Question: What happens to the psychic being when the body dies?

Sri Chinmoy: First it goes to the subtle physical plane, then to the subtle vital and then to the subtle mental plane. After passing through the mental sheath, it takes rest in its proper place — inside the heart. Then, when the soul is ready to reincarnate, it will take the same psychic being with it. The soul will not take the same heart, the same mind or the same vital. If the body, vital and mind were pure, the soul will take their quintessence back with it to earth again. Otherwise, the soul will not take any part of the body, vital or mind that it previously had. In the higher regions, the psychic being can go and visit the soul whenever it wants to. They are like parent and child.