This is the Goddess Lakshmi. I do not know anything about Goddesses or Hinduism, but a few weeks ago I was telling my yoga teacher Ellen some personal things, and she told me that I needed Lakshmi. She is the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both spiritual and material. She embodies light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage.
Today I did 45 minutes of yoga in my bedroom, mixing different styles and creating my own practice. At the end I did about 15 minutes of Shavasana, or corpse pose, where we lie quietly and allow ourselves to rest, resisting the flight or fight response that we always carry around. I thought of Lakshmi, and prayed to her, and thought about God and was praying to God as I know him, as well. Tears started to silently pour out of the corners of my eyes, I was so relaxed and so moved, by some silent peace and spirit that I wish I felt more often.
I was thinking about all of the different religions and ways to believe in God, or to be spiritual. I often think about how this will be the end of civilization, the wars surrounding religion. What is supposed to bring peace actually brings turmoil and hatred, we are so afraid of someone who worships or does things differently than we do.
I was thinking that all of the spiritual entities in the sky need to unite and form some sort of board of directors, and send messengers or angels down to let us all know that we are doing OK...that it is OK to allow our brothers and sisters from different religions, countries, and places to believe in their own way. We do not have to try to change them or make them think the same way that we do. God created us all, including all of these differences. I wish that we all could learn to respect and love the differences of everyone that we know. It would be a first step towards PEACE.
