Meditation is the practice of quieting our minds and accessing our energy centers. Many paths lead to a meditative state. To help us reach that quiet place, some people use everyday items like stones, images, and symbols.
What are the Most Powerful Meditation Symbols in Modern Yoga?
Yoga symbols visually represent meditative states of mind. Yoga is a powerful meditation and spiritual practice that can recharge the body, help center your thoughts and energy, and bring inner peace.
Yoga practice and meditation symbols are used before and after yoga to channel an energy flow and create a spiritual path. The deeper meanings of these ancient sacred symbols may be hidden, but consistent meditation using these popular symbols can unlock hidden wisdom.
Exploring these spiritual symbols and images can help you connect with divine energy during your meditation practice and in daily life.
Below are symbols you can incorporate into your next meditation session or yoga routine.
OM Symbol
The Om symbol is a well-known symbol. It is one of the most sacred Hindu mantras and is most common in meditation practice. The popular om symbol is believed to have the meaning of the universe in a straightforward sound.
Almost all yogis use the “Om” symbol/image to attain the highest level of focus and channel all positive energies towards oneself. Before every yoga asana, many yoga teachers have the class chant “OM” while inhaling and exhaling.
There are different sounds of Om. If you break the sound down, three main sounds represent different Hindu temples:
A (aahh): The beginning sound is A, representing the waking state of mind. It symbolizes the creation of the universe. U (oooh): The Middle Part of the "OM" sound is the dreaming state of mind. It symbolizes the existence of the body beyond its physical state. M (mmm): the last part of the "OM" sound is the deep sleeping state. This is where the spirits connect to the divine forces of the universe.
The OM symbol brings the focus, calm, and relaxation needed during the meditation process.
This popular OM symbol can help bring calm, focus, and positivity during difficult situations.
Mandala Symbol
The mandala symbol depicts the universe’s harmony and the circle of life. Mandalas are found across all cultures. A circle is the most common mandala shape, but mandalas also come in squares. Mandalas have intricate patterns, like a conch shell, and the spaces within them are spiritual. Think of each space in a mandala as sacred. They usually represent a higher state of consciousness and also have universal appeal. Use this symbol to help you stay in the present moment and access your spiritual world.
Some places you can find the mandala symbol:
- Celtic spirals and knot work
- Christianity – rose windows, rosary, halos
- Chinese Yin and Yang symbol
- Hindu Yantras
- Labyrinths
- Native American – medicine wheel, dream catchers, Native American shields
- Navajo Sand Paintings
- Tibetan Sand Mandalas
- Calendars follow cycles of time. i.e., Gregorian, Astrological, and Mayan calendars
Lotus Flower Symbol (Open and Closed)
The human mind is a complex yet powerful tool. The open Lotus flower symbolizes enlightenment and the wakefulness of the human mind. The lotus symbolizes the mind’s purity, but different colors tell different stories.
According to Women’s Day magazine, the lotus flower comes in many colors, which come with different meanings:
- White: Also considered “the womb of the world” (like a baby), the white lotus signifies purity, grace, beauty, wealth, knowledge, and fertility.
- Pink: Typically referenced in Buddhism, the pink lotus symbolizes Buddha’s earthly symbol. When a pink lotus is a closed bud, it means a spiritual journey. When it’s open in bloom, it means enlightenment.
- Yellow: A yellow lotus flower symbolizes curiosity, openness, and hospitality.
- Red: A red lotus flower signifies compassion, sympathy, and passion. Think of it like a red rose. It’s your heart.
- Blue: A rare lotus, a blue one of its kind, represents wisdom.
- Purple: Also rare, the purple lotus (often referenced in Buddhism) symbolizes balance within yourself and self-enlightenment.
A closed lotus flower symbolizes seeking enlightenment; an open lotus flower, on the other hand, represents having achieved enlightenment. A guru/Yoga practitioner will always have an open lotus flower for meditation and sacred spaces.
HAMSA Symbol (Hand of Fatima)
HAMSA is associated with protection and good fortune. Usually depicted with a third eye on the hand, some refer to this symbol as the “evil eye symbol”. Use this symbol for calming during anxiety or panic attacks. Many religions use meditation hand symbols as a true representation of the world and its energies. This symbol represents a hand with five fingers that describe the elements or chakras.
- Tip of your Thumb: Solar chakra or the fire element
- Index finger: Heart chakra of the air element
- Middle finger: Throat chakra of the Ethereal elements
- Ring finger: Root chakra or the Earth element
- Pinky finger: Sacral chakra or the water element
In many parts of the world, the Hamsa Hand is considered powerful enough to ward off negativity and evil from oneself or one’s surroundings during meditation. It’s also one of the many ubiquitous symbols in many religions.
Beyond yoga and meditation, this symbol appears in jewelry, tapestries, and tattoos as a sign of good luck and protection.
Buddha (Budhi)
In the world of meditation and yoga, the emblem is easy to visualize but the hardest to realize during and after meditation practice. If a guru has gained Buddha, he is known to have gained Budhi, the true sense of wakefulness and enlightenment.
Buddhist yogis are known to be the calmest people on earth. Buddhists live by three simple yet healthy lifestyle rules:
not to judge have no hate never be ignorant
The Buddha refers to Siddhattha Gotama (563 to 493 BC), the founder of Buddhism. A real Buddha, i.e., a teacher, is honest, generous, non-judgmental, patient, and non-violent. To gain Buddhi, you need more than the image of Buddha alone in your meditation room. To achieve Buddhi, you need to have mastered the following before and after meditation.
● Let go of your ignorance.
● You should have no hate towards anyone
● Anger shouldn’t be a part of you
Why are Meditation Symbols Important in Spiritual Practice?
Every yoga symbol/image has unique power, and yogis can use these energy symbols to achieve the highest level of inner peace, patience, happiness, spiritual energy, and concentration. These happiness symbols are believed to unlock power with true belief, meaning you can master the elements of the earth, inner peace, and their powers if you attain complete focus. During meditation, spiritual practice, and yoga classes, gurus use these symbols to visualize the flow of energy and achieve their heart’s desires. Many may not believe in the power of these symbols, but the power indeed lies within the beholder’s mind.
Yoga and meditation practices go back centuries; these common symbols are thousands of years old and are used to achieve the ultimate connection with the divine to gain patience, wakefulness, and inner peace. These symbols can only help you achieve greatness and do you no harm. The true meaning of these symbols lies not in the image but in the belief behind the vector image of the yoga symbol.
The next time you sit down to relax and do yoga, use these symbols in your thoughts to make your yoga more potent and spiritual.