Why I Got a Tattoo

This story is really not about the tattoo -- It’s about judgement. How many times have you looked at someone and passed judgment based on their appearance? I know I have done this more times than I can count. We’ve always been told, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” yet we do it all of the time. In fact, we judge ourselves even more.

For the past couple of decades, I’ve debated getting a tattoo. There are many reasons why one chooses to put permanent art on their body. I think, for me, it was the liberation of doing something that was frowned upon for no valid reason. People color and perm their hair, pierce their ears (and other body parts), wear makeup and jewelry, and now even participate in cosmetic surgery. Yet, the thought of a tattoo seems barbaric. Why???

Tattoos have been part of human history since before 3000 BC. For some cultures, they were a spiritual practice. For others, they were a form of branding or punishment. Some even believed tattoos had magical qualities and healing properties. Today, they have become symbolic masterpieces, conversation pieces, and beautiful art.

In the recent past, tattooed people carried the stigma of the “rebel” or “derelict.” It seemed the only people who had tattoos were bikers, those in the armed forces, or hippies. Having grown up with this stigma myself, I was always afraid of what others would think of me if I got one. Would they think poorly of me? Would my “purity” and “goodness” be questioned?

During my trip to India, I had an awakening of sorts. Judgement of myself and others seemed to fade away. I saw the world through different eyes. Upon my return, I felt compelled to brand my body in order to make a statement to myself and others. The statement is this: A tattoo does not define me. My hair, eyes, make-up (or lack of), clothes, body shape or anything else physical does not define me. This shell I live in simply houses my soul. My soul can be seen through how I treat myself and others. It can be seen through my love and kindness toward all living things. When you know me, you don’t know my physical appearance; you know my soul. However, my physical appearance is indeed a reflection of my thoughts and feelings. This being the case, a tattoo is the perfect way to reflect those thoughts and feelings.

My tattoo is a symbol for me – one of life, love, wisdom, good health, and abundance. The dragonfly itself symbolizes self-realization, emotional maturity, understanding the deeper meaning of life, embracing change, and living life to the fullest. The head of the dragonfly (a heart) symbolizes love. The top wing is a lotus flower, which symbolizes rebirth and awakening. The specific colors (orange and yellow) symbolize success and good luck. The lower wing is the infinity symbol, symbolizing infinite wisdom and abundance. The color green is for healing, balance, and tranquility. The color blue soothes the soul. The color indigo opens the consciousness and awareness. The color violet is very healing and brings ultimate awareness to the body, mind , and soul. The tail is a double-helix, symbolizing life, as is the blood at the tip of the tail. The tail also looks like the human spine and the colors are associated with all seven chakras of the body, each providing specific energy to key parts of the body: crown (spiritual guidance), third eye (intuition), throat (communication), heart (love), solar plexus (self-esteem), sacral (acceptance/receiving), and root (foundation/survival). Each color has its own meaning and the rainbow spectrum provides balance.

I am forever branded with something that has very deep meaning to me. It is a consistent visual reminder of how I want to live my life…with love, wisdom, good health, and abundance.