rupadhyana | रूपध्यान
Practicing to create a mental image of your Ishtdev, endowing that form with infinite amounts of the qualities you love is rupadhyana (Devanagari: रूपध्यान ISO15919: rūpadhyāna).
God has given jiva the freedom to create a God's form with physical attributes jiva likes. Make it come alive. Endow that form with divine qualities the you find most attractive.
Then lovingly remember that form. In the initial stages in order to engage in rupadhyana for longer period one might have to accompany it with chanting His names, qualities, divine pastimes, and so on.
rupadhyana can be about
- union - meeting your beloved OR
- separation - when you are desperate to meet Him
Doing rupadhyana increases longing to meet your Beloved God. Rupadhyana of being separated from your Ishtdev increases love very quickly. Yet, the mind wants change. So, alternate between the two types of rupadhyana and accompany it with chanting pada of various bhavas.
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