by Acharya Shunya
Abundance is a word that is often connected with material fulfillment alone. However, when material fulfillment is accompanied with spiritual wholeness, this experience is termed as "Aishwarya" by Vedic seers. Aishwarya is a concept inherently connected to Dharma, the greater light of righteousness, truth, and consciousness, shining in the deep recesses of our heart.
It is said in the Vedas that Aishwarya and Dharma are the two pillars upon which everyday spirituality is built — Dharma is the fierce knowing of what is true within ourselves, while Aishwarya is a unique strength enjoyed through our spirit connection with the universe.
When we are living from a space of Aishwarya, every sunrise feels like a personal invitation to participate in the light that is universally available for all beings. Even winter, when all is dark and silent, feels like an invitation to go within and milk the richness of this universe. Whatever is happening — the good, the bad, the lovely, the ugly — it all seems to have a personal note for us containing a message of abundance.
Aishwarya enables us to go within and truly enjoy the richness of our experience — to become intentionally present in the here and now. When we are in this presence, we stop trying to control the now. We stop fretting for the future and whining for the past and become open to what is emerging in the now. Aishwarya enables us to be in a place of deep abundance, because being fully vested in the present brings us to knowledge, wisdom, and wellbeing, and inner blessings become available to us.
An easy way to hone the attitude and experience of Aishwarya is to evoke the Goddess of Abundance, Goddess Lakshmi. Calling upon Maa Lakshmi increases our sense of well-being, and helps reduce feelings of scarcity and lack. Try the very simple and brief meditation below to begin.
