March 19, 2026
The Soul Exists in All Living Beings
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. 9-11This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/17/the-soul-exists-in-all-living-beings/
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 #soul #psychic being #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality
1
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,400
We frequently mistake the
development of the external form
2
00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,520
as representing the state of the
soul in human beings.
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,560
This often takes the form of
assigning worth or status based
4
00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,320
on education, race, social
position within the societal
5
00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,920
hierarchy, wealth, or positions
of power.
6
00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,560
None of these things, however,
actually describe the soul's
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,600
developmental stage.
The soul exists, and over time
8
00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,840
and through experience, it
develops a mature psychic being
9
00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,760
that gains the power to express
the soul's essence through the
10
00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,400
outer forms it takes on.
The outer forms, however, have
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,960
their limitations, and thus the
soul expression may be very much
12
00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,200
hidden or obscured or
overshadowed by the external
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,640
nature of the mind, life, and
body.
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,720
The psychic being develops over
innumerable lifetimes of
15
00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:04,800
experience, and thus may not be
developed, or at least not fully
16
00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,160
developed at various points
along the way.
17
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,000
Living beings that do not have
fully developed emotional or
18
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:18,320
mental capabilities nevertheless
have a soul essence that
19
00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:25,160
expresses itself as best it can
through whatever that being is
20
00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,360
capable of.
The Mother clarified, for
21
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,160
instance, that flowers had a
particular resonance that could
22
00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,560
express their soul.
She actually described the
23
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,600
spiritual properties of various
flowers at great length, as set
24
00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,560
forth in various books on the
subject, including flowers and
25
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,480
Their Messages.
She also mentioned the spiritual
26
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,080
nature of a particular cat at
the ashram.
27
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,800
The soul is not dependent on
high intellectual expression,
28
00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,720
refined emotional capacities, or
strong vital or physical powers.
29
00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,440
A lack of higher education does
not act as an impediment to the
30
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,600
action of the soul.
On the contrary, sometimes
31
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,320
academic or intellectual
attainment can create an
32
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,640
obstacle that the soul needs to
overcome in order to come
33
00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:23,360
forward and guide the being
directly, Sri Aurobindo writes.
34
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,760
Quote.
A distinction has to be made
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,640
between the soul in its essence
and the psychic being.
36
00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,240
Behind each and all there is the
soul, which is the spark of the
37
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,560
Divine.
None could exist without that.
38
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,840
But it is quite possible to have
a vital and physical being
39
00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,800
without a clearly evolved
psychic being behind it.
40
00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,840
Still, one cannot make general
statements that no aboriginal
41
00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,800
has a soul or there is no
display of soul anywhere.
42
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,240
The inner being is composed of
the inner mental, inner vital,
43
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,600
inner physical.
But that is not the psychic
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,760
being.
The psychic is the inmost being
45
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,800
and quite distinct from these.
The word psychic is indeed used
46
00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,800
in English to indicate anything
that is other or deeper than the
47
00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,280
external mind, life and body,
anything a cult or super
48
00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,080
physical.
But that is a use which brings
49
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,120
confusion and error, and we
entirely discard it when we
50
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,320
speak or write about yoga In
ordinary parlance.
51
00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,280
We may sometimes use the word
psychic in the looser popular
52
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,080
sense, or in poetry, which is
not bound to intellectual
53
00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,760
accuracy.
We may speak of the soul,
54
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,160
sometimes in the ordinary and
more external sense, or in the
55
00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,320
sense of the true psyche.
The psychic being is veiled by
56
00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,960
the surface movements, and
expresses itself as best it can
57
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,440
through these outer instruments,
which are more governed by the
58
00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,520
outer forces than by the inner
influences of the psychic.
59
00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,960
But that does not mean that they
are entirely isolated from the
60
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,880
soul.
The soul is in the body in the
61
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,600
same way as the mind or vital,
but the body it occupies is not
62
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,959
this gross physical frame only,
but the subtle body also.
63
00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,720
When the gross sheath falls
away, the vital and mental
64
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,760
sheaths of the body still remain
as the soul's vehicle till these
65
00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,640
two dissolve.
The soul of a plant or an animal
66
00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,840
is not altogether dormant.
Only its means of expression are
67
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,280
less developed than those of a
human being.
68
00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,000
There is much that is psychic in
the plant, much that is psychic
69
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,960
in the animal.
The plant has only the vital
70
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,000
physical evolved in its form, so
it cannot express itself.
71
00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,560
The animal has a vital mind and
can, but its consciousness is
72
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:59,120
limited and its experiences are
limited, so the psychic essence
73
00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,160
has a less developed
consciousness and experience
74
00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,640
than is present or at least
possible in man.
75
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:12,120
All the same animals have a soul
and can respond very readily to
76
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:17,880
the psychic in man.
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
77
00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,840
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
78
00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:24,680
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
79
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,880
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being.
80
00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:28,960
Pages 9:00 to 11:00.
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,400
We frequently mistake the
development of the external form
2
00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,520
as representing the state of the
soul in human beings.
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,560
This often takes the form of
assigning worth or status based
4
00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,320
on education, race, social
position within the societal
5
00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,920
hierarchy, wealth, or positions
of power.
6
00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,560
None of these things, however,
actually describe the soul's
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,600
developmental stage.
The soul exists, and over time
8
00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,840
and through experience, it
develops a mature psychic being
9
00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,760
that gains the power to express
the soul's essence through the
10
00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,400
outer forms it takes on.
The outer forms, however, have
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,960
their limitations, and thus the
soul expression may be very much
12
00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,200
hidden or obscured or
overshadowed by the external
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,640
nature of the mind, life, and
body.
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,720
The psychic being develops over
innumerable lifetimes of
15
00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:04,800
experience, and thus may not be
developed, or at least not fully
16
00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,160
developed at various points
along the way.
17
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,000
Living beings that do not have
fully developed emotional or
18
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:18,320
mental capabilities nevertheless
have a soul essence that
19
00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:25,160
expresses itself as best it can
through whatever that being is
20
00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,360
capable of.
The Mother clarified, for
21
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,160
instance, that flowers had a
particular resonance that could
22
00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,560
express their soul.
She actually described the
23
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,600
spiritual properties of various
flowers at great length, as set
24
00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,560
forth in various books on the
subject, including flowers and
25
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,480
Their Messages.
She also mentioned the spiritual
26
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,080
nature of a particular cat at
the ashram.
27
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,800
The soul is not dependent on
high intellectual expression,
28
00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,720
refined emotional capacities, or
strong vital or physical powers.
29
00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,440
A lack of higher education does
not act as an impediment to the
30
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,600
action of the soul.
On the contrary, sometimes
31
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,320
academic or intellectual
attainment can create an
32
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,640
obstacle that the soul needs to
overcome in order to come
33
00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:23,360
forward and guide the being
directly, Sri Aurobindo writes.
34
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,760
Quote.
A distinction has to be made
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,640
between the soul in its essence
and the psychic being.
36
00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,240
Behind each and all there is the
soul, which is the spark of the
37
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,560
Divine.
None could exist without that.
38
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,840
But it is quite possible to have
a vital and physical being
39
00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,800
without a clearly evolved
psychic being behind it.
40
00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,840
Still, one cannot make general
statements that no aboriginal
41
00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,800
has a soul or there is no
display of soul anywhere.
42
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,240
The inner being is composed of
the inner mental, inner vital,
43
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,600
inner physical.
But that is not the psychic
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,760
being.
The psychic is the inmost being
45
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,800
and quite distinct from these.
The word psychic is indeed used
46
00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,800
in English to indicate anything
that is other or deeper than the
47
00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,280
external mind, life and body,
anything a cult or super
48
00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,080
physical.
But that is a use which brings
49
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,120
confusion and error, and we
entirely discard it when we
50
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,320
speak or write about yoga In
ordinary parlance.
51
00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,280
We may sometimes use the word
psychic in the looser popular
52
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,080
sense, or in poetry, which is
not bound to intellectual
53
00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,760
accuracy.
We may speak of the soul,
54
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,160
sometimes in the ordinary and
more external sense, or in the
55
00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,320
sense of the true psyche.
The psychic being is veiled by
56
00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,960
the surface movements, and
expresses itself as best it can
57
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,440
through these outer instruments,
which are more governed by the
58
00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,520
outer forces than by the inner
influences of the psychic.
59
00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,960
But that does not mean that they
are entirely isolated from the
60
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,880
soul.
The soul is in the body in the
61
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,600
same way as the mind or vital,
but the body it occupies is not
62
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,959
this gross physical frame only,
but the subtle body also.
63
00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,720
When the gross sheath falls
away, the vital and mental
64
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,760
sheaths of the body still remain
as the soul's vehicle till these
65
00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,640
two dissolve.
The soul of a plant or an animal
66
00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,840
is not altogether dormant.
Only its means of expression are
67
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,280
less developed than those of a
human being.
68
00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,000
There is much that is psychic in
the plant, much that is psychic
69
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,960
in the animal.
The plant has only the vital
70
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,000
physical evolved in its form, so
it cannot express itself.
71
00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,560
The animal has a vital mind and
can, but its consciousness is
72
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:59,120
limited and its experiences are
limited, so the psychic essence
73
00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,160
has a less developed
consciousness and experience
74
00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,640
than is present or at least
possible in man.
75
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:12,120
All the same animals have a soul
and can respond very readily to
76
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:17,880
the psychic in man.
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
77
00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,840
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
78
00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:24,680
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
79
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,880
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being.
80
00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:28,960
Pages 9:00 to 11:00.
