So these are some of my thoughts on Deity Yoga.

I’ve never been to Tibet or anything like that and I consider myself a beginner practitioner of yoga, meditation and stuff like that.

From my experience, Deity Yoga involves visualization, chanting and other forms of spiritual practice, to become aware of deities in that way.

I’ve not done much Deity Yoga, but it feels interesting to me.

Visualizing Yourself As A Deity

So from my research I’ve arrived to the following conclusion – You visualize yourself as a deity such as Tara or any other deity. Through this practice, we can realize the liquid nature of The Self.

So it’s like a Buddhist practice, especially in the Tantrik school of Buddhism.

Through regular practice, Deity Yoga is believed to lead to spiritual transformation, awakening the practitioner to their own Buddha-nature.

Vajrayana Buddhist Practice

Deity Yoga is a practice in Tibetan Buddhism, particularly in the Vajrayana (Tantric) tradition, where practitioners visualize themselves as a deity or enlightened being. The goal of this practice is to realize the inseparability of the practitioner and the deity, thereby helping to dissolve the ego and realize one’s true nature as inherently enlightened.

Key elements of Deity Yoga include:

1. Visualization: The practitioner visualizes themselves as a specific deity, embodying its enlightened qualities. Common deities include peaceful and wrathful Buddhas, bodhisattvas, or other enlightened figures.
2. Mantra Recitation: Practitioners often recite mantras associated with the deity they are visualizing. Mantras are sacred sounds or phrases believed to invoke the deity’s energy or presence.
3. Identification with the Deity: The purpose of the practice is not merely to worship the deity but to cultivate a sense of identity with it, helping the practitioner realize that their true nature is pure and enlightened, just like the deity.
4. Meditation on Emptiness: A fundamental aspect of Deity Yoga is understanding and meditating on the concept of śūnyatā (emptiness), the idea that all phenomena, including the self, lack inherent, independent existence.

Becoming One With A Deity

So I think this is how the practice works:

You pick a Buddhist Deity, this is why they use Thangkas for spiritual practice, too.

So you pick an enlightened being and use visualization, like visualizing a lotus on the crown chakra and become one with the deity in your mind through visualization.

Sounds pretty rad to me, to be honest.

Depends On The Path

In Deity Yoga, the choice of deity depends on the practitioner’s spiritual path, tradition, and personal connection to the deity’s attributes. Here are some commonly practiced deities in Tibetan Buddhism and Vajrayana:

1. Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig)

• Symbolizes: Compassion.
• Attributes: Avalokiteshvara is the bodhisattva of compassion, often visualized with multiple arms, representing his ability to help all sentient beings. His mantra is “Om Mani Padme Hum,” invoking compassion for all beings.

2. Tara

• Symbolizes: Compassion, protection, and swift action.
• Attributes: Tara appears in various forms, the most common being Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara represents active compassion, while White Tara is associated with long life and healing. Tara is invoked to remove obstacles and fears.

3. Manjushri

• Symbolizes: Wisdom.
• Attributes: Manjushri wields a flaming sword in one hand, cutting through ignorance, and holds a book in the other, representing wisdom. His practice is aimed at developing sharp, clear wisdom and dispelling confusion.

4. Vajrapani

• Symbolizes: Power, protection, and the embodiment of the Buddha’s energy.
• Attributes: Vajrapani is often depicted in a wrathful form, symbolizing the power to eliminate obstacles and ignorance. He is invoked for inner strength and protection.

5. Vajrasattva

• Symbolizes: Purification.
• Attributes: Vajrasattva is often practiced for purification of negative karma. His practice is a key component of the preliminary practices (ngöndro) in Vajrayana. The Vajrasattva mantra is recited for spiritual cleansing.

6. Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)

• Symbolizes: Transformation and mastery of tantric practices.
• Attributes: Padmasambhava is credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet and is revered as a master of tantric practices. He is often invoked for blessings and guidance on the spiritual path.

7. Hevajra

• Symbolizes: Supreme bliss and the union of wisdom and compassion.
• Attributes: Hevajra is a complex deity central to higher tantric practices, embodying the union of wisdom and compassion through the dissolution of duality.

8. Yamantaka

• Symbolizes: Conquering death and wrathful compassion.
• Attributes: As a wrathful form of Manjushri, Yamantaka is invoked to overcome the fear of death and ignorance. His imagery is fierce, but his underlying purpose is to bring enlightenment.

9. Cakrasamvara

• Symbolizes: Bliss and the union of opposites.
• Attributes: Cakrasamvara is often depicted in union with his consort Vajrayogini, representing the union of wisdom and compassion. His practice is considered very advanced in the tantric tradition.

10. White Mahakala

• Symbolizes: Wealth and abundance.
• Attributes: White Mahakala is a wealth deity invoked for prosperity, not just in material terms but also in spiritual riches. He is a benevolent form of the wrathful deity Mahakala, a protector of the dharma.

Each deity represents specific qualities that practitioners aim to cultivate, and different deities may be emphasized depending on one’s spiritual goals or lineage.

Be sure to give Deity Yoga a try. I recommend starting with a practice of 5 to 10 minutes of visualization. If it’s challenging, don’t get discouraged, just keep doing it, and wonderful results will come your way.

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Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay