Lakshmi, also known as the Golden Goddess, is the goddess of abundance. To have the Golden Goddess by your side invites continuous wealth and good luck. Lakshmi wants to bestow on everyone the prosperous life they dream about. Yet, when she gives wealth, or grants abundance, her gifts are often only temporarily appreciated.
Opening to Success
Although Lakshmi, at her core, is about spiritual wealth and the ultimate connection to our divine nature, in today’s age most people commonly approach her in regards to material and personal goods. Many of us would like money, success, and personal power. Yet, if we dig below the surface most of us will discover we do not feel we are worthy of these gifts. When we begin to observe our reactions to money, success, and personal empowerment, we may find our actions are self-sabotaging. At a subconscious level there is feeling that we do not deserve the best of life. Our own success frightens us and we retreat back into a safe harbor of mediocrity.
The More is Better Myth
We live in a society that always bombards us with images of beautiful people, a better vacation, a better job, a better life. Often when people, myself included, are granted a gift from Lakshmi we want more. We want more money, more dessert, more clothes, more information, more friends. The wanting of more exacerbates a feeling of less as we look outside of ourselves to feel whole and valued. When you find yourself needing to have more of an item, or coveting what another person has, ask yourself what do you truly need in this day to be happy? We will only become truly content when we stop searching outside of ourselves for validation of our own self-worth.
Many of us live in fear that there are not enough friends, money, clients, or time. When we live in the feeling there is not enough we start to covet what others have as well as hide and protect what we deem as ours. This is the opposite of how Lakshmi works. The more you give, the more she gives back. Your ability to truly give to others mirrors your own ability to give to yourself. You must be willing to be patient, compassionate, and honor yourself fully as well as recognize and give these same gifts of love to another being.
Making Room for Abundance
When I started to really get to know Lakshmi, the gifts she holds – both spiritual and material, I began to excavate the bones of my past. I can pray all day to Lakshmi, write about her, light candles honor, chant her name 108 times and this may help me to notice the beauty of a sunset, the smile of my son, or help appreciate dinner my husband cooked, but deeper, long-lasting inner work is up to me. To invite in beauty and abundance, she asks each of us to dig deep into our shadow side and start pulling up weed.
Many Blessings
Honoring Lakshmi, I began to take stock of how I felt at monetary exchanges. When I quoted private session prices to clients or received payments I realized at my core I felt I was not worthy of the money. When I would spend money on groceries or goods, I would have buyer’s remorse and become ashamed that I spent too much. After a while I understood this shame and embarrassment was an undercurrent in all areas of my life. I undervalued myself and I was closed off to fully receiving Lakshmi’s abundance. To open yourself up to receiving the abundance gifted by this Golden Goddess is to notice the way you react when you do receive her blessings. As a goddess who likes cleanliness, Lakshmi will not be found in disorganization and clutter. Lakshmi asks that we all do the inner cleaning to not only understand the roots of our greed, jealousy, and self-doubt but to also acknowledge these parts of ourselves.
Lakshmi does not care about your race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, or gender. Rather she appears to those who practice gratitude. When you cultivate gratitude you began to align inner and outer beauty. Show you care about yourself, the world around you, and the beauty in your life. Honor the gifts you receive and give from your heart and Lakshmi becomes a devoted friend.