|
what's in a name?
by Nedda Wittels
 Can
changing a name transform an "Ugly Ducking"
into a "Swan"?
Do animals like the names we give them? Does it matter what we
call them? What's the best way to choose a name for a new animal
in your family?
A dog named "Shadow" was shy and insecure. I soon realized his
shyness was connected to his name. He was "afraid of his shadow",
so to speak. He want to be called "Thunder", a name he associated
with strength and bravery.
A cat named "Crackers" rarely groomed and seemed generally unhappy.
One day, feeling playful, I spoke to her. "Hi, Beautiful!" I said,
doing a poor imitation of Humphrey Bogart. Her eyes got big with
amazement. Did I really think she was beautiful? "Yes," I
told her. "You are really quite gorgeous." Now she sat
taller and prouder than I had ever seen her. "Miss Beautiful"
became my name for her and for the first time, we became friends.
Sometimes it is really obvious what name suits an animal, but other
times we can be fooled by an animal's behavior. I once worked with
a horse named "Devil" because he was so difficult to ride. When I
asked him what the problem was, the first thing he told me was that he
hated his name. He felt he had to live up to it by misbehaving,
and that people didn't like him because of it. "I want to be
called 'Joe'," he said, a name he found soothing and peaceful.
Joe's energy field was full of static and very uncomfortable.
After a few healing
sessions to quiet, balance, and clear his energy field, and after
persuading the people to change his barn name, Joe is happier and more
grounded. He is also more cooperative and doing well in training
and competition.
A stray cat that a client had found and captured showed me a picture of
himself standing on his hind feet in tall grass, pawing at a butterfly.
This was his "name". He told me Dancing Paws would work as an
English equivalent.
My cat Violet told me her name even before I set eyes on her. And
she responds to it, too. I didn't have to teach her the name
because it already was her name. Dogs can be taught to come to
nearly any name, but cats, being cats, will only come to a name that
suits them or a call for dinner.
If you are not sure about naming a new animal, here are some tips on how
to discover a name the animal likes.
-
Sit quietly with pen and paper handy.
-
Close you eyes and take several deep breaths.
-
Picture your animal in your mind or remember what it feels like to
pet them.
-
Silently, ask your animal, "What name would you preferred to be
called?"
-
Wait patiently for a response and then start writing.
If you hear
a name, write it down. If you see a picture, describe it as best
you can and focus on the aspects of the picture you are drawn to.
If you feel a physical sensation or emotion, write it down.
Finally, ask your animal to confirm the name or word or phrase that
seems to be the name. When you get an inner sense of "Yes, this is
it." then try calling your animal by this name. Usually, if you
have the "right" one, the animal will respond in some way -- look in
your eyes, blink, or even come towards you.
Return to
Top
|
