In the Tantric path, a Yantra is not just a diagram to be looked at — it is a cosmic doorway, a living map of consciousness. The journey it invites you to take is one that moves from the outer eye to the inner sky, from visible geometry to the infinite Chid Ākāśa — the space of pure awareness.

This article explores the precise process of how to transition from open-eye Yantra contemplation to inner absorption in the blackness behind closed eyes, and how this blackness itself transforms into the luminous field of consciousness.

1. Manas and the Role of the Mind in Yantra Practice

In the Vedantic and Tantric view, the Manas is the inner instrument that receives sensory impressions, holds them, and reflects upon them. In Yantra practice, the Manas serves as a mirror that first captures the outer form of the Yantra and then projects it inward.

When you gaze at a Yantra with open eyes, you are feeding the Manas with the geometry of divinity — lines, curves, bindu (point), and proportions that are said to match the vibratory structure of higher reality.

“Yantraṁ darśayataḥ cakṣur na sādhakaḥ bahirbhavet”
– Kāmikāgama: The gaze upon the Yantra is itself a step toward inwardness.

2. Chid Ākāśa – The Conscious Inner Sky

Chid Ākāśa (also called Chittākāśa) is not physical space. It is the subtle, infinite field of awareness in which all mental images and perceptions appear. In Yogic language, it is the canvas upon which the Manas paints.

When the Manas becomes still, the Chid Ākāśa is revealed as clear, unbounded presence. In advanced practice, this inner sky is not blank — it is alive, shimmering with potential, and capable of revealing deeper layers of reality.

3. The Blackness Behind Closed Eyes

When you close your eyes after gazing at a Yantra, you first encounter blackness. To the ordinary mind, this blackness may seem like absence, but to the Tantric adept, it is Devī’s hidden form — the veil of Mahāmāyā, the Cosmic Womb (Yoni Ākāśa) from which all form emerges.

In the Tripurārahasya, this is described as the state beyond name and form, where Devī dwells invisibly.

“Yatra nāsti nāma rūpaṁ, tatra devī svayam sthitā”
– Tripurārahasya

This darkness is a threshold — a liminal zone where the sensory mind dissolves and the awareness begins to perceive subtle vibration and light.

4. The Two Phases of Yantra Contemplation

Tantric practice divides Yantra contemplation into two essential stages:

Phase 1 – Bahya Dr̥ṣṭi (External Seeing)

• Sit with the Yantra placed at eye level.

• Gaze softly and steadily, focusing on the bindu or central triangle.

• Avoid strain; let the Yantra “enter” the mind.

• This phase imprints the form into Manas.

Phase 2 – Antar Dr̥ṣṭi (Internal Seeing)

• Close your eyes after steady gazing.

• You will see an afterimage on the blackness — sometimes glowing, sometimes shifting.

• Instead of chasing clarity, let it stabilize naturally.

• This black canvas is the Chid Ākāśa, and the Yantra’s subtle form now resides there.

In this inner seeing, the Yantra becomes alive. With sustained practice, it may begin to vibrate, rotate, or radiate light — signs of activation in the inner space.

5. The Role of Nāda (Inner Sound)

When the Yantra settles in the Chid Ākāśa, the Nāda (inner sound) often awakens. In Nāda Yoga, sound is the bridge between form and formlessness.

The Nāda-Bindu Upaniṣad says:

“Nāda is the bow, the Self is the arrow, Brahman is the target.”

As you contemplate the inner Yantra, listen into the silence. You may hear:

• A high-pitched ringing

• Bells

• A flute-like tone

• A deep hum

These are nāda threads, guiding the awareness deeper into unity with the space itself.

6. Entering the Inner Sky – Step-by-Step Guide

Preparation:

• Choose a Yantra (e.g., Śrī Yantra or specific Devī Yantra).

• Sit comfortably, spine erect.

Step 1 – Outer Gaze (Open Eyes)

• Gaze at the Yantra for 3–10 minutes.

• Keep attention on the bindu, letting peripheral geometry sink into awareness.

Step 2 – Transition to Inner Sky (Eyes Closed)

• Gently close eyes; notice the afterimage.

• Place attention on the blackness itself — not avoiding it, but letting it be the support for the Yantra.

Step 3 – Stabilization

• Allow the inner Yantra to glow or pulse.

• If it fades, gently recall its outline and let it reappear.

Step 4 – Nāda Integration

• Begin silent listening.

• If a sound arises, let it merge with the vision.

Step 5 – Dissolution

• In advanced stages, the Yantra will dissolve into pure Chid Ākāśa.

• Remain in that formless awareness.

7. Why the Blackness is the Gateway

The blackness when the eyes are closed is:

• The threshold between sensory withdrawal and inner vision.

• The Devī’s hidden form — the unmanifest.

• The true canvas of meditation — Chid Ākāśa awaiting revelation.

In this blackness, Manas is quiet and the Self witnesses directly.
The journey is not to escape the blackness but to enter it fully until it reveals its luminous nature.

8. A Mantra to Energize the Inner Yantra

While contemplating the inner Yantra in blackness, silently chant:

“Oṁ Hrīṁ Śrīṁ Bhuvaneśvaryai Namaḥ”

Let the mantra vibrate through the inner space, making the Yantra alive with Devī’s presence.

9. Final Understanding – From Form to Formlessness

The essence of this journey:

1. Outer Form – Yantra on paper, seen with eyes.

2. Inner Form – Yantra impression in Chid Ākāśa.

3. Vibrating Form – Yantra alive with nāda and light.

4. Formless Awareness – Chid Ākāśa alone remains, luminous and infinite.

This is the realization: the Yantra was never outside — it was always the mind’s reflection of the Self, and the blackness was never empty, it was the Devī’s eternal body.

Closing Reflection

When you next sit with a Yantra, remember:
You are not merely looking — you are stepping into a doorway to the inner sky. The lines and curves are Śakti’s invitation to meet Her in the silence behind your eyes, where blackness is not absence but the cosmic womb, and where Chid Ākāśa shines in its own light.

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