Reclaiming Generosity of Spirit during times of lack
Radiance of Generosity
Is there a way to reclaim a generosity of spirit, or a spirit of generosity when you may be feeling parched and exhausted from worry in these turbulent times? Maybe you’re not sure what’s going to happen with your job. Maybe you’re in the midst of a painful ending of a relationship. Maybe you are finding yourself isolated and alone during these times.
Why and how does reclaiming a generosity of spirit, beneficial?
Generosity of spirit fills your cup, and then as it overflows, it spills out to fill the cups of others around you. It’s a beautiful generative energy that enlivens and inspires creative action. Invoking it and feeling this energy will transform your mood from victim of circumstances to Goddess of Goodwill!
Generosity inspires a feeling of openness. Instead of resistance to share, you feel joyful to contribute. However, there is a shadow side here. Expecting something in return as a condition of your generosity is a sign that you may need to explore how lack consciousness is informing your reality. There is always a sense of limitations or not-enough with lack.
Generosity is limitless but with it comes a quality of sustainability that demands respect and care for your resources. You’re not simply giving it away or spending your resources, you are respectful of the energy that it generates.
True generosity of spirit is like a flow of gold radiating through every cell of your Being.
Tuning in to this energy of generosity is simple and involves two steps - invocation and action which I will explain further.
In this article, I am sharing how we can tap into the qualities of the energy of generosity of spirit, accessible through the goddess archetype, Goddess Lakshmi. I highly recommend Sally Kempton’s book, Awakening Shakti, for a detailed account of Lakshmi. Kempton says, “For many centuries, people have associated Goddess Lakshmi with abundance. Yet the message of Lakshmi is that abundance is not just an external force. Abundance is the natural expression of your own radiance—and the practices associated with Lakshmi are all about opening you to the light you carry. When you know how to invoke her effulgent presence through myth, meditation, and mantra it can activate forces within you that transform your approach to wealth, relationship, and creativity.”
There is so much beauty and power – and generosity of spirit aplenty – accessible within the radiance of Goddess Lakshmi. The invitation is to explore how her aspects live through us – both her radiance and shadow aspects.
The two practices that I love about Kempton’s meditation is we first invoke Her in our being, and then we take an action, as Lakshmi would, through us. Here’s my account of this practice.
One morning, after a blissful invoking of Lakshmi in my Being, I ate my oat porridge with banana and apple with cinnamon, with a completely different awareness as I normally would. I was filled with gratitude for the abundance of vitality and goodness in every morsel, as I invoked the awareness of Lakshmi peering at my breakfast through my eyes. I literally, in that moment, saw how my fruits came from Lakshmi’s lush garden, overflowing with fruits and flowers to feed all, exquisitely landscaped with waterfalls and tropical abundance. I was filled with Her generosity of spirit feeding me through the fruit I was eating. Through the lushness of this garden, the richness of the soil and all living microorganisms in the dirt, the bees and the exotic birds and the joy from the beauty of this abundant garden, I was drawing from Her generosity of spirit and expressing as Her.
I was filled with Lakshmi’s spirit of generosity and radiance. So my actions for the day was being set up for a radiant sort of day - I knew I was not going to be able to have a pajama-day and laze or mope around! I felt my energy shift as She inspired me to view my day through Her eyes and feel through Her heart. Can you imagine the expansiveness of sight and feeling that is available when you welcome Her in? I could feel the energy of excitement building up. I felt like a child being lovingly carried and cared for by a beautifully dressed mother with Louboutin heels as she checked how her various businesses were doing, whilst preparing the most nutritious meal elaborately prepared! She was a powerhouse of Abundance, Success and Love.
As I felt deeper into this energy of excitement, what was discordant within me, also flushed up. An image of a fractious connection, came into my awareness, as though to remind me of the pain I still felt from that conversation. Yet, in that exact moment, this energy of generosity overcame me and in an instant, through my mind’s eyes, I was at this person’s feet, washing their feet with rose water and sprinkling rose petals of blessings. I could not help but feel a deep love wash over me as I performed this ritual. I was being moved to love in ways that Lakshmi was demonstrating to me how, and through Her I was being nurtured and rejuvenated. That fractious connection was also being blessed, allowing me to see the gift in it, with a new appreciation for it.
So, through the generous action of blessing this person and washing their feet, I was being filled up as I was sharing in Lakshmi’s generosity of spirit. She would go on to show me how my blessings were a true display of generosity of spirit. Bless, bless, bless everyone, everything.
I will add that this is not a bypass – when someone has hurt you, blessing them is not going to change the fact that you were hurt or abused, neither is it a way to keep you in an abusive relationship. Trying to bless or forgive someone when you are not ready to is a disservice to your soul’s expansion. We always acknowledge and allow the authentic expression of our feelings to be seen and heard – not bypassed. Blessing others opens in you an awareness that you have a beautiful gift of blessings within you – that you are so worthy, and valued to be this Blesser – and that walking away from abuse is how you own your value and you bless yourself as you walk away.
You may wonder how this is meant to help you feel generosity in spirit when you are perhaps feeling the threat of job loss, lack of finances or feeling the desperation of aloneness. I invite you to try this practice:
Invoke the energy. Invite Lakshmi into your life. Feel her in your whole body. Feel her in your toes, she is your toes. Feel her in your calve muscles, she is the very fibre of your muscles. Feel her in every cell of your Being, she is your Being. In your Being, open to feel her radiance, imagine rays of gold emanating from your being. Open to feel the abundance and lushness from her gardens here to feed and nourish you always. See these beautiful Balinese gardens in your mind’s eyes. Open to feel her success in all her endeavours, for she is a mighty successful power force here to help you feel that very same success in your endeavours. Open to feel her abundance pouring like gold coins from your palms, for she only trades in gold, knowing that you too are one who lives a golden life. Feel her fill your Being with the radiance that wants to guide all your actions, all your thoughts, leading you to feel the Abundance, Success and Love that you are. Imagine this. Feel this.
And then, feel into the challenge you are facing and release it to your Lakshmi energy, as though you are handing over to her a document listing all your worries.
Imagine a waterfall of golden radiance washing over you as you release this challenge to Lakshmi.
Lakshmi is not afraid to make tough decisions, she is a brave and powerful warrior too so allow her energy to fill you with the courage you need. No doubt you will also look gorgeous with all that courage.
Lakshmi is not afraid to Bless all beings. She may teach you how to see with new eyes a whole different perspective which you were unaware of.
Lakshmi is not afraid to walk away when she is being disrespected and dishonored. Know that you have Her energy of resolute knowing within you.
Lakshmi demands that you trust her and in the abundance that is your divine inheritance. Even if you feel shattered by all the lack in your life, know that when her energy is invoked through you, you are beginning to flip that old narrative once and for all.
Discover the experience and radiance that you emanate when you are opened to reclaim that generosity of spirit first for yourself, and then for others.
Follow up with an Action. If your challenge was a financial worry, then take an action to honour the Generosity of Spirit within your being now by donating to a charity that aligns with who you are. If this feels crazy in this financial climate, offer as little as $5 anyway. Search up charities and see if one catches your eye. Read about what they are trying to achieve with this money. Make that deposit.
I recall the moment after donating to a mission that was raising money to support young teens who couldn’t afford the basic necessities for school. As I made that donation, I bawled my eyes out because of the Generosity of Spirit in this organisation’s mission that was trying to make a difference in the lives of these young teens. I felt so humbled and all my money worries disappeared – my worries were nothing compared to what was a reality for so many people.
The journey of invoking Goddess Lakshmi to awaken your Generosity of Spirit will leave a lasting impression in your being and becoming. Something will shift in you, perhaps subtly, or maybe even radically. But it is in the action you take, the attitude you hold and the belief you have that determines your connection with Lakshmi Shakti. As Aurobindo stated “Lakshmi does not stay where love and beauty are not willing to be born.”
