The Meaning of a Spiritual Name
Change of Name Reflects Personal Growth and Commitment to a New Path
May 27, 2009
People involved in spiritual groups or healing circles often have two names: the name given to them by their parents, and a spiritual name that they or their teachers have chosen to reflect a new spiritual path. It may be confusing to outsiders who aren't part of the tradition, but spiritual names have deep meaning and significance to those who are renamed.
What is a Spiritual Name?
Some spiritual names are traditional to certain world religions or faiths, while others are made up words or syllables that have meaning only to the person being named. A spiritual name is usually a single name given by a guru, teacher or elder as part of a ritual, though in some spiritual traditions the name is chosen by the individual after meditation or a vision quest.
In many Eastern traditions, the spiritual name can only be given by a guru or teacher, and only when a devotee or spiritual candidate feels ready to devote his- or herself to a committed spiritual path. The Indian guru Amma has often told students that the name helps spiritual seekers to find themselves and stay close to their spiritual path. "You become identified with it," said Amma in a 2006 question-and-answer session, "and it reminds you of your true self. If you are focused on it, the name can really help you to realize your true nature."
Some people find their spiritual name comes to them in dreams, like the ones that renowned artist and author SARK (born Susan Kennedy) talks about when people ask about her name. She had two dreams, she explains, in which the recently deceased author Henry Miller – one of her role models – came to her and told her to change her name to "SARK" by adding the middle names "Ariel Rainbow" to her legal name.
The Meaning of a Name
Anyone schooled in languages or who has needed to find the perfect name for a pet, a baby, or a literary character knows just how much meaning there is in a name. Most modern names have forgotten meanings that trace back to dead and ancient languages. Numerology buffs knows that the letters of a name add up to numbers whose significance can be calculated; not to mention the meaning that the syllables of a name have when the frequency of sound waves are examined.
Every name – whether it was chosen by parents, a teacher, or oneself – has meaning on many levels, so choosing a spiritual name should not be taken on lightly.
Spiritual Rebirth and the Changing of a Name
Many people choose to take a spiritual name as a token of their commitment to a new path. Others use the name to remind themselves of changes they would like to make and of who they want to become in the rest of their lives.
"Just by getting a name, you won't change," says Amma. "The change has to happen from within." She has also told devotees that "taking a name from a Guru is like taking a new birth." The spiritual name helps people to transcend the ego and let go of things they might be holding on to from earlier in their lives – but it's a conscious choice that must be upheld in every way, not just by using a new name.
Whether a person chooses to change surname or just her first name, the decision to take a spiritual name is a profound one that can affect a person's spiritual practice and other aspects of his or her life.
Sources:
- Sashki, "Spiritual Names: Reminders of Who We Really Are," Archives.Amritapuri.org, 8 February 2006.
- Costello, Becca, "The answer is yes," NewsReview.com, 27 October 2005.
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