As mentioned before the following is my brand of Wicca and the way I choose to practice it. This topic I will be talking about today is something that not all witches feel a need to do.
When I began this journey into Wicca I started by reading everything I could find. During one of my many reads, I stumbled across something called a “magic name” (this is also known as a Wiccan name to some but as not all witches follow the Wiccan path you can find it written both ways). I learned quickly that this was a thing that most witches will explain is completely up to you to find and use or not. Your choice to do so affects nothing in your craft or studies, to be honest.
Witches started using “magic names” way long ago to hide from the townspeople. They would use this name in written correspondences with other coven members and in their book of shadows (we will talk more about that in another post) to hide their real identities.
I decided I wanted to do this. So I started looking into different ways to find one that was for me. Now most places including myself will tell you the best way to come to your “Magic name” is your own self-awareness. Come to something that speaks to you and holds meaning. Now there are a ton of other ways to do this and with the internet, they even have generators that will pick one at random for you.
I chose to find both my life path and destiny path numbers to help me come to my “magic name”.
Your life path number is calculated from your date of birth, your full date of birth month day, and year. By some, It can be seen as one of the most important and influential numbers within your entire numerology chart. The numbers used to indicate the life path are numbers one through 9 below is an example of how I got my life number.
My birth Month = 9
My birth day = 20 = 2
My birth year = 1985 = 23 = 5 My Life Path Number
= 9 + 2 + 5
= 16 =1+6 =7 so my life path number is 7
I then found my destiny number which is found by turning your full birth name into numbers. Just write out your full birth name and turn them into the numbers they correspond with. Again the internet is an amazing place and they have calculators on lots of numerology sites that will do the work for you.
Below I will provide the list of letters to numbers for those that may want to do this on their own.
- 1 — A, J, S.
- 2 — B, T, K.
- 3 — L, C, U.
- 4 — M, D, V.
- 5 — N, E, W.
- 6 — O, F, X.
- 7 — P, G, Y.
- 8 — Q, H, Z.
- 9 — R, I.
here is mine: 2+9+1+5+4+7=28 5+9+3+6+3+5=31 3+3+5+1+9=21 so that gives us the numbers 28 31 21 so we add the 28+31+21=80 8+0=8 my destiny number is 8.
From there I read up on what these numbers meant in numerology terms and in Wiccan terms. There is A LOT of information out that are numbers and what they represent and mean and the whole 9 yards. I then took a lot of time to do more research (mostly within) on what these numbers meant to me and in my practice.
The name Rowan has always drawn me in I just love it. Rowan also has a destiny number of 8 so that and the rightness of it was enough for me to know that Rowan was at least part of my “magic name”. Grace is another one of those names that just speaks to me. Grace is highly associated with the number 7 (my life path number) and with that My magic name was chosen and Rowan Grace was born.
I mostly use Rowan Grace when making entries into my book of shadows, spell work, educational writings, and when talking in forums and Wiccan-related groups.
As stated above this is NOT a necessity to practice and you are NOT doing anything wrong if you do not have a “magic name” or feel no need to get one. The best part of your craft is that it is YOURS to do how you feel best.
“When I say witchcraft is a spirituality, I mean it is a spiritual path. You walk it for nourishment of the soul, to commune with the life force of the universe, and to thereby better know your own life.”
Christopher Penczak
