I have just changed my name yet again from Mirabye to Marlana. Later on I will tell you how I changed my birth name to Mirabye. Now, though let's talk about my newest name.

I discovered this wonderful website www.kabalarians.com where they describe a very sophisticated style of numerology with the focus on finding a balance within your birth path and your name. I decided to get my name analyzed to see just how accurate things really were. Since I had several names, I could easily see the patterns in my life that occurred right in synch with the name I carried at each interval.

So, I decided to take the plunge and change my name. I presented a challenge for the Kabalarians.I wanted my name to be balanced as well as make sense to me and sound good. They worked with me until I was happy.

My new name is Marlana Lytehaause, pronounced as lighthouse.

Now here is the story about my former name, Marlana. No... not the name I was given at birth... and ... no... I'm not going to tell you that one... <smile> I changed my name several years ago because I had worked through so many childhood issues I felt that the person I had grown into needed a different name.

I went to visit my Guru in the ashram in New York and asked her to give me a new name. I was just a bit nervous because I had heard two things about her giving names to people: Even though it had been a tradition for years, she had stopped giving names to people because they wouldn't really use them. Secondly, I was afraid she would give me a name that was impractical to use in my every day life... like her's... Chidvilasananda..... <whew>.

I decided that she would know that I needed a name... and if she would know that, then she would know I needed a usable name, and she did both!

She named me "Mira" pronounced with a short "I" as in Mira Mira on the wall. I was so surprised at the uh... well... shortness of this new name that I just stood in front of her with my mouth open and asked incredulously... "Mira"? She said yes, after Mirabai.

I knew enough about Mirabai to know that I had been given much more than a word for a name. I spent the next year preparing myself and those around me for changing my name legally. I decided to spell it my own way... with "bye" as in "bye bye", to try to make it a little easier for people to say just by reading it. Most still don't get it right the first time, but once they do get it... mmmmm they respond very nicely to the sound and feel of such a beautiful name.

Changing my name is one of the greatest things I've done for myself. I doubt if most people ever know how really hard it is to tell friends and family you are going by a different name. It's much harder to change a first name because that's what people associate with you.

Many visitors to this page have written to ask me how they can change their own name. Here's what I tell them: You can get name change forms on the net, quite easily. Each state has different procedures to follow in order to change your name legally. It is not a real big deal. Just fill out the forms, take them to court, answer a couple of verbal questions by the judge just to make sure you aren't trying to hide from creditors... and you're done. The work comes later when you have to get all new identification papers. You can learn all about it just by doing a bit of searching on the net.