of these layers take the
shape and carry out the energy
8
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,240
and direction of the seed from
which they developed.
9
00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,120
These levels are expressed over
time, with some developments
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,680
requiring what we consider to be
a long time when looked at from
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,040
the viewpoint of a single human
lifetime.
12
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,560
Since each of these levels
operates under a set of
13
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,000
guidelines that contain
opportunities and limitations
14
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,880
inherent in each sheath or
layer, they only express
15
00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:02,160
imperfectly the genetic code
contained in the seed.
16
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,720
The living being may also be
influenced by its environment,
17
00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,680
and thus, despite the pattern
requested by the code built into
18
00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,840
the seed, it may fall short of
the ideal or become twisted,
19
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:22,680
warped, or malformed.
Mutations may occur which change
20
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,680
the ability of that form or of
seeds that eventuate to create
21
00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:31,040
future beings.
Sexual reproduction combining
22
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:35,040
seed elements from different
beings creates a framework for
23
00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:40,320
systematic, organized mutation
built into the very process
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:44,200
itself.
The analogy of the seed and the
25
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,240
living being can be used to help
us understand the soul, its
26
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,800
role, and the development of the
inner being that carries out the
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,480
needs of the soul within the
overall manifestation within
28
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,880
which it is a participant.
What is missing from the seed
29
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,880
and its development, however, is
the element of the soul and the
30
00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,080
psychic being.
The soul, as the Mother
31
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:14,320
indicates, is the divine spark
that uses the external form to
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,680
manifest itself and its divine
nature.
33
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,240
The psychic being answers the
question about the purpose and
34
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,480
significance of our existence.
We are no longer a static seed
35
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,640
with a fixed genetic code
creating external forms without
36
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,680
any sense of purpose, mindlessly
repeating the code in each
37
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,520
formation.
Rather, we can see the psychic
38
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,920
being as a dynamic evolution of
the soul's essential nature to
39
00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:49,560
harvest the fruit of experience
across lifetimes and build a
40
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:53,520
maturing and ever increasing
soul manifestation.
41
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,160
As the psychic being matures and
develops, it gains the power to
42
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,160
more perfectly direct and
control the body, life, and mind
43
00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,480
that it takes on in a particular
lifetime.
44
00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,480
It utilizes the instruments form
from the code embodied in the
45
00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,640
external seed form.
It expresses the soul's
46
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:19,640
essential nature in the
manifestation.
47
00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,200
A disciple inquires in the human
being.
48
00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:30,960
Is the psychic being the entire
soul or do both the soul in its
49
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,600
essence as a divine spark in all
creatures and the psychic being
50
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:41,280
exist together?
The Mother answers quote the
51
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,840
soul is the eternal essence at
the center of the psychic being.
52
00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,080
The soul is in fact like a
divine spark which puts on many
53
00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,840
states of being of increasing
density down to the most
54
00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,720
material.
It is inside the body within the
55
00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:01,040
solar plexus, so to say.
By solar plexus the Mother is
56
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,480
referring to the heart, not the
naval region.
57
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,640
This is clear from statement she
has made elsewhere, As for
58
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,600
example in the following
statement.
59
00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,680
Generally, it is in the heart
behind the solar plexus that one
60
00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,320
finds this luminous presence.
Collected Works of the Mother,
61
00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:23,600
Volume 16, page 410.
These states of being take form
62
00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,400
and develop progress, become
individualized and perfected in
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,040
the course of many earthly
lives, and form the psychic
64
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,960
being.
When the psychic being is fully
65
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,200
formed, it is aware of the
consciousness of the soul and
66
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,200
manifests it perfectly.
End Quote.
67
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,080
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother.
68
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,640
The psychic being soul its
nature, mission and evolution.
69
00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,560
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
70
00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,400
Psychic Being, pages 8 to 9.
