Laima

For the brachiopod genus, see Laima (brachiopod). Laima (also Laime, Laimas māte in Latvian) was the personification of fate and of luck in Latvian and Lithuanian mythology. She was associated with childbirth, marriage, death, proliferation, and domesticity; she was also the patron of pregnant women. Laima may be related to the Hindu goddess of luck and wealth Laxmi mata.
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[Latvian] Laima is the deity of fate, the personification of it, whether as luck or as bad luck. The name is similar to laime - "luck", with both grammatical variants traceable in the folklore material. The name of this deity also differs in different sources. She assists childbirth, therefore is honored by both maidens and married wives, controls the most important events of a person's life, such as birth, marriage and death. As a person may mention or even condemn the respective Laime, it may be understood that the concept 1) was in stage of turning into a synonym for liktenis - 'fate', 2) this deity is understood as opposable, although the judgment cannot be affected in any way. One of the first appearances of Laima in a document is again Paul Einhorn's Historia Lettica (1649). She is also the deity of pregnant women and can ensure a good pregnancy as long as she is in the house. Frequently mentioned together in the song texts with Dievs, in some cases God's horses are outside her door (mea...
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