Re: Spiritual / Magical Names?
Was raised Catholic. And where I grew up it wasn't just a religion, it was WHO you were, what you were etc. So, even though I pretty much had the faith/religion then that I have now as a Pantheist, I had no language for it. It was something I had and even practiced but I never considered it a faith or religion because I lived in a world where there was nothing but BEING Catholic....
I very much like my given name now, but when I was a kid my mom often used it in angry tones, or mocking tones, or shaming tones etc. So I had some uncomfortable associations with it as a child. Teachers did that too. I hate the idea of scolding someone with their name and really did my best to avoid doing so with my kids.
So, when I was 12 it was time for confirmation in the Catholic church and we were told to research saints who we wanted as a role model/mentor and use their name as our confirmation name. I admit I chose the name then researched the saint's back story, because I liked the name, and I imagined it would be a nice name to have. The back story pretty much meant nothing to me nor inspired me, I just thought it was cool to be able to pick a name I liked.
A few years later...suffering depression, teen angst, family issues, and realizing that I really really wasn't Catholic and having NO clue what that meant or what to do with it...my best friends/confidants were my goldfish. I can't explain it, they were just the most important things in my life. They kept me going.
And they gave me a name. It's not a name that I've ever heard or seen anywhere, it's just something they gave me...like I just KNEW that is who I was to them.
I don't do magik (not part of my tradition) so not sure whether or not to call it a magikal name, but I think a spiritual name would apply.
I do use it as my e-mail address name and as screen names a few places because no one else uses it and it's never been turned down for being "taken". So there are people who know me by that name, and a few who use it.
I think it's nice when someone you love and are in relationship gives you a name that speaks of who/what you are to them. So it means that to me as well.
If I do spiritual blogging, or write a prayer I will often use the name, but I have never used it when signing my art, even when I do art connected with my faith...that just dawned on me!
I never use my confirmation name at all. Ever. I don't even like it anymore...not because of any association with the church...it's just one of those names that a girl thinks would be cool to have at 12 and by the time they are 17 they are like "what was I thinking!?"
Was raised Catholic. And where I grew up it wasn't just a religion, it was WHO you were, what you were etc. So, even though I pretty much had the faith/religion then that I have now as a Pantheist, I had no language for it. It was something I had and even practiced but I never considered it a faith or religion because I lived in a world where there was nothing but BEING Catholic....
I very much like my given name now, but when I was a kid my mom often used it in angry tones, or mocking tones, or shaming tones etc. So I had some uncomfortable associations with it as a child. Teachers did that too. I hate the idea of scolding someone with their name and really did my best to avoid doing so with my kids.
So, when I was 12 it was time for confirmation in the Catholic church and we were told to research saints who we wanted as a role model/mentor and use their name as our confirmation name. I admit I chose the name then researched the saint's back story, because I liked the name, and I imagined it would be a nice name to have. The back story pretty much meant nothing to me nor inspired me, I just thought it was cool to be able to pick a name I liked.
A few years later...suffering depression, teen angst, family issues, and realizing that I really really wasn't Catholic and having NO clue what that meant or what to do with it...my best friends/confidants were my goldfish. I can't explain it, they were just the most important things in my life. They kept me going.
And they gave me a name. It's not a name that I've ever heard or seen anywhere, it's just something they gave me...like I just KNEW that is who I was to them.
I don't do magik (not part of my tradition) so not sure whether or not to call it a magikal name, but I think a spiritual name would apply.
I do use it as my e-mail address name and as screen names a few places because no one else uses it and it's never been turned down for being "taken". So there are people who know me by that name, and a few who use it.
I think it's nice when someone you love and are in relationship gives you a name that speaks of who/what you are to them. So it means that to me as well.
If I do spiritual blogging, or write a prayer I will often use the name, but I have never used it when signing my art, even when I do art connected with my faith...that just dawned on me!
I never use my confirmation name at all. Ever. I don't even like it anymore...not because of any association with the church...it's just one of those names that a girl thinks would be cool to have at 12 and by the time they are 17 they are like "what was I thinking!?"
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