C is for Cartouche.
I had an amusing and curious dream last night. I got a call inviting me to a “right your name party.” I had no idea what that meant, and I didn’t actually think there was anything wrong with my name, but the caller was insistent and I was curious so I agreed to go. When I got there I realized I had misunderstood – it wasn’t a “right” your name but a “write” your name party. And there were stations set up all over the room where you could write your name in different language alphabets, on different materials. By the time each of us worked our way around the room visiting each station, we each had a huge collection of our name written in various forms. We were instructed to stack the forms in a tidy pile and when we were done, the forms magically morphed into our clones. The host of the party remarked how this was a perfect example of how powerful names are.
I’ve been thinking about the dream since I awakened, and was inspired to dig around through my collection of tarot and oracle decks and find the Rosetta deck. I confess I have a hard time with this deck and don’t read with it very often, but there is a card in it I love. A custom-made significator card with my name written in hieroglyphics in a cartouche being scribed by the Egyptian goddess Seshet.
In ancient Egypt having one’s name inscribed in a cartouche was reserved for kings, and rarely other royalty, but certainly not commoners. The cartouche symbol (an oval ring with a length of rope folded and tied at one end) represented all that the sun encircled. With the king’s name inside, it meant he ruled it all. The encircling cartouche form was also seen as a ring of protection, thus protecting the royal name contained within it.
While I’m not a royal, it does amuse me that my name Deborah means Bee, and is actually sometimes defined as Queen Bee. So perhaps a cartouche isn’t as far-fetched as one might first believe. On the other hand, I think we’re all up there in the hierarchy of extraordinary and powerful beings and certainly deserve our own cartouches. Especially Fool, whom I’m sure doesn’t actually care about such things. But in any case I expect Fool was amused by my homophone dream. And I know for certain Fool has a lot show me regarding signs and symbols we’ll be coming across in this month’s journey.
What about you? Do you believe in the power of naming? Prefer to write or be right? What does your name mean? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
That was fun, I search for the meaning of my name. So I found that Evalina means Life and Light, Maria means Bitter. What does this mean? Bitter life?
I also checked my names in numerology. This is what I discover (first describes Evalina, second Maria):
Expression: Independent and loving
Soul Urge: Spiritual and intuitive
Personality: Playful and Practical
Evalina, This and that…
Oh I love the research you’ve done Evalina. Personally I think I’d embrace bitter in terms of the liquor that is flavored with the “sharp pungent taste of plant extracts and is used as an additive in cocktails or as a medicinal substance to promote appetite or digestion.” Bitters are the perfect Spring tonic, and I think that’s a fabulous thing to be.
What an interesting dream! I love searching through names and their meanings when I start working on a story. My first name means “white lady” or “what phantom” while my middle, Lynne, means “the pool at the bottom of a waterfall”. I like to tell people I’m the Lady of the Lake 🙂
Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog! Cheers 🙂
I’m delighted to meet a Lady of the Lake! And while I don’t write fiction, I imagine one of the best parts would be to name the characters. I’d probably never get further than that. So glad you stopped by – thanks.
Cool post. I have a friend who uses different types of cards, knows Reiki symbols, etc. and also talks to dead people. They don’t talk to me. My son says it’s because I scare them. Is it my name? In any case, I love your posts and will continue to come back.
LOL – I’m glad you stopped by Cindy and brought a dose of laughter!
Thank you Deborah for this lovely post! I think there was a significant person in the Bible (OT) named Debora or with an ‘h’ .. unsure at this moment. My sister was christened Debora Jane but for the first half of her life she was called Jane, until such time when her life was a mess and my mother took her to a special someone .. Peter White was his name who looked and studied her names and said she must be called by her given name. So now for many years she is Debora. Or to me, Sis, as it was for toooo and soooo long she was Jane.
Shoshanna is the Hebrew name .. Susan means … I’ve just looked it up ‘graceful lily’!!! I like that!
What an extraordinary dream, thank you for sharing it with us!
What an extraordinary story about your sister. And how beautiful your name means graceful lily. I find this all endlessly fascinating.
I do believe in the power of having the right name. In the spiritual group in which I was raised and (sometimes) still participate in, people can seek their true names through a practice of spiritual revelation. It is not uncommon for people to change their names several times throughout their lives. My own first name was a gift from my parents, spiritually discerned for me before I was born, and I treasure it. Its meaning is evident, but it has other, inner meanings that I hold close to my heart. ♥
What a beautiful story about your name Harmony. And what a beautiful and powerful practice to choose one that is “right.”
What a fun post Queen Bee. It’s an interesting question, what’s in a name? What is the meaning of my name? Now I’m curious:) Thanks for sharing this amazing dream!
Nancy means grace – how lovely is that?!
I’m not sure what my name means, but I’ve never totally loved it. I’ve always thought I would have rather been named Emily. I think names can mean a lot and have some pretty powerful associations. I know I seem to expect certain things about people with certain names, or at least associate them.
I agree – I think names are very powerful. For all kinds of reasons. Thank you so much for stopping by and saying hi.
What a wonderful dream … I love writing – it has magic in it.
My name was always a bit of an embarrassment to me – Philomena – if I had known it meant ‘greatly loved” (just found that now), maybe I would have felt differently. My father always called me Phelim or Filomel and I loved both. – In my teens people called me Phil and that stuck and then later, when we discovered that there are literally hundreds of men around the world called Phil Campbell, it was suggested that I changed the spelling to Fil. Now I love that.
Happy Easter Deborah 🙂
Fil
Love hearing your name story Fil! Greatly loved is a fabulous energy to carry. Wishing you a wonderful week.
What a FASCINATING dream! Your story was so captivating and being able to see the Rosetta card was the icing on the cake. Thank you!
My name means Wise Warrior.
Wise Warrior – how wonderful Elda!