Kalu Rinpoche | Everything is Yidam

Q: Rinpoche, I ask about my Yidam?

A: Yidam ཡི་དམ་, “Yi” ཡི་ is like your mind, your soul, your mind, “dam” དམ་ is little bit like commitment, like a soul commitment.

Lama can be Yidam, Guru can be Yidam, Protector can be Yidam, Deities can be Yidam. Long as there is visualisation, clarity in mind, refuge, bodhicitta, dedication, creation stage, completion stage and with a true good intention.
Everything is Yidam.

As long as you don’t separate “Oh, I am practicing Sungma [Protector/Guardian]” then like putting some kind of a hierarchy within. Like “Oh, Lama somewhere less important or more important” or I don’t know like “Yidam is more or less or Sungma is more or less”. That kind of perception has to abandoned.

If you have a difficulty to praise all three [Lama, Yidam, Protector], it is fine, just stick to one. Make sure your mind is calm enough and then you can resume with other two.
It is fine, long as you have a Dharma in your heart.