Pronunciation: [jˈɪdəm] (IPA) 
The word "yidam" is a Tibetan term referring to a personal meditation deity or a spiritual guide. It is pronounced as /ji.dam/ with the letter "y" representing a palatal glide. The first syllable "yi" is pronounced with a high front vowel "i" and the second syllable "dam" is pronounced with a dental "d" followed by an open mid-vowel "a" and a labial "m" sound. The spelling "yidam" accurately reflects the Tibetan pronunciation of the word.
Yidam is a term derived from Tibetan Buddhism, specifically the Vajrayana tradition, and it refers to a personal deity or meditation deity that is considered an object of refuge for practitioners. The word "yidam" is derived from two Tibetan words: "yi," meaning "mind" or "heart," and "dam," meaning "bond" or "connection," which together signify the strong and intimate connection between the deity and the practitioner's mind.
In Tibetan Buddhism, yidams are typically depicted in visual form as statues, paintings, or mandalas, and practitioners engage in deep meditation and visualization practices to establish a profound relationship with their chosen yidam. The purpose of this practice is to develop specific qualities and attain spiritual growth by channeling the power and wisdom of the yidam.
Each individual practitioner chooses their own yidam based on personal affinity or guidance from a qualified spiritual teacher. Yidams are considered to be emanations of enlightened beings or bodhisattvas, and they embody specific attributes and symbolic representations that correspond to the practitioner's aspirations and goals.
The relationship between the practitioner and their yidam is highly personal and intimate, and the meditative practices associated with the yidam aim to foster qualities such as compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and spiritual awakening. Through repeated visualization, recitation of mantras, and ritual offerings, practitioners seek to merge their own consciousness with that of the yidam, ultimately manifesting their own enlightened nature.
The word "yidam" comes from Tibetan Buddhism, specifically from the Tibetan language. In Tibetan, it is spelled "yi dam" (ཡི་དམ་) and is often translated as "deity" or "personal meditational deity".
The etymology of the Tibetan term is as follows:
- "Yi" (ཡི་) means "mind" or "consciousness".
- "Dam" (དམ་) means "to hold" or "to bind".
Therefore, "yidam" can be understood as something that "holds" or "binds" the mind, referring to the deity or meditational form that practitioners use for visualizations and as a focus of meditation to aid in spiritual development.
