“What we do is, 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

Yogi Bhajan first started giving spiritual names in 1971. Day by day, as those of us who received them pronounced and announced them to the world, we became a part of them, and they became a part of us. The power of the sound of our names vibrated and echoed in our ears. This sound current, together with the meaning of our names, reinforced our spiritual base and became a tool which daily touched our hearts and delicately influenced our actions.

The power of a spiritual name is that the more people speak it, the more it permeates your being, and the more you can experience its power to manifest in your life. The only thing you have to do is be open and allow yourself to receive the power of its Naadh (spiritual sound current). The sound of it vibrates every part of your being to come into harmony with your spiritual name’s meaning, which reflects your destiny.

Taking on a sacred name can be a step on your spiritual journey that helps you leave past patterns behind, take a new direction, and embrace your spiritual identity. Making the choice to receive a spiritual name, and using it, is taking a rebirth in consciousness. It has positive benefits for you every time you speak it, meditate on it, or hear it.

During his lifetime, Yogi Bhajan gave thousands of spiritual names to those students who requested them. It was his gift to his students. For many years, Yogi Bhajan trained his Chief of Staff, Nirinjan Kaur, in his technology of giving spiritual names. Today, Nirinjan Kaur gives spiritual names with the blessing and technology of Yogi Bhajan.

Requesting and receiving your spiritual name are the first steps. The next is to adopt it as your spiritual identity, which helps to awaken you to your destiny. Many students find it helpful to transition to their spiritual name through the support of a sacred naming ceremony with friends and community members. At the end of Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training courses, a naming ceremony is often held for those who requested and received spiritual names during the course. Other people have asked their Kundalini Yoga teacher to read their spiritual name letter to them, rather than reading it themselves, as a way to more gracefully receive their new name. Some people choose to create a private naming ceremony for themselves, to help them consciously receive, and then begin to use, their new names. As with other life transitions, sharing it with people who are important in your life can make it more meaningful.

“I didn’t have a Kundalini Yoga teacher or any support group to help integrate my new name into my life. I knew it would be a guiding force in helping to positively change my thinking and habits from the old to the new, so I wanted to make sure I started using it in the most effective and beneficial way possible. Without a clue as to how this could happen, I started calling on my inner voice to give me direction. I waited and waited, and finally when I tuned in, it came to me to be very confident and patient. I began using my name, pronouncing it over and over, hearing it and feeling it. I took the time to ease everyone into accepting and using it. Surprisingly, I got less resistance than I had anticipated. Today, through the guidance of a spiritual name, I feel I am a walking testimony on the constant path to self-discovery.” Shakti Kaur, Texas

“During our Naming Ceremony I explain that all the women receive the name Kaur, which means ‘Princess who walks with power and grace,’ as part of their spiritual name. All the men receive Singh, which means ‘Lion who walks with courage and grace,’ as part of their spiritual name. I explain that a spiritual name is a pran sutra—a name that knits their prana (life force) with their spiritual life—and that everyone is born with a pran sutra. Their spiritual name describes the destiny their soul is to walk in this incarnation. Each time they hear their spiritual name, it is a vibratory blessing that reminds their soul of the purpose for which they came to incarnate on Earth at this time. However, it is also their greatest challenge as well!” Shakta Kaur, Illinois

Compiled by Kirpal Kaur Khalsa, New Mexico

For more information, visit www.spiritualnames.3HO.org