Cat Tattoos

There are plenty of reasons to consider cat tattoo ideas for your next ink adventure; just take a look at the long list of symbolic keywords at the end of this page, and you can see the cat has tons to offer in the way of meaning.

We can make sense of some of these symbolic attributes by investigating the various cultural/mythological deities associated with cats. Many of these deities are goddesses and have feminine/lunar qualities which carry themes of: Fertility, Nurturing, Emotion and Intuition to name a few.

Here are some deities associated with cats to round out your research into cat tattoo ideas:

• Artemis (Greek): Lunar goddess associated with hunting, fertility and protector of the sacredness of Nature.
• Diana (Roman): Also a moon goddess who help all wildlife and Nature as sacred. Governed the sacred act of the hunt.
• Hecate (Greek): Goddess guardian of the sacred feminine, holder of magic knowledge, cycles, transition, shapeshifting
• Bast (Egyptian): Solar goddess, fiercely protective of children and matron of childbirth, magic, ritual and sacred feminine
• Freyja (Norse): Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, childbirth and good taste. Cats pulled her chariot.

I have several friends with cat tattoos. Most of them tell me the reason for their cat-inspired ink is to memorialize the passing of a dear feline friend. Those who aren't commemorating their pet, tell me they got their cat tattoo as a symbol of protection. They understood the ways of ancient mythological gods/goddesses and drew upon the protective qualities of the cat as a means to bolster their own confidence.

In fact, to the ancient Celtic way of thinking cats were considered the guardians of the Otherworld (or Underworld, depending which texts you read from various regions). Stoic, silent and mysterious, it's clear why cats make outstanding Otherworld guardians. They keep the secrets of the Otherworld eternally to themselves, as the gaze with guile upon a world that does not see or understand the depth of their knowledge. Astute, crafty and clever, cats were considered residents of Celtic mystic realms too. When invoked, cat energy can grant the caller a variety of insights regarding esoteric, ethereal knowledge. These powerful meanings in Celtic lore often play an important role in selecting cats for tattoos.

I like the theme of shape-shifting when discussing cat tattoos. In Japan, folk tales describe cats having the ability to walk between worlds. Other Japanese legends tell of cats joining forces with women to shift their behavior and demeanor. This tale seeks to explain woman's unpredictable, sometimes secretive nature.

Western European folklore also keeps record of cats aiding women in feats of shape-shifting. Early writings about witchcraft report cats always drawing close to women practicing witchcraft - they were called "familiars." The term refers to the ability to move as a cat does in otherworldly ways... shape-shifting or casting out magic by secret means - just as a cat often moves about in sleek, stealthy ways.

Whether you are seeking cat tattoo ideas in the form of honoring the passing of a beloved pet, or paying homage to ancient goddesses who claimed the cat as their companion in myth - to be sure, the cat is an awesome subject for your next tattoo.

Tongue Piercing

Piercing the tongue has ancient antecedents, but it wasn't until the 1990s and the rise of body-modification culture that tongue piercing became widespread. Piercer Elayne Angel is often credited with popularizing this particular piercing among both men and women. Why a person gets a particular body part pierced is often a personal, idiosyncratic decision, but there are some common reasons and misconceptions that can be addressed.

Certain ancient and tribal cultures pierced their tongue for ritual purposes. Aztec and Mayan art depicts this practice, and a central Australian tribe called the Aranda still perform these piercings to mark the initiation of a shaman. Piercing the tongue or any other part of the body may be done as a way to face fear of pain, to mark a transition in life or to claim and customize your body as your own.

As popular as tongue piercings are, they do carry some risk. Aside from the risk of infection that comes with all piercings (particularly oral piercings), tongue piercings are known to cause significant wear on tooth enamel, especially if the bearer "plays" with the jewelry by running it against the back of his teeth. Teeth can even crack eventually because of this habit. Tongue piercings may also contribute to receding gums, if the piercing is pushed repeatedly against the front teeth. Many dentists actively discourage tongue piercings for this reason.

Body piercings should never be considered temporary---they are permanent body modifications that often leave scars, marks or other alterations to the body. That said, tongue piercings are among the easiest piercings to "retire." Once the jewelry is removed, the hole will close up quickly. A mark may or may not be left behind.

Crown Tattoos

Crown Tattoo - Are you a princess, the king of your castle, queen of all you survey, or a prince among men? If so, the crown tattoo might be your symbol. Although just metal headgear set with precious stones, the crown is an incredibly versatile symbol whose meanings are based in the emblems of royalty. In fact, in the tattoo art of countries where the monarchy survives it can be found in combination with patriotic imagery, symbolizing the nation. It can be used with irony as well, worn by jesters, fools and pretenders. Other times hearts are crowned or even luck symbols, such as a seven or a horse shoe. The crowns shine and glimmer as they hover over these other symbols, setting a seal of importance and even transcendence upon them, not unlike the halo symbol. In general the crown is a symbol that, when combined with others, elevates their meaning above the common, associating them higher spheres of authority, even linking what is above with what is below. Many cultures have used crowns of enormous variety to mark not only their leaders but their gods as well, from the laurel of Apollo to the gold of the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven. Other tattoo symbols use the crown much more literally, for a club or group with the word ‘king’ in the name, for example. From heirs to the throne to those who have already established their mastery, the crown tattoo can express anything from camaraderie to dominance. Or, maybe you just rule.

13 Tattoo Symbolic Meaning

The tattoo meaning of the number 13 can vary person to person. The reason why they have 13 tattooed on them could be for many reasons, it may just be their favorite number, or it could symbolize the 13th letter of the alphabet. (Which is M, and could stand for marajuna) It could also symbolize death or luck, depending on which way you look at it.

The symbolic meaning of number thirteen receives a shady interpretation in Norse myth, when an honorary banquet was held in Valhalla for Baldur (god of nobility, redemption and admirable strength) among other twelve Norse gods. Loki (the trickster) came to the banquet as the uninvited thirteenth guest. Afterwards, we learn Baldur was slain by Höðr who, to execute the god, was given a magic spear by Loki.

Similarly, the darker symbolism of thirteen continues in its Christian association with the Last Supper. Twelve disciples and the Christ, formed a group of thirteen to share the last meal. Here, thirteen is seen as a foreboding omen as we learn of Christ’s fate after the gathering.

In the same vein, Friday the thirteenth is commonly reviled as it was said the Last Supper in the upper room took place on a Friday. Further, Friday 13th in 1307 was the date on which the assembly of the Knights Templar were systematically assasinated.

In the guest company scenarios we can point to Judas or Loki as the thirteenth figures and so deem the association of the number thirteen as unlucky.

13 Tattoo

The other popular number tattoo is of the number thirteen (13). This is a seemingly weird tattoo choice because superstitious people consider the number thirteen to be unlucky (Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia). Friday the 13th is an especially unlucky day and hotels often designate the 13th floor and room to be 12b, so as to avoid any unhappy guests. However, number thirteen tattoos are considered to be symbols of good luck.

Phoenix Tattoo History

The History The Phoenix

The Phoenix bird is of course a mytholigical bird and probably the most improtant of all the mytholigical birds really. There are many different cultures and traditions that have adopted the Phoenix bird over time adn so the exact details of the story and the information about the Pheonix can change slightly from culture to cutlure. Many diverse groups accepted some form of a blief in a phoenix at one time or another. For example the early Christians used the Phoenix in art to represent Christ and more specifically the ressurection of Christ. The Greeks and Romans also used the bird extensivly int heir art work and had a well developed lroe about these mythical birds.

Even though the stories vary slightly from one culture to the next their is an amazing amount of similarities behind all of them. In all of the stories it is noted that the Phoenix is a large bird with beautifull flame colored feathers of red and orange tint. In all the versions the bird is able to regenerate by burning itself and then rising from the ashes. The specifics details of how it regenerates itself differ by cutlure.

Early Christians - Saw it as a symbol of Christ and the Ressurection.

Greeks - One of the earliest names of the Phoenix was Bennu. This word got ranslated by the Greeks. The took the word Bennu and matched it with the Greek word meaning red which was Phoenix. So we borrow from the Ancient Greeks in how we name the bird. There are extensive refferences throughout Greek history in art, tales, and mythological lore about the phoenix bird. According to the Greeks the Phoenix bird lived in Arabia next to a well. Every morning the bird would take a bath in the well and sign while doing so. Then Apollo the Geek god of the sun would stop each morning in his trek to pull the sun across the sky and listen to the phoenix's beautiful song.

Their are also some traces of myths and lore surrounding the Phoenix bird in China, Japan and throughout the Middle East.

In almost every situation the bird is seen asa powerful force and a symbol of fire and divinity.

The phoenix bird really lends itself well to a tattoo. The strength power and beautiful colors of a Phoenix allw ork togheter to make a beautiful tattoo. If you are contemplatin a phoenix tattoo here are some ideas you might want to think about first.

The first thing you will want to determine is the size and placement of the tattoo. Very often people go for either a full back piece or a sleeve tattoo of a phoenix or they go for a smaller more stylized and even perhaps tribal form.

Place of a Phoenix Tattoo Large

• Upper back
• Lower back?
• Full back
• Chest tattoo
• Full sleeve tattoo.

The other thing to consider is the style of the design. Many people like to get realistic or at least semi relaistic phoenix tattoos while others are intrested in the smaller peices and often get tribal tattoo style.