Witchcraft / Wicca and Tattoos

[Asch]

First of all, hello I'm new and have really enjoyed tooling around the forum and learning.

I just have a quick question regarding tattoos. I was initially raised as a Christian (my mother was basically the preacher's kid while my father is an ardent atheist), in the Christian tradition I was raised in Tattoos were considered unclean, shameful, and low class, partially because traditionally tattoos were used to mark people as property.

All that aside is there any tradition of utilizing tattoos in pagan worship? I'm not planning on getting any tattoos (largely because I can never make up my mind about a design) but must confess that I am curious.

Thank you for your time

[shadowx]

I dont believe anywhere in christianity it says that tattoos are unclean. one thing that christians do like to do is invent things, and this sounds like one of their invented ideas. Usually if a christian doesnt like something they will tell you that the bible forbids it etc...

As far as i know there is no tradition that utilises tattoos, they are a lifestyle choice and have no magickal qualities. Even symbols are meaningless, the inverted cross for example. What does it mean? It means a high ranking church official, the same as the inverted pentacle does for many pagan traditions. Symbols only have the power you give to them through belief, so the only way a tattoo could be used spiritually is if you attribute it with meaning. For example if you feel strongly that the letter Y represents protection, and you believe it so strongly that merely having a talisman with the Y on it makes you feel safe then yes, a tattoo can be used magickally.

[Asch]

I don't think this particular communities attitudes regarding tattoos were widespread.

Thanks for the reply

[shadowx]

You will often see that a lot of churches make their own versions of christianity based on what the leader thinks is right or wrong and it definitely sounds like that is the case with tattoos!

[Greek_Male_Witch]

No, specifically for tattoos, there is not a religion or type of witchcraft, but symbols can be applied to tattoos for magic, for example: a triquetra for protection, or some runes and stuff, you can use symbols as tattoos, but tattoos themselves are not magickal.


***They said Christianity is a free religion, but what I see now, is that Witchcraft is a free religion, Christianity is full of lies and manipulations***I was a Greek Orthodox once!

[Kitty]

I few of the tribal communities use tattoos to show stature, I've not heard of one that uses it in worship specifically but I don't see why not, there probably is one somewhere
I used to have a book on body mods and culture which was really good - it mostly focused on how 'priests' would have a certain piercing or how boys would get a tattoo when they reached 13 or something ... it was really interesting.
xx

[_Kaimira_]

i have tattoo's i have two dragons fighting eachother on my back, then i have celtic bracelets. screw what society think of tattoos i don't give a rats ass about tatoos. your body is a canvis you can do what ever you want with it. but really think of what your getting. tattoos are addictive trust me, your body like some drug whooohooo.

[Multistar]

My father is a preacher, and he has tattoos, including mom and the two sisters and me....quite a few i might add....lol
And like Kaimira said, it is addictive, once you start, you just have to have the next one. My tattoos all have meaning wrt my life, and i see it as another form of expressing myslef artisticaly....and those who do not like it, tuff, i dont need judgemental people in my circle of friends, and i dont need their approval.

[_Kaimira_]

you hit the nail on the head, it's our bodys and tattoos is our expression.

[Asch]

Leviticus 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” S'all I'm sayin. I don't give a rat's teet what anyone does to their skin but thems the rules

Course Leviticus is like 99% rules for the preisthood so a lot of it is inapplicable to the average person, s'also where mixing types of fiber gets you kilt...

[Ravencry]

Ancient Celts used to tattoo themselves, based on what they did in their tribe. The warriors where the main people to have tattoos. I consider tattoos art (I think this is the mindset of any person who wishes or is a tattoo artist. I did my own tattoos, it had so much more meaning!)

The tattoos I have is a pentacle on my left forearm, and large tribal wolf on my lower right calf, and many more to come. Love on my knuckles (after all, Love is my given last name), and a pokemon on my upper left arm (I love drifloon!)

[)O( Krystal Raven )O(]

marking the body through cuts, piercings, burns, and ink for sacred purposes has been done for so many thousands of years, it's pretty exciting. There are hundreds of mystical applications of such things. IN modern times however, the intention is left up to the user.................... )O( R )O(

[spook]

one thing regarding tattoos and anything magical that I have been warned against is in the area of runes.
if you wish to make a runic symbol with any special meaning and then tattoo it on you,be VERY sure that the symbol you have concocted out of various runs will do the job you want and not back fire. tattoos despite laser removal are very permanent and it would suck to have to try and undo that kind of working. otherwise there are some runic symbols that are very old and well known as in they are known to do the job they were intended for,and getting them in red to represent blood is also done as well.

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/tattoos.html

I emailed this person with a question of an idea and they replied very quickly.

[_Kaimira_]

you know getting first tattoo is like getting laid for the first time. LOL once get one you start to want to get more it's like an addiction. my next tattoo is penticle on my chest with a celtic band going around it. it's not going to be huge but lady like.

[azriel]

So far I have 2 "groups" of tattoos and both of them have important meaning for me and I thought and designed them for a very long time. I have always seen piercings, tattoos, etc. as a form of art and find them to be an intimate part of ones body and soul.
Down my spine I tattooed my name but with each syllable in a different written script. I treated this as a spell and a reminder for myself of the characteristics that I wish to uphold in my life. I was able to achieve this by using each syllable as the first syllable in a word in the same script. For example, the first syllable in my name is "khur" and I used Akkadian Cuneiform so I looked for a word in this same language that began with the same syllable.
You should never be afraid of doing anything that you feel is a way to express yourself, as long as no harm comes to anyone, and as long as you feel comfortable as well. Some forms of expression are not for anyone but once you realize yours, that beauty will shine and others will appreciate it as well!

Blessed Be,
Azriel
^-^~