Goddess Tarot: 10 ~ Fortune: Lakshmi

autumnsdaughter

"With loving reverence I bow to the Supreme Goddess
Lakshmi, you who sit astride the great eagle of divine protection!
You terrify the demons around us and within us
And graciously nullify their power!
You are the loving one loved by all.
I bow again with gratitude and awe." -Hymn to Lakshmi, quoted from "The Living Goddess" by Linda Johnson.

I really love this card- I usually feel rather ambiguous about the Wheel of Fortune card in most decks- because who can tell which way the wheel will turn? Even when the wheel is upright, I know eventually it will turn, and I will end up on the bottom.

This fortune doesn't feel arbitrary to me- it feels deliberate and loving, and unending. Here we see Lakshmi and her consort, Vishnu, riding their eagle, and blessing everyone with fortune. The fortune of Lakshmi is not only material, it is also spiritual fulfillment, romantic bliss, creative wealth... The vibrant colors of their clothing shows how they weartheir hearts on their sleeves- and these two truly are soul mates, if such a thing exists. In the frame, we can see the abundance of nature, how everything flourishes under Lakshmi's gentle protection.