Laima

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This article is about the mythological deity. For the chocolate company, see Laima (confectioner).

This article is about the mythological deity. For the brachiopod genus, see Laima (brachiopod).

This article is about the mythological deity. For the unmanned aerial vehicle, see Insitu Aerosonde.

Laima (also Laime, Laimas māte in Latvian) was the personification of fate and of luck in Latvian and Lithuanian mythology.^[1] 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.

In Latvian mythology, Laima and her sisters, Kārta and Dēkla, were a trinity of fate deities, part of a widespread European and Aegean conception of Destiny in the hands of three ageless ancient women, like the Norns or the Moirae. Laima being considerably more popular, Dekla and Karta have similar functions. In modern Dievturi these three goddesses are referred to as the three Laimas, indicating they are the same deity in three different aspects. Though Laima makes the final decision, all three make joint resolutions regarding the fate of particular individuals.

In Lithuanian mythology, Laima is not only the goddess of fate, prolificacy and marriage, but also of darkness and light. Laima was associated with and would often be in the form of the cuckoo. Laima’s entourage is goddesses Laimė and Dalia. Laima gives destiny for newborns. Laima's sisters are Giltinė, Dekla, Karta, Magyla.

The mythographer and archaeologist Marija Gimbutas (1921–1994) recalled in an interview, how in her girlhood in Lithuania

"The Goddess Laima was there; she could call at night and look through the windows. When a woman is giving birth she appears, and the grandmother is there organizing things. She has gifts for the Goddess: towels and woven materials are laid for her, because she weaves the life, she is the spinner. She may be on the way to disappear, but fifty years ago she was still there" Interview with Gimbutas.

Laima’s sacred tree is the lime (linden). In folk songs and tales she is the singing cuckoo in the lime (?). The lime tree has 3, 5, 6, 7 or 9 branches, and these numbers are the magic numbers of Laima. Laima’s altar is a stone in the shape of a woman. Such totems awarded for proliferation by women.

There are many Baltic folk songs telling how Laima arranged Aušrinė's name giving gala (christening). She called all Stars (Žvaigždės, Latvian Zvaigznes) but didn’t call Saulė.

There were many rituals in 18th century and Middle Ages for Laima in Lithuania.