Re: How do I find my Ishta Devata?
Namaste,
While I don't doubt there are valid reasons behind people's consulting traditional Vedic astrologers for help with connecting to the Devas, I'm not entirely sure I believe it can be as simple as "looking up" one's ishta-devata on a horoscopic chart. If the person in question feels some universal neutrality to all the Devas, neither preferring to worship one over the other, then I guess this type of consultation would definitely have its uses. In such cases it might act as a guide or an indicator of where to begin developing sincere bhakti. Personally, I prefer intuition to intellect in such matters.
In my version of Saivism, I would say there is no real ishta for me. If I had to say, I guess it would have to be Siva, yet I spend more time worshipping both Ganesha and Murugan. Its certainly not something on the front of my mind.
I'm the same. I would say my ishta is Shakti - namely, Maa Durga - but I often find myself performing more pujas, and reciting more formal prayers to Ganesha and Shiva. And yet, like yourself EM, I don't spend time worrying over why this is so as much as I used to. Nor do I even bother with sectarian divisions anymore.
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye namah
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu
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