Traditional Tattoo

Meaning of Dog Tattoos Dog Tattoo Meaning and Symbolism (at-a-glance): * Confidence * Loyalty * Strength * Community * Friendship * Obedience * Protection * Courage * Intelligence * Guidance * Determination * Faithfulness * Perception * Community * Guardianship * Teamwork Most of the dog tattoos I see are memorial tattoos – permanent displays of personal love and affection for a canine companion who has passed into the great dog lands of the heavens. Interestingly, dogs themselves are considered sentinels to the gateways of the Otherworlds. In ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Greco-Roman and other myths, the dog represents a kind of “psychopomp” or spiritual guide – an ally while a human soul is transferring between the realms of physical and non-physical. Do you feel you are straddling the dimensions of worldly life and ephemeral reality? Perhaps a dog tattoo can solidify a feeling of guardianship and protection as you move through the veils of reality and ex

Meaning of Butterfly Tattoos Meaning of Butterfly Tattoos Meaning of Butterfly Tattoos (at-a-glance): * Metamorphosis * Beauty * Peace * Immortality * Dreams * Spirituality * Transformation * Thoughts * Life * Playfulness * Tranquility * Delicateness * Fertility * Love * Intuition * Resurrection * Tenderness * Appreciation When considering the meaning of butterfly tattoos, I always think of psyche in Greek myth, where the term psyche is alternatively used with life. In fact, the term psyche is translated to mean “breath of life.” Further, Psyche in Greek myth is a companion to Eros (Cupid). All this plays nicely with the ephemeral butterfly symbolism of love, intuition, life, peace, adoration and beauty. The meaning of butterfly tattoos may also deal with transformation because of the butterfly’s impressive evolution through life. Follow this path of metamorphosis: * Egg (beginning/birth) * Larva (dependence/socialization) * Caterpillar (independence

Meaning of Phoenix Tattoos Meaning of Phoenix Tattoos The mythological bird of fire is familiar to most of us, but perhaps not so well-known is in it's original meaning -- 'phoenix' in Greek means 'palm tree'. The phoenix is said to live for 500 years. When it grows tired, it builds a nest of aromatic twigs, and then sets fire to itself to be consumed in the funeral pyre of its own making. After three days, the phoenix would arise from the ashes, reborn. According to Egyptian legend, it carries the embalmed ashes of its previous incarnation to Heliopolis, the city of the sun. The Egyptian phoenix was said to sing sweetly, and to dazzle with its plumage of gold and scarlet and purple. Tales of the phoenix appear in ancient Arabian, Greek, Roman, and Far Eastern mythology. In both Greek and Egyptian tales, the phoenix represented the sun, dying in flames at the end of the day and rising each morning. Early Christians came to view the flight of the phoen

Meaning of Peacock Tattoos Meaning of Peacock Tattoos Peacock tattoo meanings (at-a-glance): * Royalty * Vitality * Sensuality * Luxury * Expansiveness * Pride * Nobility * Generosity * Immortality * Longevity * Love * Watchfulness * Compassion * Desire * Beauty Peacock tattoo meanings commonly deal with the impressively expansive fanning out of the male peacock’s tail feathers. The radiant blue of his body is equally impressive for tattooing. These striking features make a big statement about the wearer of peacock tattoos. It says: “I am marvelously unique, and not afraid to show it!” Themes of nobility and royalty come into play from Chinese symbolism in which the peacock is an emblem of rank and high status. Indeed, peacock feathers were given to recognize impeccable service and honorable rank in positions of military office. The peacock is a symbol of expansive consciousness in Buddhism. In this light, the bird is a representative of the all-compas

Meaning of Owl Tattoos As birds of the night and birds of prey, the owl has been associated with psychic powers, the "angel of death," and the goddess of night. Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology all have owls as representatives of spiritual influence, wisdom and knowledge. Hinduism uses the owl as a symbol of cosmic spirituality as well. Native American religions and shaman priests have placed numerous spiritual associations upon the owl. The Cree believed that the whistles of the Boreal Owl was a call to the spirit world. If an Apache dreamed of an owl, it meant that death was eminent. Cherokee shamans looked to Eastern Screech Owls for guidance on punishment and sickness. See  " Scorpion tattoos "

Meaning of Eagle Tattoos Eagle Tattoo Meanings (at-a-glance): * Authority * Nobility * Intelligence * Purity * Ascension * Victory * Strength * Messenger * Power * Force * Focus * Drive * Determination * Endurance * Faith * Resurrection * Sovereignty * Vitality * Expansion * Limitlessness * Fearlessness * Purity * Willpower * Clarity The symbolic theme of power is pervasive with eagles, as with eagle tattoo meanings. In almost every culture and philosophy the eagle is a magnificent creature of purity, beauty and powerful force. Some Native American Indian tribes of North American viewed the eagle as the Thunderbird, and deemed it a messenger of the heavens. Soaring the skies, it would settle in trees and the ground to deliver important messages to mankind from the spirits of the winds and skies. In reality, eagles are master of air – and their vision is remarkably accurate. This is symbolic of having clear vision ourselves. If you are determined to

Meaning of Bee Tattoos Symbolic Meaning of Bee Tattoos Bee Tattoos Indicate Family, Social Order, and Cleanliness Bees and their cousins have long been involved with humankind, both bad and good. Humans have collected honeycomb for tens of thousands of years, while the earliest death by wasp sting was recorded in 2,000 B.C. when an Egyptian pharaoh was killed. Offerings of honey and honeycomb are often found in burial chambers to supplement the dead in their trip to the afterlife. Surprisingly the bee and wasp were used in early warfare, as records show that the ancient Mayans would throw beehives at rival tribes, while the Romans and Greeks used them as catapult ammunition. Swarms of wasps indicated divine retribution in the Bible. The bee came to represent the soul due to its fact to return home over extreme distances, as well as fertility. Many superstitions surround the bee, such as killing the first wasp of the season in England protected you from your enemies. Sinc

Symbolic meaning of heart tattoos (at-a-glance): * Love * Acceptance * Central * Whole * Vitality * Friendship * Compassion * Spirituality * Honor * Sacred * Emotion * Courage * Life * Hope * Passion * Luck * Faith * Trust Heart tattoos typically convey love, friendship and they commemorate our feelings of adoration. They also represent unity and the centralization of life as the human heart is the center engine of life. The heart symbol itself reminds me of a vessel holding pure potential of love. I get this from my education in the Tarot where the suit of cups is associated with love, connectivity, intuition, emotion and passion. The suit of cups in Tarot corresponds to the suit of hearts in conventional playing card decks. The heart symbol also talks about procreation; creating something wholly unique and divine from the union of partnership (like the birth of a child from a union). Why? because the lower portion of the heart symbol represents a trian