Tutelary Dieties

*The word deity is understood in a unique way by Buddhist practitioners; it is used for lack of a better word.  

Human beings are given to superstition, and undoubtedly there are those who are inclined to view a, some, or all deities as "real." To do so, however, would be to contradict the very essence of Buddhism as expressed in the Prajnaparamita, the other scriptures and commentaries, and also accounts of Shakyamuni's life.

These mythic figures are understood to arise out of, and return to, Emptiness; they have no inherent reality.  They are not worshipped in the sense of idolatry, though certainly it may seem to be so, as for example, when one first encounters people doing prostrations before images on a shrine. That is one reason for not using the term 'altar', by the way.

Also, the expression 'tutelary deity'  which is often used to translate the Tibetan word yidam is misleading as it implies a teacher-student relation.  A yidam is a deity with which the practitioner has a special relationship.  The deity is sometimes selected by the advisor or lama to balance or complement the student's psychology.

The Six or Seven piglets:  Marici also seems to embody Ursa Major (the Great Bear, also viewed as a Big Dipper.) Many cultures see in that most recognizable of northern constellations a great vehicle drawn by several animals, so it is also called The Wain or Wagon.  Or the seven smaller animals may represent the Pleiades, stars also known as the Seven Sisters, that forms the "eye" of spring's rising sign, The Bull.  In Japan, they are known as the Subaru.

end quote from:

http://www.khandro.net/deities_female.htm

Though I didn't directly define Tutelary Dieties this above explains what a tutelary diety is. However, another aspect of tutelary diety might also be beings like Archangel Michael and his band that surround you if you call to him for help to protect you and to instruct you in archangel ways. In Tibetan an angel is a Daka(male) and Dakini(female). It is my first memory in this lifetime of seeing Archangel Michael and his band of Archangels that healed me from whooping cough when I was 2. I think they did this so I would join them as a soul traveling being helping beings throughout my life. Of course it took me until I was 21 to 23 to get good at soul traveling consciously and to learn all the rules so you stay alive with a body here on earth. But, I found it very freeing and helpful as a soul to become proficient at soul traveling with the angels in a somewhat similar way that some people might feel when they can drive a car and own their own car and the freedom and expansion of possibilities in their lives that this can bring. I found I could help myself and everyone else much more once I was proficient at conscious soul traveling. Though people do it all the time when they think or daydream or night dream most people don't understand that it is as real in it's own way as our physical world and from a souls standpoint soul traveling is actually more real than the physical world is. 

After years of soul traveling I have come to the conclusion that earth is not physical, it is a dimension somewhat like a heaven realm. So, this is why I believe that Earth can become a heaven for all in time because of it's similar dynamics and potential dynamics to heaven realms. So, what makes Earth a heaven? The Consciousness of all life forms on it. Since heaven comes from within each being we all generate it by the thoughts, feelings and choices we all make all the time. 

Also, tutelary diety also means "Teaching Diety". So, maybe to think of it as a "Teaching Angel(s)" might be useful.