Potent as it is, in tantric art the lotus is a symbol of the expanding consciousness, which ultimately raises the aspirant from the dark depths of ignorance to the radiant heights of inner awakening. Because of its smooth and oily surface the lotus is not affected by the water in which it grows. Hence just as the lotus plant grows in the 'darkness of mud' and gradually blossoms out to the surface of water, unsullied by the mud and water which nourishes it, so the inner-self transcends beyond its own material limits, uncorrupted and untarnished by illusion and ignorance.
The lotus blossom is one of the principal archetypal symbols used in yantras. Generally centered on the axis with its petals unfolding towards the circumference, it is the appropriate image to illustrate the unfolding of power of the divine essence. Because of its associations with progression, development and the life-expanding quality, the lotus represents the 'out-petalling' of the soul-flower in the process of spiritual realization. Hence in ancient cosmology, the lotus is also associated with creation myths. It is, for example, often depicted as springing from Vishnu's navel, supporting and giving birth to Brahma, the creator.
Once Brahma creates the universe, Vishnu comes to the world in one of his ten forms or incarnations, to preserve order and ensure justice.
This is one of the cycles of creation. At its end, Shiva dances and the universe is destroyed. Brahma falls asleep, and the lotus closes and goes back into Vishnu's navel. Vishnu then sleeps on the serpent's coils. The process eventually begins all over again. The lotus hence here represents the unfolding of a new age (Yuga in Sanskrit); similarly in a yantra it signifies the awakening of the inner self.
Since the earliest times, the lotus has always been a symbol of the citadel of the heart, the seat of the Self. Yogis believe that there are actual spiritual centers within us whose essential nature and luminosity can be experienced during meditation. These spiritual centers are often represented symbolically as lotuses, and their 'opening up' implies the state of complete repose when the purpose of yogic meditation is attained.
In the final analysis, though a yantra is made up of different elements, the fundamental aim of ritual and meditation is to fuse all these dimensions, and to facilitate the adept's spiritual journey, as follows:
The outermost square sanctuary has a landing before each of its four gates. This is a two dimensional representation of a low flight of steps leading up from the ground to the raised floor of the sanctuary. This sanctuary is the seat of the divinity. This is exactly the model on which the Hindu temple is built. Hence each Hindu temple is a yantra in itself.
Once the spiritual seeker enters the square enclosure, and starts moving towards the center, the symbol of the flowering lotus represents the awakening of his/her inner consciousness to its maximum potential. As the journey progresses, the adept encounters the various aspects of manifestation inherent in nature, symbolized by the male and female principles (the triangles). These are bounded within a circle. This symbolizes that all reality is confined within these concepts. The journey towards the center encompasses both distance and the course of time. This space time continuum is represented by the straight line.
Finally the devotee reaches the center, the reservoir of all knowledge and the final goal of his journey. But the spiritual awareness generated within him during his penetration to the central essence makes him realize that this point is nothing but the center of his own heart, the innermost realm of his being. This realization is the ultimate aim of the yantra.
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