What the Hell is ‘Lakshmi-Maxxing’?
A wellness influencer repackaged a Hindu goddess as self-optimization. Then came the backlash.
To become a Hindu goddess, there are several things you must do, at least according to “Ayurvedic mentor” Lisa Power. Wake up before sunrise. Massage your body with oil. Steam your yoni. Surround yourself with flowers. Light a “ghee lamp.” If you’re doing all of these things, you’re well on your way to “Lakshmi-maxxing.” As Lisa Power posted on Instagram: “The most radiant, vital & magnetic women are all Lakshmi-Maxxing.”
Was this a joke? Hundreds flooded the influencer’s comments with “my culture is not your costume.” Others responded with their own clapback videos. “My grandmother was maxxing, but she didn’t even know she was,” Lakshmi (yes, that’s her name!) Borah told The Juggernaut. Dozens of news outlets picked up the story, implying it was the latest appropriation apocalypse. So what the hell is Lakshmi-maxxing — and how do you actually do it?