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My Many Names

I changed my name--not legally.  For the last few months, I've felt a disconnect from Hearth.  It was more of a title than a name anyway.  A few years ago, one of my goddesses, Hestia called me a Hearth Keeper.  I don't think this is a term in antiquity, I don't know if Hestia had a priestess hood like Vesta did.  In 2014-2015, She called me a Hearth Keeper.  My job was to keep the hearth--Her temple--my home clean, healthy, and happy.  To care for myself and my family.  To heal home and property if needed, for future families.  

I'm still a Hearth Keeper for Hestia, but Hearth as a magikal name?  Not so much.  See in the spiritual/witchy community it's normal to have different names (magikal, working, coven/group names), but not a requirement!  For about 19 years, my magikal name was Witchfire.  I was a witch and my element was fire, therefore Witchfire (I believe I was in middle or high school when I came up with it).  Until I outgrew old me.  I wandered for a few years trying to find the perfect name.  Hearth worked for a bit.

As for Foxlynx, during trance with Freya and Skadi, I was transformed into a fox-lynx hybrid.  This was a powerful journey.  

The name Foxlynx felt heavy with those two x's, so I removed one and fell in love with Foxlyn.  I am thinking about changing my birth name to Foxlyn.  I've made a lot of changes to my life, like cutting out a lot of toxic family members.  (I've also been working to heal generational traumas, too.)  I'm a different person now. 

My magikal name is Foxlyn Wren.

I'm also not the biggest fan of my birth name.  According to one parent I was named after an actress, whom I later learned was a porn star!  According to the other parent I was named after Krispy Kreme Donuts!  Thanks, parents.  Either story is terrible.  Like an afterthought, especially the latter.  The other is just gross.  I've got nothing against sex workers, but supposedly naming your child after one?  That's sick.  Even if it's a joke, that's disgusting.  Certainly explains some things, though (childhood traumas).

Definitely not a fan of my birth name.  Although if  my mom's side family tradition was followed, my name would be Hester, after my grandma.  Hester is better than having your father supposedly name you after his favorite "actress"! (I actually have an old college friend who calls me Hester--she's the only one who's allowed to! XD )

When I was handfasted in 2010, I kept my maiden name because I disliked how women are expected to drop their family name and take their husband's name.  Why not the other way around?  Some folks do!  I kept my name, which my husband wasn't a fan of, but whatever.  I also dealt with a lot of shaming from hospitals when I was pregnant.  A lot of nurses bullied me and tried to shame me for not taking my husband name, and lied saying that I had to do it.  I didn't bend.  Taking your husband's name isn't law--it's a tradition.  

Presently, I don't feel connected to my maiden name either.  I actually hate it.  I'm been thinking about going ahead and taking my husband's name.  My birth and maiden names have trauma attached to them, but I'm not going to jump into the legal stuff (be it legal names or fictitious names), yet.  I'm going to give it time, do my research, and feel names out.  On my blog posts and accounts, when you see me using different names--although confusing and unprofessional--I'm just trying to figure out this name thing!  But I am working on making them all fairly consistent.  I'd honestly rather just be known as Foxlyn Wren!

Until then, I am Priestess Kristy Tackett and Priestess Wren (on fb you may see "Tackett-Wren")!

Which means I have to change my business cards again...

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