What Is a Yantra? A Beginner’s Guide to Using Sacred Geometry

19 February Feb 2025
surya yantra
Liisa Maimon
Founder and Senior Teacher

Yantras are powerful spiritual tools rooted in ancient tantric wisdom. They consist of sacred geometry symbols that are known to channel and amplify certain spiritual energies.

This makes yantras far more than just intricate artwork — they are potent instruments designed to uplift your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

This article explores the fascinating science of yantras, including what they are, how they work, and the numerous ways they can be used to achieve greater balance and vitality in your life. From enhancing meditation and Yoga practice to protecting you from negative influences to increasing your sexual potential, these sacred symbols offer a multitude of benefits when used correctly.

If you’ve been looking for a method to elevate your inner and outer environment, you’ll discover practical guidance here on how to integrate yantras into your daily routine and experience their transformative effects.

In this article you will find:

 

What Is Sacred Geometry, and What Does It Have to Do with Yantras?

Yantras are sacred geometry forms. This makes it helpful to understand the fundamentals of sacred geometry first to properly understand yantras.

As a brief definition, sacred geometry is a traditional area of study that ascribes symbolic or sacred meaning to specific geometric structures or configurations. These geometric shapes are considered divine or spiritual and have been used in religions for thousands of years — such as in the triangular structures of church steeples, or the perfect structural proportions found in ancient Greek temples like the Parthenon.

Sacred geometry in nature - the spiral of a nautilus shell
Nautilus shell showing spiral sacred geometry.

Sacred geometric shapes are also found throughout nature, like in the spiral of a nautilus shell, or the spherical shape of a round seed. Many spiritual traditions point to these repeating sacred geometry shapes as evidence that there is a type of divine order within the universe.

Similarly, tantric tradition believes that the universe is created by a divine force, which can be called consciousness, God, or simply a higher power. And this force does not randomly create the elements of the universe. Rather, everything is created with a divine order and logic, and there are specific logical principles or structures that underlie the entire universe.

However, not all these structures are as obvious as simple spirals, spheres, or other shapes found in nature. It requires much higher states of consciousness to be able to see these underlying aspects of universal energy.

Certain tantric masters throughout history have been able to reach exalted states of consciousness where they could perceive these structures, and they created various geometric diagrams to represent what they saw.

These spiritual symbols became known as yantras, which are now a well-established part of tantric tradition.

Certain tantric masters throughout history have been able to reach exalted states of consciousness where they could perceive these structures, and they created various geometric diagrams to represent what they saw.

 

What Is a Yantra?

As we just discussed, a yantra is a visual representation of a specific universal principle of energy.

This might sound somewhat esoteric or abstract at first. But yantras are very practical tools you can use for spiritual purposes, as well as in daily life. In fact, the word “yantra” means “instrument” or “tool” in ancient Sanskrit — a term that reflects their fundamental purpose.

Shambhala Yantra used for tantric practice
At Somananda Tantra School, we incorporate yantras into our courses and retreats to amplify tantric practice and support the spiritual transformation of our students.

Yantras have been passed down from tantric teachers to students for millennia. Each of these spiritual shapes represents a certain divine concept or principle, such as spiritual evolution, or the divine feminine or masculine. And by focusing on a yantra during meditation, Yoga, or other practices, it brings the energy of that spiritual principle into your personal energy bodies and your external environment.

In this way, working with these sacred geometric shapes gives us an incredible opportunity to interact with the force of creation.

How Do Yantras Work?

Tantra uses yantras to connect to the specific universal energies that they represent. When you focus on a yantra for meditation, mantra recitation, prayer, or other spiritual practice, it helps you channel that energy into your body more effectively and potently.

For example, meditating on a Crown Chakra Yantra will help you open your crown chakra and become more attuned to its natural energy.

Crown Chakra (sahasrara) yantra
The Crown Chakra Yantra elevates the energy of any space, turning it into a true Sacred Space.

The specific geometric patterns within a yantra — such as circles, triangles, and lotus petals — represent different aspects of existence and the universe. And focusing on these shapes allows your mind to move beyond ordinary awareness into meditative states where you can experience heightened intuition, clarity, and energy flow.

This higher alignment also helps to balance the chakras and harmonize your subtle energy fields — which, in turn, supports spiritual growth and well-being.

Having yantras in your living areas will also fill those spaces with positive subtle energies. It’s ideal to have these divine symbols in your bedroom, living room, office or studio, or anywhere you spend a substantial amount of time.

The Danger of an “Empty Yantra”

The science of yantras originates from Tantra and is widely used in tantric practices and lifestyle. However, it is important to emphasize that Tantra is a very secretive science — for good reason.

Before we had access to the internet, the only way of learning tantric teachings was through certain sacred scriptures and gurus

Nowadays, much of the information we receive about sacred geometry or yantras is distorted and excessively inaccurate. Especially when it comes to something as precise as geometry — mistakes are very common!

A minuscule misplacement of a line, a dot, or an angle on a sacred geometric diagram may seem trivial. But the overall integrity of that geometry will be immediately disrupted or changed completely, leaving you with an “empty yantra” that no longer works as an instrument of powerful energy. 

You might acquire a yantra somewhere online and invest months or years in the presence of that geometry hoping to achieve the results promised. But over the course of time, nothing really changes. 

authentic tantric yantras
At Somananda Tantra School, our Sacred Shapes brand offers authentic yantras rooted in sacred geometric principles passed down by tantric masters.

Sacred geometry is an exact science and yantras need to be in their exact and authentic form in order to reward you with their corresponding benefits and support. Thus, when you’re looking for a sacred geometry symbol to use, make sure it comes from an authentic tantric lineage.

At Somananda Tantra School, we created a brand called Sacred Shapes to provide real, proven, traditional yantras for our students and anyone else who has an interest in spiritual symbols. We have extensively researched each of our yantras and know they follow sacred geometric principles established by tantric masters through the ages.

Yantras have been passed down from tantric teachers to students for millennia. Each of these spiritual shapes represents a certain divine concept or principle, such as spiritual evolution, or the divine feminine or masculine.

 

What Are Yantras Used For?

Fundamentally, yantras are tools to help improve your life and elevate your consciousness. And they can do this in many different ways — both physical and metaphysical.

These are some of the main purposes of using tantric spiritual symbols.

1. Enhancing Physical Health

It is well known in yogic and tantric tradition that there is much more to a human being than the visible and gross physical structure. Beyond your physical body exists an energetic substructure known as the human aura, and it surrounds and overlaps with your manifested form.

According to tantric yogis, it is in this human energy field that the origin of illness and disease truly lies. What ultimately materialises in the body in the form of physical symptoms is simply a byproduct of a disturbance or imbalance that is present at a deep, subtle, and energetic level.

Yantra of Tara - a Supreme Goddess of Protection
During the Ultimate Tantric Woman course, the yantra of the feminine cosmic power Tara fills the room with the energy of learning and wisdom.

Therefore, in order to permanently and fully remedy any health disturbance, it makes sense to heal and rejuvenate your body at the energetic level first and foremost — rather than solely addressing the physical manifestations of a disease. And yantras can support this process.

As energy governs your physical body, this also means that the energy expressed by a yantra can directly affect your body and your health. Authentic tantric symbols are incredible tools to harmonize and heal your energy at all levels of your being.

 

Discover Yantras for Physical Healing

 

2. Supporting Emotional Balance

Many people in modern day struggle with emotional swings. Like physical conditions, emotional imbalances also originate in your subtle energy bodies.

And not only that, but we are also influenced by the energy present in our environment. Tantric science recognizes that everything is made up of energy, from living things to inanimate objects — including the furniture in your house, your clothing, and of course, your pets, food, and other people in your life.

Surya yantra
The Surya Yantra is a powerful tool for emotional balance and healing support.

Even the colors you see have an energetic effect on you. And yet most of us are unaware of the various energetic forces influencing us. They are mostly invisible, very subtle in nature, and not easy to pick up with the naked eye or to touch.

When your environment is affecting your energetic structure in harmful or negative ways, it will almost certainly lead to emotional disturbances.

However, this often-unseen influence can be counteracted using yantras. The uplifting energy they bring to your spiritual practices and your living spaces will help balance your internal energy and, therefore, your emotions and overall outlook on life.

 

Discover Yantras for Emotional Balance

 

3. Energetic Protection

Yantras can indeed help protect you from negative energetic influences from your environment, other people, or karmic manifestations.

But how can a simple image hung on your wall protect you from negative energy? It’s based on what’s called the Law of Resonance.

Simply put, if you surround yourself with positive energetic influences in your environment, such as yantras, it creates a resonance that your personal energy will attune to. This essentially creates an energetic antidote to any negative forces you encounter in your environment.

Atman yantra - The Higher-Self
Atman (the higher-self) Yantra brings about loving energy along with inner calmness.

This can be especially helpful if you’re a healer in any form, such as a psychologist, massage therapist, or any other professional who regularly interacts with other people’s energy. Typically, your clients will come to you when they’re experiencing energetic disturbances that are causing them issues. So, it’s important to protect yourself against these potentially harmful energies.

We discuss the topic of energetic protection in much more detail in our Tantra Massage Therapist and Tantric Remote Energy Healing Therapist training programs. Hanging spiritual symbols in your practice space is one of the methods we recommend.

 

Discover Yantras for Energetic Protection

 

4. Boosting Sexual Health and Orgasmic Potential

One of the subtle energies that yantras can influence is what Tantra calls sexual energy. This is the force that creates and animates all life on Earth. This energy accompanies you throughout your entire life and powers all your biological processes.

Receiving Sri Yantra - Tripura Sundari - Divine Feminine Sacred Geometry
A student receives her Sri Yantra during the course at our tantra school — a powerful tool for deepening tantric sexuality practice and enhancing orgasmic potential.

When there is a blockage of sexual energy in your body, it prevents your life force from operating as it’s meant to. This can cause a host of different issues, from lack of libido to sexual dysfunction, to mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

However, when these blockages are cleared, tantric practitioners often report profound changes in their sexual health, as well as their physical and mental health. And certain yantras are specifically designed to help promote the natural movement of sexual energy.

By hanging these yantras in your bedroom or other locations, you can infuse their energy into your lovemaking and your daily life. This will support and realign the flow of your sexual energy.

As energy governs your physical body, this also means that the energy expressed by a yantra can directly affect your body and your health. Authentic tantric symbols are incredible tools to harmonize and heal your energy at all levels of your being.

When sexual energy is able to flow properly throughout your body, you can experience much more physical pleasure and deepen your orgasmic potential. A fulfilling sex life often elevates all other areas of your life as well, such as your emotional health, career, and personal relationships.

Heightened sexual energy will also help you cultivate deeper connections with your intimate partner and develop true and lasting unconditional love. All these benefits can be encouraged with the use of specific spiritual shapes, which we’ll cover later in this article.

 

Yantras for Orgasmic Sexuality

 

5. Increasing Mind Power

Third Eye yantra - OM symbol
A traditional sacred symbol of the Third Eye is widely used in spiritual practices, making it possible to “see the beyond”.

Certain yantras can significantly enhance focus, concentration, and overall mental strength. And by interacting with these divine symbols, you can access powerful energies that will aid in the development of your mind and intellect.

When your mind is clear and focused, it becomes a more powerful tool for personal change — which will support you in all areas of life. In addition, these yantras can also help you become more intuitive and develop greater inner knowing and guidance.

Incorporating specific yantras into your meditation practice or simply hanging them in your living spaces will allow their energy to enhance your mental abilities. This will not only help you in your personal and professional life but also aid in your spiritual journey.

 

Discover Yantras for Mind Power

 

6. Accelerating Self-Realization

Perhaps the most traditional use of yantras is to accelerate the speed of evolution and achieve greater states of consciousness. 

As we mentioned earlier, yantras can influence the energetic structures within and around us. This means they can also help break through blockages on an energetic level.

Shiva yantra, Divine Masculine energy yantra
Shiva, the ultimate embodiment of Divine Masculine energy in Tantra, fosters spiritual growth and inner balance.

By interacting with specific tantric symbols, you can harness their energy to help remove any obstacles preventing your spiritual growth. As a result, you may experience deeper states of meditation, increased intuition and psychic abilities, and a greater connection to the divine.

In addition, the energy of certain sacred geometry symbols can also assist in purifying negative karma and accelerating personal transformation. When used correctly and consistently, yantras are powerful tools for self-realization and achieving higher states of consciousness.

 

Discover Yantras for Self-Realization

 

Which Yantras to Use for Specific Purposes

You now know that spiritual symbols can be used for a variety of different purposes. But how do you know which tantric yantra to use when you want to change something in your life?

That’s what we’re going to reveal here.

1. Yantras for Physical and Emotional Healing

a) Tara Yantra

Tara yantra - Supreme Goddess of Protection
Tara Yantra, the supreme goddess of protection

This yantra represents the goddess Tara, who is known as the Supreme Goddess of Protection because she is believed to protect spiritual aspirants along the path to enlightenment.

Tara is considered a very wise and compassionate deity, and a Tara Yantra will bring an energy of compassion and harmony into your space. This sacred symbol will provide support in many areas of your life, including physical healing.

The compassionate energy of Tara will help you gently release energetic blockages that may be causing physical symptoms. This makes the Tara Yantra a powerful tool for fostering deep healing and cultivating overall health and vitality.

b) Surya Yantra

Surya yantra
Surya Yantra

In certain Eastern traditions, Surya is considered the God of the Sun. He is said to be the creator of the material universe, and the one who dispels darkness and empowers knowledge and goodness.

The empowering influence of Surya yantra is excellent for managing emotional states. It enhances your ability to control energy and become centered within yourself. These effects also greatly support the work of spiritual teachers and energy healers.

Improved emotional balance also improves physical health because it’s known that negative emotions contribute to accelerated biological aging and increased disease risk.

The Surya Yantra serves as a powerful symbol of vitality, balance, and goodness that offers profound support for both emotional well-being and physical strength.

2. Yantras for Sexuality

a) Sri Yantra (Tripura Sundari)

Sri Yantra - Tripura Sundari - Divine Femininity
Sri Yantra, the  Divine Femininity representation

The Sri Yantra is a sacred geometric representation of Tripura Sundari, a traditional Indian goddess who embodies divine feminine energy.

She depicts divine beauty, so Sri Yantra brings the elements of beauty, femininity, and divine consciousness into your environment. The divine feminine, creative force of this sacred symbol will awaken the same energy in your life. This is why it’s an excellent choice to assist with tantric sexual practice.

Many who work with Sri Yantra experience increased sexual desire and orgasmic potential. And this, in turn, will support deeper passion and connection in your intimate relationships.

 

Get Your Own Divine Femininity Yantra

 

b) Divine Masculine Yantra

Divine Masculinity Yantra
Divine Masculinity Yantra

The Divine Masculinity sacred symbol is used in the tantric tradition to connect with the pure and divine masculine energy of the universe. This yantra enhances the inner masculine potential both for men and women, which is vital for both genders.

In Tantra, sacred masculinity is the embodiment of the yang energy and principle — an energy that represents restraint, honor, morality, and many other noble qualities such as focus, centeredness, solidity, decisiveness, and the ability to internalize and interiorize at will.

A Divine Masculinity Yantra will support the development of these higher masculine qualities, which will also support masculine sexuality. As a man strengthens his divine masculine energy, he will naturally become more magnetic and potent as a lover.

This sacred geometry symbol brings an extraordinarily pure and spiritual energy that will elevate both lovemaking and your overall effectiveness in life.

 

Get Your Own Divine Masculinity Yantra

 

3. Yantras for Energetic Protection

a) Atman Yantra

Atman is a Sanskrit word for the true or eternal Self. It refers to pure consciousness, which is beyond identification with phenomena.

As the Atman Yantra represents pure consciousness, interacting with it deepens your connection with your true self. The presence of this geometry will enliven your soul and bring a sense of inner balance.

AtmanYantra, the Higher-Self Yantra
Atman, the Higher-Self Yantra

Another aspect of Atman is true, unconditional love — which means this spiritual symbol also promotes feelings of affection and deep states of spiritual self-love. It supports the opening of the heart chakra and your capacity to love others as well as yourself.

This makes it an excellent choice for protection from negative energy. The Atman yantra will help you stay grounded, calm, and connected to your higher self no matter what you may encounter.

b) Ganesha Yantra

Ganesha Yantra
Ganesha Yantra

Ganesha is an Indian god who is revered as the remover of obstacles and bringer of good luck. And this is exactly the energy of the Ganesha Yantra. It removes obstacles on your path and casts the energy of protection upon your space.

This yantra supports the energy of the root chakra, which enhances your vital energy in all areas of life — especially in launching new projects and endeavors or making any significant life changes.

As Ganesha removes obstacles from your path, you will find that opportunities come to you more easily and you are better able to achieve worldly success, good health, and spiritual evolution.

4. Yantras for Spiritual Awareness

a) Shiva Trident Yantra

The Shiva Trident Yantra is from the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition. The trident symbol is intimately connected with the highest of all energies, and the three prongs of the trident represent certain aspects of absolute reality.

Using Shiva Trident Yantra in tantric teachings
Shiva Trident Yantra

This sacred geometry symbol serves as a tool for transcending duality by cultivating a deeper connection with higher consciousness. Its power lies in its ability to guide you toward inner clarity, divine grace, and the ultimate truth of existence.

Working with the Shiva Trident Yantra strengthens the energy of your crown chakra, which, in turn, supports spiritual aspiration and self-realization.

b) Crown Chakra Yantra

The crown chakra is located at the top of your head and is also called by its Sanskrit name, Sahasrara. It is regarded as the chakra of pure consciousness, and thus, the Crown Chakra Yantra (or Sahasrara Chakra Yantra) represents the energy of the highest level of consciousness and access to the divine.

Crown Chakra yantra
The Crown Chakra Yantra encourages Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) activation and supports meditation and Yoga practice.

The Crown Chakra geometry is rooted in ancient tantric and yogic tradition, and it is used to reach high states of consciousness. The mere presence of this yantra brings a strong spiritual energy into your environment. It creates a protective field that purifies any negative influences that may be present.

The energy of the Crown Chakra Yantra supports spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation, and helps you reach higher states of spiritual awareness.

5. Yantras for Yoga and Meditative Practice

a) Shambhala Yantra

Shambhala is a mystical paradise that’s spoken of in ancient texts. Some traditions claim it is a land of undisturbed peace and love, the source of all spiritual wisdom, and a utopia where great spiritual masters reside.

According to spiritual legends, it exists on the very edge of reality. It has a foothold in both the physical and the metaphysical realms — mediating between God’s Will and the Free Will of humanity.

Shambhala yantra supports tantric and yoga practice
The Shambhala Yantra radiates high, refined energy, supporting healing, energy work, and meditation.

In this way, the Shambhala Yantra acts as a type of bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. It can be used to help connect you with God or your higher self.

The sacred symbol of Shambhala is also related to divine protection and spiritual evolution. The Shambhala Yantra emanates very high and refined energy, which is excellent for healing, energy work, meditation, and yoga practice.

b) Mental Focus Yantra

Mental Focus Yantra
The Mental Focus Yantra enhances concentration, mind control, and altered states of consciousness.

The Mental Focus Yantra stimulates the opening of the third eye chakra, or Ajna chakra in Sanskrit. The third eye is said to be a tool for perceiving the more subtle aspects of reality, including subtle energies and your inner knowing or intuitive abilities.

Encouraging the opening of your third eye with the Mental Focus Yantra will have far-reaching effects on your spiritual practice and your life in general. You’ll be able to achieve greater control over your mind and become aware of higher states of consciousness.

Also, when you can focus your mind more clearly, you can start to see beyond the distractions and illusions of your daily existence. This will put you more in touch with the true nature of reality and help you see the bigger picture of your life and your purpose.

How Do You Use Yantras?

Yantras can be used in a variety of ways, and you can adapt your practices to suit your individual needs and lifestyle. We recommend the following ways to start working with your chosen sacred symbols.

1. Have Yantras in Your Living Spaces

Yantras support the overall development of a human being simply by being around them or next to them. Your personal energy system will attune to the energy of the divine symbol. This is why it’s best to have yantras prominently displayed where you’ll see them on a regular basis.

sri yantra in bedroom
The Divine Femininity sacred geometry (Sri Yantra) enhances sexual desire and orgasmic potential, making it an ideal addition to your bedroom.

Where should a yantra be placed, exactly? The best place is where you spend a lot of time, such as in your office, living room, or bedroom. That space will be infused with the energy of the sacred symbol, and the overall energy in the space will be elevated.

2. Practice with a Yantra for 10 Minutes a Day

Yantra practice can be very simple, and even ten minutes a day will have a significant influence on your psyche and energetic field over time.

This is a simple tantric yantra practice to work with:

Step 1: Get in a Comfortable Position

Sit facing your yantra in a comfortable position, keeping your spine straight and vertical.

Your eyes should be at approximately the same height as the centre of the geometry, and you should be able to see the whole yantra with your peripheral vision.

Step 2: Focus on Your Yantra

Keep your eyes open and direct your focus towards the centre of the yantra. If your eyes start feeling tired, close them for a few moments, but keep visualizing the bright and vivid picture of the geometry.

After a minute or two, once you feel you have connected with the energy of the yantra, close your eyes and see the image of the yantra in your mind’s eye. Continue focusing on this image for approximately ten minutes.

yantras for meditation
The presence of yantras during meditation amplifies its effects, deepening focus and facilitating higher states of consciousness.

If you ever lose the image of the sacred shape in your mind, simply open your eyes, refocus on the image, and close your eyes once you have it again.

Step 3: Perceive the Effects

Take a moment to evaluate the effect of the practice. You may feel more centered, calm, or at peace. You may also perceive vibrations or tingling sensations in your body, even at the level of certain chakras.

Take at least two minutes to really feel the results of this session. This awareness will amplify the effects even more.

3. Enhance Your Yantra Practice with Music

Music is another form of energy, and playing music during your yantra practice can amplify its power.

However, it’s important to use music you know has a specific effect. For example, we share specific music tracks in many of our courses that are recognized by tantric masters as having certain energetic properties.

For instance, if you’re doing a yantra practice to awaken the crown chakra, you can listen to a track known to benefit the crown chakra. But if you’re not sure of how a piece of music affects you, it’s best not to listen to any music during a yantra practice.

At Somananda Tantra School, our senior teachers have recognized these two music tracks as being particularly beneficial for awakening the energy of a sacred geometry symbol:

To use them, simply start playing the track either on a speaker or headphones as you begin your yantra practice, such as the 10-minute focus practice we described above. You can use one or both of these tracks at one time or play either of them on repeat depending on the length of your practice.

Yantras support the overall development of a human being simply by being around them or next to them. Your personal energy system will attune to the energy of the divine symbol. This is why it’s best to have yantras prominently displayed where you’ll see them on a regular basis.

Does the Color of a Yantra Matter?

Yes, colors also carry resonances and energy! This is another area Tantra has studied extensively. Certain colors will enhance the specific effects of a yantra. The shapes and the colors work in symbiosis and, together, create an even stronger impact. 

At our Sacred Shapes online store, the colors for each design are chosen for very specific reasons. For example, some of the Shakti yantras will have at least one design combination with a strong red color.

Red, among other things, is associated with raw energy and the Shakti principle. Therefore, the feminine influences of the yantra are emphasized even further by the red color in the design.

Advanced tantric yogis, who had highly developed their third eye, were extremely sensitive to the subtle energies that surround us all the time. They were able to perceive the ways colors can influence our immediate environment — including our energy, mind, emotions, and body.

In addition, they also realized that specific shades of colors have different effects. In our school, we teach the full tantric knowledge of subtle colors and their influence in our Tantra Yoga Levels.

If you join this program, you will learn that not only are there different influences between red or yellow or green, but each of the colors has many shades which, in themselves, have different resonances. Sometimes even contradicting ones!

There are tonalities that can support your healing process, amplify sexual magnetism and orgasmic potential, and even enhance your spiritual aspiration, will-power, or vitality.

So, when you’re choosing a spiritual symbol to work with, make sure the colors are based on authentic tantric knowledge and will enhance the overall effects of the geometry. 

Do Yantras Really Work?

Science is not yet able to measure the effects of yantras. So, the only way to truly verify their effect is through personal experience. Yantras have been used by tantric practitioners for thousands of years, with countless stories of how they have helped people throughout history.

However, these stories are not limited to the past. Many students at Somananda Tantra School have also experienced life-changing effects from working with sacred geometry symbols.

For example, Radhika is an experienced yogini, Tantra Massage therapist, and Tantra teacher. After she opened her massage practice, she placed a Shambhala Yantra in her massage studio. This is what she shared about her experience:

Shambala yantra in a massage studio
Radhika, a Tantra Massage therapist and a Tantra Teacher from Sweden, uses yantras in her massage studio.

“In my massage studio, I have a Shambhala Yantra. It has had wonderful effects on both me and my clients. Sometimes, when I find myself losing focus during a session and start thinking about an issue in my life or what to cook for dinner, I gaze into the yantra for a minute or two.

It takes me back to the present moment. I know that it is not just my hands touching my clients’ bodies, but the hands of many enlightened masters — which means very powerful results.

Once, a client told me that after the session, she envisioned being high up in the mountains and seeing the yantra in the sky. She said she felt so much love that she had tears in her eyes. This touched me and gave me proof of the power of this geometry.” You can read more about Radhika’s experiences here.

Liisa Maimon, Founder and Senior Teacher of Somananda Tantra School, in front of Sri Yantra - Tripura Sundari - Divine Feminine Sacred Geometry.
Liisa Maimon, a founder and senior teacher of Somananda Tantra School, in front of Sri Yantra representing Tripura Sundari – divine feminine sacred geometry.

I can also share my own personal experience with yantras. I started my spiritual path in 2009, and I didn’t know then that the path of authentic Tantra would change my destiny and awaken my spiritual yearning.

After years of research and personal practice, it became very clear that working with sacred geometry is a powerful tool for manifesting a host of beneficial effects. Yantras have enhanced my physical healing, emotional balance, concentration of the mind, orgasmic potential, and ability to reach high states of consciousness. 

I have practiced with many divine symbols during my journey, and to enhance their powerful effect even further, I have decorated my home with them. The benefits are just magical!

How Do You Choose the Right Yantra?

With so many traditional yantras to choose from, how do you know which one is best for you?

You have a few different options for making this choice. We recommend taking one of these three approaches:

1. The Problem-Based Choice

Take a moment to consider which areas of your life need improvement, uplifting, or fixing. What challenges or problems do you currently face?

Perhaps you’ve been struggling with a relationship, low self-esteem, or a health issue. Or maybe need more mental clarity and focus to help quit a habit or develop greater motivation to achieve your goals. 

Whatever you might be facing, there is almost certainly a tantric yantra that can help with your current situation.

2. The Intuitive Choice

On a deeper level, you may already know which yantra you should be working with. As you look through the spiritual symbols in this article, or maybe the yantras on our Sacred Shapes site, pay attention to any subtle thoughts or intuitions that come up.

Your mind and soul constantly send messages, but we’re often too busy to hear them. Take a moment to listen as you choose a yantra. You may feel a “pull” toward certain designs that will subtly stand out from the rest. The ones you feel a special or intuitive connection with may be the ones you need right now. 

3. The Practice-Based Choice

If you have taken courses with us and are actively practicing certain tantric techniques, you can choose a yantra to support your current practice. 

In the booklets of most of our courses, we share respective tantric yantras that you can practice with. You may want to get these same yantras in full size and make your practice even more impactful. 

FAQs on Yantras

What’s the difference between a yantra and a mandala?

Mandala vs yantra
A mandala is a symbolic, often circular design representing the universe’s wholeness and harmony.

Yantras and mandalas both include sacred geometric shapes. However, a yantra is purely a representation of a universal energetic principle. Mandalas, on the other hand, are more complex and typically include representations of worldly concepts.

For example, a traditional mandala may represent the struggle of humanity to evolve and gain enlightenment. Whereas, a yantra does not represent anything other than a universal principle, such as the divine feminine or divine masculine principle.

Are the cardinal directions relevant when placing a yantra?

There are indeed certain preferences in terms of cardinal directions that you can be mindful of when hanging your sacred geometries. But keep in mind that this does not mean their power is lost if you hang them differently.

Energetically and spiritually, the most conducive direction for hanging your yantra is north (meaning you are looking towards the north to see the geometry). Second best is the east direction.

If you do not have your northern or eastern walls available, then use other walls. The mere presence of an authentic tantric yantra will, regardless of its orientation, uplift the energy in your environment.

Is it acceptable to have more than one yantra in a room?

Yes, it is completely fine to have more than one yantra in a room. They do not cancel each other out and there are no negative influences of any kind.

The energies carried by sacred geometries are pure and divine. They all fit together perfectly and the impact can even be stronger with several of them in one room.

How do you activate a yantra?

Yantras do not need activation. They are perfect geometrical structures that carry the energy of a specific universal principle within them. They convey that energy as they are.

However, it’s recommended to personally connect with the energy a sacred symbol is carrying on a regular basis. The best way to do this is to meditate with the yantra. To start, simply face the divine symbol and connect with it mentally for ten or more minutes per day. You can keep your eyes open and gaze at the geometry or close your eyes after a time if they start to get tired.

Meditating on a yantra brings more of its energy into your consciousness and energy body. For example, meditating on the Divine Masculinity Yantra will help strengthen your masculine qualities, such as focus, decisiveness, and morality. It helps to make your energy body more yang, which also enhances protective forces within you.

What is needed for yantras to work?

Yantras do not need any specific conditions to work. They are complete within themselves and will naturally infuse any space with the energy they carry.

Cosmic power yantra
At the Tantra Massage Teacher Training, we include the yantra of a cosmic power that aids in achieving higher states of consciousness and supports the healing process.

There are various tantric practices to bring that energy into your life, such as meditation, which was described in the previous question. We also teach more in-depth methods in our Tantra Yoga Levels.

It’s also recommended to always treat your yantras with respect. A spiritual symbol print that is kept clean and unobstructed will be in a better position to uplift the surrounding environment.

Use Yantras to Elevate Your Life and Spirit

As you can see, yantras are not just pieces of art or decorative objects — they serve a much higher purpose in supporting your overall well-being. They have the power to influence your emotions, protect you from negative energies, boost sexual health and pleasure, and enhance your mental abilities.

By incorporating specific sacred symbols into your daily life through meditation or placement in your living spaces, you can experience the many benefits that sacred geometry has to offer.

So why not give it a try and see how yantras can positively impact your life?

 

Liisa Maimon

Founder and Senior Teacher

An inspiring tantric yogini, Liisa is a strong driving force of the school – both as a senior teacher and general manager.

Recommended Course

tantra rituals
Asset 1

Tantra Rituals: The Sensual Path to the Divine

Tantra presents a unique opportunity to discover the Divine through the use of ancient rituals. There are countless rituals in Tantra, however, in this workshop we will explore those that arouse and awaken the sensuality and eroticism that is innate in all of us. Embark on a breathtaking journey and experience divine revelations and cosmic consciousness manifesting before your very eyes!
Have a question about this teaching?
Have a question about this teaching?
Send us your message and we are happy to help.