My parents gave me the name Mary, which I love. Haven't met many Mary's, even though Mary is a poster child for common names. So it is distinctive. The associations with the divine mother and all of her magic and love appeal as a sacred cloaking. I am humbled to share such an awesome name, and I imagine a dose of divinity flowing my way like a blessing every time someone calls me by my given name. My last name is Green, a color associated with the heart chakra. So Mary plus Green equals some pretty serious mother energy and love. So I'll take it! But I will never be it.
I've had many monikers in my lifetime. As a Chinese major in college I was called Feng Mei Li, a classical Mandarin name bestowed by my Chinese professor. It means "beautiful plum blossom." Professor Pease explained that the plum tree sprouts the heartiest flower out there. Plum blossoms are the first brave blooms to appear after the winter, often on snow-covered limbs. Cool! Beauty AND strength and fortitude...I'll take it! But I will never be it.
In the Kundalini yoga tradition we are often given spiritual names based on the tantric numerology of our birth date. In the nadh of the name is our highest calling, a destiny we can choose to claim through discipline and right-living. What was in the stars for me? I am blessed to be living as Dharamdyan Kaur. This name means that through the strength of my meditative mind ("dyan") I can always know God's will and stick to the path of righteousness ("dharam" or dharma). All women are given the surname, Kaur, which means princess or lioness invoking our innate grace and power. So my name means "princess or lioness of God who meditatively and steadfastly holds to the path of righteousness." Wow. I'll take it. And I strive to manifest that destiny.
I've had as many nicknames, it seems, as I have friends and relatives. I have been called Maresy-doats, Mer, Merary, Mer-na, Moo, Kute, June, Beverly, MFG, marygreen, DD (short for Dharamdyan!) and Mom-mom. Each name is an affectionate bond, filed with laughter, stories and history. I accept each name and bond with gratitude, but I am none of those names.
With respect to names, I often tell the yoga students I teach that before they had a name, before they were Mark or Eva or Kate, they were sat nam. Sat is "truth" and nam is "identity" or "name." So truth is our collective identity. And if we are all truth, then we are all one. I once met an amazing man who recounted a near-death experience. He described the world after life as pure truth. "In heaven you breathe the truth," he said with assurance. And he wasn't even from the Kundalini Yoga tradition. I guess all traditions boil down to truth, and we seek that truth through whatever practice feels like home.
So sat nam. Breathe in and mentally vibrate "sat," affirming the truth with each life-giving inhalation. And exhale "nam," remembering your eternal identity with every breath. I'll take it. I am it. We are it.
I've had many monikers in my lifetime. As a Chinese major in college I was called Feng Mei Li, a classical Mandarin name bestowed by my Chinese professor. It means "beautiful plum blossom." Professor Pease explained that the plum tree sprouts the heartiest flower out there. Plum blossoms are the first brave blooms to appear after the winter, often on snow-covered limbs. Cool! Beauty AND strength and fortitude...I'll take it! But I will never be it.
In the Kundalini yoga tradition we are often given spiritual names based on the tantric numerology of our birth date. In the nadh of the name is our highest calling, a destiny we can choose to claim through discipline and right-living. What was in the stars for me? I am blessed to be living as Dharamdyan Kaur. This name means that through the strength of my meditative mind ("dyan") I can always know God's will and stick to the path of righteousness ("dharam" or dharma). All women are given the surname, Kaur, which means princess or lioness invoking our innate grace and power. So my name means "princess or lioness of God who meditatively and steadfastly holds to the path of righteousness." Wow. I'll take it. And I strive to manifest that destiny.
I've had as many nicknames, it seems, as I have friends and relatives. I have been called Maresy-doats, Mer, Merary, Mer-na, Moo, Kute, June, Beverly, MFG, marygreen, DD (short for Dharamdyan!) and Mom-mom. Each name is an affectionate bond, filed with laughter, stories and history. I accept each name and bond with gratitude, but I am none of those names.
With respect to names, I often tell the yoga students I teach that before they had a name, before they were Mark or Eva or Kate, they were sat nam. Sat is "truth" and nam is "identity" or "name." So truth is our collective identity. And if we are all truth, then we are all one. I once met an amazing man who recounted a near-death experience. He described the world after life as pure truth. "In heaven you breathe the truth," he said with assurance. And he wasn't even from the Kundalini Yoga tradition. I guess all traditions boil down to truth, and we seek that truth through whatever practice feels like home.
So sat nam. Breathe in and mentally vibrate "sat," affirming the truth with each life-giving inhalation. And exhale "nam," remembering your eternal identity with every breath. I'll take it. I am it. We are it.
