April 4, 2026
Two Key Forms of Aspiration in the Spiritual Seeking
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. 20This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/02/two-key-forms-of-aspiration-in-the-spiritual-seeking/
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 #Atman #Self #Jivatman #psychic being #soul #aspiration #yoga of knowledge #yoga of devotion #yoga of transformation
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:05,440
The Yoga of Knowledge focuses on
the realization of the self, the
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,600
consciousness above which is
free from the illusions of the
3
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,920
external life that most people
lead.
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,040
The Yoga of Devotion focuses on
the realization of the psychic
5
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,800
being, which turns the being and
the sense towards the divine.
6
00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,440
The practice of yoga is not a
matter of intellectual
7
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,080
understanding or sentimental
adherence to a particular form
8
00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,600
or doctrine.
Yoga is an experiential science.
9
00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,840
Those seekers who are guided
more towards the aspiration for
10
00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:43,400
liberation from the strictures
of mind, life and body tend to
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,720
focus their attention above and
relate themselves to the vast
12
00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,200
infinite consciousness.
Those seekers were guided more
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,440
toward the aspiration for
transformation of human life
14
00:00:55,480 --> 00:01:00,320
into something deeper and truer,
find their natural seat of focus
15
00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,960
and aspiration in the space
behind the heart.
16
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,840
Each of these forms of
aspiration provide a starting
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:14,000
point for the spiritual seekers
development and eventually for
18
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,800
those who are called towards
transformation rather than
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,920
denial of life.
They both wind up coming into
20
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,800
play.
Sriora Bindu observes quote.
21
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,960
The Bindu seen above may be a
symbolic way of seeing the
22
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,760
Jeevatman, the portion of the
divine.
23
00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,960
The aspiration there would
naturally be for the opening of
24
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,040
the higher consciousness so that
the being may dwell there and
25
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,440
not in the ignorance.
The Jeevatman is already one
26
00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,960
with the Divine in reality, but
what is needed is that the rest
27
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,840
of the consciousness should
realize it.
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,160
The aspiration of the psychic
being is for the opening of the
29
00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,760
whole lower nature, mind, vital
body to the Divine, for the love
30
00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,600
and union with the Divine, for
its presence and power within
31
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,919
the heart, for the
transformation of the mind, life
32
00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,240
and body by the descent of the
higher consciousness into this
33
00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:18,800
instrumental being and nature.
Both aspirations are essential
34
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,760
and indispensable for the
fullness of this Yoga.
35
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,280
When the psychic imposes its
aspiration on the mind, vital
36
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,120
and body, then they too aspire,
and this is what was felt as the
37
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,960
aspiration from the level of the
lower being.
38
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,000
The aspiration felt above is
that of the Jeev Atman for the
39
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,560
higher consciousness with its
realization of the One to
40
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:47,400
manifest in the being.
Therefore both aspirations help
41
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,200
each other.
The seeking of the lower being
42
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,920
is necessarily at first
intermittent and oppressed by
43
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,600
the ordinary consciousness.
It has by Sadhna to become
44
00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,760
clear, constant, strong and
enduring.
45
00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:09,560
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother the psychic being
46
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:15,120
soul, its nature, mission and
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
47
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,080
nature of the Psychic being page
20.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:05,440
The Yoga of Knowledge focuses on
the realization of the self, the
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,600
consciousness above which is
free from the illusions of the
3
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,920
external life that most people
lead.
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,040
The Yoga of Devotion focuses on
the realization of the psychic
5
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,800
being, which turns the being and
the sense towards the divine.
6
00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,440
The practice of yoga is not a
matter of intellectual
7
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,080
understanding or sentimental
adherence to a particular form
8
00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,600
or doctrine.
Yoga is an experiential science.
9
00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,840
Those seekers who are guided
more towards the aspiration for
10
00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:43,400
liberation from the strictures
of mind, life and body tend to
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,720
focus their attention above and
relate themselves to the vast
12
00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,200
infinite consciousness.
Those seekers were guided more
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,440
toward the aspiration for
transformation of human life
14
00:00:55,480 --> 00:01:00,320
into something deeper and truer,
find their natural seat of focus
15
00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,960
and aspiration in the space
behind the heart.
16
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,840
Each of these forms of
aspiration provide a starting
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:14,000
point for the spiritual seekers
development and eventually for
18
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,800
those who are called towards
transformation rather than
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,920
denial of life.
They both wind up coming into
20
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,800
play.
Sriora Bindu observes quote.
21
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,960
The Bindu seen above may be a
symbolic way of seeing the
22
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,760
Jeevatman, the portion of the
divine.
23
00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,960
The aspiration there would
naturally be for the opening of
24
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,040
the higher consciousness so that
the being may dwell there and
25
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,440
not in the ignorance.
The Jeevatman is already one
26
00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,960
with the Divine in reality, but
what is needed is that the rest
27
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,840
of the consciousness should
realize it.
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,160
The aspiration of the psychic
being is for the opening of the
29
00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,760
whole lower nature, mind, vital
body to the Divine, for the love
30
00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,600
and union with the Divine, for
its presence and power within
31
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,919
the heart, for the
transformation of the mind, life
32
00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,240
and body by the descent of the
higher consciousness into this
33
00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:18,800
instrumental being and nature.
Both aspirations are essential
34
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,760
and indispensable for the
fullness of this Yoga.
35
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,280
When the psychic imposes its
aspiration on the mind, vital
36
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,120
and body, then they too aspire,
and this is what was felt as the
37
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,960
aspiration from the level of the
lower being.
38
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,000
The aspiration felt above is
that of the Jeev Atman for the
39
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,560
higher consciousness with its
realization of the One to
40
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:47,400
manifest in the being.
Therefore both aspirations help
41
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,200
each other.
The seeking of the lower being
42
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,920
is necessarily at first
intermittent and oppressed by
43
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,600
the ordinary consciousness.
It has by Sadhna to become
44
00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,760
clear, constant, strong and
enduring.
45
00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:09,560
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
and the Mother the psychic being
46
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:15,120
soul, its nature, mission and
evolution Section 1 Meaning and
47
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,080
nature of the Psychic being page
20.
