Probably you know her image. If you have visited India, or Indian stores, or a yoga studio, there is a great chance that her picture, or statue, was located just next to the cashier desk.
If you visited my old Body Element Yoga studio in Zagreb, she was the centre piece at the Shala. That big bronze statue of a Goddess, decorated with gold jewellery, with four open hands, is Lakshmi.
Lakshmi is usually portrayed as a beautiful golden woman, with multiple hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus, holding a lotus bud, which stands for beauty, purity, and fertility. Her four hands represent the four aspects of human life: Dharma (duty or righteousness), Kama (worldly desires), Artha (prosperity or wealth), and Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).
Usually there are two elephants standing next to her, spraying water. This symbolises the effortlessness that comes when one lives in tune with their own path, acting with wisdom and purity that leads to both material and spiritual prosperity.
In the Hindu tradition the Goddess Lakshmi symbolises good fortune. The word Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning “aim” or “goal.” In the Hindu faith, she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity in all forms, both material and spiritual.
For most Hindu families, Lakshmi is the household mother Goddess, a particular favourite of women.
Although she is worshiped daily her festivals are held during the full moon night in October. Her day is Friday.
According to a Classical Hindu teaching on the Ma Lakshmi, a life well lived contains four essential “Paths of Abundance.” They can be loosely translated as:
Harmonious relationships
Material prosperity
Pleasurable experience
Spiritual connection with the Divine source.
Each path is recognised as a different aspect of the Goddess Lakshmi, and all combined equal a satisfying and abundant life experience.
Ma Lakshmi invites us to contemplate on question’s related to our existence. Like: what is my story? What does the right path means to me? Am I comfortable in my body? What is my life path? How do I relate to the world within and around me? What is blocking me from generating or maintaining material wealth and move forward on my path? Am I savouring the riches of life?
They say the more Lakshmi we have in our lives the more comfortable our path becomes. That is the concept of Lakshmi. Lakshmi may appear in various forms, and can materialise as knowledge or love or cash or food grains. She inspires us to walk in balance and beauty. Her energy is dynamic, and she likes to move and change her direction. That means sometimes we can have greater material wealth, and sometimes we are rich in our loving relationships.
I received my Lakshmi from an Indian retail store in Zagreb. They were about to shutter their doors for good. My ex husband bargained hard for a lower price. I expounded upon her beauty and importance, which almost resulted in the shop manager increasing the price, instead of giving us discount.
But Lakshmi was worth fighting for. She gave me many years years of great abundance. She supported me on my path (and still does), to do what I love, to grow and explore the world. And she brought in to my life so many inspiring people that become my great friends. Luckily they are still in my life. And I chant to Lakshmi often.
She taught me that there is abundance all around us, in so many different forms. All I need to do is keep my heart open and trust.
It is believed that chanting the Lakshmi Mantra bestows one with beauty, youth, abundance in health, finances and relationships. The Lakshmi Mantra brings peace of mind and wards away the negative influences in your lives. The intense vibratory energy produced by repetitive chanting of the powerful Lakshmi Mantra produces an energy field which attracts abundance and fortune.
May our good fortune continue.
May we be happy.
P.S.
Playlist with Lakshmi Mantras is here for you to enjoy it!