What's In a Name? The Story of Sri (Shree)

“So, what should I call you?”  “What are those words in front of your name?”

I thought about having a FAQ on my website just for these questions. That may still be in the works. But for now, for anyone who has noticed the name on my website recently go from Melissa Urey to Sri Devi Healing Arts, here is the story.

My yoga teacher training was pretty awesome. There were many awesome pieces to it, and one was that a couple of times a year, one of my teacher’s teachers would come up from New York to lead trainings. During these intensives he would sometimes offer the opportunity for a mantra initiation and with that, to be given a spiritual name. 

Spiritual names are given, not randomly, but by a person who has, to some extent, become able to sense a clear picture of the energy you emit, and a name is given to match. 

I was pretty excited about it. Before I ever took a yoga class I was drawn to mantra, so, taking a specific mantra to practice with felt really special. The idea of having a name that drew a line to how I was beginning to find a connection to my spirituality also felt special, and secretly I hoped for a name I could get away with using out in the real world. You know, something not too spiritual sounding. 

I could recall for you all the details of the day I received my name, because I can clearly recall every detail. But I won’t. What I will tell you is that when we were sitting in the room and he began calling out names and giving little pieces of paper with some bits of the meanings behind them, the room was very still. Everyone was smiling and giving nods of approval as each person was called. I don’t even remember hearing what he said about my name because as soon as he said, Sri Devi, the first thing I thought was, WELP, so much for not too spiritual sounding.

I opened the little piece of paper. Sri means ‘sacred’, ‘auspicious’, ‘revered’. It represents divine beauty, light, wealth. Devi means goddess. It also means ever divine. The name of Mother Lakshmi. Her gifts are to protect, nourish, balance, energize, enlighten, empower, and beautify whatever she comes in contact with. She is the bearer of dharma and all divine virtues.

Then something strange happened. I got angry. Why would someone give me a name like this. This was not a name I could live up to. Sacred? Auspicious? Revered? Um. Yeah no. I remember going back to the room after the break and having people ask how I felt about my name. Well. Like a fraud. That name held up a reflection that was too bright for me. There was literally no way I could ever use that name. But they did. For the rest of that weekend everyone called me Sri Devi. 

After the training, I saw a few people add their new names to their FaceBook profiles and again I got angry. I put the piece of paper on my fridge, my family chuckled and I kind of forgot about it. Until the next yoga training weekend, where of course, my teachers used Sri Devi. And inevitably people asked me what it meant, and I would take a deep breath and through my gritted teeth, I would explain it. 

This went on for over a year while I went to weekend after weekend completing my 500hr training. Slowly, I began to feel the qualities of this name. Until finally over a year later, I came home from graduation and holding my breath, not knowing what anyone would say, I added Sri Devi to my FaceBook profile. To which my daughter promptly texted, ”You know everyone can see that right?”

That was 3 years ago. It has been a journey growing into this name. I study Sanskrit so I have since learned even more of the significance of Sri. Now, more people call me Sri than Melissa. There are people that don’t even know me as Melissa. And don’t get me wrong. I love Melissa. My family will always call me Melissa and I have assured them that even though people call me Sri, I am the same person. 

What is different is how I see myself. When I introduce myself as Sri, I am consciously bringing awareness to those qualities that I before, I could never imagine embodying. They were there the whole time. Other people saw them in me. It’s interesting how cloudy the mirror we look at ourselves in can be, and what kind of cloth it takes to wipe it clean.

So, that’s a brief story of Sri Devi. So, what should you call me? Melissa or Sri. Whatever is easiest for you. Melissa means Honeybee. I love honeybees. Both names are me and I am grateful to have been given both. 

Sending love,

Sri Devi Melissa