The meditation I want to share with you uses an easy to learn mantra to attract wealth and prosperity through the positive energies of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi (quite often spelled Laxmi). She governs many positive attributes including wealth, prosperity, courage, light, generosity and wisdom. Lakshmi is typically depicted as an extremely beautiful woman with four arms. Descriptions of Lakshmi vary somewhat. I will describe the most common form I have seen represented.

Lakshmi sits on a pink lotus flower which is floating on the water. The lotus on the water represents purity and spirituality, or transcendance. Growing out of the mud, it floats above it. The seated yoga meditation position called padmasana or in western terms, the lotus position, has its roots in the very same symbolism. The lotus can also be said to represent the evolution of conciousness. From the mire of consciousness it transcends into spiritual unity.

Clothed in the finest garments and bedecked with jewels, gold coins of prosperity flow from her lower right hand. Her lower left hand is held in a meditative Mudra position. A Mudra is a symbolic positioning of the hand, fingers or body, there are traditionally 108 different Mudras.

In many representations of Lakshmi you will see two elephants flanking her, spraying water. The elephants represent royalty, in Hindu symbolism elephants also remove obstacles. Her upper hands are holding perfect lotus flowers. Lakshmi is repeatedly associated with the lotus flower in Hindu lore. In the ancient text called the Mahabharata, it states that Lakshmi was born from a lotus which grew out of Vishnu's head. Vishnu is considered the supreme God in Hindu tradition.

I first learned of the Laxmi meditation while listening to a compilation of meditation music by Caitlin called Laxmi's Dream: Sacred Mantras. The album is a collection of Hindu and Tibetan mantras passed on to her by her teacher. The mantras are repeated with beautiful singing by Caitlin and accompaniment with didgeridoo and various instruments by her husband Sika.

Listening to Caitlin's sacred mantras is a powerful meditation in its own right. You can just drift and let the sounds infuse your being with peace and tranquility. I have used it to great effect to heal myself. It is the single most powerful collection of ancient Sanskrit and Tibetan mantras I have ever heard. Friends of mine who have listened to it all agree that it is exceptional.

The Laxmi mantra in English writing looks like this:
Om Shrim Maha Lakshmi Yei Swaha

To pronounce it, it sounds like:
Ohmm Shreem Maha Lok-Shmee Yayee Svahaa

Om begins the mantra as a sacred exclamation, it precedes traditional mantras and prayers.
Shrim is a vibration to attract abundance.
Maha means great.
Laxmi represents the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Swaha is another vibration that attracts abundance and prosperity.

To begin the meditation, find yourself a comfortable position where you will not be disturbed while you meditate. Ultimately you should be sitting in the full lotus position if you are able. However, I have read teachings from Hindu masters that indicate a half lotus is perfectly acceptable if the full lotus position makes you too uncomfortable (especially for Westerners who did not grow up in the lotus position). If for some reason you cannot be in the half lotus position, you may even perform the meditation seated with your spine comfortably straight. Meditating while lying down works too, though you may tend to fall asleep.

The most important aspect of your body position during mantra meditation, is to have the spine straight so that the energy can flow easily through your chakras without being blocked. That is one of the reasons why the full lotus is so often used, it brings your body naturally into a good alignment.

Take a deep breath and let your body relax. Then begin to repeat the mantra out loud or in your mind, whatever is comfortable for you. It is recommended to voice it out loud because you are creating a vibration of energy which resonates out into the Universe. Repeating the mantra in your mind also produces the same vibration, just with your thoughts instead of your voice. I have had good success repeating the mantra in my mind, and in my opinion, the vibrations of thought can be just as powerful as the vibrations of your voice.

As you repeat the mantra, om shrim maha laxmi yei swaha, see Lakshmi in your mind. Visualize her gold coins of prosperity showering you in your life. Concentrate your awareness on Lakshmi, sometimes you might imagine her smiling as she bestows good fortune upon you. Let your breath flow naturally, as your mind calms down, your breathing will slow, this is natural.

Say the mantra 108 times with Love and Compassion in your heart. 108 is a very sacred number in Hindu tradition, all sanskrit mantras should be repeated 108 times for a complete meditation cycle. If you only have a short amount of time to meditate, 12 times is a good number, but 108 is the best. Even saying it 15 or 25 or 68 times is perfectly fine, sometimes the real world requires your attention or you may not be able to finish your complete meditation for some reason. Consider 108 repetitions as a meditative practice goal.

It is nearly impossible to keep count while meditating, that is why prayer beads known as a Mala are used. You hold the mala necklace which has 108 beads and each time you say the mantra you move one more bead through your fingers until you get to the beginning of the mala again. It works incredibly well, freeing your mind to concentrate on meditating.

As you meditate, you may find that your mind wanders onto other thoughts, gently move your mind back to Laxmi, or the mantra, or just nothingness. I have found it especially effective to just focus all of your attention on just saying the mantra. Try to find the time to perform the meditation about once per day for maximum benefit. When you really start to get good at it, mantra meditation can actually be addictive. Especially at the higher spiritual levels of consciousness, such as Yogi Masters attain, when they begin to experience bliss and unity. Seek balance, it is not necessary to spend *all* of your time in meditation.

Namaste