The Lakshmi Principle

 

Goddess Lakshmi

Who is Lakshmi?

Put very simply, Lakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth.

In a Hindu family, when a girl is born, it is said that ‘Lakshmi has come in to the home’.  When a girl gets married, it is also said that ‘Lakshmi has come in to our home’.  – The latter bearing a lot of pressure! 😉

Unfortunately to most people, the term ‘wealth’ only relates to monetary wealth.  To have and to be able to possess luxuries.  And if we do not posses this form of wealth forever, we feel that ‘Lakshmi‘ has abandoned us for another.

What does ‘wealth’ mean to you?

I attended a lovely discourse last week, ‘Women without Walls’, by Swamini (Religious Teacher) Supriyananda at the Chinmaya Mission in Hendon.

The ‘Women’ in question were the Hindu Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and how we can ‘take’ their attributes and strength and make them OURS.  How we can be ‘complete’ women when possessing these amazing characteristics of these lovely Celestial Beings.  They are solely there for us to learn from and relate to.  We read signs and books that say that all of us women are Goddesses or we have a Goddess inside us.  But, do we understand what that means?  What does it mean to be a Goddess?  And if we believed we are Goddesses or have a Goddess inside of us then we would perhaps not be prone to feeling like ‘victims’ of circumstance but instead always feel empowered by these special qualities of a Goddess. No?

(Durga:  Goddess of Power (Shakti) – she destroys evil forces that threaten the better good.  Saraswati:  Goddess of Knowledge – education, arts, music, intelligence.)

So, back to Goddess Lakshmi.  Why Lakshmi?  So much of the discussion resonated with me, my upbringing, it also gave me so much more adoration for my own mother.

What is ‘wealth’ to you?

Wealth to me has always been my health, my family, my friends, my values, my reputation. I would go further to say, I am blessed to have this wealth in ABUNDANCE.

Let’s go deeper in to Lakshmi and her ‘wealth’:

Resourceful, Virtues, Generosity, Devotion, Beauty, Compassion, Intelligence, Carefree, Pure, Charismatic-Charming, Radiant, Happiness, Love.

At the discussion it took as ages and prodding from Swaminiji  for us to come with the latter to, but the most important of them all:  HAPPINESS AND LOVE!

Did you think about it? 😉

Lakshmi is ABUNDANT in all of the above.  This is the Lakshmi principle.  Being resourceful, abundant, happiness, love, generous, virtuous, beautiful, devoted,  compassionate, smart, carefree, pure, charismatic, raidant.

Do we not aim to possess these qualities or to make these qualities in us shine?

Are we not resourceful as women?  We just know how to get the job done no matter where and what.  We never fall short of resources.

Which qualities of Lakshmi are you aware that you possess?  Which attributes would you wish to sharpen?

Namaste! The Goddess of me salutes the Goddess in you!