Do Religious Tattoos Show Your Spirituality?
April 10, 2009
Religious tattoos have been popular throughout history and have been a prominent part of almost every culture and religion that existed before the birth of Christ. They have been found in archeological remains all over the globe on the mummies of men, women, children and even on toy dolls.
They were used to ward off evil, celebrate some victory, signify marital status or keep the bearer healthy. Some cultures believed that decorating their bodies with tattoos of fierce beasts would transfer the animal’s strength to them. It wasn’t until organized religion spread across the globe and banned the ancient practice of tattooing, that it fell into disgrace.
Even so, in a desire to ensure a Christian burial if they were killed in battle in a foreign land, the Crusaders (circa 1095 AD) tattooed a small cross on their hand to announce their religious wishes.
Today, the popularity of religious tattoos, including the Christian cross, is making a very strong comeback and is responsible for nearly 25% of all tattoos purchased in North America.
Religion is taken very seriously by those involved in religions of any sort all over the world. When someone has a religious symbol placed on his or her body, they are announcing their religious convictions with pride and devotion, along with drawing their personal spirituality closer to them.
Those religious symbols take several distinct forms, with the cross being the most popular and taking many forms, like a simple cross, a Celtic design or the Crucifixion. The Crown of Thorns is another symbolization of the death of Christ and is often used to mark suffering.
Other often seen religious symbols include, angels, biblical characters, biblical verses, doves, praying hands and the Madonna. The Alpha/Omega symbol is used to recognize that the Lord is the beginning and end of all things.
By far the most dramatic symbol is the Catholic Church’s Sacred Heart, a medieval symbol of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. This tattoo symbol is used to represent not only the redeeming love of God, but announces God as the light and happiness of the wearer’s soul. Besides being a major religious symbol, the Sacred Heart is a particularly beautiful tattoo, with a bright red color, enhanced with flames and crossed by thorns.
Since ancient times, thousands of years before organized religion or the birth of Christ, body decoration with religious tattoos has always been based in the spirituality of every existing culture, whether primitive or modern.
Do You Know The Mythology Of Your Star Tattoo?
April 10, 2009
Both men and women are attracted to star tattoos for various reasons. A person looking for a tattoo for the first time, but timid about it, might select a tiny, tasteful star on a shoulder or arm to get used to body art before getting another one that is more expressive and colorful.
Star tattoos span all religions and cultures, while remaining a universal symbol today that has deep metaphysical meanings for people with different spiritual beliefs. One of the oldest symbols that can be found in religious myths dating back to prehistoric times, stars have a powerful history that continues to fascinate groups of people worldwide.
The most masculine of the star tattoos is the nautical star with 5 points split down the middle and meeting in the middle. Each point is filled with two alternating colors that create a 3d effect.
The nautical star stems from an old Pagan symbol and can be found in certain hospitals in Ireland to symbolize good health. Sailors throughout history have used stars for guidance through the oceans of the world. As a result, they placed nautical stars on their bodies for protection and guidance to get them home safely.
The Star of David, a six-pointed star that is the symbol of the Jewish religion, is a symbolic reminder of the rule of God over the entire universe.
The Pentagram tattoo, or pentangle, has a long list of spiritual, cultural or religious meanings dating back for many centuries and is one of the oldest recorded symbols in the history of civilization.
In some beliefs, the pentagram protects the wearer against evil. This star is the most used of all symbols from the occult and is widely believed to be the strongest method of attracting benevolent spirits.
Believers in Satanism, black magic, invert the star so two points are up. This inverted star pattern is the symbol of Masonry and the Eastern Star.
Wiccans, witches and warlocks who practice white magic, use it with the point up, which is a symbol of faith for them . Both beliefs place the star inside a circle, which is believed to strengthen the powers of the star.
Christianity, on the other hand, uses the pentagram to symbolize the five elements of the earth: light, air, wind, fire and water.
One non-religious symbolism of the pentagram includes the ancient Egyptian pentagram found on ancient graves and symbolizing the celestial sky. Another, from Pythagoras, would represent mathematical perfection.
In astronomy, the pentagram is used to symbolize femininity and the planet Venus, which follows a path around the sun that resembles a pentagram.
Stars have fascinated civilizations since the beginning of time. The night sky and the bright stars have created many mythologies as primitive cultures struggled to understand the forces of nature all around them. That simple fascination continues today as men and women decorate their bodies with this celestial symbol.
Categories
Archives
Related Sites
- Chopper Tattoo - Thousands of award winning tattoo designs
- Tattoo Me Now - Over 3,500 high resolution tattoo images
