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Deity Yoga? (Part of tantra practices)
I read about deity yoga in His Holiness the Dalai Lama's book "How to Practice... the way to a meaningful life". He mentions how to do some basic practice but i would like more details on it.
Does anyone know much about it? I'd like to practice it.
Does anyone know how to practice it?
Does anyone know much about it? I'd like to practice it.
Does anyone know how to practice it?
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Comments
http://www.archive.org/details/tse_chen_ling
Guru, Deity, Protector
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
The Lion's Roar: An Introduction to Tantra
Note that all of these resources will tell you that a teacher is absolutely essential for this practice.
Any Tibetan Buddhist group is going to practice so-called "Deity Yoga".
Diamond Way has been no stranger to controversy.
Hi Snowpaw,
In order to practice deity yoga properly you need to get instruction at an offline Tibetan Buddhist centre and interact with a teacher.
Kind wishes,
Dazzle
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Lama Ole is a controversial figure in Tibetan Buddhism.
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You are very lucky to have centers so close to you
Try these out:
http://www.karmapa.org.nz/
http://www.nyima-tashi.org.nz/
This center is non-denominational but they have meditation retreats http://www.aucklandbuddhistcentre.org/index.htm
It's a fire that will you burn you up. Can you be on fire and not burn? Then it's the path for you. If not, run away. Read, read, read. Be careful...
Deity yoga is a Vajrayana practice, so you need to find not just a teacher that you trust to give you an empowerment and instructions, but also make sure that they are part of an unbroken transmission lineage. A Vajrayana teacher must have been asked by his teacher to teach, kept his own vows, including a bond of gratitude to his teacher, and should be on a beyond-personal level of realisation. What the deity represents is one (or more) aspects of the enlightened nature of mind, and what the teacher transmits to you is the seed of this same experience.
So it's not just something you can learn from a book. Having said that, I like this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-Tantra-Transformation-Lama-Yeshe/dp/0861711629/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271437200&sr=8-1
Good luck!
This isnt always the case. This is certainly the norm but one who has maintained vows, and holds the transmission of a practice can teach if they are requested to do so and are capable.
There are cases where an individuals teacher may have passed away and that individual is then asked to transmit teachings to the next generation. As long as the individual has maintained samaya and is capable of teaching the practices there is no problem.
I practice with this group too. Yes, you could say our meditations are deity yoga. The main practice is guru yoga on the 8th Karmapa, preceded by the ngondro from the ninth Karmapa.
The first meditation you'll do, which we do in the centres on public evenings, is also guru yoga, on the 16th Karmapa. For this you don't need empowerment, just an explanation. For the other practices you need transmission (lung) from a Karma Kagyu lama, and it's also good to have e.g. Dorje Sempa empowerment if you're practicing Dorje Sempa.
I suppose in general most meditations on Buddha aspects do usually require an empowerment.
Anyone know which kinds of deity yoga don't need this? Would be interesting to know.
Thanks for the clarification. That's an interesting point. I guess if their teacher is alive, they should at least approve of them teaching.
Right, under normal circumstances people probably shouldnt be teaching without the express consent of their own teacher or teachers.
He doesn't seem to act like a monk, or someone who is called "rinpoche". But he has a point in his video, I guess. I still prefer how the Dalai Lama talks aobut dharma to the public.
Well, I still do get sad. So, when I perfect morality etc. And happier I can practice tantra???
It doesn't make sense, I though deity yoga was supposed to help one engage in practice and in compassionate activities.
He isnt a monk.
I wouldn't advise anyone to idly receive an empowerment/initiation simply because it has that mystical, exotic appeal. I strongly suggest also that one must have sufficient understanding of the Dharma (as well as a reasonable experience with one's teacher) before leaping to a very advanced aspect of the Vajrayana/Tantrayana path. Reading as much as you can about Tantra also helps. Consult your teacher if you're serious about tantra. Without proper understanding, preparation, and guidance, the practice will do more harm than good.
A tantric practitioner takes vows of bodhisattva, vows of self-secret, and vows to practice the deity yoga everyday of his/her life.
Hope this helps.
Im assuming you may be on about Self-Generation meditation.
Its a bit like dressing up as superman and then becoming superman ( In your Imagination ) It certainly has profound effects anyway very capable of changing your mind with the right know how, Having a good teacher and a good lineage of Instruction is essential.
Also it is important to bear in mind the idea of the mantra, each syllable is connected to 1 of the 6 realms of the wheel of rebirth: Deva, asura, human, animal, preta, demons, and connected with one negative emotion: Pride, envy, desire/luxury, ignorance/stupidity, ambition, hatred.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum
Good luck and remember YOU NEED a teacher in the Vajrayana path.
I'm a big fan of Tsem's videos. He's the man!
Yes, self-generation (visualizing yourself as your yidam)--as opposed to front-generation (visualizing a deity in front of you)--is like channeling your super powers (and with it comes great responsibility ... or it will control/corrupt you). It's a fun, cool, comic-book way of describing deity yoga. It takes a lot of dedication, commitment, and meditation to follow the tantric path. It's not for everyone, though. It's serious business, this "hero business." LOL!
I LOOOOVE that book! I've read that cover-to-cover a few times before I embarked the Tantric path.
A similar book that I love and highly recommend is:
http://www.amazon.com/Tantric-Mysticism-Tibet-Techniques-Meditation/dp/0140193367/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289926871&sr=8-1
I wrote a review for it as well under my handle (silmaril).