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Medicine Names: Secret of the Shaman

Medicine names or spirit names—they are secrets from the tool box of the shaman. The Wiccans will call them spirit names or shadow names. A spirit name or a medicine name works on a similar principle as an avatar. Similar to the way an avatar is a character than occupies a lower realm and form a vessel for a higher being to enter that realm, a medicine name forms a bridge between one's everyday self and one's higher self.

The medicine name would give you access to the ability you wouldn't normally have just by your given name. Formerly in some Native American tribes, the child at birth was given a generic name until the personality was formed somewhere down the road and it would give way to what the child should be called. Sometimes the name was given by the parents and in some tribes the name was given by the resident medicine man or shaman. Nowadays most medicine or shadow names are given to represent the individual's potential. A medicine name does not have to pertain to a certain animal, a being, or an insect. Medicine names can also pertain to different elements such as peekwa, which means Thunderbird. Also an individual could be named for physical traits, such as a man who is named Rick Mountain because of his size and because he is very strong.

A person may in this earthly walk may pick up several medicine names until one name adheres to that individual. For example, I had three medicine names prior to finally taking the medicine name of Three Feathers. Also if the individual is going to take on the medicine name of an element, a bird, an animal, or a creepy crawler, he or she should research the elements of that animal to assure him or her that's truly what is needed. I found in my experience that if an individual is given a name that he or she is not ready for, he or she may become contrary to that name. For example, if someone is given a medicine name containing Bear, which represents courage and introspection, if they are not ready, they can take on the opposite aspects of that. Some people take on two names, one they use in their everyday life and one that they use only in ceremony or ritual, which would be a power name.

One should never be in a hurry to receive a name. The old saying When the time is right, the name will appear is usually correct. A name can come to an individual in many forms. Most traditions state that a medicine name is given or earned. Nowadays a lot of things have changed and we can't always go to the neighborhood medicine man or rely on the wisdom of the shaman. These names may come to us in a vision, in dreams, or even something as common as an advertisement on a billboard. Most of us do not have the luxury of being country dwellers so sometimes the symbolism comes in the form of manmade objects. A medicine name is personal and sacred and should nearly always be respected.

Jim Three Feathers 

Jim Three Feathers is a Level 3 Aka Dua Master and master healer in many modalities. He has been in the healing field for several decades and finds it is what he is most drawn to. Three Feathers may be contacted for a healing session or Aka Dua transmission at 909-374-8823

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