March 25, 2026
The Soul, the Psychic Being and the Evolution of Consciousness
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pg. 15This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/the-soul-the-psychic-being-and-the-evolution-of-consciousness-2/
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 #Dr. Dalal #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #rebirth #evolution of consciousness #Darwin #evolution #psychic being #soul
1
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,000
In his text On the Origin of
Species, Charles Darwin outlined
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,039
the evolution of life forms on
Earth.
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,640
He observed many species and
posited that they all developed
4
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,880
from a common ancestral past
having undergone substantial
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,480
changes, mutations that
supported the success of those
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,280
forms, and modification that
increase the likelihood of
7
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,400
survival and reproduction for
continuance of the species.
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,920
This comprehensive overview
underpins the theory of
9
00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,880
evolution.
Since that time, substantial
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,080
research has been done in the
field of anthropology, biology,
11
00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:47,480
archaeology, genetics, etcetera,
to validate the evolution of
12
00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:50,760
forms.
The changes envisioned here have
13
00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,440
been documented through carbon
dating, review of the fossil
14
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,240
record, etcetera, to have
stretched across literally
15
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,800
hundreds of millions, even
billions of years.
16
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,720
What Darwin documented, however,
does not address the source or
17
00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,800
purpose of our existence.
Rather, it addresses the
18
00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,560
mechanism, the machinery for the
development of external forms.
19
00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,400
Srioro Bindo describes the inner
significance and purpose of all
20
00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:25,520
of this machinery as he outlines
the evolution of consciousness.
21
00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,960
Sri Aurobindo's view makes it
clear that nothing can evolve
22
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,960
that has not previously been
involved.
23
00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,960
This corresponds to the
evolution of forms to the extent
24
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,000
that the external forms develop
based on encoded genetic
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,960
patterns that guide the
development of those forms.
26
00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:49,160
This is a recognition of the
concept of involution preceding
27
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,520
evolution.
The question then arises as to
28
00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:58,560
how the pattern, the encoding
comes to take place and whether
29
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,280
it has any significance.
This brings us to an
30
00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,320
understanding of the divine
manifestation and the secret
31
00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:11,080
sense of all of this machinery
in the evolution of
32
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,880
consciousness.
Srioro Bindo describes the
33
00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,920
pattern as he shows the
evolution of life forms of ever
34
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:22,280
higher capacity and
functionality out of the purely
35
00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,080
material basis and then the
development of mind within a
36
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,640
segment of the living forms.
Sri Robinda recognizes that the
37
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:36,560
mental being, leader of life and
body, cannot possibly be the
38
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,600
final term of the evolution as
the result is incomplete and
39
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:47,240
filled with numerous weaknesses,
limitations and incapacities.
40
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,600
He therefore calls man a
transitional being and describes
41
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,080
next stages in the evolution of
consciousness to successively
42
00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,760
manifest more complete, more
comprehensive, and more
43
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:05,920
universal stages or gradations.
Higher levels of consciousness
44
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:10,480
above the mental grade have
powers and capacities far beyond
45
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,040
the mental, just as the mind has
powers and capacities beyond the
46
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,760
vital, and the vital has powers
beyond the expressed
47
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,440
consciousness at the material
level.
48
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,200
This evolution of consciousness
is easily seen at the macro
49
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,520
level on the global scale, but
in and of itself it does not
50
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,480
provide significance for the
individual as opposed to the
51
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:39,280
species as a whole.
Human beings, however, with
52
00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,680
self-awareness and the formation
of individuality, reject the
53
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,760
idea of the collective.
Human species is the sole
54
00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,760
carrier of purpose.
They expect that the individual
55
00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,920
also has a specific role,
purpose and significance.
56
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,640
Within the relatively short
human lifetime, there seems to
57
00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,280
be no solution.
It is only when the concept of
58
00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,520
rebirth and the evolution of the
psychic being as the carrier of
59
00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,240
the growth and maturity of the
soul come into play that a
60
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:18,839
deeper sense to our existence
can be recognized, Sri Orbanda
61
00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,640
writes quote.
The soul, representative of the
62
00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:28,400
central being, is a spark of the
divine supporting all individual
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,000
existence in nature.
The psychic being is a conscious
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,480
form of that soul growing in the
evolution, in the persistent
65
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,760
process that develops first life
in matter, mind in life, until
66
00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:48,280
finally mind can develop into
over mind and over mind into the
67
00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:52,480
Super mental truth.
The soul supports the nature in
68
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,840
its evolution through these
grades, but is itself not any of
69
00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:03,280
these things.
End Quote reference Srioro Bindu
70
00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:06,440
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
71
00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,800
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
72
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,000
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, page 15.
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,000
In his text On the Origin of
Species, Charles Darwin outlined
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,039
the evolution of life forms on
Earth.
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,640
He observed many species and
posited that they all developed
4
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,880
from a common ancestral past
having undergone substantial
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,480
changes, mutations that
supported the success of those
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,280
forms, and modification that
increase the likelihood of
7
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,400
survival and reproduction for
continuance of the species.
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,920
This comprehensive overview
underpins the theory of
9
00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,880
evolution.
Since that time, substantial
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,080
research has been done in the
field of anthropology, biology,
11
00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:47,480
archaeology, genetics, etcetera,
to validate the evolution of
12
00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:50,760
forms.
The changes envisioned here have
13
00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,440
been documented through carbon
dating, review of the fossil
14
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,240
record, etcetera, to have
stretched across literally
15
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,800
hundreds of millions, even
billions of years.
16
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,720
What Darwin documented, however,
does not address the source or
17
00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,800
purpose of our existence.
Rather, it addresses the
18
00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,560
mechanism, the machinery for the
development of external forms.
19
00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,400
Srioro Bindo describes the inner
significance and purpose of all
20
00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:25,520
of this machinery as he outlines
the evolution of consciousness.
21
00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,960
Sri Aurobindo's view makes it
clear that nothing can evolve
22
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,960
that has not previously been
involved.
23
00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,960
This corresponds to the
evolution of forms to the extent
24
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,000
that the external forms develop
based on encoded genetic
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,960
patterns that guide the
development of those forms.
26
00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:49,160
This is a recognition of the
concept of involution preceding
27
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,520
evolution.
The question then arises as to
28
00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:58,560
how the pattern, the encoding
comes to take place and whether
29
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,280
it has any significance.
This brings us to an
30
00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,320
understanding of the divine
manifestation and the secret
31
00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:11,080
sense of all of this machinery
in the evolution of
32
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,880
consciousness.
Srioro Bindo describes the
33
00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,920
pattern as he shows the
evolution of life forms of ever
34
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:22,280
higher capacity and
functionality out of the purely
35
00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,080
material basis and then the
development of mind within a
36
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,640
segment of the living forms.
Sri Robinda recognizes that the
37
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:36,560
mental being, leader of life and
body, cannot possibly be the
38
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,600
final term of the evolution as
the result is incomplete and
39
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:47,240
filled with numerous weaknesses,
limitations and incapacities.
40
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,600
He therefore calls man a
transitional being and describes
41
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,080
next stages in the evolution of
consciousness to successively
42
00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,760
manifest more complete, more
comprehensive, and more
43
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:05,920
universal stages or gradations.
Higher levels of consciousness
44
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:10,480
above the mental grade have
powers and capacities far beyond
45
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,040
the mental, just as the mind has
powers and capacities beyond the
46
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,760
vital, and the vital has powers
beyond the expressed
47
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,440
consciousness at the material
level.
48
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,200
This evolution of consciousness
is easily seen at the macro
49
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,520
level on the global scale, but
in and of itself it does not
50
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,480
provide significance for the
individual as opposed to the
51
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:39,280
species as a whole.
Human beings, however, with
52
00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,680
self-awareness and the formation
of individuality, reject the
53
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,760
idea of the collective.
Human species is the sole
54
00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,760
carrier of purpose.
They expect that the individual
55
00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,920
also has a specific role,
purpose and significance.
56
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,640
Within the relatively short
human lifetime, there seems to
57
00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,280
be no solution.
It is only when the concept of
58
00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,520
rebirth and the evolution of the
psychic being as the carrier of
59
00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,240
the growth and maturity of the
soul come into play that a
60
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:18,839
deeper sense to our existence
can be recognized, Sri Orbanda
61
00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,640
writes quote.
The soul, representative of the
62
00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:28,400
central being, is a spark of the
divine supporting all individual
63
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,000
existence in nature.
The psychic being is a conscious
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,480
form of that soul growing in the
evolution, in the persistent
65
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,760
process that develops first life
in matter, mind in life, until
66
00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:48,280
finally mind can develop into
over mind and over mind into the
67
00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:52,480
Super mental truth.
The soul supports the nature in
68
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,840
its evolution through these
grades, but is itself not any of
69
00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:03,280
these things.
End Quote reference Srioro Bindu
70
00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:06,440
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
71
00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,800
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
72
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,000
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, page 15.
