Best Tattoo For You

You can basically get anything you want as a tattoo, but the dragon tattoo design is by far one of the most popular. There are many reasons for this, a few which will be discussed in more detail here, and if you are interested in or considering getting a dragon tattoo yourself, then you should read on so that you can find a more symbolic purpose for it and better make your final decision.

Meaning

There are many different meanings that can be put behind a dragon tattoo, but in terms of the Chinese tattoos this is especially so. For centuries the dragon has been one of the most respected animals in Chinese culture, and a symbol of power and mystery. It has been depicted in a countless number of legends, and it malevolence and ferociousness is considered as being spectacular.

There are also several different species of Chinese dragons, each which has their own specific interpretations, but all which are considered as being glorious, powerful and mystical animals.

Tattoos

A dragon tattoo is great because it works well on both men and women, and because there can be so much variety incorporated into it. You can get different types of dragons, different colors, different sizes, and you can even combine it with other types of tattoos and come up with your own creative, personalized tattoo design.

Finding a Design

If you are really interested in getting a dragon tattoo, then you should take a bit of time and browse through some tattoo galleries, so that you can check out the different options and ideas and see if you can find one that you really love. Also remember that there will be lots of dragon tattoo designs to look at when you get to the actual tattoo parlor as well, and so you are definitely not going to be lacking in terms of options.

A dragon tattoo is also great because it will really never go out of style, and always makes for a beautiful, intriguing tattoo design. They are also usually one of most tattoo artists’ favorite designs to draw, and before you get your own tattoo, a good idea is to have the artist sketch the design out lightly on you first so that you can see what it will look like and decide for sure whether or not you want it permanent.

Remember that selecting a Chinese tattoo deserves careful study and attention, and you should be aware of the specific meaning behind any dragon tattoo you are considering getting before going through with it. 

The dove has taken on a significantly unique symbolism over the centuries and much of it has to do with the presence of the dove in the Old Testament. In the bible, when Noah and his ark had been adrift on the endless sea it was a dove that delivered a branch to Noah showing him that land was very close. As such, the dove has become a universal symbol of hope and, later, a symbol of peace. This imagery has been embedded in the minds of people for many hundreds of years and this is why the image of the dove has been often tapped to express certain sentiments associated with peace and calm. In today’s modern age, tattoos are often employed as a means of expressing popular opinion and sentiment and it is no surprise that the dove tattoo has been utilized often as a statement. To a certain degree, this changes many of the common stereotypes that are often associated with body art. No, this does not mean that the introduction of the dove tattoo will changed the stereotyped opinions of all those who have made up their (closed) mind as to the positives and negatives of body art, it can somewhat change the dimension of what was previously considered the purpose of body art.
Stereotypes of Body Art and the Relation to the Dove Tattoo

The traditional stereotype about body art and tattoos is that it is a symbol of anti-social behavior and a means of separating oneself from the rest of society. While some of this may be true in certain segments of the origin of body art, it is not even close to being true of the entirety of the reasoning for body art. (The mere presence of a dove tattoo would indicate the opposite of anti-social behavior unless, of course, it was being employed for ironic purposes) Of course, the great expansion of the popularity of tattoos has allowed for a “big tent” encompassment of a great variety of individuals and this allows for many different personalities to have their say, so to speak, in regards to the statement that they wish to make. Hence there is the benign inclusion of symbolism along the lines of the dove tattoo.

To make blanket statements about anything is ignorant and foolish, but when people feel they have what is commonly called the moral high ground they may feel more emboldened to make such statements. Hopefully, the benign symbolism of the dove tattoo could change certain opinions on the subject.

By a “cross tattoo”, I don’t mean a tattoo with a bad temper.  I mean a tattoo in the shape of a cross.  The cross is another one of those incredibly old symbols that seems to have permeated the collective unconscious of our species.  There are many different types of cross tattoos as there are different types of crosses.  Unless the cross design is incorporated with something threatening like a man in a white hood holding a noose, you can generally assume the wearer of a cross tattoo got one for a benign reason.

The Old Rugged Cross

In modern times, when you say “cross”, the first image to pop into your head is the crucifixion cross that Jesus was to have been executed on.  Perhaps derived from a verse where Christ tells His disciples to “take up your cross and follow Me”, the image of this extremely gruesome torture device has been the chosen symbol for millions of Christians, no matter what their denomination.  Cross symbols, especially with a white dove or beams of sunlight, are a non-too-subtle way of silently proclaiming the tattoo wearer’s religion.

The Equal Armed Cross

As most conquering religions do, they twist the losers’ religious symbols for their own uses.  Perhaps the cross would not have been the chosen symbol of Christians had not the equal-armed cross already been established as a symbol of potent power among many Pagan faiths or healers.  Just doing the gesture (very similar to the Catholic Sign of the Cross) is supposed to ward off the Evil Eye.  The oldest known Christian cross is, in fact, an equal armed cross known as a Greek cross.

Variations of a Theme

A cross tattoo inside of a circle is one of the oldest doodles known.  It’s generally thought of as referring to the Sun. A cross topped with a loop is known as an ankh, and was a symbol of life for the ancient Egyptians.  A cross with three horizontal lines as opposed to one is a symbol for the Tree of Life, which is a major symbol in old Norse religions and in today’s Pagan counterparts.

The only two cross tattoo designs which are intentionally threatening are the upside down cross (Satanism) and the broken armed cross (better known as the Swastika).  Although their original symbolisms were benign, they were adopted by very cruel and feared people, forever tainting these symbols.  Anyone wearing one of these cross tattoos and not expecting others to be afraid and angry is a person who, at the least, is very confused.

Japanese pop culture has long since been popular in the western world and this is why it should come as no surprise that the cherry blossom tattoo has grown in popularity as well. However, the image of a cherry blossom tattoo may not be quickly recognizable to the average person and, quite honestly, it might not even be truly known to someone who has a cherry blossom tattoo. Part of the reason for this is that the history and the symbolism of the cherry blossom is not known to many people in the western world, but once one examines this symbolism then a greater understanding being the cherry blossom tattoo is possible.

The Symbolism of the Cherry Blossom

The cherry blossom is an interesting image for tattoo selections and it becomes even more interesting subject matter when one sees the growth of popularity of the tattoo in the western world considering that the cherry blossom is a flower that has deep significance in Japanese history and culture. The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan where it holds tremendous significance. The significance of the cherry blossom is that of a symbol of peace and happiness and change. While this might seem like a somewhat simple view of what the cherry blossom represents there is also great depth on a humanistic level as it is a call for a change in the hearts of people. In other words, one should put away the darker side of human nature and become more accepting of the benign nature. Also, the blooming of the cherry blossom occurs during a brief and fleeting period of the season and, as such, there is also the underlying symbolism that life is short and one must make the most out of it, but there should also be special emphasis on living a life that is pure as opposed to using fleeting time for more selfish and aberrant purposes.

Of course, some individuals will select a cherry blossom tattoo for no reason other than it looks nice and, quite honestly, this is a perfectly acceptable reason for having such a tattoo. Of course, it would always be a better idea to understand the origins of the symbolism behind an image before having it inked. After all, you would want an image that agrees with your sentiments and sensibilities would you not? Then again, if you want it because the image looks nice there is nothing wrong with that either. The choice is ultimately your and your alone to make.