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The Psychic Being Works to Gain the Support of the Mental, Vital and Physical Being

Written by Santosh Krinsky

Topic: Spiritual GrowthPublished September 15, 2026
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The psychic being is the seat of aspiration, consecration, devotion, surrender, and all the elements that represent these characteristics in the external life. In order for these aspects to manifest in the external being, the support and active participation is needed of some element of the mind, the vital being and the physical being. These are the instruments for action in the world. They can take on the psychic energy and communicate it, if they are receptive and supportive.

The mind can contribute clarity and insightful direction. The vital contributes enthusiasm and energy. The body provides its good will and endurance.

The Mother notes: “The source of sincerity, of will, of perseverance is in the psychic being, but this translates itself differently in different people. Generally it is in the higher part of the mind that this begins to take shape, but for it to be effective at least one part of the vital must respond, because the intensity of your will comes from there, the realising power of the will comes from its contact with the vital. If there were only refractory elements in the vital, you would not be able to do anything at all. But there is always something, somewhere, which is willing — it is perhaps something insignificant, but there is always something which is willing. It is enough to have had once one minute of aspiration and a will even if it be very fugitive, to become conscious of the Divine, to realise the Divine, for it to flash like lightning through the whole being — there are even cells of the body which respond. This is not visible all at once, but there is a response everywhere. And it is by slowly, carefully putting together all these parts which have responded, though it be but once, that one can build up something which will be coherent and organised, and which will permit one’s action to continue with will, sincerity and perseverance.”

reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 6 More Lights on the Psychic Being, pp. 176-177

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About the Author

Santosh has been studying Sri Aurobindo's writings since 1971 and has a daily blog at http://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com and podcast located at https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/santosh-krinsky/

He is author of 26 books and is editor-in-chief at Lotus Press. He is president of Institute for Wholistic Education, a non-profit focused on integrating spirituality into daily life.

Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com