Sit comfortably at a table or desk. Prop up the yantra one to two feet away, directly in front of your gaze, or watch it on a monitor.

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As you look at the yantra, focus on its center. This dot in the center is called the bindu, which represents the unity that underlies all the diversity of the physical world. Now allow your eyes to see the triangle that encloses the bindu. The downward-pointing triangle represents the feminine creative power, the womb of all creation, while the upward-facing triangle represents male energy, movement, and transformation.

Allow your vision to expand to include the circles outside of the triangles. They represent the cycles of cosmic rhythms. The image of the circle embodies the notion that time has no beginning and no end. The farthest region of space and the innermost nucleus of an atom both pulsate with the same rhythmic energy of creation. That rhythm is within you and without you.

Now bring your awareness to the lotus petals outside the circle—they are pointing outward, as if opening. They illustrate the unfolding of our understanding. The lotus also represents the heart, the seat of the Self. When the heart opens, understanding comes.

The square at the outside of the yantra represents the world of form, the material world that our senses show us, the illusion of separateness, well-defined edges, and boundaries. At the periphery of the figure are four T-shaped portals, or gateways. Notice that they point toward the interior of the yantra, the inner spaces of life. They represent our earthly passage from the external and material to the internal and sacred.

Now take a moment to gaze into the yantra, and as if in slow motion, let the different shapes and patterns emerge naturally, allowing your eyes to be held loosely in focus. Gaze at the center of the yantra. You are gazing on perfection: the golden ratio. Pure balance and equilibrium. Drink it in. Without moving your eyes, gradually and very slowly begin to expand your field of vision, lingering over each layer as you expand your vision. Continue slowly expanding your vision until you are taking in information from greater than 180 degrees.

Now slowly reverse the process by gently drawing your attention back in. Slowly move from taking in everything around you, and begin to narrow your gaze. Move your awareness slowly back to the yantra’s four gates, and stay there for a few moments. Then ever so gently, move deeper into the yantra. Drift your soft gaze slowly back through each circular channel of lotus petals and triangles and ultimately back to the bindu—back to the source. Take a few minutes to do this. This process of moving back to the bindu is called “involution”—moving from multiplicity, our multidimensionality to one-ness as you drift your awareness back into the center of the yantra, layer by layer.

You don’t need to stare at the yantra beyond a comfortable amount of time; five to 15 minutes is perfect. And now go through the process of evolution and involution.

After you have gazed at the yantra for a few minutes, gently close your eyes for between five and 25 minutes, and let the yantra unfold in your mind’s eye. This practice of letting the yantra unfold within you is a powerful part of the meditation, as the stored geometric images drift you back and forth between DOing and BEing. The patterns of creativity represented by these primordial shapes express the fundamental forces of nature that flow through existence and through you. When you are done with both parts of the meditation, feel free to just sit and slowly let the subtle nature of what you just experienced ripple through your thoughts, your being, and your breath. Notice how you feel. Notice the volume and the activity levels of the world around you and then become aware of the world within you. Just witness yourself through the whole process. And breathe.

Remember to be gentle with yourself, and take a few minutes to sit quietly before you resume physical activity. The trancelike effect of the sri yantra meditation can carry over into the next few hours of your day, so make sure not to drive or operate heavy equipment immediately following this or any form of meditation.