Seeking a Spirit Name

During our lives we bear many names. Our parents choose our "given" names, fashioning from their hopes and dreams and family connections. And we bear the unspoken names of our many roles: parent, child, student, teacher, worker, citizen...

Yet just as names define us, they can also limit. And they can subjugate our being-and-becoming to the shaping of others' wills. In subtle ways, we can come to believe that this is ALL we are.

Native Americans believe that a man's life flows from his name like a river from its source. Finding a spirit name means claiming control of your own being-and-becoming, your secret core, that creative and ever-emerging force that lives behind your eyes: your "I"--the wellspring of all personal growth. It's your most powerful tool for personal growth, because a spirit name gives yourself and others a new way to see "you."

Choose wisely.

Your name will affect how others perceive you, which will affect how they treat you, which will affect how you perceive yourself. And as you internalize that mirrored image, you move toward more fully BECOMING the self of your dreams. You will shape your future self from what you now imagine and name.

Now, as you grow, your spirit name may change. This is part of its genius, for spirit names must never be static. They should reflect who you are and are moving toward becoming at THIS STAGE of your journey. Like the chambered nautilus, you will forever move into the temple you yourself continue building, growing more wise and centered and capable with each transition.

So, how do you find your spirit name?

Perhaps there's a personality or character quality you yearn to acquire. My dear friend, feeling fragmented and too ethereal, sought depth and grounding, tranquility with movement, and so she named herself "Riondo" (rio hondo, or "deep river" in Spanish).

Maybe you intend to behave in a certain way. I began as espejo ("mirror" in Spanish), with the intent of reflecting to each person I met the beauty and strength that I saw within them (qualities I wished for myself). Later for a time I chose to be caracola ("sea snail" in Spanish) to remind myself of the importance of humility.

Or possibly you know something about yourself that gives you joy. A spirit sister calls herself "Wind Dance," because she's inspired and animated by the wind, that great natural metaphor for change. Lucero means "bright star," usually referring to the planet Venus. Also, it has connotations of "light-bringer," which is appropriate since when I chose this name I was an educator who worked with Latinos, my joy and delight.

In addition, Lucero through its "bright star" connotations connects with the powerful principles of fiveness. (See A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe for a comprehensive discussion of how five relates to holograms, spirals, and the generative principle.) For me, fiveness has great power to effect positive change.

The important point is that just as all your other names were put on you from the outside, you must seek within and put your spirit name upon yourself. If someone else should reflect something they see in you, and if you feel a deep chord of recognition in that reflection, don't be afraid to use that insight as your spirit name.

But always, the choice, and the choice to CHANGE, must be yours!

A spirit name can help you through times of great trouble. Are you overwhelmed with a difficult situation, a soul-shaking event, a personal crisis? Go to a quiet place that brings you peace, and think of that catastrophic experience that is so shaking you. Think of your reaction to it.

Next, imagine the situation or event as a force of nature coming your way, threatening all in its path. What does it feel like? Be specific about its characteristics. Take time to be sure. Is it a forest fire? A flood? A hurricane? A tornado? A volcanic eruption?

Now, think of what kind of creature can survive this coming devastation. Will that creature fly to escape? Climb? Burrow? Swim? Be specific. See yourself as that creature. Feel yourself taking the shape and form of that creature.

For the time being, you can become that creature through the magic of a spirit name. Wearing the name, the guise of the creature you've chosen, you can weather this challenge.

And when the skies are clear again, your experience as an eagle or an earthworm will have helped you choose your next spirit name.

Always, always, the choice . . . and the choice to CHANGE . . . is yours.

Namasté, pilgrim. And happy questing!