November 11, 2004
Getting To Know the Goddess of Good Fortune
By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway
This is my favorite time of year because the Goddess Lakshmi comes alive during the Hindu holiday of Deepavali (or Diwali). Each year, around the new moon in October or November, Hindu's celebrate the Goddess of Fortune and invite her into their homes, attempting to secure her favors for the year to come. This year it begins on November 9 through November 12, with Deepavali day falling on November 11, eve of the new moon.
I have long been an admirer of this amazing deity. Lakshmi is such a special Goddess. She's magical, and practical. She is a living Goddess, worshipped around the world. In these times of challenge, as in all times of challenge, she can be a comfort and a healer; she brings a sense of greater fortune even in the darkest moments. She is a powerful cosmic connection; a divine female who looks like us, and offers a sense of courage, of hope, of power.
As the Hindu Goddess of Good Fortune and Beauty, she represents and is seen as the personification of abundance, prosperity, wealth, well-being and harmony. She is actively worshiped daily by millions of Hindus, and is popular with interfaith practitioners and followers of Goddess spirituality, around the globe. Because of her popularity she is considered a universal Goddess. Deepvali is her special holiday because it is a holiday of lights, and represents a sweet, soulful and prosperous time when people dress up and celebrate in the name of the Goddess of Fortune.
On Deepavali eve, children often light off firecrackers and sparklers, and in some parts of India, adults bang pots and pans to scare off Lakshmi's dark sister, Alakshmi. Then women line their windows and door ways with tiny lights that are offerings to Lakshmi, to help her find her way to their abode.
On Deepvali Day Lakshmi is honored with Homan, Abishekam and Puja worship services. Later that day the Sarada Puja to bless account books for the year is offered, followed by a Lakshmi-Kubera Puja, to Goddess of Fortune and The God of Wealth.
For two days, people participate in additional pujas and Annakut Utsavam, where devotees bring sweets to the temple to lay at the feet of the icons of Lakshmi and her beloved, Vishnu; or they make offerings to the deities in their homes.
She brings good things to life
Lakshmi is a goddess who brings all good things to light and to life! She has one of the most colorful creation myths of all the deities in the Hindu pantheon. It is said Goddess Lakshmi was born, fully-grown, on a pink lotus that rose from the milky sea. She was immediately be-decked, be-jeweled and worshipped by the gods and sages. They prayed that she would come to their abodes, and to their worlds, for they believed that where Lakshmi is you will also find riches and fulfillment.
Three millennia later, long after her story was first told, she comes alive in homes and temples everywhere. Believers trust that praying to the Goddess of Fortune brings wealth, happiness and opportunity. As the symbol of all things fortunate, she is a highly sought after and beloved female deity.
Like many Hindu deities, she is often pictured as a beautiful Indian woman with big dark eyes and with four arms. Clad in sari, in a form that is very feminine and full, she sits or stands on her lotus throne. She usually has two lotuses, in either of her back hands. Her front arms offer blessings and what are known as "boons," or favors from the Gods and Goddesses. Her ability to enhance our good fortune is in life is symbolized by the gold coins seen pouring from her hands, back into the ocean of life.
When you need help with finances, a job, success, happiness and love … Lakshmi is a Goddess you can turn to. It is the Hindu tradition to first evoke the Lord of Obstacles, Ganesha, to clear the path to success. Ganesha removes obstacles so Lakshmi can deliver fortune into your life. In the Hindu tradition, there are many chants and prayers to evoke Ganesha. Non-Hindus often use the simple call of chanting his name three times: "Om Ganesha, Om Ganesha, Om Ganesha."
Lakshmi and Ganesha are cohorts, who often work side by side. Frequently you will find their icons and pictures together &endash; Lakshmi the beautiful feminine Goddess and Ganesh, the portly Elephant headed God. Lakshmi's mate is the God Vishnu&emdash;known as the Great Preserver, who comes to earth in the form of important avatars, such as Krishna. Lakshmi reincarnates with him in all human lifetimes and because of this She is also seen as a role model for undying love.
It is believed that those who pay attention to the Goddess of Good Fortune every day develop a clear channel of communication with her. You may also want to view this as simply focusing energy on that which you are choosing to create in your life.
Lakshmi exists in a dimension far beyond our human struggles and sadness. From where she sits on her Sacred Lotus, she can guide us to greater fortune, deeper love relationships and more joy. She can guide us from darkness, into the light. In fact, if you allow Lakshmi to be present in your life, you just might find she elevates you to a higher state of being and living. And in that state you will begin to see that you can create anything!
How to Invite Lakshmi into Your Life
Attend a Lakshmi Puja: In the culture from which Lakshmi hails, she is treated with great reverence and devotion. In the United States, it is very easy for anyone to attend, or even sponsor (request) a Lakshmi Puja, which is a form of formal worship to the Goddess. Anyone of any faith can have a Hindu priest perform a puja at a temple or private home. You can also attend what is usually called a Sri MahaLaxmi or Sri MahaLakshmi (meaning Mother Lakshmi) Abishekam, which is the sacred purification and washing of the Goddess with milk, yogurt, honey and more. Prayers are uttered repeatedly during a Lakshmi worship service, including the chanting of her 108 names, and devotional songs are sung after worship.
Order a Puja on-line: Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, Indian Temples bring your prayers to the Goddess and bring the blessings of the Goddess to you when you order a puja on line through www.saranam.com, an organization that places puja orders for people from around the world. You can request to be part of the worship services at Ashta Lakshmi Temple, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu; at MahaLakshmi Temple, in Mumbai, Maharashtra; or in one of 150 temples.
Prayer to Her: Since you may not get to attend a Hindu worship service to honor the Goddess, it is important that you know Lakshmi can hear your prayers from wherever you may be. To evoke Her energy of good fortune, light a pink or green candle in Lakshmi's honor. Make a symbolic offering of fruits and sweets. Think for a moment about what good fortune means to you. Perhaps you may find that good fortune begins with a sense of peace and well-being within and has little to do with material goods or money. Or maybe you have a financial issue which, once resolved, will make you feel more fortunate. Although you can certainly pray to win the lottery, you may find more immediate results if you pray for whatever cash is needed to meet your financial obligations and whatever support you need to make your most heartfelt dreams come alive. Evoke Ganesh by repeating "Om Ganesh" three times. Then ask the Goddess for her help. Petition her as you would any deity or simply declare what you need and choose it in the moment.
In these challenging times, you can also pray to her for peace and well-being for all. Good Fortune on all levels is her domain. She brings wealth both spiritual and material. May Lakshmi Assist You In Making Dreams Come True!
Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway, an interfaith minister and non-denominational wedding officiant. This is adapted from her book, A Goddess Is a Girl's Best Friend: A Divine Guide to Finding Love, Success and Happiness (Perigee Books, December 2002). She is also author of Wedding Goddess: A Divine Guide to Transforming Wedding Stress to Wedding Bliss (Perigee Books, Spring 2005). For more information, www.GoddessFriends.com.
Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway
Interfaith Minister/Wedding Officiant
<http://www.weddinggoddess.com/>http://www.weddinggoddess.com/
Author, Wedding Goddess:
A Divine Guide to Transforming
Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss
(Perigee Books/Penquin May 2005)
Author, A Goddess Is A Girl's Best Friend <http://www.goddessfriends.com/>