A Title Is Earned. Not Taken!

What Is A Label:

Almost everyone wants to put aspects of life into categories. To give a name or label in order to segregate this group from that group. Most of the time this isn’t done to degrade or persecute people. But rather to make sense of the world around us. Humans like order, to compartmentalized their world into smaller pieces as means to deal with life and all its parts. Spiritual people are no different from anyone else in this regard. People want to be able to call them self something that represents who they are and what they believe, or their standing within their community. Labels are simply a way to do that. It’s not a bad thing and merely a part of the conscious mind trying to organize the vast information they hold in the mind and process within their consciousness.

Not everyone feels the need to take on a label. And that’s ok too. But consider how people use labels every day and in every aspect of life. We organize information on our PCs with folders (labels) to make it easier to find files. We organize papers in file cabinets in order to quickly locate what we’re looking for. We organize the kitchen to know where the glasses are versus the plates and silverware. Everyone uses organization and labels in their daily life, so why wouldn’t we use it to identify the self as well? Even those who don’t like labels use them in various ways that they’ve become accustomed to. We identify ourselves as male or female, child or adult, spiritual or atheist. Labels aren’t always a bad thing. Saying I’m pagan isn’t a whole lot different from saying that section of the kitchen is the glass cabinet. So don’t be too hard on people who use labels. They’re just trying to make sense of their world or they have no issue with being self identified.

For those that do choose this method of identification, the label you chose should feel comfortable to you. To do that, you should learn about the label you chose, what it means and how it relates to your perceptions of your path. There’s a difference between a spiritual healer and a healer. No one else has the right to place a label on you and define who you are. But you must understand what the label is and what it means before you take it on. If someone tells you “I sense that you’re a witch”, that’s nice. But don’t take on the identification just because someone else has a perception of you based on their own perspectives. They could be totally off the mark and you could waste days or years trying to fulfill a label that wasn’t yours to begin with!

What Is A Title:

Titles are a little different from labels. Titles are labels that are earned. Not taken on to be impressive or to create a false sense of importance. So when it comes to saying your an expert, a Shaman, Priest or High Priestess, or any title of authority, make sure you have the right to take on those titles and you’re not misrepresenting yourself to others. Continue reading →