True Devotion comes from the Heart

True Devotion is not about being a subservient mindless zombie. Devotion is about being ONE with the deity's heart and mind by developing one's Higher Inner Qualities. Devotion towards one's Yidam Deity or "God" are lessons about serving others with a SELFLESS HEART. Therefore we should serve our deity ( God, Mother goddess, Guru, Divine etc ) with such a heart and treat everyone else ( whether they are High Status People or the most humble servant ) with the same attitude. From such a heart will eventually arise a person who is filled with Universal Love. A Universally Loving person is welcomed by all and loved by all in return. It is from perfectingthis Universal Love that nurtures our hearts and minds to grow into a Buddha's heart of GREAT COMPASSION.

The practice of devotion is being constantly mindful of what our goal is... To be truly PRACTISING devotion is to live a life that is an image of one's object of devotion. If we are to behave like hooligans and bandits, constantly raving in fits of anger, hatred and jealousy, we are in advertantly ANNOUNCING to the whole world that " My deity is Angersome, Hateful and Jealous!! " Therefore instead of pridefully announcing to the world that " I AM A PRACTITIONER OF HIGH ASPIRATIONS OF DEITY DEVOTION", isn't better for OTHERS to ask you " Hey what are you doing or taking to be so peaceful? Is it your God? Your Guru? Your Faith? I want some of that! "

True devotion towards one's deity is to lead by a life similar to him/her ideals MINUS the ego-trip of self advertisement of one's apparent virtues blasted via a Boombox Speaker... Strife to do the most difficult thing of all...

That is to make the LOUDEST announcement when one is in total silence. With no sounds, no words, no telling, no implying... just by being YOU, other can feel Devotion, Humility, Love and Joy all radiating without a single word said. THAT I find is the essence of Devotion that brings forth the qualities the practice of Devotion incubates.