Vedic Yantra Introduction and Background

Vedic Yantra well known in many cultures and traditions that colours and shapes convey healing vibrations to the viewer and can affect one’s mood and energy. In Eenie’s World Eenie suggests a happy healthy world through our individual world – feeling good!  Let the children – and everyone – express themselves, not only with words, but by painting, singing, dancing and interacting.

One important way is by investigating methods to become calm and serene – to pause and become aware of this wonderful world. Indeed  through the power of sacred geometry in accordance with the ancient Vedic tradition through the ability to raising or harmonise energy. Yantras (Sanskrit यन्त्र yantra, n., from yam “to support”, “to hold”) are coded diagrams  that activate energy and are widespread in Vedic Sanatan Dharma  and are used for meditation. Yantras can act like a beautiful gateway to your inner world.

What is a Yantra? A Yantra is –

a name for geometric diagram that comes from a very ancient tradition of the Eastern culture,

• it is abstract yet elegant in its simplicity and is easy to play with,
• it is a powerful way of getting in touch with oneself, with the feelings and emotions we might not be conscious or aware of,
• it is a visual tool for meditation practices and an easy way to calm and focus the mind,
• is a form visual therapy,
•  is a mystery

This can be a wonderful world to explore at any time of life and, given the wonderful fresh imagination of children so much is possible by understanding Yantras.

Playful interaction can be helpful for children. For instance you  may ask:  If you look at the picture for a while, the colours, the shapes, then your vision blurs and you finally close your eyes, what do you see in your mind’s eye?

• what comes alive?
• Which parts of your body do you feel more than others? How does that feel? Are there areas that get warm or tingle? How are you?
• What are you feeling? joy, happiness, strength, restlessness, fear?

If you look at the picture for a long time and imagine that it is a gateway to another world…

• What does it look like there?
• How does it feel?
• How are you feeling there?

A vedic yantra is essentially a geometrical composition that varies according to the use. Though two dimensional artwork, yantras can achieve depth and full dimension especially by abstract images of the chakras, which are the subtle energy centres or power circuits in our bodies we discuss in Eenie’s Balanced yoga for Families.

It is so amazing to understand that we have such energy centres that we cannot see usually – yet we can become aware of and feel though focused activities. The visualisation, for instance, followed by visionary artists in the past enabled tools for development and balanced growth as one becomes more mature.

By immersing yourself in the respective picture, perception changes and the journey inward begins. Colours and shapes affect our subconscious and our chakra system.

They can help to release existing health or mental blockages – improving our wellbeing – and initiate healing processes, similar to the vibrations of a mantra as are mentioned in Eenie’s balanced Yoga.

Yantras are graphic representations

In essence yantras are graphic representations with beautiful positive spiritual  meaning. Yantras may be drawn or painted on any material, out of any substance.

A yantra, in the Vedic tradition, is a tool for spiritual advancement – for focused meditation and connection with the divine or Creation. A yantra may also be described as the visual form of a mantra or sacred chant or a prayer. While there is no real parallel for the term in English a yantra may be summarised as a two- dimensional diagram in which visualised energies are concentrated or simply a field of energy.

With its connected mantra a yantra consists of stored imagery of sight and sound, psychic and mystical content. Its creative application is most beneficial to the healthy mind. Through such drawing and colouring the practice of abstract visualisation – and then deep meditation – can be developed.

The deeper the viewer can become involved with the yantra, the more profound the effect. This is especially the case for children, whose fantasy world is still well developed, it can be very helpful to focus and achieve balance with the power of visualisation.

Exploring the world of Yantra

By exploring the world of Yantra, children not only discover a beautiful form of self-expression but also gain tools to calm, centre, and focus their minds.

Introducing Vedic Yantra to children through simple, playful activities can be a lovely way to help them connect with meditation and joy. In today’s fast-paced world, nurturing awareness, creativity, and calm in our children can be a meaningful way to help them develop focus, inner peace, and a stronger connection to themselves and their surroundings.

This selection offers a collection of child-friendly activities inspired by Yantra – sacred geometric designs that have long been used to cultivate focus, meditation, and tranquillity in Vedic culture and all over the world.

Each activity here provides a gentle introduction to mindful focus and the calming qualities of yantra-based meditation. Through colouring, creating with natural materials, visualizing, and simple breathing techniques, children can explore these practices in a fun, engaging, and accessible way.

Yantra exercises

These Yantra exercises are designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity, and teach simple techniques to focus the mind, while enjoying a shared, enriching experience with the parent or teacher.

Try any of these activities at a relaxed pace that suits your child. Some may prefer quiet colouring or breathing exercises, while others may enjoy the hands-on elements like creating patterns with leaves and stones. The goal is not perfection but to let children experience and enjoy the process – engaging their imagination, connecting with nature, and finding moments of stillness in a fun and relaxed way.

Whether you incorporate these practices into your routine or simply use them occasionally, each activity serves as a gentle stepping stone toward cultivating awareness, balance, and joy. These gentle, creative activities can introduce the meditative essence of yantras to children while keeping the sessions fun and relaxed.

Yantra for Children Suggestions and Guidelines for Facilitator/Parents

The Benefits of the vedic yantra / mandala colouring process can be found in:

“repetitive creative work “ which is very calming for the busy, anxious mind,

• a fun game of active meditation for children that helps to train their mind to stay focused in the present moment,
• lessons on colour coordination as a gentle, safe way of expressing emotions,
• exploring the personality of a child from the inside out through yantra concentration,
• a yantra pause in the day – “just slowing down “ – which is quite challenging thing to do for most children as well as adults,
• a way of relaxation through yantra and inner focus,
• cultivate moment to moment awareness – mindfulness, as a non-judgemental process that teaches being present to whatever emerge, being in the present moment fully,
• a form of active yantra meditation,
• learning to become comfortable with abstract and formless,
• a self awareness practice

The Benefits of sharing the coloured yantras with other children or / and with the facilitator –

• the process helps to support and respect each others work without judgement,
• it builds confidence in one’s skills of creative expression,

Simple Instructions for a yantra colouring play / party –

• ask the child/children to choose from nine yantra designs and colour as they wish
• suggest the theme for play- for example – select, colour and consider:
• examine your mood right now / after the walk / the beach / etc,
• your favourite feeling / etc,
• how did you feel after activities – watching the movie / talking with / etc,
• your favourite place you visited, etc,
• favourite food, etc,
• your favourite animal / wild animal / etc,
• nature – ocean / trees / breeze / sun / moon / clouds / etc,
• your friends and family,
• your future you would like
• ask if they like to name the yantra after colouring it
• offer to share their with others and talk / share about their process

Here are a few yantra activity ideas designed to be engaging and fun:

1. Colouring Yantras

Materials Needed: Printouts of basic vedic yantra designs templates on paper + crayons, markers, water colours or coloured pencils.

Yantra Activity: Guide children to colour in the shapes while listening to gentle music or chanting. Encourage them to focus on each shape as they colour, this can help their minds relax and be calm, explaining the basic meaning of the particular yantra.

Purpose: This exercise can foster focus and introduce them to the concept of mindful colouring as a meditative activity.

2. Creating Yantras with Natural Materials

Materials Needed: Sand, stones, leaves, petals, chalk, flowers, small stones, sticks, pinecones, shells, or any natural items found in the environment.

Yantra Activity: Outdoors or on a tray, invite the children to collect items around them. Once they have gathered materials, show them how to create a simple mandala or yantra-like pattern on the ground, using symmetry and shapes. Encourage them to arrange their items carefully and to take slow breaths with each placement.

Purpose: This hands-on activity encourages grounding and focus, it connects children to nature and encourages mindfulness through tactile exploration, while gently introducing the balance and focus involved in creating a yantra.

3. Yantra Drawing and Visualization

Materials Needed: Blank paper, markers, and optional printed shapes as guides.

Yantra Activity: Have the children draw a simple shape, such as a triangle or square, and focus on breathing while they fill in the pattern. Guide them to close their eyes after drawing and visualize their shape, breathing calmly.

Purpose: Helps children learn to calm their mind, visualize, and practice basic meditation techniques.

4. Guided Vedic Yantra Meditation

Materials Needed: Simple yantra design (drawn or printed), calm environment.

Activity: Show the children a Vedic Yantra printed and encourage them to gaze at the centre point for a few seconds. Guide them in a short breathing exercise while they look at the yantra, telling them it’s a special shape that brings calm and feeling good.

Purpose: Helps introduce children to the practice of focusing on a single object as a form of meditation.

5. Yantra Story Time

Materials Needed: A storybook or simple story about the symbolism of yantras or shapes in nature.

Yantra Activity: Read a short, engaging story about a yantra’s meaning, like how the triangle symbolizes strength, the circle represents unity or the square means stability. Let them discuss what they feel about these shapes and how they can imagine it in nature or life.

Purpose: Connects yantras to storytelling and imagination, making it more relatable for children and sparking curiosity.

6. Creating Yantra Mandalas with Play Dough

Materials Needed: Different colours of play dough, flat surface or a tray.

Yantra Activity: Show children a few simple yantra patterns or a circular mandala as inspiration. Let them create their own yantras by shaping play dough into circles, triangles, or other basic forms. Encourage them to focus on their breathing as they mould each shape.

Purpose: Combines creativity with a tactile experience that helps improve focus and introduces mindful breathing through a fun, sensory activity.

7. “Find the Centre” Yantra Activity

Materials Needed: Pre-drawn yantras or mandala patterns with a clear centre, coloured markers.

Yantra Activity: Provide children with yantras that have a focal centre. Ask them to colour from the centre outward while taking deep, slow breaths, or to follow the lines of the yantra inward. Explain how the centre of the yantra represents calmness, and they can “find their own calm centre” as they colour.

Purpose: Teaches mindfulness and awareness through guided focus on a single point, helping children learn a simple technique to calm their thoughts.

8. Sand / Salt Yantra Tracing

Materials Needed: Tray filled with fine sand or salt, a small stick or pencil for drawing.

Activity: Show the children a simple vedic yantra pattern, such as a circle with a triangle in the centre. Encourage them to gently draw their own yantra in the sand or salt. After each attempt, they can “erase” it by smoothing the surface and trying again.

Purpose: Provides a calming and tactile experience that encourages focus and helps them understand the impermanence of thoughts by “erasing” and starting over.

9. Yantra Breathing Balloons

Materials Needed: Balloons, permanent markers.

Yantra Activity: Inflate a balloon and let the children draw a basic yantra pattern on it with a marker. Instruct them to slowly inhale, then exhale and watch how the yantra moves as they breathe into the balloon. This can lead to laughter and engagement while teaching slow, steady breathing. Purpose: Helps children practice rhythmic breathing in a fun and interactive way, reinforcing the link between breath and calmness.

10. Painted Rock Yantras

Materials Needed: Flat stones, paints or markers.

Yantra Activity: Give each child a small stone to paint their own yantra or symbol on. Guide them to focus on each stroke, treating it as a calming practice. Afterward, they can keep the stone as a “peaceful rock” Orr “protective rock” to hold or look at during moments when they need to feel safe and centred.

Purpose: Introduces the idea of a “grounding object” that can bring comfort, helping them connect a yantra with the idea of staying calm and focused.

11. Walking Yantra Meditation

Materials Needed: Outdoor space with a clear path – or sand, if possible.

Yantra Activity: Create a simple yantra design (like a spiral or square) on the ground with stones, sticks, or even drawn in the sand. Ask the children to walk along the pattern slowly, focusing on each step as they breathe deeply. Encourage them to notice the earth beneath their feet and the rhythm of their movement.

Purpose: Introduces moving meditation while connecting children to the earth, helping them experience calm and focus through physical movement.

12. Sunrise or Sunset Breath with Yantra Visualization

Materials Needed: A quiet spot outdoors with a view of the sunrise or sunset, a simple yantra visual on a card.

Yantra Activity: Guide the children to sit with their backs straight, looking at the sunrise or sunset. Have them hold a small yantra image in their hands or mind, taking slow breaths as they imagine the light filling the shapes in the yantra. They can close their eyes and picture the light moving in harmony with the shapes as they breathe.

Purpose: Teaches visualization meditation with a nature component, helping children to feel peaceful and grounded in their environment.

13. Wish Stone Yantra

Materials Needed: Small, smooth stones, paint or markers.

Yantra Activity: Have each child choose a “wish stone” from nature. Guide them to draw simple yantra patterns on the stone and encourage them to make a wish as they create their design. Afterward, they can place their stone in a special spot, like a “wish altar,” or keep it as a lucky charm to remind them of their wish.

Purpose: Allows children to channel positive intentions into a personal, tactile object, blending creativity with the power of a wish.

14. Blossom Wish Mandala

Materials Needed: Flower petals, small leaves, other natural items.

Activity: Ask the children to think of a wish and then arrange petals and leaves into a simple circular or star-like mandala. With each petal or item they add, they can silently repeat their wish. Afterward, they can take a moment to visualize their wish coming true as they look at their completed mandala.

Purpose: Combines creativity with gentle awareness, teaching children to focus and feel gratitude for their wishes and dreams.

15. Wishing Tree Vedic Yantra

Materials Needed: Small branch (set in a jar or vase), paper, string, coloured pens.

Yantra Activity: Invite the children to write or draw their wishes on small pieces of paper, incorporating simple yantra shapes if they like. Each child ties their paper to the branch, creating a “wishing tree” yantra. After each child adds a wish, the tree becomes a collective symbol of hope.

Purpose: Encourages children to express their wishes and share them with the group, building a supportive environment while experiencing the calming process of creating a yantra-inspired wish.

16. Petal-by-Petal Wish Yantra

Materials Needed: Large flower with distinct petals, or craft paper cut into petal shapes.

Yantra Activity: Guide children to make a wish on each petal as they add it to a center point, arranging them to form a simple flower or yantra-like shape. They can close their eyes, take a deep breath, and release their wishes as they finish, feeling the calm of the whole completed flower.

Purpose: Teaches children patience and mindfulness while encouraging them to focus on their hopes in a calming, structured way.

17. Sunlight Wish Yantra

Materials Needed: A sunny day, a quiet outdoor spot.

Yantra Activity: Ask the children to close their eyes, feel the warmth of the sun, and make a wish. Then, guide them to imagine the sun filling a yantra shape (like a star or circle) in their mind. Explain that they can return to this “sun yantra” in their imagination anytime they want to feel safe or calm.

Purpose: Introduces the calming concept of visualization and connects it with nature’s energy, making wishes feel empowering and memorable.

 

• Dr Linda S Spedding
• International Lawyer and Advisor
• www.lindaspedding.org
• www.womeninlawinternational.com
• Working President, Adhyatmik Foundation Inc,
• Trustee VAS and WSS Registered Charities, U.K. and India
• Bharat Gaurav Lifetime Achievement Award 2016
• World Book of Records Individual Excellence Award 2022
• www.adhyatmik.org