Chapter XVIII - Symbolical yoga cult of mudra or chakra diagrams

Om the object of Yoga meditation, being already described in sections IX. &c. of this article as symbolical of Divine nature, and its different divisions as emblematical of the eternal attributes or hypostases of the Self—same Unity, they are as shown before, represented by the component letters of that mystic syllable, and meditated upon by the mental arithmetic of the speculative theosophist, the vedantist and yogi. But as the majority of people of grosser understandings are more dependant on ocular and sensible symbolism than abstract idealism, the Tantras have purposely contrived many a figure and diagram (Mudras and Chakras) for their guidance, of which we will give a few below with their geometrical names and notations.

It will appear from the diagrams described hereafter that Om the symbol of Brahman the Universal Sat or existence, serves to show us as a chart of the world, or representation of the cranium, everything existing in the physical and intellectual world, which is expressed by the word Om ( ~~), in its different divisions and partitions for our meditation and contemplation. The pious and religious spiritualist may employ them in Divine contemplation, but the majority are at liberty to use them in the meditation of every other subject which comes to be comprised within the compass of their thought, in the groups of significations which the letters are said to convey. Hence the Yoga of old, meant only an intense application of the mind to all subjects of thought and knowledge. Thus the end of our Yoga philosophy is not only the abstruse meditation of Divine attributes, but the mental reflection of every thing besides.