Most indigenous peoples from around the world named their children after things found in nature. We are familiar with this practice through the names of Native Americans like Sitting Bull or Crazy Horse. These names have obvious sources in nature, but did you know that many other names have their origins in the natural world? My middle name, “Bruce,” means “brushwood thicket.” The name “Glen” originally meant “from the fertile valley,” the name “Mary” means “wished for child,” the name “Ann” means “merciful one,” and so on. All of our names originally meant something and were usually taken from nature, characteristics of nature, or personal idiosyncrasies.
As you begin your journey to living in True Self by acknowledging your own true nature, you may wish to select a new name for yourself that reflects this new identity.
To do this, first go outside to a natural place. The wilder this natural space is, the better it will be for the purposes of this exercise. If you have the time and the opportunity you may wish to do this activity in a national or state park or other wilderness area that has been largely untouched by humans.
Prepare yourself for your naming ceremony by taking several deep breaths, and by grounding and centering yourself. Once you feel prepared, go into the forest. Keep your attention open and accepting. Set your intention and your awareness on the activity, and only on the activity.
Continue to walk in the forest until you find something that appeals to you. This could be any natural object, animal or plant that your find yourself attracted to. This thing that caught your attention shall be your new name.
For example, if you are walking on the trail and a hawk flies overhead, you might choose the name, “Flying Hawk.”
Alternately, you may observe and describe your own thoughts and feelings to yourself as you walk. What personal characteristics would you like to cling to? Which do you wish to cast aside? These ideas may also be sources for your new spiritual name.
Once you have found your new name, you may wish to have a ceremony where you announce it to your family and friends. If you are completing this workbook as part of an ecospirituality group you may be asked to reveal your new spiritual name to other members of your group. This ceremony may be performed as formally or as informally as you like. This is your own rite of passage, so you may craft the ceremony to meet your needs and expectations.
Now that you have your new name, use it when exploring the skills of ecospirituality. At our workshops, selecting this name is one of the first things we do. Workshop attendees are addressed by their “nature name” for the duration of the course as we explore the Way of the Coyote together. This helps to reinforce the idea that attendees are becoming new people and are learning to acknowledge their own true natures, as are you as you progress through this workbook.
Prior to partaking in your own naming ceremony, you may find it helpful to complete the worksheet below.
