Remembering and honoring those who have touched our lives is sacred, especially when they are no longer with us. This is even more sacred when those individuals were our battle buddies, taken in war. The strong history linking the military and tattoos demonstrates exactly why tattoos that recognize prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action are so prevalent. The...
There are some among us who can afford to live life in a variety of colors. They tend to emerge from secure backgrounds, get a leg up early in life, and can pay for comprehensive health insurance. But for others, chaos is their reality, and security is a godsend. Any day in which you don’t have to deal with a...
Owls are classic symbols of wisdom. It's Owl in Winnie the Pooh that leads the others when things go astray, and many other children's cartoons portray teachers, for example, as owls. The idiom "wise as an owl" has been around for a long time in American culture, and is a common symbol found in classic literature. Interestingly, owls are not...
The mandala is one of the most universal spiritual symbols of any religion. Coincidentally, most symbolize the universe, consciousness, and the self, all reconciled within one image. Mandalas, as most know them, stem primarily from Hinduism and Buddhism, but religious and spiritual scholars have identified mandala-type symbols in a variety of other religions, primarily Christianity. They are rapidly increasing in...
As one of the “perfections” of Buddhism, an essential virtue in Hinduism, and an important virtue of Christianity, patience is a virtue sought out by many. As one of the “perfections” of Buddhism, an essential virtue in Hinduism, and an important virtue of Christianity, patience is a virtue sought out by many. A tattoo of the word ‘patience’ serves as...
When you hear the term "sketch tattoos," you might think simple and unpolished. Sketch tattoos are often highly detailed, though, with fine line work. These pieces are far from unfinished, sometimes taking hours or several sessions to complete. Sketch tattoos are often "black and white" style, with lots of clean lines and small details that look as if the artist...
Over two thousand years ago, Julius Cesar, a young Roman general was on his way home to his home city of Rome after a successful and glorious campaign in northern Europe when he received a strange letter. It was signed by a host of Roman senators and demanded that he remain north of the Rubicon River, fearing that he might...
For the majority of society on earth, gravity is just another part of everyday life. But for climbers, it’s a challenge. Hiking is not enough for rock climbers; they answer to a higher calling. An inexplicable urge rests within each to push their boundaries further, attempt harsher, harder, and more dangerous climbs, pay respect to the spines of Mother Earth,...
Fierce and mysterious, the tiger has long represented a creature that rivals the strength of humanity, and its eyes are the gateway to its fortitude. It is in the eyes that we can see its courage and feel its imposing presence. These formidable eyes amaze and inspire humans just as much as they terrorize us, which is the perfect basis...
Tigers and dragons are both considered ferocious, relentless, and extraordinarily powerful opponents. Surprisingly, when these two are put together, the meaning of the imagery becomes much more nuanced, and this nuance can be the basis for an excellent, buddhism-inspired tattoo. In Buddhist imagery, the tiger and the dragon are both symbols of power. When juxtaposed, the tiger and a dragon...
