Meet Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Fortune

We at Footsie talk incessantly about your wonderful Inner Goddess - that all powerful, all feminine part of you that sometimes needs to be coaxed out to play.

That's why we thought we'd honor some of our favorite, real-life Goddesses from the world's different cultures. Nothing like setting a good example for the powerful woman within!

This month's feature: Lakshmi, Hindu Goddess of Wealth and Fortune 

The word ''Lakshmi'' is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksme, meaning "goal." Lakshmi, therefore, represents the goal of life, which includes worldly as well as spiritual prosperity. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Lakshmi, also called Shri, is the divine spouse of Lord Vishnu and provides Him with wealth for the maintenance and preservation of the creation.

In her images and pictures, Lakshmi is depicted with four arms. She wears red clothes with a golden lining and is standing on a lotus.

The four arms represent the four directions of space - symbolizing her omnipresence and omnipotence. The red color sybolizes activity. The golden lining (embroidery) denotes prosperity. The idea conveyed here is that the Goddess is always busy distributing wealth and prosperity.

Lakshmi also has contemporaries in other religions:

Diana - The Roman goddess of the hunt (Artemis in Greek) who helps keep you focused on attaining your goal.

Bridgid - Celtic Irish goddess of inspiration, poetry, birth and blacksmithing; she helps you find your  creative flow.

Nemesis - Of course she's a woman... the Greek goddess of retribution helps you handle office politics and troublemakers while helping you see ways you sabotage yourself - so you can avoid them.




You see, ladies? In our daily battles with dollars, doldrums and disappointment - we're hardly alone. Cultures throughout history have given us wonderful archetypes to empower ourselves, create and distribute wealth, move forward with the things we want to do, overcome any obstacles in our way. With all these fierce and fortune-giving ladies on your side, you can do anything!