Ariel, short in stature but powerful aura and presence, hanging in
between his two friends, interrupted me mid-introduction to launch into an
explanation about the origins of my name, Zahara.
Inquiring what the name means, he immediately explained the Kaballah origins and meaning. What he told me stopped time, gave meaning to my path, and blew me away.
Those of you who know me know that I was not born Zahara
Jade.
It’s not a usual name by any
measure.
98% of the population refer to
themselves by their given birth names.
The other 2%, the Name Rebels, go by
self-chosen nick names; ones they choose, middle names, spiritual names,
or any chosen for a reason such as wanting a different name than Dad.
On the contrary, actors, writers, singers, famous people are
rarely known by their birth names, also referred to in ex-pat circles as
“passport names”.
And so it goes, people
who venture to far away lands and engage in self-discovery and great
transformation and re-birth of self also choose to take on a names that resonates with their new, shiny inner essence.
As children we move through life our needs dependent on being met by
those around us. This dependence is laden with layers of other people's "stuff" which inevitably transfers: identities, roles, labels, beliefs, patterns,
dreams, etc.
As
self-sustaining grown beings now capable of re-examining our makeup, picking
and choosing what to hold on to from the past, what no longer serves us, what
to let go of, we also have the freedom to look at one of the things that impacts us most in this world: our name. The label given to our tiny soul as we entered
this playground.
Many people on a spiritual path following gurus allow their
guru to choose their name for them; what this guru soul believes their
vibration is in that moment. For the majority I venture to say,
it feels strange and uncomfortable to think that a person would have the guts, the gall, the thought, the RIGHT, the courage, the strength, to choose their own name. Taking
an honest look at this, it is the ultimate statement of freedom, of
independence, of truth, of "I AM"; claiming rights to this soul, this body, this
essence, vibration, energy, here, now, in THIS present moment in THIS life.
Most of my friends living overseas as ex-pats do not go by
their passport or birth names. They
have taken new names, whether self-chosen, given to them by their guru,
nicknames, middle names, they steer clear of passport names. My global family is a powerful bunch; they
journey far from home, family of origin, courageously willing
to take a look inside with awareness, dropping ego, letting go of anything
known, open to the UN-known, transformation, change, on a path full of
soul, purpose, truth, and awakening. As energy shifts along with old stories and patterns, a new presentation and
first impression to the external world makes sense. When the idea was first presented to me I was
terribly fearful, uncomfortable, full of anxiety: oh my gosh, change my
name!? Well, who will I be? How will people come to know my new name, how
will people react? Will I get used to my
new name? Ha, my biggest concern: what
will I do about Facebook? Oh the
manifestation of irrational fear in the material world makes me laugh. Originally presented as a functional, realistic
right of passage for long-term ex-pats, the idea quickly evolved into a
beautiful manifestation of the shiny essence and soul I have become. All but a couple close to me who were aware
of my name-change process inquired in wonder and disbelief, “You are going to
choose your new name yourself!?”. Those who know me know that I am strong-willed, determined, independent, and
self-directed. Label me what you will,
it does not change who I am deep down: White Wizard, Taurus, Ashtangi, goddess,
all possess the trait of self-direction, and I was absolutely planning to choose
my own name!
The name “Zahara” rose to the top of list of spiritual names
from many lingeages: Sanyasan, Sanskrit, Swahili. This list - no joke - contains over 20,000 names. There was 1 in 20,000 chances I would choose
the name Zahara. According to the Swahili or Arabic
definition, Zahara means “shining radiance, sparkling bright”. I thought this was the origin
of the name and I did not look into the matter further. I found a label that described my
essence: shining from inside. My soul
shining bright, my path, my truth. Since
I was young I’ve been told by a few very close to me: “You know you are shining inside, don’t
you?”.
During a small, simple drum ceremony with my dear friend and
roommate Zac, I let go of the label “Shana” and took on “Zahara”. Shana is an absolute treasure and
when I hear it, it feels like home. It
means “beautiful” in Hebrew. Family and
friends still call me Shana, yet I am growing into Zahara well as my
vibration attunes to the name and its meaning.
Fast-forward 1 year and I am sitting at a random café during
a brief trip to Laos. Mid-philosophical
discussion about life with a friend, we were interrupted by three of his buddies. This was one of those moments: I
wish I had a snapshot of the scene. My reality, my story, my purpose came
to focus sharp as a pinpoint and the entire Universe froze in time
for a few moments. As introductions made their rounds, Ariel's sparkle shine the brightest. Israeli, strong, beautiful, unique, powerful tattoos, he did not strike me as much at first. It was the name explanation which caught my attention. He insisted on telling ME what MY name meant. Surely, I must know what it means, after all I researched it and chose it (thinks my stubborn mind). As I open to him and we discuss AcroYoga and other topics, there is an opening for Ariel to share his knowledge about the Kaballah and in particular the name, my name, Zahara.
When you take the root in a few slightly different forms, it
is translated first as tree of life, then 7 chakras, which leads to its’ Kabbalah definition: ENLIGHTENMENT.
ENLIGHTENMENT.
I sat there stunned yet completely in-tune. Of
course the name I chose unknowingly means enlightenment.
The name I chose one
year ago to represent my essence, my being, my soul, my vibration and my
purpose in this life translates to enlightenment. “You did not choose your name, your name
chose you,” Ariel stated as he watched disbelief turn to understanding in my
eyes after sharing an incredibly meaningful piece to the ever evolving story that is my life
path.
While not fully “enlightened” myself, I have experienced
extended periods of awakened consciousness, one of which was during the time I
first conceptualized P.R.A.Y. Fully aligned during this process, chakras in balance, I was connected to my higher
self and in flow. Everything lines up:
P.R.A.Y. itself, infused with powers to re-balance and transform the wearer,
helps individuals achieve enlightenment.
In moments like this I am connected to my higher purpose. Each and every one of us has a purpose. Discovering this purpose is what brings
meaning and joy into life, though the path is rarely clear, nor is it meant to
be.
Your life is yours and you must live your
purpose, your truth, your path, the one that resonates with you. If intuition speaks
up, follow it. If you are on a path that you cannot see clearly but you know it is your path because you just know, go with it; YOU will be better for it. The heart speaks louder than the mind if you
are open and willing to listen. It can
block external noise, allowing your soul to blossom.
