Citrinī

Citrā means bright….

The clear-minded.

Rich in brightness like the stars.

Many aspects of knowledge.

Bright like a constellation,

Flowing like a river.

 

Inspired through Kaliji on December 19, 2002

Received on January 5, 2003

 

 

I received the Sanskrit name “Citrinī” from Kaliji, the founder of TriYoga. You are welcome to call me Citrinī or Dr. Devi or another name according to what feels most comfortable to you.

 

I felt moved to ask for a new name in 2002 because I was deeply moved during a visit with Kaliji. Yogis sometimes ask for new names or are given new names by their teachers in order to be reminded of their true nature, to shed old patterns of being, and/or to inspire themselves and others. Yogis also believe that there is vibration and sound throughout creation, and that Sanskrit is a language particularly well suited to capturing this vibration of energy.

 

Citrinī is pronounced:

- “chi” as in ‘chimney’ (or ‘sat-cit-ananda’)

- “tri” as in 'tree,' although there is a slight “th” sound, as in ‘three,’ the ‘r’ is rolled at the tip of the tongue, and the 'ee' in 'tri' not as long as the 'ee' in 'ni'

- "ni” as in 'knee,' with the accent is on the last syllable ‘ni'

 

I then legally changed my name in 2020. I took Citrinī as my first name, Nata, meaning dancer in Sanskrit, as my middle name, and Devi (pronounced Day-vee or Dévi), meaning the Divine Mother, as my last name. Traditionally in our (patriarchal) culture, last names are given at birth in accordance to one's parents' - mostly likely one's father's - last name, and when one is in a heterosexual marriage, women can adopt their husband's last name (or remain with their father's/parents' last name). When it came time for me to take a new name, I felt called to honor my belief that I (and all of us) are children of the Divine, thus God-Devi is my (and all of our) Cosmic parent. As one of many names for the Divine/Universal, I took Devi, as it both corresponds to the TriYoga Devi lineage (which is the yoga that I teach and to which I feel most drawn) and because there seemed no better last name than one of the many names of the Divine. Devi connotes the female form of God, the Goddess of the Universe, the personification and representation of the feminine principle, and the overarching name of the Divine Mother represented in the feminine trinity of Lakśmi, Sarasvatī, and Durgā (Kālī).