Spiritual Names

Embracing the spiritual path

Entering a spiritual path is a rebirth. We are born to a new life, a new experience, a new understanding of what defines us. It is a tradition in many spiritual paths to receive a new name. Yogi Bhajan gave spiritual names based on numerology (ie, your date of birth) and the Siri Guru Granth Sahib (this is the collected writings of many of the Sikh Gurus and other saints and sages of the 15th and 16th centuries; it is seen by Sikhs as a living Guru).

Women are given a name followed by Kaur (princess) and men Singh (lion), giving the name nobility and courage.
Your spiritual name unfolds your deepest self. Every time you hear people speak your name, it is a reminder of the true Self. The more you vibrate it, the more effect it has.

Some people combine it with their legal name or adopt it full time or choose to be called by it only when they teach.

The Benefits of a Spiritual Name

One of the greatest benefits of using a spiritual name is the effect that occurs physically, when you (or others) speak it.
The words are comprised of mantric sounds ( Naad ) that stimulate the energy
meridians of the body when pronounced.
This actually changes and upgrades brain activity.
The effect of the Naad is subtle and also very powerful. Another benefit is the meaning of the name: the
meaning gives a concept and a vision of your spiritual identity.
Receiving a spiritual name is a gateway for you to inherit your most elevated destiny.
Taking and using a name is a guide toward a deeper awareness of who you are.
Meditate on your spiritual name. Go deeply into its sound vibration and meaning.
Receive it as a gift from the Divine.

Here is what Nirinjan Kaur, Director of Spiritual Names has to say about it:

What is a Spiritual Name?
Our core sense of identity is created when we are children. Being innocent and impressionable, whatever we see and experience imprints on us as reality. As children, we internalize messages from our family as the “truth” about who we are. This gives us a false reality about ourselves; one we have to unravel later in life.

It would be ideal if every child could be raised in an environment where the soul is nurtured. When the parents relate to the light within the soul, it brings a sense of identity, but often this is not the case. As a result, many of us carry painful childhood memories. However, the pain of the past does not have to define our today or tomorrow.

Yogi Bhajan, the Master of Kundalini Yoga, understood this phenomenon deeply. He gave us the gift of spiritual names — destiny names — so that we could relate to our higher selves. One of the unique aspects of the spiritual name technology is how it relates to your numerology. Encoded in the date and year of your birth are messages about where you are in your soul’s cosmic evolution. Your numerology can tell you the karma you are here to work on in this lifetime. Your numerology can identify your gifts, and most importantly, it highlights the destiny your soul is here to deliver.

Here’s an example from a woman named Priya Karan: “My name means ‘one who knows that the beloved God, the Doer, takes care of everything in life.’ My spiritual name reminds me that I am very loved and covered. Maintaining this elevated awareness is sometimes difficult. Priya Karan is my challenge, my pathway, and my goal — all at the same time.”

Yogi Bhajan talks about the soul deciding between fate and destiny. A spiritual name illuminates that choice, as it reveals both your light and your shadow. Receiving and using a name may present challenges as it confronts the comfort of what you’re used to and what others take for granted. Taking the step to learn and meditate on your spiritual name is like being reborn without leaving your physical body. You start to sense and act on your infinite potential.

Receiving a spiritual name requires a deeply sacred personal touch. Yogi Bhajan trained Nirinjan Kaur to use his system of numerology to find the name that matches your soul’s destiny.