10/28/2026
Funny story - when I was about 14, I went through somewhat of an identity crisis with my name. I decided to start going by Rae, and I can't even tell you where the name came from. It's like it bubbled up from my subconscious one day, and I ran with it. Most of my friends and people around church knew me by this name for a few years, until somehow it faded into the background and became a phase.
In 2021, when I was deconstructing from fundamental Christianity, I became familiar with the concept of the soul's journey and reincarnation. It resonated deeply with me, and I learned about the concept of soul names. We all have one, a name that goes beyond our current human incarnation, and encompasses the vast being that we are on the cosmic level. I was also told to keep my eye out for mine, and that we can be told what it is if we ask.
Through a series of amazing synchronicities that I couldn't have planned myself, I happened across the name and story of Astraea, and immediately felt like I was coming home to myself. Ever since discovering this name, it's been an anchor for me through the challenges of the last 5 years.
The funny part? My 14 year old self must have been picking up on something - Rae is literally part of the name Astraea. 😆
At first I thought I'd make Astraea my pen name/stage name as an author and speaker in the future, however, I've found it increasingly difficult over the last few months to introduce myself as Hannah. There's a part of me that really did die in my NDE (near death experience), and someone greater and stronger came through to enable me to live through everything I did. I'm not cutting myself off from my birth identity, but evolving from the one my parents gifted me into the one I choose for myself, the one that has existed even before this human lifetime.
I am grateful for the name my parents chose, and at the same time no longer resonate with the frequency of that identity. I still plan on keeping my legal name, but will be introducing myself as Astraea, or Raea, both in my business and personal life. I know (even from experience) how difficult it is for others to accommodate these changes, and have no problem answering to Hannah - it's not seen as an offense if and when it happens 😊
I'm grateful for the freedom and ability to decide who I am, and communicate my choice to the ones I love! I will be changing my name across my social media platforms among other things, and I appreciate those of you who feel comfortable embracing this fuller version of myself ✨
