Spiritual Names : Laaila Indira

On the spiritual journey, students seek and spend time with a teacher (Guru, Master, etc). Sometimes a teacher will impart a new name onto a student. This is what happened to me.

Interestingly, I had been toying with the concept of going by a new name for some time. As a little girl, I liked the name Tiger Lilly. And before yoga, through my other professional careers as well as through the internet, I got to toy further with the concept of going by other atler egos and nicknames.

As the other yogis and myself sat in a circle chanting "Om Mani Padme Hum" which is a powerful theme. It means "you are the jewel in the centre of the lotus."

As this jewel, the time has come to free myself from all the  associations that I knew formerly as Leanne Martin. By shedding these associations I can let go of some things that I was still carrying around with me. Unecessary baggage, if you will. Doing this creates space to keep growing and also helps me be fully present. In the now.

My teacher gave me the name Indira. It means splendor, and beauty. After Skypeing my mother to tell her of the new moniker (she seemed open minded), I then took to Facebook and edited my profile accordingly. I figured these were good ways to play with the idea of changing my name. With no immediate rebuttal, life goes on.

Several hours later, I was with a friend of mine, and remembered to tell him about my  new name. He's a spiritual person and knows me just enough to be honest (but not too much as to over analyse things).

"Indira....Ghandi?!?!" he said. Then we both laughed.

This wouldn't do. After the laugher stopped I told him that I was secretly hoping my teacher would have chosen the name Leila for me. Which is Sanskrit for play. He thought about it for a moment and said, "you need to remix it a little."

"How about Laaila?"

I love it.

So, here I am as Laaila Indira. And I will see how it goes.