Devotion to Deity and/or Spiritual Master

My opinions on spiritual masters is rendered in the book, Spiritual Master. I will however give some ideas here. First of all, I object to the use of the word devotion. This word like the word samadhi was prostituted so much that it has no meaning. It is a fill in for when someone does not understand or cannot relate what he/she speaks of.

Generally, I do not use the word devotion. I prefer relation. Instead of the question:

What about devotion to a deity or spiritual master?

I feel it should be this:

What of the relation with a deity or spiritual master?

The relationship with a deity is perplexing because it may be based on the relationship with a spiritual master. There is also the question as to if the spiritual teacher can be accessed physically or not.

Most of my spiritual masters were accessed astrally. I had one or two or three spiritual masters who used physical bodies but overall, the communication with these people was astral or psychic.

As for deities, my access to these was for the most part psychic but I also related to physical form deities or murtis (Sanskrit).

When one is introduced to a deity by a spiritual master, the relationship with that deity is relative to the spiritual master, otherwise if the deity contacts one directly without an agent like a spiritual master, it means that one can access the deity directly, provided the deity gave one a repeat access. Some deities gave a onetime access, where one has direct access for one communication only.

A deity can be restrictive or limiting in the sense that he/she does not allow one to introduce others to the said deity. A spiritual master may relate in the same way. In my life, I find, that for the most part, many spiritual masters do not request me to aid in making disciples of others.