People think Lakshmi is money- and on Diwali once a year they want to appease the symbol of money with prayers, decor, sweets, lights and flowers. Have you ever thought that why the Goddess has never tossed back a coin at you from that photo or that statue- you come every year, why not just toss one coin?
Let’s not say -‘there is no Lakshmi’ but let us really make space for a new way to look at her; instead of a money-making machine; the provider of all comforts, the giver of all things luxurious.
Let’s make her more than that.
When a child is given a gift without asking have you seen the glee on their face? They are so filled with intense humility and joy that they forget their surroundings and just become elated. That’s the feeling of receiving. Lakshmi’s presence is the same feeling of abundance. Lakshmi is already in all our lives, to check it, you need to allow yourself to see the things you have received and feel her presence.
Having received without asking and feeling elated is abundance. Even a person living in a meagre hut is living in abundance, a beggar sitting by the lane is in abundance, an orphan is in abundance— it is how the eyes can see.
Now to be able to have that sight or be able to sense the abundance you first need to build some qualities.
- You need to have peace, materialistically speaking contentment. When you’re at peace everything comes and goes and you remain unaffected by the world around you because you are enjoying something far more valuable within yourself. You need to value the peace, contentment and acceptance of the present reality. Only then will you be able to see the abundance around you. Vishnu is the peace-loving God and Lakshmi is rightly so his wife.
- Even if you want something beyond the peace— you want your children to get settled, you want a new house, you want a baby, this and that -all those human wants. You need to respect the goddess of Time. Kali. You need to understand as an unevolved mortal, your powers are restricted within the limits of Night-and-day, till the moment you meet death. Time is feminine energy and like all other feminine energies it flows, where it finds its need being met. Time follows belief. If you believe and have faith you need to have patience. When you are persistent with your belief, Time has to follow, change has to come. Whatever you seek, work for it, with faith and patience. With the flow of times, Lakshmi has to come- abundance will be seen, in some form or another.
- If you’re unhappy about what you already have, you mostly lack the knowledge of its value. You could be in a toxic environment, stuck in office culture, bad relationship; or in any situation that you’re unhappy in. If you’re unhappy you have not developed the wisdom to see beyond your discomfort. Wisdom and knowledge, Goddess Saraswati comes when you have a certain level of humility and you seek. Humility lets you accept things and yourself, as they are (acceptance does not mean you don’t take action, it means it’s not affecting you mentally). Your will to seek a solution leads to the gathering of knowledge. This holistic knowledge gives a true understanding of the value of what you have and you see Abundance. Without the right wisdom, you will never see abundance in its true form. And then you could become happy with what you have and find solutions to more.
- Abundance is finally a sense of having, a sense of feeling lucky to have. When you’re in that emotion you always want to share with others, your happiness is so big that you cannot just keep it with you. The reverse is as good. When you give just for the sake of giving, not for anything in return, your mind senses that —you had enough that’s why you gave. You did not feel the need to hoard because you had enough and will always get more. Giving and sharing are not just a Christmas thing and do not stop at giving materialistic things. You could give your company, give time, give attention, give a listening ear, give a shoulder to cry, give a comforting hug, give an encouraging word, give them space, give respect and honour, and keep giving just for giving. Suddenly you’ll see abundance behind everything you’ve given away. You’ll still be left with more. If you can give with an attitude of “just happy to give” you’ll feel the emotion of having received manifold. That’s what they meant by “Give 10 you’ll receive 100”.
Lastly, you don’t have to be Hindu, to feel abundance in your life. Understand that the symbolism of Hindu gods is not directly spoken of to maintain Godly supremacy or reverence. Truly though each of us can learn and grow these qualities within us. So Welcome Goddess Lakshmi this year into your hearts and not just your homes. Make her more by feeling her presence in your life.
Wishing you and your family a very content, peaceful and joyful Diwali. May we value what we have and share whatever we receive from our endeavours.
Sneha Bhuwalka
