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Understanding the Differences Between the Vital Desire Soul and the Psychic Being · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  We can observe in our own lives and in the lives of various
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  individuals. We see on the world stage the
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  difference between those who are driven primarily by the impulses
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  of the external vital nature and the ego personality and those
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  who have made contact with the inner being and have developed a
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  new standpoint that is based on the harmony of the divine or
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  spiritual consciousness. Those who are fixated on the
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  external vital nature may exhibit various forces of the
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  animal nature may be filled with desire, lust, greed and a power
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  hungry demand that can turn into bullying and intimidation.
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  These individuals, while they believe they will have
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  satisfaction from fulfilment of these various forms of desire
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  and vital activity, actually are generally unhappy, and they
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  suffer inwardly very much. The other actions are a
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  reflection of what they have and carry around with themselves.
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  On the other hand, we can see individuals who are souls of
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  peace, harmony and contentment, who radiate goodwill to others,
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  and who are generally inwardly happy.
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  Their concern for the well-being of others is sincere and shows
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  itself in many ways by their thoughtful and caring expression
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  of concern and their actions to ease the burden that others
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  carry as well as the burden on the planet that human life
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  creates. They are based within in the
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  psychic being or true soul that each individual has deep inside
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  himself, mostly hidden behind the veil of the outer nature.
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  The psychic being represents the divine presence within each of
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  us. Each individual carries within
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  himself these conflicting forces to some degree in a greater or
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  lesser measure or balance. Some individuals are heavily
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  skewed toward the one side and others are heavily skewed
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  towards the other. When we look within ourselves
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  and evaluate our thoughts, emotions, feelings, actions, and
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  reactions, we can recognize the seeds and the expressions that
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  come with the one standpoint or the other.
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  This is the starting point for the process of spiritual growth
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  and development of spiritual maturity.
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  As we begin to systematically address those impulses within us
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  that cater to the vital desires of the ego personality.
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  And at the same time we begin to build up those forces that
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  represent the true soul or the psychic being within us,
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  dedicated and consecrated to the divine and receptive to the
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  impulsion that is bringing forth the birth of a new consciousness
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  based in understanding, goodwill and harmony.
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  Once we recognize this play of forces within ourselves and
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  recognize how much we actually suffer when we give in to the
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  lower vital impulses, we can then gain an understanding and a
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  compassion for the suffering of those beings who are literally
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  consumed and driven by these vital prods.
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  Their lives are intensely painful.
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  The Mother notes quote the inner law.
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  The truth of the Being is the Divine Presence in every human
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  being, which should be the master and guide of our life.
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  When you acquire the habit of listening to this inner law,
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  when you obey it, follow it, try more and more to let it guide
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  your life, you create around you an atmosphere of truth and peace
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  and harmony, which naturally reacts upon circumstances and
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  forms, so to say, the atmosphere in which you live when you are a
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  being of justice, truth, harmony, compassion,
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  understanding of perfect goodwill.
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  This inner attitude, the more sincere and total it is, the
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  more it reacts upon the external circumstances.
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  Not that it necessarily diminishes the difficulties of
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  life, but it gives these difficulties a new meaning, and
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  that allows you to face them with a new strength and a new
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  wisdom. Whereas the man, the human being
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  who follows his impulses, who obeys his desires, who has no
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  time for scruples, who comes to live in complete cynicism, not
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  caring for the effect that his life has upon others, or for the
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  more or less harmful consequences of his acts,
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  creates for himself an atmosphere of ugliness,
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  selfishness, conflict and bad will, which necessarily acts
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  more and more upon his consciousness and gives a
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  bitterness to his life that in the end becomes a perpetual
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  torment. End Quote.
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  Reference Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within,
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  Chapter 1. Looking at Life and
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  Circumstances, pages 13 to 14.