The Mystical Key,
Part I: Sri Vidya
I have seen estimates that up to 85 or 90 percent of all sensory data comes through our eyes. As a result of this physiological phenomenon, it was inevitable that the mind would primarily think in images or symbols rather than words (or perhaps because we think in images, we focus on visual sensory input). When you say or think of the term tree, for example, your mind has within it an image (or many visual images) of a tree or trees. You know what is meant by the word tree because you have this knowledge. If you never had an image of a tree, then you would not understand the word until either you observed a tree or perhaps somebody explained what a tree was and you could create an image of a tree within your mind.
This is one reason why nonvisual concepts, such as honesty, love, reliability, patriotism, democracy, etc., are more difficult to understand and describe than are things, such as a tree, a doll, or a ball. There is no image that can fully explain what those concepts mean. Instead, your mind usually has to collect a series of images to do this. An understanding of such concepts only comes through learning and experience.
Unfortunately for communication, people may have different sets of images to define the same terms. Thus, even if you use one term—a popular current term, for example, is family values—it may have different meanings to different people. In neuro-linguistic programming, this concept is exemplified by the phrase “the map is not the territory.” Politicians take advantage of this by using emotion-laden phrases without defining them. A politician can say, “I’m for a stronger educational system!” which may make you want to vote for him even though what he means by this is to “turn the schools over to private businesses” while you think he means to “give greater public funding to schools,” or vice versa. That is why it is important to completely explain symbolic concepts.
Wiccans often use the pentagram as a symbol for their beliefs. Some Christians use a cross or crucifix in the same way. Today, Jews use the Mogen David (“King David’s Star”), a six-pointed star composed of two interlocking triangles, as a representative symbol. Earlier in Judaism, a candlestick with seven branches represented the faith.9
Unlike Judaism and Christianity, Tantra (which is far older than either of those religions) has no single, primary text. But it does have a symbol.
As a comparison that may be familiar to many readers, the Kabalah (the mystical underpinnings of Judaism and much of Western—even Pagan—magick) has a traditional symbol that has played an important part in the practices and philosophies of mystics and magicians for two thousand years or more: the Tree of Life. The most popular contemporary version of this diagram shows ten circles connected by twenty-two pathways (see illustration).
The Tree of Life can be seen as a key to the universe. It is in complete harmony with everything from Newtonian physics and quantum mechanics to astrology and tarot cards. To a person who understands the image, it contains symbolism explaining many spiritual belief systems, including those of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It explains everything from the nature of psychology and why we forget most aspects of our past lives to business plans and guides for romantic relationships. It can be used as a map to the astral worlds. It can reveal the meaning of complex concepts such as Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the Hegelian Dialectic. The Tree of Life corresponds to the physical body and can be used for everything from strengthening the aura to spiritual healing.
To say this simple symbol is a handy tool revealing complex concepts to those who understand it is an understatement. One famous occultist referred to it merely as a sort of giant filing cabinet for storing related aspects of mystical information. But as you can see from just this brief mention, the Tree of Life is far more than just some sort of astral database! (For more information on the Tree of Life and its uses, see my Modern Magick.)
Virtually all spiritual systems have some sort of symbol. Countries have symbols—the flag of the country—too. Such flags are often revered much as the cross is by many Christians and the Torah is by many Jews. In fact, in the Pledge of Allegiance, citizens of the US first pledge their allegiance “to the flag of the United States of America” before pledging allegiance to the country. Now, obviously that refers to the concepts represented by the flag, for who wants to vow allegiance to some pieces of cloth that have been sewn together?
With all of the images of deities in India and hundreds of two-dimensional symbols (yantras), there is one particular symbol, more than any other, that represents and embodies the ideas of Tantra. With this symbol as a guide, you can do everything that you can with the Tree of Life, and, as I think you will see, even more—much more.
This symbol is the Sri Yantra (“Shree Yahn-trah”), and the study of the wisdom hidden in the symbol is known as Sri Vidya (“Shree Vihd-yuh”). The Sri Yantra is arguably the most meaningful symbol in Tantra and is sometimes called the “king of all yantras.” It is certainly one of the most popular symbols in all of India. There are actually some Tantric sects where practitioners worship it. I’ll describe why, and give an inkling as to how, later.
The Sri Yantra
The Sri Yantra is an interlocking set of triangles surrounded by symbolic lotus petals, circles, and, finally, an outer “square” with invisible doors that serve as entryways to the symbol’s many secrets. I would contend that as powerful and useful as the Kabalistic Tree of Life can be, the Sri Yantra is like the Tree of Life on mega-steroids. This may upset some of my Kabbalist friends, but I hope what you read here will convey the Sri Yantra’s value and power.
This chapter has been the most difficult of anything I’ve ever tried to write. When I first started, I wanted to share everything I knew about the Sri Yantra. Right now, on my desk, I have about a dozen books exclusively about this image. In my library I have many more books that include short passages or long chapters on the subject. I also have numerous papers and documents about the possibilities and potentials of working with this figure. I give an introductory workshop on this symbol that takes two days for me to present.
Slowly, and regrettably, I came to realize that just as there are many individual books that deal only with the Kabalistic Tree of Life, an in-depth discussion of the Sri Yantra for Westerners would take at least a full book. That’s far more than I can effectively include here.
Please do not think I am hiding anything. The goal of this book is to present Tantra as a complete spiritual system. Just as my Modern Magick presented a complete magickal system and didn’t spend half the book on the Tree of Life, neither shall this book use hundreds of pages examining the Sri Yantra. The subject is so voluminous that a full explanation of it, one that will explain far more of its intricacies, warrants one or more books of its own.
I hope that your reading of Modern Tantra will lead you to books by other authors. In the future, I intend to write at least one book that goes far more deeply into Sri Vidya. Until then, please refer to the more in-depth books named in the bibliography.
I have to add, though, that studying Sri Vidya—while stimulating, intriguing, and enlightening—will never reveal the real secrets of the Sri Yantra, most of which have never been published in any language. As an analogy, while there have been many thousands of books written on Tantra, one of the secrets of Tantra is that, above all, Tantra is experiential. All of the writing is meaningless unless you can incorporate the concepts into your consciousness and your actions. And if what you learn from your practices contradicts what some writer, including me, scribbled on paper, then you are right and all the writers are wrong. Of course, you may only be right for your own life, but that’s part of the path of Tantra. The ultimate guide, as with shamanic practice, is your experience, not what someone else writes or says.
So why was this chapter so difficult for me to write? As any author can tell you, including more is easy. The hard part is determining what you are going to exclude. I have rewritten this chapter several times so that it will begin to give you insight into the symbol without being so overwhelming (what is currently referred to as a “data dump”) that your eyes will glaze over. I’ve regrettably had to exclude some things that, at the time I wrote them, I felt were vitally important. Upon rereading the chapter, however, I saw that they only got in the way of making Modern Tantra accessible to as many people as possible. I now believe, after so much time spent with this chapter, that it is complete enough and provides practical techniques for working with the Sri Yantra. As of this writing, it certainly contains far more than you will find in any other popular book available in the West.
The following pages provide a basic introduction to the symbolism of the figure and a few methods of working with it. This way, you will be able to experiment with it and perhaps become as amazed at its potential and practicality as I am. With this information, if you wish, you can incorporate its wisdom and applications into your spiritual practices no matter what path you follow. And if you choose to follow a more Tantric spiritual path, it can become a guiding light on your personal spiritual journey, just as the Tree of Life guides so many Kabalists.
There is one more thing to add before moving on to the next section of this chapter. Previously I mentioned what I call the “proto-Tantrics.” These people lived in the northeast part of India. Their society existed as long ago as 10,000 years or maybe even longer, with established cities at least 8,000 years old. They worked with the Sri Yantra (or its predecessors) for at least 5,000 years. Tantra has evolved over the centuries, and it was inevitable that different “schools” or traditions with different interpretations of the Sri Yantra would develop. If, in your studies, you come across something that is different from the information presented here, please do not think that either one is incorrect; they are simply different interpretations of the same thing made by people trying to understand the figure’s depth, beauty, and intricacies. I suggest meditation on, study of, and practice with the image to find out what is right for you. That is far more important than adhering to what I (or any other author) present for you to read, study, and consider.
An Overview of
the Design of the Sri Yantra
The Sri Yantra (also called the Sri Chakra or just the Sri) is composed of an outer “square,” technically called the bhupura (“boo-poo-rah”), with “gates” in the center of each side. Within the square are three concentric circles, two circles of symbolic lotus petals, and nine intersecting trikonas (triangles). The four triangles that point upward represent Shiva, the male aspect of the Divine, and the five pointing downward represent Shakti, Shiva’s female counterpart.
At the center is a point commonly known as the Bindu. It is the union of Shiva and Shakti, and is actually composed of three aspects (and thus is sometimes more accurately called the Tribindu). This point, then, is technically composed of a blur of three colors: red (representing Shakti), white (representing Shiva), and pink (representing their union). However, in most cases it is shown as a single black, or sometimes red, point.
As you will learn in this chapter, the intersections of the nine trikonas form forty-three triangles. The eight-petaled lotus represents the “lotus of creation.” The sixteen-petaled lotus represents the sixteen “days,” “fingers,” or kalas of the moon. I’ll share more on this in a moment.
The Sri Yantra can be approached in one of two ways: from the Bindu in the center to a gate on the outer square (an outward expansion called projection) or from a gate toward the Bindu (inward involution called absorption). The importance of these concepts will also be explained later.
Interpretations of the Sri Yantra
While commenting upon the symbol, Sir John Woodroffe (under the name “Arthur Avalon,” author of numerous books on Tantra from the late Victorian era) claimed that by working regularly with the Sri Yantra, the lines of the figure that are initially interpreted as being external to the practitioner become internalized as a pure mental state. It literally transforms the mind, and the practitioner comes to see everything as divine. Eventually, the practitioner comes to realize that he or she is the Sri Yantra. The body’s nine apertures (two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus, and the urethra or urethra/vulva) correspond to the nine chakras, or “circles,” of the Sri Yantra. This is why the human body can be considered an “island of nine gems,” a metaphor for this nine-chakra system. How the two extra chakras relate to the human body will also be discussed.
To Kabalists, the Tree of Life represents both the universe, called the macrocosm, and the individual, called the microcosm. Kabalists also follow the famous concept based on the Tablet of Hermes: “That which is above is as that which is below, and that which is below is as that which is above, only after a different manner.”
According to Woodroffe, the Sri Yantra represents both the human body and the universe. In this sense, the system of the Sri is in complete harmony with the Kabalists’ Tree of Life.
Because it’s important to understand the concept that the Divine can be in everything, I’m repeating a basic idea here: Yantras, including the Sri Yantra, are more than the purely linear diagrams they appear to be. They actually are the Goddess or the God in two-dimensional form—they are not a symbol or representation of the Divine—they are the Divine. At least this is the traditional description. I prefer to consider them a home for the Divine. They become the Goddess or God when you call the appropriate deity into the device. If you desire to have the deity in the yantra for a long time, it can be carved into stone or etched into copper, bronze, silver, or gold. For more temporary use (and often for magickal purposes), it can be drawn on a large leaf or paper or even scratched into the soil. Woodroffe believes that the Sri Yantra should be in every home, as it will bring happiness, prosperity, and health. In India it is highly popular and seen everywhere. As a popular explanation for it being ubiquitous, it is often simply called a good luck symbol.
The contemporary author S. K. Ramachandra Rao has published several books on the Sri Yantra. Here are some of the ideas he presents about the sigil:
- The Sri can be used both to activate and to direct energies within and outside of the practitioner. Although Ramachandra Rao doesn’t use the terminology, this is a basic concept of magick.
- The Sri is a “psychocosmogram.” The universe is symbolized by the figure, and by working with it, you can make changes in the universe. Again, this is a description of magick.
- The Sri can function as a model of transformation. This can occur from the inside out (projection) or from the outside in. (Note: In Modern Tantra this is called “absorption.” Ramachandra Rao calls it “concentration.”) Perhaps most importantly, this transformation leads to integration of the spiritual and the physical, human and Divine.
According to one brief text, Quintessence of Sri Vidya by T. V. Kapali Sastry, the goal of physical and mental practices using the Sri Yantra is “self-realization.” The author writes that this means realizing that you are the Goddess herself. Meditation on the Sri Yantra, as described later in this chapter, can help you achieve this realization.
There are many goddesses in multiple forms who are linked to the Sri Yantra. However, according to Quintessence, the ultimate deity adored through working with the Sri Yantra is the Divine Mother herself. This ultimate mother is the progenitor of all beings in all universes, including all gods and goddesses. She has a thousand names, but is also beyond names.
The author also describes how the Sri Yantra can be viewed as the source of manifestation. The book describes the process of manifestation with the Sri: first there is a desire, from the desire comes a throb, and from this vibration comes a point, the Bindu. The Bindu becomes threefold and forms a triangle, the innermost triangle of the Sri Yantra that is, in fact, a cosmic yoni (female genitals) and the source of all manifestation. This brief description is similar to the myth described earlier in the book you are reading.
Quintessence adds that the “light of lights” (a rather Kabalistic-sounding expression) that comes through the cosmic yoni, for the purposes of manifestation, ends up in a threefold classification known as moon, sun, and fire. This sounds like some mystically wonderful but ultimately meaningless philosophical babble, but actually it is very exact. According to a tradition into which I was initiated, people working with the chakra system initially used only three chakras, and they were associated with the sun, the moon, and fire. Therefore, in metaphoric language, the author has described the birth of an individual’s energetic system via the Sri Yantra.
Finally, Quintessence points out that the Sri Yantra, and therefore Tantra, is a very practical system, advising you to remember the world while you strive for the Divine. It adds that your practices are incomplete unless you can link your growing spirituality with the physical world and your life. As I wrote in Modern Magick, “Magick isn’t something you do, magick is something you are.” Likewise, although you may choose to do things that are Tantric in nature, the goal of studying and practicing Tantra is to become a Tantric in your approach to life. Tantra, too, isn’t just something you do, it is something you are. To truly be Tantric, the philosophies and practices of Tantra should pervade every aspect of your life. They can improve all aspects of your life.
According to the book Vamakesvarimatam, as translated by Sri Lokanath Maharaj (Michael Magee), the overall goddess of the Sri Yantra, called Tripura (or, more completely, Tripura Sundari), is the “ultimate primordial Shakti.” Shakti is the Tantric concept of the Goddess, and Tripura is the ultimate form of Shakti. (Note that various Tantric texts are often filled with hyperbole of this kind. Therefore, it’s not surprising to read in a book about the Sri Yantra that the goddess who is the Sri Yantra is also the ultimate form of Shakti.) Tripura is said to be the source of the “three worlds” (body, mind, spiritual energy).
This book continues to make clear that the Sri Yantra is focused on the goddess. Without the Shakti energy of the goddess, Shiva cannot act. When united with Shakti, Shiva becomes imbued with power. This is followed by a curious statement: “Only by union with Shakti is subtle Shiva known … and neither karmas nor pleasure are known (without her).”
I find this absolutely astounding, and it requires a bit of explanation. There is a concept known as Sandhya Bhasha (“sahnd-yah bah-sha”), an expression that literally means “twilight language.” A similar English concept would be “to hide in plain sight.” Specifically, it refers to the idea that a seemingly obvious statement contains a code for something deeper. If you don’t understand the code, you won’t understand the mystical meaning. It was quite common for early Tantric works to be written in this style, leading to misinterpretation.
In this case, the words sound like a discussion of qualities of a distant god and goddess, something you might find in any book or writing on Pagan spirituality. But the code takes us deeper.
The prerequisite for understanding that passage is the knowledge of two simple concepts: Each of us can become aware that we are Shiva. Each of us can become aware that we are Shakti. The statement, then, clearly means that by uniting with our counterpart, we become imbued with power, we can clear out unwanted karma (through obtaining knowledge), and we experience pleasure. In Western terms, this is a clear expression of sex magick.
I would point out that this seems like it is only talking about a heterosexual pairing, but as I stated, each of us can manifest as Shiva or Shakti. It’s the Shiva/Shakti energy, not the physical gender, that matters.
Does this interpretation seem like I’m exaggerating? There’s more. Vamakesvarimatam continues:
Shiva’s sun mandala,
(the masculine aspect of the
second, or sexual, chakra)
having opened,
(sends out masculine/
electric/outgoing energy)
melts the moon mandala,
(opening the female aspect
of the second chakra)
causing a flow of birth-nectar-liquor,
(resulting in enlightenment
and the flow of a spiritual-
magickal fluid called amrita)
with its blissful and gladdening …
(This fluid has spiritual and
magickal powers.)
She becomes Shiva, with no
qualities, no characteristics,
devoid of the form of Time.
(Together, the partners become as
one, and experience enlightenment.)
Although this can be interpreted as a powerful form of sex magick, it does not necessitate physical sexual contact. The key is that we are dealing with spiritual energy, not physicality. Certainly physical relations can be used for this, but mere sexual expression, without knowledge and intention, does not lead to enlightenment. If it did, all people who have sex would be enlightened sex magicians, and the condition of the world indicates that isn’t the case.
More Details on the
Design of the Sri Yantra
All true yantras, not just the Sri Yantra, are the deity in two-dimensional, linear form. As a form of the God or Goddess, they reveal concepts of infinity, time, space, and polarity. They also represent a mathematical version of ritual practices. In some systems of traditional Tantra, yantras form the core of those practices and are integral to worship and magickal practice. In those and other Tantric traditions, the Sri Yantra is considered the king of all yantras. Magickally, it is considered the most potent spiritual means of accomplishing all that is desired.
Another name for the Sri Yantra is the Navayoni Chakra (“Nah-vah-yoh-nee Chah-krah”). Nava is Sanskrit for “nine” (the figure is composed of nine central interlocking triangles) and yoni means vulva (symbolized by the triangle). The Bindu dot in the center is seen as the nucleus of the combined Shiva (static) and Shakti (dynamic) energies condensed into an infinitely powerful point. This Bindu expands and creates. The static and dynamic energies separate, forming two additional points, which, by joining the first one, create a triangle. The multiplication of this triangle forms the Sri Yantra. Thus, this yantra literally defines the creation process. You might want to spend some time meditating on the Sri Yantra with this in mind.
When looking at different versions of the Sri Yantra, you will note everything from slight to dramatic differences in coloring. Some experts will tell you that the colors don’t matter, so please don’t adopt what I am about to share as some sort of dogmatic truth. It is simply the system with which I am most familiar. Try it! If it works for you, fantastic. If it doesn’t work for you, experiment until you find something that does. Then share the results of your experiments with all.
Please look at the full-color version of the Sri Yantra on the cover of this book. The outer “square” is composed of three lines colored white, red and yellow. Inside of this is a yellow space known as a “ground.” Together, this threefold system (you will see the concept of threes repeated many times in this image) is said to be symbolic of the entire cosmos that is threefold in nature: physical, mental, and spiritual. There are goddesses associated with points on each of the three lines of the outer square. These lines are sometimes described as the three cities of Tantra. Here is the square and the ground:
Within the “ground” are three concentric circles called the mekhalas (“meh-kah-lahs”), or girdles. In this version they are yellow, green, and red. Again, the triad represents the three worlds or cities, but the yellow ground between the square and the girdles makes a big difference. That large yellow ground is the dwelling place of Maya, the goddess of illusion who enchants the three worlds. Again, each of the circles has goddesses associated with them. They are collectively known as the first chakra of the Sri Yantra. Some people consider the mekhalas, ground, and outer square to be the first chakra.
Inside these circles are two more concentric rings. The outer ring is the second chakra and has sixteen symbolic lotus petals colored blue. The inner ring is the third chakra with but eight red petals:
Inside this red ring are nine interlaced triangles that form forty-three triangles as a result of their interaction. On the outside, colored blue, are fourteen triangles forming the fourth chakra of the Sri Yantra. It is said to be the chakra that bestows all auspiciousness. When you wish to work on practical methods of spiritual evolution (or think about theories concerning it), you work with this chakra.
Next come two rings of ten triangles each, the outer red one and the inner blue one. Together they are where your inner realizations will begin to unfold for you. Working with the outer fifth chakra will help you accomplish every purpose in life. Working with the inner sixth chakra, sometimes called “the great protector,” can help protect you from many difficulties.
Even deeper is a chakra composed of only eight red triangles. This seventh chakra is said to be helpful in removing physical and mental problems, and can help you rid yourself of unwanted and unneeded desires and infatuations:
When you can work your way through this area of the Sri Yantra, it is believed that you are free of all earthly bonds and stand on the threshold of ultimate realization. In this there is a similarity with the Kabalistic concept of “crossing the abyss.”
The eighth chakra is said to give all accomplishments. When you have worked your way to this level of the Sri Yantra, you are on the verge of complete spiritual realization:
The ninth and final chakra or power zone of the Sri Yantra is the Bindu, the virtual Holy of Holies, the sanctum sanctorum. Here is found divine union within total bliss. Here you merge with the universe and become one with the cosmos. Enlightenment? Nirvana? Samadhi? Names become irrelevant as you become pure joy:
In some versions of the Sri Yantra, all of the triangles are drawn in red, representing the color of radiant energy as well as the dynamic and fiery elements of cosmos. In those versions the Bindu has no color, representing the finest, most ethereal form of spiritual light. Some versions of the Sri Yantra have different colors based on the artist’s imagination, the material on which he or she paints, or simply the colors that the artist has available.
Approaching the Sri Yantra
For a moment, let’s go back to T. V. Kapali Sastry’s Quintessence of Sri Vidya. In it, the author gives some basic requirements for successfully working with the image. Here are my interpretations of his requirements from a more openly Tantric point of view:
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should be a “worshiper of beauty and grace.” This means more than simply seeking out beauty. It means the development of the ability to see beauty in everything, even things that others might not consider beautiful.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should “reject ugliness in all its forms.” This means more than some sort of external ugliness (ugliness of appearance or action), but goes into rejecting ugliness in thought, word, and deed.
This combination of seeing beauty in everything and denying that ugliness exists returns us to the concepts of the kleshas described earlier in this book. If you don’t understand the concepts, I suggest that you go back and reread chapter Two.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should not “court squalor and poverty.” Many spiritual systems imply that wealth or even having nice things is an impediment to spiritual disciplines. A typical example of this is the quote from the Bible that says, “Money is the root of all evil.” However, the Bible doesn’t really say that. Rather, it says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It is not money or things that take you away from the spiritual, but rather, it is the desire for these things. This is identical to the meaning of the klesha of attachment. Even if you don’t have certain physical things, you might still want them. That longing for “stuff” can take you away from a spiritual path. It doesn’t matter whether you have things or not, it is whether you desire them. I previously described this in the discussion of the kleshas.
Although some Tantric traditions support giving up all possessions, other traditional Tantric paths recognize the difference between a practitioner owning things and the things owning the practitioner. If your goal in life is the acquisition of things, then yes, they can and probably will keep you from a spiritual path. However, as I have written elsewhere, it’s hard to be spiritual when you’re not sure where your next meal will come from! Suffering does not result in spirituality; it just results in suffering. Extended fasts and even self-mortification are not a part of working with the Sri Yantra or Tantra.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should be optimistic about life and cheerful. So many people are quite content to be negative and seem to love sharing their negativity with others, bringing down everyone’s mood and energy. This is not the path of a person working with the Sri Yantra or of Tantra. Rather, you should have ultimate faith in the belief that the Goddess will help you move things and events in your favor or help you turn around unwanted things and events and improve them.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should be clean in body, mind, and spirit. Bathe before doing work with the Sri Yantra. Wear beautiful clothes and, if you wish, adorn your body. Eat delicious foods. Tantra is a path of the experience of true enjoyment in life, and this should be shown in everything you do, everything you eat, everything you wear, everything you are. This is about experience, not gluttony.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should respect the Goddess in all her forms. In many cultures, women are treated poorly, ranging from receiving lower pay and fewer job opportunities to the cultural acceptance of body mutilation and rape. In some countries, women are actually punished for being raped, while the rapist is let free. In certain cultures, women are punished for the crimes of others in their family through being gang-raped. These horrible actions are unacceptable and must be strongly resisted and denounced by any true Tantric, for all women are manifestations of the Goddess. The Goddess flees from any location where women are mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually abused.
Although this has obvious meaning, there is a deeper meaning, too. The Goddess—or the goddess energy—exists in us all. Anything you do to help that energy form of the Goddess manifest is a way of honoring her. Anything you do to prevent her manifestation is a way of showing disrespect.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should “live a life of absolute sincerity.” This refers to the concept of having personal integrity. It means you should not be deceitful, you should not lie, you should not be a hypocrite. This sounds like something that is easy, but I assure you it is not. Being what the author calls “absolutely sincere” means practicing what has come to be called “radical honesty.” This concept is simply that honesty is always the best policy.
Unfortunately, some people treat honesty as a metaphorical stick with which to brutally attack others rather than a way to share truth. For example, telling someone who is dying (yet is terrified of death), “Yeah, you’re dying,” is truthful, but is also a horrible and vicious approach. Sharing with the person (if you believe it) that every living thing eventually dies and death is just a stage of existence we all must go through, one that will lead to rebirth without pain or suffering and a life filled with energy and potential joy, is a way to begin honestly answering by sharing truth without being cruel.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, you should understand the dance of Maya. Maya is a goddess of such breathtaking beauty that her “dance” takes us away from seeing reality. The “dance of the senses” may prevent us from seeing the spiritual world that is all around. As Tantrics, we can fully enjoy the world via our senses and also understand that there is far more to life in the invisible spiritual worlds.
- To work with the Sri Yantra, the mind should be quiet. This has two meanings. First, we all have opinions, prejudices, preconceived beliefs, and so on. It is valuable to recognize and understand them because they actually limit us. They form a tight little box that surrounds us and prevents us from experiencing more—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If we think, “What I believe is the way things are and everyone must understand this,” we should immediately ask ourselves, “Why?” It may be that what we believe is based on logic and reason. But it is also possible that our ideas are based on false beliefs that prevent us from experiencing life and freedom to the fullest. We should eliminate, one by one, each of our limiting beliefs, and we should do this as soon as we become aware of them. This can be done when we become aware of them during meditation and realize they are beliefs, not reality. We can choose to discard whatever is not helpful.
Second, each of us has an inner voice that is constantly talking, talking, talking to us. Even when we’re quiet, it talks to us. One person told me that she refers to that voice as “the babbler.” When we still that voice, we open our ears—and our hearts, minds, spirits, and souls—to a greater voice. This is a basic concept of true meditation. When you do this, the goddess of the Sri Yantra will take you as her own. One day you may discover that you have been on a potent spiritual path without even realizing it. It will be the path she has for you, and she will guard you, care for you, and love you as you walk the path.
One of the most common methods of meditation is the use of a mantra. So for the next part of this chapter, let’s examine one such technique.
A Mantra for the Sri Yantra:
Om Hrim Strim Hum Phat
There are many mantras associated with the Sri Yantra. Others are dedicated to the goddess (Tripura Sundari) associated with the yantra, the many subgoddesses (devis), or just the powers of the yantra. This mantra is a simple, general- purpose, positive mantra for the Sri Yantra that can be performed while gazing at the image.
Traditionally, it should be repeated 108 times. This is facilitated with a mala, a string of 108 beads plus one extra large bead, the meru bead. While looking at the yantra, hold the beads across your left hand, palm up. Start at the meru bead and move one bead with your fingers for each single repetition of the mantra. When you come to the meru bead again, you have completed one “round.”
As you repeat the mantra, you’ll find that you start speeding up. This is natural and appropriate. As you speed up, get quieter. Often, the repetition of mantras by Tantrics is described as “mumbling.” Eventually you may end up repeating the mantra silently. I’ll provide more information on malas and their use in chapter Seven.
The purpose of this particular mantra is to bring balance, purification, wisdom, clarity, sustenance, and more. Here are some brief specifics for each word of the mantra:
Om—This word is so important that it has its own symbol, the omkara, included with the Sanskrit alphabet. It is said to be the initial source of all sound and of the divine power of vibration. To remind us of its importance as the basis for all vibration, it is said at the beginning of numerous mantras.
Hrim—This is the vibration of purification and transformation. It is the mantra of Parvati and Kali, consorts of Shiva. It is also the mantra of Sundari, the beautiful one. Tripura Sundari, the thrice-beautiful one, is the goddess of the Sri.
Strim—This is the sound of pure shakti energy. It is action and movement that pushes you toward achieving your desired goals. It can be harnessed for new beginnings and new births as well as for sustenance.
Hum—This sound is used for divine protection, knowledge, and clarity. Where Strim can power you in any desired direction, the energy from this sound can help you cut through the illusions caused by maya that prevent you from seeing reality. Thus, it can help cut through confusion and a lack of direction.
Phat—This is the thunderbolt mantra! This powerful mantra provides protection and destroys obstacles. It can be used by itself for banishings in the ten directions. It occurs at the end of some mantras, as it has the power to concentrate the force of the other parts of the mantra.
Pronunciation
Om begins at the back of the throat and ends with the closing of the lips. In this way it covers all sounds capable of being made by the human voice. Focus on the initial vowel sound to project its energy to others. Stress the final “m” to absorb its energy within you. This is especially good for healing work. To reveal the pronunciation of Om, it is often spelled Aum.
Some people pronounce it “ah-oom,” while in other places it may be pronounced “um,” “ung,” “ahng,” or something else. This has to do with the various dialects found throughout the Indian subcontinent and into Tibet. As with all mantras, experiment with vibration, then let your heart and spirit reveal what is the correct pronunciation for you.
Hrim sounds like something between “rim,” as in the description of the top edge of a drinking glass, and “ream,” as in five hundred sheets of paper. However, it begins with the “h,” an empty, aspirated, breathy sound.
Strim sounds like “stream” and rhyming with “trim.”
Hum sounds as it is spelled, or as the joke goes, “What you do when you don’t know the words.”
The thunderbolt mantra, phat, is a bit more difficult to describe. Think of quickly saying the words “top hat.” Then remove the initial “to-” in “top.” Thus, you get “pat” but with the empty, aspirated “h” sound (like you get when the “h” starts a word, such as “hello”) inserted between the “p” and the “a.” Phat is not pronounced “fat.”
Deeper Still
Tripura, the triple goddess, rules the outer square of the Sri Yantra. In one tradition, the three rings represent the three Divine Mothers sometimes seen in statues intended for worship—the Shakti Trimurti—consisting of Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. It also reminds me of the three “mother letters” found in the Kabalah and the three forms of the Goddess: maiden, mother, and crone.
As I wrote earlier, the Sri Yantra is considered by many to be the king of the yantras, although considering all of the goddesses associated with it, calling it the queen of the yantras might be more accurate! The Sri Yantra is the supreme yantra. All other traditional yantras are believed to be derived from it. Therefore, it could be said to both include and transcend all other yantras. That means the benefits of all other yantras, individually and collectively, are manifested with the Sri Yantra. It is claimed by some that the Sri Yantra was divinely revealed. While that’s a beautiful metaphor, I must dispute that based on history. Earlier versions of yantras that may have developed into the Sri Yantra have been discovered. Still, when you think about the amazing and magnificent complexity of the Sri Yantra (I’ve barely scratched the surface), the way the yantra evolved into its present form is a great and joyous mystery.
As a side note, you’ve probably heard of mandalas. These are beautiful and symmetrical drawings. Although yantras are also symmetrical and, therefore, are mandalas, not all mandalas are yantras. Mandalas are beautiful drawings. They are not a deity in two-dimensional form unless they are also specific yantras. The Sri Yantra is the body of the Great Mother Goddess and should be treated as such.
This concept of the Sri Yantra being the Goddess gets tricky. The Goddess is the Sri Yantra, but if you need a point to say where the Goddess’s energy resides, it is in the Bindu at the center. She is the center and is the entire image.
Similarly, she permeates the entire universe. This Great Goddess acts in five ways, all of which emanate from the Bindu of the Sri Yantra. They are:
- The emanation of the universe from the uncreated, primal source.
- The projection of creative energy into the universe from that source.
- The emanation of the energy that preserves the created universe.
- The withdrawal of those energies to allow dissolutions and endings.
- The holding of the withdrawn energy awaiting its use in the next cycle.
Note how this corresponds with the development and return of the energy as described by the action of the Dasa Mahavidyas, the ten wisdom goddesses described in chapter Four. I would also point out that this ancient Pagan tradition showing the Goddess having the threefold function of life—creation, maintenance, dissolution—has been subsumed into the functions of the Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva triumvirate of male deities found in modern Vedic Hinduism. This is similar to the way that aspects of Pagan goddesses have been absorbed into the functions of a male deity in modern Western monotheistic religions. Like other forms of Paganism, working with the Sri Yantra within traditional Tantra truly honors the Goddess and also acknowledges the God.
Acting as a Tantric
Student of Sri Vidya
There is a word that means a great deal to me: praxis. It means “putting theory into action.” As you learn the philosophy, wisdom, and techniques of Tantra and Sri Vidya, there are certain concepts I believe you should put into practice:
- Every day you should show respect for the world. Do something that helps you, others, and the environment.
- Love and respect your life and the lives of every creature.
- See the manifestation of the Divine in everything.
- Trust yourself and cultivate faith in yourself. Know that nothing is impossible because you are supported by the Divine.
- Keep yourself and your surroundings beautiful. Make the area where you meditate especially beautiful.
- Do what you must do. This goes beyond Crowley’s famous axiom “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” It means you are free to do whatever you want to do. However, you are also responsible for whatever you choose to do.
- Never feel guilt for your actions. Guilt is often caused by the feeling that you have committed a sin, but sin is just an acronym for “Self-Inflicted Nonsense.” If you do something that bothers you, understand that what happened, happened. You cannot change that. You can make amends, if appropriate, for things you realize you should not have done. You can resolve not to repeat things you now believe you should not have done. But there is no reason for or value in feelings of guilt.
- Don’t be hard on yourself for your rate of spiritual advancement. Don’t focus on thoughts such as I should be doing more or I should be advancing more quickly. Spiritual development is not a steady line on a chart. It occurs when it does. Be grateful for each advancement, but don’t punish yourself with feelings that such advancement doesn’t happen fast enough. It will happen when it happens.
- You have an amazing and limitless capacity for advancement. Don’t undermine it. For example, don’t accept spiritual intimidation from others. You are just as good as anyone else. Fire or dismiss teachers who tell you that you are weak or slow and they will “fix” you. You are not a broken machine. A person who tells you things like that is primarily a businessman, not a teacher.
False teachers like that will use many tricks to deceive you. One of the primary tricks is their ability to push one of two major “buttons” in a person: fear and guilt. They trigger such responses in followers to take advantage of them. Don’t let any person—and especially don’t let any so-called teacher—instill fear or guilt in you. Fire them! Let them go! If they know more than you and have more spiritual skills, it only indicates that you lack information and practice. It does not mean you are inferior. - Finally, remember that your spiritual practices should not be a hardship. They should bring you joy and bliss. Don’t let any form of self-discipline in your spiritual (or mental or physical) practices become torture. Or as I like to say, “If it ain’t fun, why bother?”
The Sri Yantra and the Human Body—2D
On the Kabalistic Tree of Life, various areas of sephiroth on the Tree represent etheric power centers on the body. Looking at the Tree, it is as if a person backed into it, absorbing its beauty and wisdom (see illustration).
Similarly, the Sri Yantra can be projected onto the body (see illustration). Where two lines cross in the triangles, it is called a sandhi (“sahn-dee”) point. More important are the locations where three lines intersect. These are called marmas and are considered to be where life energy accumulates and resides.
It is said among martial artists that the points on the body that, when struck, can harm or kill are the same points that can heal. Indeed, the marmas and other points are used in powerful healing techniques, including the use of vacuum (cupping), pressure (acupressure), needle insertion (acupuncture), and even phlebotomy or bloodletting for healing (wet cupping). These techniques are still practiced in India and became the basis for similar techniques in China.
It is believed that all of the important points of the human body are also found in the Sri Yantra. Therefore, by meditating on the Sri Yantra, a martial artist or healer can access the location of every vital spot in the human body.
For those who are interested in some of the “magickal edges” of occultism, author Kenneth Grant has gone into greater detail as to how the marmas can be used in sex magick. Basically, by stimulating the marmas on a woman, her body is triggered to produce powerful magickal fluids that can be used with great magickal efficacy. The key to the marmas is the Sri Yantra. I’ll be describing more of the uses of marmas, especially for healing, later.
The Sri Yantra and
the Human Body—3-D
There is a wonderful, small book that really helps open minds about the nature of the universe and reality entitled Flatland. It was written in 1884 by a British mathematician, theologian, and schoolmaster with the repetitive name Edwin Abbott Abbott (1836–1926) using the pen name “A Square.” In it, the main character is a square in a two-dimensional universe, having length and width but no thickness. He ends up visiting our three-dimensional world, and when he returns home and describes the properties of the three-dimensional world, his fellow two-dimensional denizens think he’s insane.
Originally written as a satire about the strict hierarchy of classes in Victorian England (personally, I prefer Oscar Wilde’s hilarious play The Importance of Being Earnest for this purpose), it is better known for trying to explain the concept of understanding different dimensions. Reading this book for this purpose can be quite mind-expanding.
And that leads to the question “Is it possible to extend two-dimensional images into the third dimension?” Charles Stansfeld Jones (1886–1950), using the pen name Frater Achad, did this for the Tree of Life in his amazing book The Anatomy of the Body of God, where he projects the Tree in multiple directions, creating an amazing appearance of a multidimensional “macrosmic snowflake” crystal (see illustration):
The body can be divided into two main parts: the head and trunk, and the legs. The spinal cord, which supports the trunk and goes into the head, is the “axis” of the body. In Tantra, the mystical Mount Meru is called “the axis of the earth.” The spine is called the Meru Danda, “the axis staff.”
The Sri Yantra, in three dimensions, is considered to be a form of Mount Meru and is sometimes called the Sri Meru. (Mount Meru, or Sumeru, is a metaphorical home of the gods, like Mount Olympus. It is also symbolic of Shiva’s spine and energy pathway, and your own spine.) Therefore, in the tradition of “as above, so below,” the Sri represents the body. Or more accurately, the human body encases a spark of the Divine as its living soul, and as the Sri Yantra is the Divine, it means they are literally one and the same. So if we meditate on any of the aspects of the Sri Yantra, we are manifesting those qualities within ourselves. Here is a sample of how to begin to use the Sri Yantra (see final illustration).
9. This lamp is called a menorah. Many people think a menorah is the special candelabrum used during the festival of Hanukkah. In actuality, that multi-branched candle holder is called a Hanukiah.