It’s never easy to say goodbye, regardless to who or what it is, or when you know you need to move forward, or when you know you’ll never see them again.

This is in regards to death, moving, or simply knowing that you’ve grown, and they haven’t.

I’ve posted a lot lately about transformation, growing as a person, and moving forward with a new path in life. This came to fruition last night at the partial eclipse of the full moon. I was quite excited yesterday at work as it meant I got to go out to The Hill, meet up with friends, and celebrate together under Her light. I normally pick up a friend and we go together. She said she wasn’t going, and her idea of doing something while warm inside and in pyjamas was quite lovely!

As if the Gods were planning it for me, a wonderful series of events happened yesterday.

I’ve been contemplating changing my Craft name. The name I normally go by was chosen many years ago. I almost changed it legally, but thankfully I never went ahead with it. I’ve been thinking of changing it as I no longer felt it resonated with who I am now. Confirmation from friends said that this was a normal process, so change it I would do. On the train home, I had the lovely experience of being able to bath in the light of the setting sun that was coming through the window opposite me. I love the sun, it recharges me. And while bathing in its light, I was given my new name.

Naturally, it won’t be released to this blog. It won’t be given out freely, and it won’t be muttered to anyone but myself. I didn’t do this with my previous name, and it worked against me. I’ve learnt my lesson, I am keeping this one close.

So I get home, and decide I won’t go out. Instead I’ll do something in the backyard with my new “Druid” ritual top, cloak and slippers. My Muggle arrives home saying he needs to pick a script up for his Nan later, so he’ll go for a run over there after dinner.

Perfect. I get time at home, alone, so I can do my own thing. And then it dawns on me, I can say good-bye to my old name that night. I don’t have to wait, or construct an elaborate ritual. I discovered later that this partial eclipse signifies great change, and it’s certainly happening for me!

In a rather awkward ceremony done on the fly out in the backyard, on a picnic blanket, with my neighbours’ dog barking throughout, in a make-shift grove of really tall grass, I said good-bye. I realised that the last time I had performed any rite in this fashion (where I actually called the Quarters, the Goddess and God) was when I left a part of me at Anglesea. The girl with this old name will forever be sitting on that beach, staring off into the waves. That made me happy, and I said good-bye to my old friend, my old self.

Throughout the ceremony I kept seeing my Emu spirit, so I am glad that it was there with me, bringing in this new chapter of my life.