March 13, 2026
The Soul, the Psychic Being, Is the Element That Makes the Divine Force Conscious for the External 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. 5-7This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/11/the-soul-the-psychic-being-is-the-element-that-makes-the-divine-force-conscious-for-the-external-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 #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being
1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,040
The soul, the psychic being, is
a portion of the divine that
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,360
resides deep within.
For most people who are living
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,240
in the surface consciousness
primarily, the existence of the
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,160
soul is a question mark, if they
think about it at all.
5
00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,920
As we grow and face life's
challenges, however, we may
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,560
begin to wonder about why we are
alive, what we are here to do,
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,800
and how we came to live within a
certain society, certain
8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,120
culture, certain family under
certain circumstances.
9
00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,640
As these questions begin to
arise within us, we may begin to
10
00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:46,360
recognize that there is another
influence other than the mind,
11
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,360
the life force, and the physical
existence that guides our lives.
12
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,200
We may also begin to recognize
that there are higher powers of
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,600
consciousness at work in the
universe.
14
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,000
The mind tunes to mental
vibrations, and the life force
15
00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,200
to vital vibrations, and the
physical being to physical
16
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,680
vibrations.
None of these parts of the being
17
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,920
can directly translate the
vibrations of one plane into
18
00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:21,160
their native response.
There needs then to be a part of
19
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800
the being that can relate to and
translate for the other elements
20
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,840
of our being the vibrations of
the higher ranges of
21
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,920
consciousness, the spiritual
consciousness.
22
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,880
The soul or psychic being is the
divine portion within us that
23
00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,920
has the capacity to tune, to
receive and translate to our
24
00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,480
external instruments of mind,
life and body the spiritual
25
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,040
powers of the universe.
The spiritual seeker can
26
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,200
actually look back at his own
life in the past to see the
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,160
links which were disguised or
hidden at the time they occurred
28
00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:04,080
that moved him to the spiritual
path, guided his growth and
29
00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,240
progress, and yielded the
realizations he has received in
30
00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,680
his life.
While it is not so simple for
31
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:16,880
young people to reflect in this
way, as the seeker matures, he
32
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,160
has sufficient insight and
experience to notice how his
33
00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,120
life was systematically formed
and focused.
34
00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,880
What appeared to be random
chance occurrences at the time
35
00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,840
they took place are now seen
within the larger pattern that
36
00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:38,400
emerges, Shrioro Bindu observes.
Quote.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,520
The psychic part of us is
something that comes direct from
38
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,320
the divine and is in touch with
the divine in its origin.
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,160
It is the nucleus present with
the divine possibilities that
40
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,520
support this lower triple
manifestation of mind, life and
41
00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,800
body.
There is this divine element in
42
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:03,240
all living beings, but it stands
hidden behind the ordinary
43
00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:08,320
consciousness, is not at first
developed, and even when
44
00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,120
developed is not always or often
in the front.
45
00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,920
It expresses itself so far as
the imperfection of the
46
00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:20,440
instruments allows, by their
means and under their
47
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,040
limitations.
It grows in the consciousness by
48
00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:28,480
Godward experience, gaining
strength every time there is a
49
00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,880
higher movement in US.
And finally, by the accumulation
50
00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,160
of these deeper and higher
movements, there's developed a
51
00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,160
psychic individuality, that
which we call usually the
52
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,080
psychic being.
It is always this psychic being
53
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,880
that is the real, though often
the secret, cause of man's
54
00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,760
turning to the spiritual life
and his greatest help in it.
55
00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,680
It is therefore that which we
have to bring from behind to the
56
00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,640
front in the Yoga.
The word soul, as also the word
57
00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,960
psychic, is used very vaguely
and in many different senses in
58
00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,960
the English language.
More often than not, in ordinary
59
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,800
parlance, no clear distinction
is made between mind and soul,
60
00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,399
and often there is an even more
serious confusion.
61
00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:24,040
For the vital being of desire,
the false soul or desire soul,
62
00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,200
is intended by the words soul
and psychic, and not the true
63
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,720
soul, the psychic being.
The psychic being is quite
64
00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,560
different from the mind or
vital.
65
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,440
It stands behind them where they
meet in the heart.
66
00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:44,920
Its central place is there, but
behind the heart rather than in
67
00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,680
the heart.
For what men call usually the
68
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,040
heart is the seat of emotion,
and human emotions are mental
69
00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,240
vital impulses, not ordinarily
psychic in their nature.
70
00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:02,760
This mostly secret power behind
other than the mind and the life
71
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:07,480
force is the true soul, the
psychic being in US.
72
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,480
The power of the psychic,
however, can act upon the mind
73
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,520
and vital and body, purifying
thought and perception and
74
00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:22,000
emotion, which then becomes
psychic feeling and sensation
75
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,800
and action and everything else
in US and preparing them to be
76
00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,160
divine movements.
The psychic being may be
77
00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,480
described in Indian language as
the Purusha in the heart or the
78
00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,000
Chaitya Purusha, but the inner
or secret heart must be
79
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:46,680
understood hrudaye guayam, not
the outer vital emotional
80
00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,440
center.
End Quote Reference Sri
81
00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,680
Aurobindo and the Mother The
psychic being, soul, its nature,
82
00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:00,320
Mission and evolution Section 1
Meaning in Nature of the Psychic
83
00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,840
Being pages 5 to 7.
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,040
The soul, the psychic being, is
a portion of the divine that
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,360
resides deep within.
For most people who are living
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,240
in the surface consciousness
primarily, the existence of the
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,160
soul is a question mark, if they
think about it at all.
5
00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,920
As we grow and face life's
challenges, however, we may
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,560
begin to wonder about why we are
alive, what we are here to do,
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,800
and how we came to live within a
certain society, certain
8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,120
culture, certain family under
certain circumstances.
9
00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,640
As these questions begin to
arise within us, we may begin to
10
00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:46,360
recognize that there is another
influence other than the mind,
11
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,360
the life force, and the physical
existence that guides our lives.
12
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,200
We may also begin to recognize
that there are higher powers of
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,600
consciousness at work in the
universe.
14
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,000
The mind tunes to mental
vibrations, and the life force
15
00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,200
to vital vibrations, and the
physical being to physical
16
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,680
vibrations.
None of these parts of the being
17
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,920
can directly translate the
vibrations of one plane into
18
00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:21,160
their native response.
There needs then to be a part of
19
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800
the being that can relate to and
translate for the other elements
20
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,840
of our being the vibrations of
the higher ranges of
21
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,920
consciousness, the spiritual
consciousness.
22
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,880
The soul or psychic being is the
divine portion within us that
23
00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,920
has the capacity to tune, to
receive and translate to our
24
00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,480
external instruments of mind,
life and body the spiritual
25
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,040
powers of the universe.
The spiritual seeker can
26
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,200
actually look back at his own
life in the past to see the
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,160
links which were disguised or
hidden at the time they occurred
28
00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:04,080
that moved him to the spiritual
path, guided his growth and
29
00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,240
progress, and yielded the
realizations he has received in
30
00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,680
his life.
While it is not so simple for
31
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:16,880
young people to reflect in this
way, as the seeker matures, he
32
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,160
has sufficient insight and
experience to notice how his
33
00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,120
life was systematically formed
and focused.
34
00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,880
What appeared to be random
chance occurrences at the time
35
00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,840
they took place are now seen
within the larger pattern that
36
00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:38,400
emerges, Shrioro Bindu observes.
Quote.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,520
The psychic part of us is
something that comes direct from
38
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,320
the divine and is in touch with
the divine in its origin.
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,160
It is the nucleus present with
the divine possibilities that
40
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,520
support this lower triple
manifestation of mind, life and
41
00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,800
body.
There is this divine element in
42
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:03,240
all living beings, but it stands
hidden behind the ordinary
43
00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:08,320
consciousness, is not at first
developed, and even when
44
00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,120
developed is not always or often
in the front.
45
00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,920
It expresses itself so far as
the imperfection of the
46
00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:20,440
instruments allows, by their
means and under their
47
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,040
limitations.
It grows in the consciousness by
48
00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:28,480
Godward experience, gaining
strength every time there is a
49
00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,880
higher movement in US.
And finally, by the accumulation
50
00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,160
of these deeper and higher
movements, there's developed a
51
00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,160
psychic individuality, that
which we call usually the
52
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,080
psychic being.
It is always this psychic being
53
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,880
that is the real, though often
the secret, cause of man's
54
00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,760
turning to the spiritual life
and his greatest help in it.
55
00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,680
It is therefore that which we
have to bring from behind to the
56
00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,640
front in the Yoga.
The word soul, as also the word
57
00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,960
psychic, is used very vaguely
and in many different senses in
58
00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,960
the English language.
More often than not, in ordinary
59
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,800
parlance, no clear distinction
is made between mind and soul,
60
00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,399
and often there is an even more
serious confusion.
61
00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:24,040
For the vital being of desire,
the false soul or desire soul,
62
00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,200
is intended by the words soul
and psychic, and not the true
63
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,720
soul, the psychic being.
The psychic being is quite
64
00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,560
different from the mind or
vital.
65
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,440
It stands behind them where they
meet in the heart.
66
00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:44,920
Its central place is there, but
behind the heart rather than in
67
00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,680
the heart.
For what men call usually the
68
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,040
heart is the seat of emotion,
and human emotions are mental
69
00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,240
vital impulses, not ordinarily
psychic in their nature.
70
00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:02,760
This mostly secret power behind
other than the mind and the life
71
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:07,480
force is the true soul, the
psychic being in US.
72
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,480
The power of the psychic,
however, can act upon the mind
73
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,520
and vital and body, purifying
thought and perception and
74
00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:22,000
emotion, which then becomes
psychic feeling and sensation
75
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,800
and action and everything else
in US and preparing them to be
76
00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,160
divine movements.
The psychic being may be
77
00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,480
described in Indian language as
the Purusha in the heart or the
78
00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,000
Chaitya Purusha, but the inner
or secret heart must be
79
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:46,680
understood hrudaye guayam, not
the outer vital emotional
80
00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,440
center.
End Quote Reference Sri
81
00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,680
Aurobindo and the Mother The
psychic being, soul, its nature,
82
00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:00,320
Mission and evolution Section 1
Meaning in Nature of the Psychic
83
00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,840
Being pages 5 to 7.
