Say Yes! to a New Name: White Stone Ceremony

If you are considering adopting a new name for yourself and are not yet sure the timing is right, consider this: The "Caterpillar" calls itself "Butterfly" after it has broken free of its cocoon and is ready to spread its wings. - Phylameana lila Desy (http://healing.about.com/bio/Phylameana-lila-Desy-599.htm), About.com Guide (http://healing.about.com/od/spirituality/a/name-changes.htm)

Have you noticed the dramatic increase in synchronicity in the last few months? You know, the 'coincidental timing' of things that go so perfect together and yet appear to be unrelated, and it seems to be happening more frequently as we have approached and now entered 2012. It's almost as if it's out of a movie script or something.

With the Kailasa project (https://www.meetup.com/Kailasa/) well under way we have been connecting with a large number of other communities, and that means we're meeting a lot of new people. Many of the people we are contacting are much like us, having had a rather radical awakening into spirituality within the last few years and finding themselves immersed into a whole new world. Some of us even have trouble identifying with the personality that we were before our awakening.

Personally, I liked the person that I woke up and found myself playing. My mom wanted to call me 'Sean' after Sean Connery. After all, what's a smitten 19 year old girl to do with dreams of a dashing Scotsman and 007 dancing in her head. Apparently, in the Southern US in the 1960's many families gave a 'professional' name for the first name and the middle name was the preferred familiar name, so they gave me a first name of 'Michael' but everyone called me 'Sean.'

My younger brother, who would be named Christopher if he went by his first name, was beneficent of my mother watching 'The Graduate' the year after I was born, and so his middle name was Dustin and he went by Dusty for many years. But as he got older, he no longer identified with the person he knew as 'Dusty' and eschewed the name Christopher entirely to become Dustin Brown. Growing up with Dusty Brown (one of the 64 colors in the original Crayola Crayon Box), I can assure you that Dustin Brown is only very little like Dusty Brown.

I then had a few sessions with Dr. Robert Moldowan (https://www.meetup.com/AwarenessGroup/events/dqkndcyqcblb/). In the first or second session, he said that Sean did not seem to be my correct name and he asked my full name. I told him my first name is 'Michael' and he said that was much more like it. I have to tell you, however, that I have never identified with the name Michael at all, as much as I dig the connection to Archangel Michael. Additionally, I have felt that changing my name would generate more karma than keeping the one I've had for over four decades. It seemed going from a name that was given to me to a name that I had chosen for myself would be a rather egoic action. It seems that this reluctance is greater in those of us past our 30s than it is for the younger group, a reflection of the conditioning we faced back then.

A large part of my opening has been an increased willingness to let go of assumptions and judgments made in the past, including those made as a child to those made a few minutes ago. Sometimes I need a few repetitions to let a particular judgment go, and that has been the case with spiritual names. It has been very easy for me to accept a new friend's spiritual name, and while I have to get around the memory aspect, I don't have any trouble calling a long-time friend by their new spiritual name. But I have not allowed myself the same opportunity, and that is a pattern that many of us have: we don't cut ourselves the same slack we cut strangers, friends, and loved ones. I'd like to stop that pattern.

About two years ago, I took a spiritual name: Shoonyajnana. And yet my conditioning has prevented me from adopting it, even though my active friend base is almost entirely made up of people from a spiritual community. As I find surrender quite easy these days, I'm surprised as to how much resistance I've energized on this particular topic.

As always, the Universe finds ways to wink at me and I have been inundated by psychological pokes regarding spiritual names. The final straw was when Reverend Sophia Falke sent out the topic of her service this week: "Say Yes! to a New Name; White Stone Ceremony (https://www.meetup.com/AwarenessGroup/events/csgcryqcblb/)." Here's the description she sent:

SAY YES! TO A NEW NAME: WHITE STONE CEREMONYThis Sunday, we take the next step of our journey in creating an abundant New Year as we celebrate our traditional White Stone ceremony. This service is partially based on a verse from the book of Revelation that reads: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." What is the name or attribute you want to claim in the New Year? Join us for this powerful ritual.

And so I'm going to attend her White Stone Ceremony and allow myself to let go of 'Sean' and accept 'Shoonyajnana' as the name with which I will refer to this awesome vehicle of consciousness as. Kitty calls me Shoonya and Jim calls me Shoony, both much less cumbersome than shoon-yuh-YAH-nuh.

If you have a spiritual name you would like to use in this ceremony, we would love to have you join us. If you do not have a spritual name, please read below from Yogi Bhajan's website. More synchronicity, but the first reference for "changing spiritual name" was Yogi Bhajan, someone who certainly resonates as one who would be a great source, just as Amma would be. (Click here for Amma on Spiritual Names (http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/hinduism-forum/223461-amma-spiritual-names.html).)

Spiritual Names http://www.3ho.org/spiritual-names/images/sn-main-yogi-bhajan.jpg

A spiritual name is a vibration and a tool that helps to elevate your energy through the power of its nadh (http://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/kundalini-yoga-yb/mantras/sound-naad/) (inner sound current), and through the divine essence of its meaning. It is your spiritual or soul identity. It challenges you to live in your highest consciousness and helps you progress towards your ultimate destination. Making the choice to receive a spiritual name is taking a step toward leaving old patterns behind and connecting with your infinite self.

How does having a spiritual name impact your life?

It’s an opportunity to leave the past behind and live consciously. It’s a tool or road map to your highest destiny. It’s a blessing to be continually reminded of your unique soul and your relationship with the Infinite. It’s your soul identity. It’s a rebirth in consciousness. It’s life changing. Click here (http://www.3ho.org/spiritual-names/what-is-spiritual-name/) to learn more about a spiritual name.

"You are all here; we’ll share with you every moment of your life, and we will ask you to understand your spiritual incarnation and your spiritual name, and try to find out the strength to live it. Without finding that strength to live your spiritual identity, life will be a waste, and we don’t want it to be wasted." ~ Yogi Bhajan

How do I request a Spiritual Name?

All are welcome to receive a spiritual name. It's an opportunity to transform your life! You can use our online Spiritual Name request form (http://www.3ho.org/spiritual-names/online-spiritual-name-request/) to quickly and easily send us your name request.

“Your spiritual name is your designated destiny, your heavenly identity. That’s all it is. You may or may not live to it, but it is your guiding force. And it’s a prayer. When somebody calls me ‘Yogiji,’ it means ‘one who is united with the greater soul.’ When somebody calls me ‘Bhajan,’ it means a ‘divine song.’ And if somebody calls me ‘Harbhajan Singh,’ it means ‘the lion who sings the divine song.’ It’s a prayer in the other man’s word. What is prayer? It is a calling. And you answer the calling. You get uplifted. It’s a plus. It’s a way of receiving people’s blessings.” — Yogi Bhajan

http://www.3ho.org/spiritual-names/images/sn-whatisasn.jpgStudents of Yogi Bhajan began requesting their spiritual names in the early 1970’s. “Our spiritual names became our tools – which daily touched our hearts, impacted our words and delicately influenced our actions – transforming us and releasing us from the insecurities of the past” — Nirinjan Kaur (Yogi Bhajan's Chief of Staff)

During his lifetime Yogi Bhajan gave thousands of spiritual names to those students who requested them. “What we do is that we consider what your past is, calculating your destiny and give you a target name, a spiritual name. That is the journey you have to travel. It sets the standard, the base.” — Yogi Bhajan

Who gives spiritual names today?

Receiving a spiritual name was a special gift Yogi Bhajan gave to his students, as well as to other people who requested them. For over thirty years, he trained his Chief of Staff, Nirinjan Kaur, in how to determine a person’s spiritual name. Today, with Yogi Bhajan’s blessings and using his technology, Nirinjan Kaur carries on this tradition. Click Here (http://www.3ho.org/spiritual-names/faqs/#faq3) for more information.