Tutelary Deity

yi dam - yidam; meditational deity; Yidam, a meditation deity, devata; meditational deities. personal meditation / tutelary deity [yidam]. deities who are the focus of meditation and means for attainment, and who confer supreme accomplishments, siddhis [RY]

yi dam - Yidam. A personal deity and the root of accomplishment among the Three Roots. The yidam is one's tutelary deity; a personal protector of one's practice and guide to enlightenment. Traditionally, yidam practice is the main practice that follows the preliminaries. It includes the two stages of development and completion and is a perfect stepping stone for, or the bridge to approaching, the more subtle practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Later on, yidam practice is the perfect enhancement for the view of these subtle practices [RY]