| Magical Names |
| A lot of people who are Wiccans/Witches choose a magical name (or Craft name) for themselves. This is a name that means something to you (for example, say you love hawks and the Willow tree as well, you could call yourself WillowHawk or something. The name should either describe you or mean something to you).There are a few different reasons why peopel choose a Craft name.. 1. Since people often feel that they are entering a transition in their life when they come to Wicca, they feel a new name is in order to seperate their mundane and magical life. In everyday life you go by your birth name, but while in ritual, online or in the presence of other Pagans, you go by your magicak name. 2. A magical name can be used in ritual when you are in presence of the God and Goddess. You may address yourself with a magical name so that they can recognize who you are.3. Some people are still in the broom closet. They don't want other people to know they practice Wicca, so if they go by a Craft name, nobody would be able to tell who they are. 4. Magical names are just plain 'ol fun to use! I never had a magical name (I didn't feel the need to have one, and that ok too) untill about 2 years ago I saw the movie The Wicker Man. A young girl in the movie was named Rowan and that was the first time I had heard of Rowan as a persons name. I liked it so I started using it as an online name, and eventually it became my magical name. You dont have to have a magical name. Some people just use their birth name, and that fine. Maybe your craft name is the name you use online, like mine. Its nice to have a name to use online when talking to other Pagans. You may also want to have two names - a public magical name that people know you by, and a private one that only you and the God and Goddess know. There are a few problems I have with magical names however. It seems that too many people out there use the same kind of names. They have the words 'silver' 'moon' 'crystal' 'ameythest' 'raven' and other such words in their magic names. Originality is key. Dont just pick a name because its popular and you've heard it before. Like I said, it should mean something to you. For example, lately I have noticed hawks more than ever. I will be driving and one will be flying overhead, or one time I drove down my road and three hawks were perched on some posts along the road. Another time one swooped right down in front of my car and I oftern spot them flying overhead. I haven't dont much research on hawks and their magical significance, so therefore it really wouldn't be right for me to use the word 'hawk' in a magicak name. Also, that name is used quite often and I want to be original, so I wouldn't use it in a magicak name, however, I may use it in a private magical name after I have done some research on them and their significance. A Craft name doesn't even have to be a name related to Wicca. If you've always liked the name 'Sarah' or something, use that! A magical name isn't something you find overnight. Mine took over 3 years to find and I may even change it if I outgrow it! And thats another thing. Since (hopefully) each person changes and grows in life, a name picked at one point just may not be relevant anymore. Its ok to change it. You can choose you Craft name in many different ways. You can meditate to find it, you can look through old folk tales or fairy tales to find it as well. Look to myths, legends and history for names, or even at a book on plants, herbs and trees for a name. If you feel connected to a specific animal, incorporate that name into your magical name. Like I said, it may take you awhile to find a name. Dont rush it, it will come to you. Another thing I kind of have a problem with is the use of diety names....but thats just me. If you really like the name "Athena" then I guess you should use it, however, remember that there about a thousand other Athena's out there. I also thinks its a bit presumptious to call your self a God/Goddess name as well. But like I said, thats just me. Whats right for me isn't right for another. Going along with this same thought is the use of the word Lady' or 'Lord' before a name. Those terms should be reserved for High Priests and High Priestesses. If your neither, then why use the name? I guess that just the Traditional aspect coming out in me, lol. So, dont rush the process. Ask the God and Goddess for some insight and they will reveal it. Have fun with your name, but make sure it revelant to you. |
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