I want to share with you a significant change in my life. Some of
you may know that I went on a couple of mini-pilgrimages this past month. In
early July I was fortunate enough to be in the company of a living
saint from India, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, or "Amma“ for short. A couple of weeks after that, I took a retreat in Virginia at the ashram of the great master Swami Satchidananda.
He is no longer in his body, but his presence, love and wisdom can be
powerfully felt through all of his devoted disciples that have kept his
teachings alive.
The
love of a guru or spiritual teacher can touch a person in mysterious
ways, often difficult to describe. One of the things that became clear
to me as a result of these recent journeys is a decision to take on a
new name. In the yoga tradition, it is common for one to take on a
Sanskrit name, which is often given by one’s teacher, but can also be
chosen by the student. The name may be that of a deity, or a quality
that one aspires to embody. Taking on a spiritual name is a way of
continually reminding the practitioner to practice and cultivate that
quality within themselves.
The new name that I am embracing is Jyoti,
which in Sanskrit means the "effulgent Light." I love it because it
sounds close enough to my given name, but its meaning reminds me of the
radiance of my true nature. So when my awareness becomes clouded by
negative thoughts, fear, or simply forgetting Spirit, just having
someone call my name will be a gentle and loving reminder of who I truly
am.
I
won’t be offended if you still want to call me Jody, but if you do
remember to address me as Jyoti, I will be most delighted and grateful.
tamasoma jyotir gamaya
mrityorma amritam gamaya
OM shanti shanti shanti
Lead me from the unreal to the real
Lead me from darkness to light
Lead me from the illusion of death to knowing myself as Eternal
May there be universal peace
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