Yant
Warrior in Wai with Banners
A kneeling, muscular figure with hands in wai and head deeply bowed, between two lances with flowing banners and inside a circle of Khom script.
✦Meaning & Background
A muscular figure kneels with knees wide and brings his hands together in the wai, the Thai gesture of greeting and respect. Behind him stand two lances with banners, above his head three unalome spires, and a circle of Khom script closes around it all. Strength and respect sit side by side here: the body is strong, but the head bows.
✦More about this design
The site already has a kneeling warrior in wai, drawn in profile with his weapons resting behind him. This design shows the same respect from the front. The figure kneels with knees wide, hands in wai before the face and the head bowed so deeply that you mainly see the crown, drawn as a black, pointed shape. Small yantra marks sit on his shoulders and knees. The posture recalls the wai khru, the greeting to the teacher that in Thailand opens, among other things, a Muay Thai bout. The lances do not stand behind the figure here but upright on either side, with banners flowing outward and three unalome spires between them. If you know the winged guardian, you will recognise this figure: there he forms the heart of a larger composition with a peak and side panels. Here he stands on his own, surrounded only by his circle of Khom script. A similar figure in wai also sits at the centre of an eight-pointed yantra, in the eight directions with warrior in wai. Because this composition is round and symmetrical, it sits well on the upper back or between the shoulder blades. Browse all Sak Yant designs, read about all Sak Yant symbols or book an appointment.
✦Frequently asked questions
How does this differ from the kneeling warrior?
That figure is drawn in profile, with his weapons resting behind him and a single line of script along his back. Here you see him from the front, between two upright lances with banners and inside a closed circle of Khom script.
Why is the head so dark?
The head is bowed so deeply that you mainly see the crown. It is drawn as a black, pointed shape, which draws all attention to the hands in wai.
Does this figure appear in other designs?
Yes. He forms the heart of the winged guardian, and a similar figure in wai sits at the centre of the eight-pointed yantra of the eight directions.
