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Drystone
United Kingdom
31 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 05 2023 : 10:43:43 AM
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Hey, I'm having trouble with the concept of "Ishta". Can anyone explain in simple terms?
I googled and it mostly seems to be about devotion to a certain deity and imagining yourself as this? This is like the kadampa meditations they do at my local Buddhist temple.
For AYP are we just working towards the ideals of that deity? If we kundalini is active and is burning through samskaras wouldn't that deity be Kali?
Would be grateful for your ideas,
Thank you x |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4430 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2023 : 3:08:12 PM
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Hi Drystone,
The Sanskrit term Ishta literally means "one's own" or "the one that you love". In yoga, it is the object of your desire, or your highest ideal. So, this could be something like "love", or "truth", or "freedom", or "peace", but could also be personified, such as a person like Mother Mary, The Buddha, Krishna, or Jesus Christ. It could also be Kali, or Saraswati, or Quan Yin, or Tata, any other inspiring teacher or deity.
If you are Googling the term, it is probably producing results for "Ishta Devata". A "deva" is a God, or Goddess, or angel. Literally it means "shining one". So, an "Ishta Devata" would be a God, or Goddess, or angel, that is the object of one's devotion.
All of this is not necessarily related to kundalini. The process of kundalini awakening can strengthen someone's devotion, and their ideal, and can even transform their ideal, as obstructions are removed in the subtle nervous system. But, what someone's Ishta will be in any given moment, is simply what it is. And it will change over time.
More on "Ishta" here:
Lesson 67 - Bhakti, The Science of Devotion
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Drystone
United Kingdom
31 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2023 : 6:11:46 PM
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Thanks Christi,
So to clarify is Ishta like your reason for practice , what drives you? For instance when I started meditating my reason was to control the obtrusive negative thoughts and emotions I was having, then all the energetic stuff started happening and my reason changed to better understand what was going on, and so on until I arrived at my present reason for practice which is desire for liberation and clearing the nervous system?
quote:
Originally posted by Christi
Hi Drystone,
The Sanskrit term Ishta literally means "one's own" or "the one that you love". In yoga, it is the object of your desire, or your highest ideal. So, this could be something like "love", or "truth", or "freedom", or "peace", but could also be personified, such as a person like Mother Mary, The Buddha, Krishna, or Jesus Christ. It could also be Kali, or Saraswati, or Quan Yin, or Tata, any other inspiring teacher or deity.
If you are Googling the term, it is probably producing results for "Ishta Devata". A "deva" is a God, or Goddess, or angel. Literally it means "shining one". So, an "Ishta Devata" would be a God, or Goddess, or angel, that is the object of one's devotion.
All of this is not necessarily related to kundalini. The process of kundalini awakening can strengthen someone's devotion, and their ideal, and can even transform their ideal, as obstructions are removed in the subtle nervous system. But, what someone's Ishta will be in any given moment, is simply what it is. And it will change over time.
More on "Ishta" here:
Lesson 67 - Bhakti, The Science of Devotion
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Dogboy
USA
2242 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2023 : 01:39:38 AM
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quote:
all the energetic stuff started happening and my reason changed to better understand what was going on, and so on until I arrived at my present reason for practice which is desire for liberation and clearing the nervous system?
This is where I am. This past year, while in samadhi/energetic states, I feel the presence of both Shiva and Shakti, sometimes individually, sometimes blended. I did my own google search for images, and now in DM those images often flutter across my mind's eye. On comes love and radiance from my heart in their presence; simply being in and between them radiates; purification is actively felt, the mantra goes and goes and goes, spurring my desire to love as deeply as they do.
Ishta is not the sundae but the cherry on top of it.  |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4430 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2023 : 05:04:20 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Drystone
Thanks Christi,
So to clarify is Ishta like your reason for practice , what drives you? For instance when I started meditating my reason was to control the obtrusive negative thoughts and emotions I was having, then all the energetic stuff started happening and my reason changed to better understand what was going on, and so on until I arrived at my present reason for practice which is desire for liberation and clearing the nervous system?
Hi Drystone,
Yes, that's it. Someone's Ishta may be quite unclear at times, and they may not be quite sure why they are practicing. At other times, it may be very clear. And people can have several Ishta's at the same time, either being, or embodying different qualities that they aspire towards.
In the beginning our Ishta is something else, separate from us, that we revere, or long to attain, or become. Eventually we begin to become our Ishta. So, instead of longing for peace, we find that we are peace, instead of longing for love, we find that we are love. And so on. |
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Understanding Ishta
