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Sri Yantra and Raven

8/30/2022

My first introduction to the Sri Yantra Mandala was in India and I’ve wanted to make one since then. After several failed attempts, it became apparent that having a compass that locks into place is extremely helpful!
The rose petals hold more meaning for me than the lotus and the numbers are increased for personal reasons.
I’m only beginning to understand and use this powerful sacred geometry tool but making my first one is a start! And Raven seems to feel very at peaceful under it!

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Symbolism of Yantras

8/30/2022

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We're beginning our seventh week of the Artist Way class. Part of the course is drawing mandalas daily after each journaling session. One of the participants mentioned the "yantra". When I was in India, Swamiji had a huge yantra in his ashram. Memories! Anyway, it prompted me to revisit the yantra. I found this in Wikepedia. Being aware of the symbolism of the shapes will make constructing the mandalas more meaningful!

Yantra (यन्त्र) is the Sanskrit word for a mystical diagram, especially diagrams or amulets supposed to possess occult powers in astrological or magicalbenefits in the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Traditionally such symbols are used in Eastern mysticism to balance the mind or focus it on spiritual concepts. The act of wearing, depicting, enacting and/or concentrating on a yantra is held to have spiritual or astrological or magical benefits in the Tantrictraditions of the Indian religions.

Shapes and patterns commonly employed in yantra include squares, triangles, circles and floral patterns but may also include more complex and detailed symbols, for instance:

The lotus flower typically represents chakras, with each petal representing a psychic propensity (or vritti) associated with that chakra;
A dot, or bindu, represents the starting point of creation or the infinite, unexpressed cosmos;
The shatkona (şaţkoņa) (Sanskrit name for a Hexagram) is composed of a balance between:
An upwards triangle which according to Tantra denotes energy, or more specifically action and service (seva). It may also denote spiritual aspiration, the element of fire, or Shiva. It is also said to represent the static substratum of the cosmos;[citation needed]
A downwards triangle which according to Tantra denotes spiritual knowledge. It may also denote the creative power of the cosmos, fecundity, the element of water, or Shakti;
A swastika represents good luck, welfare, prosperity or spiritual victory;
Bija mantras (usually represented as characters of Devanāgarī that correspond to the acoustic roots of a particular chakra or vritti).

Geometric element meanings:

Circle = Energy of the element water
Square = Energy of the element earth
Upward-facing Triangle = Energy of the element fire; energy
Downward-facing Triangle = Energy of the element water; knowledge
Diagonal line = Energy of the element air
Horizontal line = Energy of the element water
Vertical line = Energy of the element fire
Point = Energy of the element ether

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Sri Yantra and Raven

Symbolism of Yantras

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