One interpretation of her I particularly like is that she’s the source of “endless abundance”. (How lovely does that sound?) In fact, her very name, Sri Lakshmi, literally translates to “flow of wealth” and “hitting the target” or “accomplishing your goals”.
This is why many people (including me) keep an altar for Lakshmi, to invite her abundance and generative nature into their lives.
Like many Hindu deities, Lakshmi has different elements, or aspects of herself, culminating in Ashta Lakshmi.
Ashta means eight so this represents the eight forms of wealth leading to pure, universal abundance. We can lean into each of these elements to experience a different type of wealth in our worlds. To feel truly abundant, there would ideally be harmony in all these aspects of “true wealth”.
The reality for most of us is that we are more often in a lower vibration in one or more aspects and higher in others. This is why there are extremely rich people who are never content or are still chasing money, despite the incredible amount they already have. J Paul Getty, once the richest man in America was famously asked, “How much is enough” and he replied that there is “never enough”. He felt this, most likely because there was a severe lack in another aspect of true wealth.
is your connection to source. It is spiritual wealth, if you like.
The recognition that you are part of universal consciousness and are never alone. There is a source of energy, that money energy is a part of, that is yours to tap into for guidance and support. You can do this by evolving and strengthening your connection through a meditation practice or ritual. This is ultimately what will lead to your transformation into a truly wealthy person
is the wealth of family and loved ones.
No matter how much money you have, if you are poor in relationships, you feel very poor indeed! This form of wealth includes all your loved ones, including your blood family, chosen family, friends and even pets. We can also say that this aspect of wealth is to do with our sense of belonging and being part of a community that nurtures and supports us and also supports our creations. This could be the gifts you share with the world, your creative endeavours, and how you fulfill your desire to be of service to others. This aspect of Lakshmi thrives when you fully embrace your role in the wider community.
is the wealth of nourishment.
This includes eating good foods, as well as taking nourishment from the way you eat — mindfully, with loved ones around you. It is a fact that good nourishment for the body is also nourishment for the mind, which leads to good health. All the money in the bank without good health will not give you a happy life. The saying “health is wealth” is a cliche for a reason. To truly embody wealth, you need to look at how you care for your physical body just as much as how you care for your emotions, mind, and money. Nourishing your mind and body is the key to inviting this aspect of Lakshmi into life.
is the wealth of knowledge, creativity and the arts.
If you own a business, you act as Vidya Lakshmi when you are in the CEO mindset. It is the energy you invite into your life so that you can create a successful business, or create a beautiful piece of art. It is not just learned knowledge from books or courses, but also from real life challenges and the inner wisdom that is within all of us.
is the wealth of courage and energy.
You’ve already taken some enormous strides leaning into Veera Lakshmi in courageously looking at your money stories, exploring limiting beliefs which may not even be your own but handed down your ancestral lineage and taking action to overcome these and build your wealth. It is the strength, and crucially, the inspiration to overcome difficulties of life. To live a life feeling safe and secure. When we are not able to feel safe and secure in our lives because of external factors like job security, financial worries, health concerns, relationship challenges immense courage is needed to come out of this situation. Tapping into the energy of Veera Lakshmi helps us to do this.
is the wealth of fame. In our case, we see this as the wealth of being known as who you want to be.
It’s being able to stand up for what you believe in, and share your message and mission with others, whatever the scope of that looks like for you. This form of Goddess Lakshmi is the bestower and protector of wealth, prosperity, grace, abundance and royalty. This is the energy which keeps you striving to achieve your dreams but from a place of ease and grace. To do your dharma or duty to bring forth your creation and gifts into the world from a place of service and gratitude. If you invite this energy into your life, your wealth will be plentiful and sustainable.
is the wealth of success.
This is the feeling you get when your plans come together, when you truly lean into your strengths, and enjoy the fruits of your labour. It is also the part of you that does a little happy dance when you conquer hurdles or obstacles and celebrate your achievements. Success and the celebration of that success with gratitude is a key to inviting this aspect of Lakshmi into your life.
is the wealth as we normally think of it: money, gold, and tangible expressions of wealth.
It also represents inner strength, will power, talent, virtues and character. This is what will yield abundance of wealth and prosperity.
There are, of course many more forms of wealth than this, but this is a great launching point for thinking about how you want to incorporate more wealth into your life. And the wonderful thing is, the more you increase your wealth in one area of your life, the more the others will follow.
