The Energy of Live Flows to Your Point of Focus
Kathleen Karlsen
January – February 2023 • Vol 4, No 2
The Sri Yantra is an incredible, 12,000-year-old symbol known as “the holy wheel,” and is, by far, the most popular personal talisman in the East. Drawings of this symbol have been found on ancient stones in India.
The Sri Yantra is a symbol of wealth, harmony and protection. The word Sri means abundance, wealth or splendor. Yantra means “instrument” or “machine.” The meaning of yantra is usually translated as “a tool for the mind.” Yantras are an important visual aid for meditation. In addition, the form itself is a conductor of positive energy.
The Sri Yantra design can be placed outside or inside a home for spiritual protection. This intricate design can also be incorporated in jewelry and personal accessories.
YANTRAS & MANDALAS
Yantras are the Hindu version of the more well-known Buddhist mandalas. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably; however, there are several key differences.
Mandalas tend to be more complex, sometimes depicting interactions between divine beings, human activities, and the heavenly world. Yantras are generally composed of simple geometric forms, Sanskrit characters and organic forms such as lotus petals.
USES OF YANTRAS
They are sometimes used in Vastu (the Hindu form of Feng Shui). For example, a powerful image or sculpture of the Sri Yantra may be used to correct negative configurations or influences in the environment. Historically, yantras were considered to be sacred, and so were guarded by Hindu priests to prevent unauthorized access to them.
Yantras can also be used for specific purposes:
- Mitigation of astrological influences
- Relief for particular health conditions
- Creation of a spiritual forcefield
- Protection from the ill will of others
- A focus for meditation and mantras
YANTRAS & THE PRACTICE OF MANTRAS
Yantras are directly associated with particular sounds or sequences of sounds in mantras, and it is believed that yantras actually depict the patterns of these sounds in matter. This can be demonstrated in the images recorded by modern cymascopes, which are scientific instruments that show the geometry of sounds revealed in sand, water, or other substances, providing visual depictions of these sounds—thus connecting the unseen, auditory world with the physical dimension.
Using a cymascope, the sound OM creates a series of interlocking triangles remarkably identical to the central forms in the Sri Yantra. OM is the quintessential hum of the universe, a single syllable at the beginning of many mantras or used alone for sacred toning.
MEANING OF THE SRI YANTRA: TRIANGLES
The most basic interpretation of the Sri Yantra is the union of the divine masculine and feminine. This is symbolized by the nine interlaced triangles. There are four upward triangles that meet five downward triangles in a kind of star tetrahedron.
Each triangle contains within itself three points. These represent the three basic forces in the universe: creation (sattva), preservation (rajas), and dissolution (tamas). These points and processes relate to the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
An upward triangle represents masculine energy and the element of fire. This shape can be seen like a campfire. In the Hindu tradition, an upward triangle is specifically associated with Shiva.
Downward triangles are connected to the water element and, in addition, are related to the emotions. The easiest way to remember this is to think of a waterfall. This symbol is connected to the goddess Shakti in her many forms.
SRI YANTRA AS A SYMBOL TO ATTRACT WEALTH
As mentioned above, yantras are associated with mantras. There are also yantras directly connected to many of the Hindu gods and goddesses. They can be invested with energy and activated by the use of mantras. Since yantras are a form of sacred geometry and mantras are formulas of sacred sound, this creates a very powerful combination.
Some of the primary mantras associated with the Sri Yantra are those to Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. The name Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit root laks, meaning “to perceive or know,” and is related to lakshana, meaning “target” or “aim.” Lakshmi’s name suggests that abundance is achieved through perceiving and aiming effort towards a chosen target.
SRI YANTRA AS A MODEL OF THE SPIRITUAL PATH
Yantras are often featured with squares at their circumference and with doorways or gates on four sides. These are thresholds between the outer and inner worlds. Thus, the Sri Yantra can be seen as a map of our spiritual journey from the outer to the inner along designated circuits. There are three concentric circles which bring the viewer closer and closer to the central point called a bindu. This is the same point that is depicted in a red dot on the forehead of Eastern devotees. This dot is a reminder of the importance of spiritual vision or a spiritual perspective in life. The main nine triangles in the Sri Yantra form a total of forty-three smaller triangles. The two circles of lotus flowers have a total of twenty-four petals and each has its own siddhi or yogic power.
The understanding of the Sri Yantra at all levels is an intensive study! However, the most important take-away right now is that the fundamental energy of life flows to the point of focus and visuali