leadership

...now browsing by tag

 
 

Sun Tattoo Meanings

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Sun Tattoo Meanings

Sun Tattoo Meanings

Sun Tattoo Meanings
at-a-glance
:

  • Energy
  • Warmth
  • Vitality
  • Unification
  • Radiance
  • Spirit
  • Power
  • Focus
  • Abundance
  • Rejuvenation
  • Growth
  • Radiance
  • Illumination
  • Enlightenment
  • Glory
  • Strength
  • Divinity
  • Masculinity
  • Dominance
  • Wealth
  • Seasons/Time/Cycles
  • God

The sun is a provisioner of life.  Think about it, centuries before the advent of electricity, the sun predicted human cycles of life, availability of food, and therefore was a symbol of general well-being.

It still serves these purposes for the less technologically inclined cultures, and certainly this sense of well-being has not changed in the plant and animal king/queendoms.

In this line of thought, the sun is symbolic of productivity, vitality, energy and the ability to sustain vibrancy.  Are you a natural cheerleader?  Do you easily energize others? Are you able to project your passion as brightly as the sun and inspire others along the way?  If so, a sun tattoo might be a great way to convey these gifts.

The sun is the male (yang) counterpart to feminine moon.  It has a dynamic brilliance that is undeniable.  In generalized symbolic terms the sun represents an outgoing, radiant behavior.

Are you a leader?  Do you provide for your tribe or clan?  Are you always buoying, supporting and shining a light of clarity out for others to see?  If so, a sun tattoo may really resonate with you.

In early cultures, and even in certain spectrums of worship today, the sun is a representative of the divine.  In its male form, it was known as a god with very dominating, commanding, forceful influences. 

As a spiritual symbol, the sun is symbolic of consistency on our spiritual walk.  It also reminds us of our ability to radiate with the power of essential, spiritual beatitudes (truth, love, patience, compassion, etc).  The sun is also an icon of illumination and enlightenment in spiritual symbolism.  Is your spiritual evolution a primary focus in your life right now?  These sun tattoo meanings may brighten your objectives in a permanent way.

The sun has a very dynamic, vibrant personality and so those of you who lean to the sun tattoo may mimic this kind of active, energetic behavior.  If you were born under the sun signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius you may also gravitate to sun tattoos as these astrological signs are associated with the element of fire. 

For thousands of years the sun has featured prominently in the human consciousness.  This makes it “numero uno” in symbolism and so attributions of unification, solidarity, centering and singular view play a big part in sun tattoo meanings.  The sun sits in a throne in the center of our solar system – this makes it a prime focal point.  If you have something in your life that is central, perhaps a sun tattoo can convey this importance. 

In all cases, we all revolve around the sun, so its symbolism is going to be gargantuan and blindingly spectacular.

If you need more information on sun symbolism, like how various cultures viewed the sun as a symbol of life, strength and power…check out my other pages on the sun:

Sun Symbolism

Fire Symbolism

Native American Sun Symbols

Sun Animal Totems

Sun Yantras

Sun Symbolism in the Tarot

Thunderbird Tattoo Symbolism

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Thunderbird Tattoo Symbolism

Thunderbird Tattoo Symbolism

Thunderbird Tattoo Symbolism
(at-a-glance):

  • Power
  • Domination
  • Authority
  • Invincibility
  • Victory
  • Warrior
  • Strength
  • Creation
  • Destruction
  • Control
  • Protection
  • Provision
  • Respect
  • Courage in battle

Getting a Thunderbird tattoo will incorporate an intense Native American symbol into your awareness that is both extremely powerful and protective.

Depending upon which tribe you consult the Thunderbird serves as a mammoth warrior spirit.  You know when war is afoot because blinding beams of lightning shoot from the Thunderbirds eyes, and deafening cracks of thunder are heard in the skies from the flapping of Thunderbird wings.  In this light, Thunderbird tattoo symbolism heats the blood and prepares the wearer of the tattoo for battle. 

Thunderbirds are also extremely protective of warriors and peace-makers alike.  In fact, the Thunderbird gives strength and protection to fierce warriors who call upon the spirit bird.  The bird also favors peace keepers and when a wise elder in a tribe is ready to pass into the spirit realms, the Thunderbird is said to swoop down and carry away the soul of the tribal member so that he/she can live with the Thunderbird spirit lands in a place of honor.

Plains tribes describe four special kinds of Thunderbirds; one for each of the four corners of the Universe.  When getting your Thunderbird tattoo, you may want to think about each of these and their symbolic meanings:

  • The Golden Thunderbird of the East
    Symbolic of new beginnings and where creation stirs at the cusp of dawn. With the rising sun, a dawning of something greater overwhelms us.  As the warmth of a new day presses upon us, our own divine spark ignites and we are newly aware of far more potential in life than ever before. In this spiritually-focused quadrant, the Golden Thunderbird eyes shine vibrantly upon us and scintillate our souls with creative wisdom.  This divine Thunderbird represents: Spirit, Creativity, Beginnings, Clarity, Illumination
  • The Black Thunderbird of the West
    Symbolic of conclusions because this Thunderbird traces the path of the setting sun.  With this earthy, grounded vision we contemplate the material, and the bounty borne from the mouth of matter. In this physically-focused quadrant, the Thunderbird reminds us of our roots, our tribe, and our foundations.  The Black Thunderbird is symbolic of: Transition, Maturity, Materialism, Home, Hunting and Working with our Hands to achieve our needs. 
  • The White Thunderbird of the North
    Symbolic of the high peaked mountains and the heavens, this Thunderbird reminds us of our ability to think and strategize for a better way of life. This Thunderbird brings us wisdom, science and knowledge accumulated through natural life cycles.  This knowledge is purified atop the tips of sky-clad, ice-capped mountains of wisdom. After purification, this wisdom trickles to our awareness and we prepare for Intellectual illumination. In this mentally-focused quadrant, the greatest reaches of our comprehension roll back into us, causing avalanches of deductive reason. The White Thunderbird is symbolic of: Intellect, Cunning, Reasoning, Telepathy, Understanding, Perception and Strategy
  • The Red Thunderbird of the South
    A symbol of ancient bloodlines we share with all Native people in the vastness of humankind.  This Thunderbird flies through ancestral lineage and reveals our history in waves of pride-filled emotion.  The heart of this Thunderbird beats within us too because we are reminded of the collective heart beat – the rhythmic lub-dub we all share.  This Thunderbird represents the sacred bond of blood brothers and sisters within the cosmic clan of humankind.  The Red Thunderbird teaches us about relationships, family connections, community and partnerships.  Consequently, this Thunderbird is symbolic of: Love, Connection, Empathy, Compassion, Honor, Respect, Family, Bloodlines, and how we relate to our global community.

Don’t stop here.  Get more information on the Thunderbird to expand your understanding about Thunderbird Tattoo Symbolism by clicking on the links below:

Thunderbird Symbolism (the full article)

Bird Totems

Nature Symbolism

Native American Symbolism

Caduceus Tattoos

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Caduceus Tattoos

Caduceus Tattoos

Caduceus Tattoos
(meanings at-a-glance):

  • Healing
  • Renewal
  • Life
  • Vitality
  • Harmonization
  • Unification
  • Integrity
  • Authority
  • Health
  • Circulation
  • Honor
  • Travel
  • Protection
  • Fair trade
  • Commerce
  • Transcendence
  • Dualism
  • Magic
  • Wisdom
  • Equilibrium
  • Fertility
  • Transformation

Caduceus tattoos should not to be confused with the Staff of Asclepius tattoos.  Even though both have come to be known as symbols of healing and the medical field, the caduceus is much more dynamic in its meanings (as you will see while comparing the at-a-glance symbolism between the two tattoos).

At its core, caduceus tattoos are symbolic of unification of opposites: Male/Female, Yin/Yang, Light/Dark.    The harmony of dual forces is seen by the opposing snakes wrapped around the staff. 

Themes of healing, homeopathy, nature and holistic approaches to health are captured in the serpents too.  Snakes in ancient Greece, where this symbol originates, were symbolic of transformation. 

The shedding of the serpents’ skin is symbolic of slipping off the old self (illness) and moving freely in the fresh, newly healed self (wellness).

The wings of caduceus tattoos symbolize higher thoughts, higher mind, high integrity and the intent to serve others in a higher capacity.

The staff or center rod in the caduceus symbol represents power, unification, and connection between heaven and earth (as well as the point of focus between duality).  The staff is the connection between high and low (thought and body) and facilitates easy communication between the two. 

Caduceus is a symbol of messengers in myth such as the Greek Hermes (Mercury in Roman myth) because the center staff conveys transportation of energy between mind and body (heaven and earth, male and female, shadow and light, etc.).

Deities who adopt the caducues include:

  • Hermes (Greek): Travel, Commerce, Trade, Speed, Messenger
  • Mercury (Roman): Speed, Intelligence, Youthfulness, Health
  • Anubis (Egyptian): Afterlife, Spirit, Protection, Preservation
  • Baal (Phoenician): Fertility, Abundance, Agriculture, Leadership
  • Ishtar (Babylonian): Fertility, Sensuality, Military, Love, Passion
  • Isis (Egyptian): Magic, Femininity, Motherhood, Fertility, Protection, Beginnings, Nature

For more information on this subject:

Caduceus Symbolic Meaning (full article)

Staff of Asclepius Tattoo Meaning

Snake Symbolism

Staff Symbolism in Tarot

Symbolism of Wings