The Name You Were Given

In many traditions, names are destiny. Mirabai was born into a family identity, a caste identity, a role identity. Through her devotion, she claimed a new name, a new identity rooted not in birth but in her truest self. The Name You Were Given is a practice of examining which identities were imposed and which you genuinely claim. This includes literal names—the versions of yourself others insisted you be—and metaphorical ones: daughter, wife, employee, good girl, acceptable person. Grief for lost identity often includes grief for names you answered to that were never truly yours. Examining these names, understanding how they shaped your behavior and self-concept, is essential work. Mirabai's choice to rename herself through devotion suggests that you too have the authority to reclaim your name. Not by rejecting everything you were, but by consciously choosing which identities serve your authentic becoming. The names you were given carry weight. Examining them with compassion reveals what must be released and what can be truly claimed.