Suea Koo
Stalking Twin Tigers
Two stalking tigers stepping low towards each other, with a fan of five spires and a narrow column of Khom signs between them.
✦Meaning & Background
Two full-bodied tigers stalk towards each other with lowered heads and one front paw raised, their tails curled up over their backs. Between them a fan of five spires stands above a column of unalome signs and Khom letters, with open arcs of script running beneath the animals. In the tradition the tiger stands for strength, courage and authority, and here you see that strength at the moment of approach: tense, but not yet attacking.
✦More about this design
In the classic Suea Koo the tigers descend head-first. In this design they stand on all fours: two full-bodied tigers stalking towards each other from left and right, low to the ground, each with a front paw raised and jaws open. That makes the drawing wide and low rather than upright, and it reads as the moment just before they meet. The centre stays remarkably open. Where the twin tigers with temple yantra place a rectangular grid between the animals, here there is only a fan of five spires above a narrow column of unalome signs and Khom letters. In the tradition the unalome depicts the path towards clarity. The stalking pose itself you will know from the prowling tiger, here doubled and mirrored. Because of its wide shape this design follows the line of the shoulders and fits best across the upper back. The line work is open, without solid black, which keeps the drawing light despite its size. Compare it with the twin tigers with mantra arc as well, which is wide and low too. Browse all Sak Yant designs, read about all Sak Yant symbols or book an appointment.
✦Frequently asked questions
What makes this Suea Koo different?
The pose of the tigers. In the classic version they descend head-first, here they stalk towards each other on all fours, low to the ground, each with a front paw raised.
What is between the tigers?
A fan of five spires with a narrow column of unalome signs and Khom letters beneath it. Apart from that the centre stays open, without a grid or panel.
Where is this design usually placed?
Across the upper back, where the wide shape follows the line of the shoulders. On a narrower surface the tigers lose their room.
