You Can Call me Vidya

While I was in India I took both initiation into a personal mantra as well as a spiritual name. The mantra initiation is a long practiced tradition where the guru performs a puja ceremony and the devotee gives an offering of flowers, fruit, nuts & berries. The mantra is a Sanskrit word or phrase that holds a particularly high vibration and through the practice of meditating on the mantra the devotee is lifted to Universal Consciousness. The mantras are considered seeds which will grow and unfold over time, and in taking on a personal mantra you commit to that mantra for life. 

I was also given a spiritual name by my Swamiji, the idea being that the name represents certain qualities of the Divine and in taking the name you will also take on these qualities on many levels. The names were given after the month long course so the guru thoughtfully chose names for each of us on our spiritual path. I was given the name Vidya, विद्या which means true knowledge, education, learning & clarity. Vidya is another name of Goddess Saraswati, who embodies the uplifting & purifying feminine energy of divine wisdom and creativity.

Now that I have been at the ashram I have been using my spiritual name and it is interesting how you feel different when you use a different name! Mostly I find that it is a valuable tool in remembering to see the divine nature of the self as well as recognizing the divine in others as well ~