Philosophy

"Yantras can be two-or three dimensional. Two dimensional yantras are designs on paper, textiles and other materials. They are dimensional yantras raised structures usually made of metal. The well known sri yantra or sri chakra are classified differently, depending on the author’s use of terminology."

"...energies has three aspects: its visual form (yantra), its sound form (mantra) and its ‘personality’ or god-form (devata). Yantra is thus thought to be an essential component in the mastery of cosmic energies that comprises tantric praxis."

"...yantras, like some mandalas are used for worship in desire-oriented (kamya rites), but their main purpose is magical."

"The medium on which yantra is drawn is either paper or metal, and the medium used is sometimes said to determine the relative effectiveness of the yantra – in this, the rarer, precious metals such as gold and silver are generally considered to be more effective, but for some yantras (often with the purpose of mastering the baser powers of black magic such as killing or invoking ruin on an enemy), a baser medium such as iron is prescribed. Less permanent materials are also used in some ritual contexts, such as inscribing of a yantra in sand or with certain powders – these are most often normally dispersed at the conclusion of the ritual."

"Texts may prescribe that the lines of the yantra be traced with a specific colour, for example, with turmeric or blood, but the space inside is never filled with colours….images are generally not found in yantras."

"There also exist numerological yantras...These are generally inscribed in the form of ‘magic squares’ that is numbers arranged in grid form (3x3 or 4x4 or larger) where the sum of each row and column is constant...The use of these numerological yantras is almost exclusively talismanic – that they are worn on the body for protection and health – as opposed to being used for ritual worship or meditation."

"The eight-petal lotus is the eight-fold Prkriti, or nature, consisting of earth, water, fire, air, ether, manas (mind), budhi (intellect) and ahankara (ego). The five triangles are the five jnanedriyas (jnana means “knowledge”; indriyas means “the senses”), the five karmendriyas (motor organs), and the five pranas (breathing acitivties). The bindu at the center is the symbol of balance soul. The five triangles also represent the sacred marriage of the feminine and masculine of your psychological potential. They correlate with a host of sacred symbols, including the Seal of King Solomon, the five letters in the name of Jesus and his five wounds, as well as the sacred Pentagram. All five triangles are essentially feminine. They point downward, symbolizing the essence of the Kali yantra as compensating for an excessive masculine drive in the personality."

"Brunner defines Yantra as a linear representation on a specific surface, such as birch-bark… yantras almost inevitably have letters, seed (beeja) syllables or mantras inscribed in them….yantras have inscribed mantras."

"O Mistress of the kula, because it protects always from absolutely all dangers, such as Yama and (evil) spirits (bhuta), therefore it is called yantra."

"It subdues all evil , it protects the practitioner from great danger when worshipped (and) visualized (dhyana); therefore it is called yantra."

"Because it restrains all suffering arising from the defects (in the form) of desire, anger and so forth they call it yantra. The god who is worshipped in it graces (the practitioner)"

"They call it yantra because it restrains prolonged suffering arising from defects (in the form) of desire, anger and so forth."

"By regularly meditating on a specific yantra, you can tune in to the corresponding archtype to focus its healing energies in your psyche and foster personal growth."

"Yantra is an instrument of fastening."

"A general characteristic of yantras is that they are small in size."

"...and also a magic diagram. It is derived from the verbal root yam, ‘to control'."

"Yantra is an instrument designed to curb the psychic powers by concentrating them on pattern, and in such a way that this pattern becomes reproduced by the worshipper’s visualizing powers."

"Yantras are mystic diagrams and geometrical designs on which certain lettered or syllabic characters are written. They are made for the most diverse occasions and purposes. They are drawn or engraved on strips of palm-leaf or copper or gold foil and have the significance of amulets. They are worn in a little metal case round the neck or upper arms or even loins, as protection against any possible danger or harm. Some are made to injure another person or to augment the power of a spell against somebody."

"In Hindu devotional tradition, “yantra” is the general term for instruments of worship, namely, idols, pictures, or geometrical diagrams. A yantra may serve as a (1) representation of some personification or aspect of the divine, (2) a model for the worship of a divinity immediately within the heart after the paraphernalia of outward devotion (idols, perfumes, offerings, audibly uttered formulae) have been discarded by the advance initiate, (3) a kind of chart or schedule for the gradual evolution of a vision, while identifying the Self with its slowly varying contents that is to say, with divinity in all its phases of transformation. In this case the yantra contains dynamic elements."

"...when the Goddess is invited to take her place, before the moment of worship, the yoni mudra is made since the yoni, the female organ is her pitha or yantra. The yoni can never be regarded by Tantric adept otherwise than an altar."

"A yantra symbolically represents the human body and psyche. Most are circles enclosed in a square outer form with four gates. The square represents the ego consciousness, while the circle represents the unconscious. Whenever something unconscious becomes conscious, it is symbolized by a circle or a round shape, becoming a square or a cube. The square outer layer of a yantra represents the act of entering the circle, or the unconscious entering the consciousness."

"With the exception of yantras placed below temple statues at the time of consecration and yantras installed permanently for worship in mathas or temples, and a few other cases, yantras are generally mobile, whereas mandalas are not."

"Ali is acclaimed as the "Father of Sufism". Most of the Sufi orders claim their descent from Ali. According to Ali Hajjweri, the rank of Ali is very high in the line up of Sufism. According to Junayd of Baghdad, Ali is the Shaykh as regards the principles and practices of Sufism. … The roots of Sufism lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Holy Quran which are of a mystical character. The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be on him) himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave of Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The Holy Prophet was recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied in the Holy Quran, and the other that illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for a selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the Holy Prophet was thus book knowledge (ilm-i-Safina), and heart knowledge (ilm-i-Sina). Ali got this heart knowledge from the Holy Prophet."

"The Kali yantra is invoked when you are dealing with a major life crisis or trauma. It activates the latent code of Kali for the purpose of survival and mastery of an overwhelming situation....The mantra to guide your consciousness through the Kali yantra meditation is Om Kareeng Kalekaye Namah, which means “Salutations to Goddess Kali”."

"Love is the ark appointed for the righteous, Which annuls the danger and provides a way of escape. Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment. Cleverness is mere opinion, bewilderment intuition."

"Reason is like an officer when the King appears; The officer then loses his power and hides himself. Reason is the shadow cast by God; God is the sun."

"You must go to Mahometanism, to Buddhism, to the East, to the Sufis & Fakirs, to Pantheism, for the right growth of mysticism."

"This is what is signified by the words Anā l-Ḥaqq, "I am God." People imagine that it is a presumptuous claim, whereas it is really a presumptuous claim to say Ana 'l-'abd, "I am the slave of God"; and Anā l-Ḥaqq, "I am God" is an expression of great humility. The man who says Ana 'l-'abd, "I am the servant of God" affirms two existences, his own and God's, but he that says Anā l-Ḥaqq, "I am God" has made himself non-existent and has given himself up and says "I am God", that is, "I am naught, He is all; there is no being but God's." This is the extreme of humility and self-abasement."

"Is a Sufi a follower of Islam? The word Islam means 'peace'; this is the Arabic word. The Hebrew word is Salem (Jeru-salem). Peace and its attainment in all directions is the goal of the world. But if the following of Islam is understood to mean the obligatory adherence to a certain rite; if being a Muslim means conforming to certain restrictions, how can the Sufi be placed in that category, seeing that the Sufi is beyond all limitations of this kind? So, far from not accepting the Quran, the Sufi recognizes scriptures which others disregard. But the Sufi does not follow any special book. The shining ones, such as 'Attar, Shams-i Tabriz, Rumi, Sadi, and Hafiz, have expressed their free thought with a complete liberty of language. To a Sufi, revelation is the inherent property of every soul. There is an unceasing flow of the divine stream, which has neither beginning nor end."

"Strange as it may seem to our Western egoism, the prospect of sharing in the general, impersonal immortality of the human soul kindles in the Sufi an enthusiasm as deep and triumphant as that of the most ardent believer in a personal life continuing beyond the grave. Jalaluddin, after describing the evolution of man in the material world and anticipating his further growth in the spiritual universe, utters a heartfelt prayer — for what? — for self-annihilation in the ocean of the Godhead."

"Come, seek, for search is the foundation of fortune: every success depends upon focusing the heart."

"Sufism on its theosophical side is mainly a product of Greek speculation."

"is an important part in the origination of gradual development of Sufism. Some say it is the seed or root of Sufism."

"The distinctiveness of consists in the “sanctification” of work, which plays an equally, if not more important, role than meditation and prayer. Through this spirituality of work, [Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké (1853–1927)] inserted an authentically African element into Sufism, and at the same time exposed himself to criticism and reservations especially from circles."

"A Sufi is he, who not only wears coarse woolen garment, but, at the same time has a heart which is pure and filled with the love of God."

"To a Sufi the Teacher is never absent, whether he comes in one form or in a thousand forms he is always one to him, and the same One he recognizes to be in all, and all Teachers he sees in his one Teacher alone. For a Sufi, the self within, the self without, the kingdom of the earth, the kingdom of heaven, the whole being is his teacher, and his every moment is engaged in acquiring knowledge. For some, the Teacher has already come and gone, for others the Teacher may still come, but for a Sufi the Teacher has always been and will remain with him forever."

"Sufism has existed on the territory of what is now Kazakhstan for more than a [millennium]. It was largely suppressed by the Soviets, but it was reintroduced largely by ethnic Kazakhs returning from abroad, and now is growing because of its ability to adapt to new conditions, [Kazakh sociologist of religion] Aygerim Temirbayeva says."

"The religion of the Sufi is not separate from the religions of the world. People have fought in vain about the names and lives of their saviors, and have named their religions after the name of their savior, instead of uniting with each other in the truth that is taught. This truth can be traced in all religions, whether one community calls another pagan or infidel or heathen. Such persons claim that theirs is the only scripture, and their place of worship the only abode of God. Sufism is a name applied to a certain philosophy by those who do not accept the philosophy; hence it cannot really be described as a religion; it contains a religion but is not itself a religion. Sufism is a religion if one wishes to learn religion from it. But it is beyond religion, for it is the light, the sustenance of every soul, raising the mortal being to immortality."

"He that is purified by Love is pure (Safi), and he who is purified by the Beloved in Sufi."

"The mysticism of Islam is known as Sufism. "Sufis believe that the world can never remain without a qutb upon whom depends the preservation of the faith and the guidance of human beings. He is nearest to God , the guardian of the faith and receives instructions from Allah directly.""

"Their mystical path is the path of Love which ends with the realization of the absolute unification with the Reality."

"All things are but masks at God's beck and call, They are symbols that instruct us that God is all."

"Tantra says: Don’t focus your attention on the acts, focus your attention on the person who has done the acts. Yoga focuses on acts. Tantra focuses on the person, on the consciousness, on you."

"Come you lost Atoms to your Centre draw, And be the Eternal Mirror that you saw: Rays that have wander'd into Darkness wide Return and back into your Sun subside."

"Tantra believes not in GRADUAL development of the soul, but in sudden enlightenment."

"Tantra is a very very poetic approach, not arithmetical. And tantra believes in love, not in mathematics. It believes in sudden enlightenment."

"The Sea Will be the Sea Whatever the drop's philosophy."

"Tantra is a great hope. Tantra is like an oasis in a world of deserts."

"The ordinary society is like a paperweight on you: it won't allow you to fly."

"Tantra says readjustment, adjustment, is not the goal; it is not worth much – transformation is the goal."