Adam Blatner

I find the diagram known as the Shree Yantra to be a profound one that I use to exercise my imagination. In the following freehand drawing, I note within each triangle its own sort-of maze.

What this symbolizes for me is this. The eight central triangles and the one that weaves them together is the self-and-its-roles, and the unfolding of each key role has had its own path, full of twists and turns. These micro-mazes only hint at the richness of the psyche, and how it is affected by events  and people, readings and other unconscious influences within the psyche, temperament and interests, etc.

The next layer out represents the intimate social network, the key friends, spouse( s), parents, teachers, children. Each of these deeply influence the events and unfolding of the many parts of the self, and each has also his or her own complex make-up.

The last layer out, the biggest 14 triangles represent the outside world, a multi-faceted world. One’s job or professional affiliations, religion, political allies and enemies, recreational interests, heroes, sports teams, and other elements—they are marvelously unique. Very few if any others have the same make-up, and even then, they don’t give the same interpretation to the many issues involved.

Even this complexity is highly simplified and more, all these configurations are themselves re-arranging, because changing times lead to changing “self.” Some things that once were exciting and new are now familiar and boring. New horizons appear in unexpected ways. The other thing about the diagram is that it is associated with a type of Yoga that invites us to back off and both reflect and let go a bit. Wow!