Craft Name
- a part of the
Guild of Pagans's
Guild Book of Shadows.
Finding your public Craft name.
Your Craft name should be something you would like to name yourself. It should describe who you are.
Here's the worksheet I made in my mind when I was deciding on my name. Feel free to print this page and leave out any questions that you feel don't apply. You can also add to it what you feel is missing. These questions are to help you find out more about who you are. Don't race to get it done. Take your time. Carry it with you during the course of a week and fill in things whenever you think of something. There are no wrong answers and there may be (and usually are) more than one answer for each question. All these questions are linked to one another, so it's ok if you add to a question you've already answered. Make sure you write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. You can elaborate on them if you feel it will help in finding your name.
1. Do you have a favorite name that you have liked for a very long time or have always wished it was you real name and why do you like this name?
2. If you follow a particular tradition or path, what are some of the names of the God/desses associated with that tradition that you are drawn to, honor, or enjoy speaking with?
3. What are your favorite colors and what do these colors make you think of?
4. What kind of plants do you like and why? (This can include any kind of herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, etc.)
5. What kind of magickal things do you like and why?
6. What plants, colors, creatures, stones are associated with these magickal properties?
7. Where are your favorite places to be in Nature and why?
8. What is your favorite element (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) and why?
9. What is your favorite animal or creature and why is it your favorite?
10. What is your favorite season and why?
11. What is your favorite month and why?
12. For each of the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) what is your favorite plant, place to be, and animal? Why?
13. What favorite interests and hobbies do you have?
14. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Once you feel you are finished answering your questions, highlight all your answers that repeat themselves. By doing this, it helps you realize specific characteristic
s of yourself that you may or may not have been aware of. Choose the ones that you like the best and feel really describe who you are. Write these words down on a separate sheet of paper and work with them to create your name. Does your new name sound too mundane to you? Try finding these words in another language, perhaps the language of the land you'd like to visit in question fourteen. For example: Rain in Latin is pluvia. Or, say you worship Flora, the Italian Goddess of Spring. You may want to call yourself her daughter, but how? Try another language. In Italian, Flora di figlia means daughter of Flora. You can make this into a name by compounding the words di and figlia to make DiFiglia, making your new name Flora DiFiglia. The web site Allwords.com can translate your words into Dutch, French, German, Italian & Spanish. (Covenstead Sourced)
To Find Your Craft Name
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To leave the old personality behind and to show the world your new self, you may want to choose a craft name. This name should reflect your personal values.
There are several ways to find a Craft Name. Visualization is the way I found mine.
Use the image of the Goddess in her Maiden form. She is Spring, sometimes known as the Huntress, a fresh beginning, a continuation of life, rebirth. Although she is young we may call on her at all stages of our life.
You may either cast a circle using a pastel colored candle to represent the Maiden or do this meditation anywhere.
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Sit in a comfortable position and your feet touch the floor. Place your hands in your lap and close your eyes. Visualize a white light coming toward you. The light positions itself over your head. See the light get stronger. The light slowly envelopes your head and shoulders. The light gets brighter and moves lower. It gets even brighter and covers you completely. Breathe slow and steady. Relax your body starting with the muscles of your face. Release the tension in your neck, shoulders, arms and hands. Feel the muscles of your abdomen, buttocks and legs relax. When you are totally relaxed, move on to the visualization.
It is near midnight. A full moon is in the sky tonight. See yourself walking along a path in the woods. All around you a trees. Hear the trees whisper as a light breezes flows through their top branches. The path is clear and well marked,as if followed for many years.The light from the moon is so bright it penetrates the leaves of the all the trees around you.
In the distance you see what must be a clearing, where the light from the moon shines bright. You continue walking till you reach the edge of the clearing. In the middle of the clearing you see a well. You walk toward the well, then stand beside it once you reach it. It is an ancient well, the stones worn and covered in the most beautiful green moss. You look into the well and see how deep it is. You feel all of the days problems and all your worries and negative emotions fall into the darkness of the well. You feel relaxed.
You hear a chattering at you feet.You see a small bird at the base of the well. It is jumping at chattering excitedly. It heads toward the opposite side of the clearing. There you see a hill.. You follow the bird to the hill . There is a handsome vine that grows from the top of the hill and hangs down covering what looks like part of a door. You can see part of an iron handle. You push the vines away. This reveals an old oaken door. It is tall with a rounded top. The hinges are made of iron, old and rusty, but were once very ornate.
You pull on the handle of the door. A little dirt from the top of the door drifts down in front of you and the door slowly opens.
Inside it is very dark. You step inside and wait for your eyes to adjust. With the help of two torches that hang in iron holders on each side of the door, you see a wide tunnel made of stone. It has a curved roof. You take one of the torches and start down the tunnel. You hear a creaking behind you. You turn and see the door closing.
You turn back to the tunnel and walk on. The light of the torch is bright and lights your way. You do not feel frightened. Further in the tunnel you think of the Maiden, the Huntress, her strength. You know if something should happen she will be with you.
The tunnel curves one way, then another. There are smaller tunnels that branch off. You know your path is to follow this main tunnel.
You hear the barking of dogs deeper in the tunnel. You know you are protected by the Maiden and are not afraid. You see reflections and glimmers of light ahead. Voices, footsteps and laughter follow the light. You walk forward to meet whoever is there.
The barking and laughter are louder. You see the light from torches being held by others, but can't make out who they are.
When you are close enough, you see a group of men and women dressed in white robes. All are carrying torches. The leader is a woman, tall and muscular. She wears a short white robe and has a bow and quiver over her shoulders. Her hair is tied back. She wears hunting boots. An owl perches on her right wrist. The hounds are barking and jumping around you.
The Maiden stops in front of you. She asks you to follow her. All but one of the group turn back in the direction they came. This companion links arms with you and coaxes you on. You all follow the Maiden.
The tunnel widens. You find the tunnel has widened so much it is now a circular room. In the center of this room is a fountain. The water from the fountain bubbles up then flows down into a shallow depression in the floor. The curving of the wall is followed by benches that surround you. You and the rest of the group set your torches into holders on the wall. You see the circular wall is covered with bright murals and elaborate carvings.
You walk slowly around the chamber. The scenes on the murals touch something deep in you. The pictures of the forest, the animals, ritual scenes, dancing and music making, all seem to have stirred a feeling of magick and mystery.
One of the companions points to the fountain. The Maiden stands beside the depression filled with water. You walk toward her. She smiles gently and asks you if you have any questions. You tell her that you want to find a craft name. You have been searching, but have had no luck.
She points to the spring and asks if you are ready for initiation. You remove the clothes you are wearing and step into the water. The Maiden picks up a white ceramic pitcher and dips it into the water. She slowly pours water over you, filling the pitcher several times. The Maiden and her companions sing and chant as the water runs down your body.
She blesses you and kisses you on the forehead. You feel your third eye pulsate and become active.
You dress. The Maiden tells you the answer you seek may come to you in a dream or in other forms.
The Maiden and her companions lead you back up the tunnel. The journey back is shorter. As you get nearer the door, the group stops and wishes you farewell. They turn back toward the central chamber. You replace the torch in its holder and push the door open. The Moon welcomes you back to the clearing.
Take three slow deep breaths and return to your present surrounding. Stay quiet for a few minutes and absorb the experience.
Be aware for messages and answers. They may come from unlikely places and people, or in dreams.
Based on information from DJ Conway's Book Maiden, Mother Crone
Go or return to:
-The Guild of Pagans
-The Wiccan Room
-The Guild Members
-The Guild Book of Shadows
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