There are a variety of spiritual tattoo designs, each with its own meaning. Choosing the right design is a personal decision that should be based on what’s meaningful to you. Some people choose spiritual tattoos as a way to express their religious beliefs, while others use them as a reminder of their spirituality and connection to something greater than themselves.
There are many different ways to interpret the meaning of these tattoos, so take the time to research your options before making a final decision. We tried to sum it up neatly to make the research process a bit faster for you.
Okay, but what do spiritual tattoos entail?
A spiritual tattoo is a permanent reminder of your faith and devotion to your personal belief system, whether it’s a religion or something u don’t want to put a label on. They can be placed on any part of the body, but are most commonly seen on the chest, back, or shoulders. Many people opt for a spiritual tattoo because it helps them feel closer to their version of a God. It is also a beautiful way to show their beliefs to others.
Why would someone get one?
There are a number of reasons why people get a spiritual tattoo. For some, it’s a way to show their commitment to their faith. Others see it as a beautiful and personal form of self-expression. There’s people that believe the tattoo itself has mystical or efficacious properties, sometimes even healing.
Whatever the reason there’s no doubt, that spiritual tattoos are becoming increasingly popular among people of all backgrounds and religions.
There’s also a lot of people that don’t realise they’ve gotten something with a spiritual meaning.
How do you choose the right one for you?
There are a few things to consider when choosing a spiritual tattoo. Firstly, what’s the meaning of the tattoo? What do you want it to represent? You might have to dig deep for this one.
Secondly, where on your body do you want to place the tattoo? This is important because certain parts of the body have different meanings. For example, having a snake tattooed on your arm may mean something different than having it tattooed on your back. To add to this, it is forbidden to get certain Buddhist tattoos on your lower body.
Thirdly, what color will your tattoo be? Each color has its own meaning and symbolism. Although incorrect, black tattoos are often seen as negative or mourning, while white can represent purity or rebirth.
Last but not least, how big should your tattoo be? The size of the tattoo can also indicate its importance or lack thereof.
Luckily for you, we’ve made a simple guide/sum-up in order for you to find your way in case you’re not home in the spiritual tattoos world or in the spiritual world in general.
My personal approach
The way I (the writer) go about this process is actually not all that complicated. I actually started off with no meaningful tattoos, just wanted them because I appreciated the art.
With the years comes more wisdom. Even if I didn’t realize it right away, thanks to that wisdom, I started to look for the meanings behind… well everything. (Side note: if you do this aswell, you’re more of a spiritual person than you realise)
This was also the case for my personal body art. I wanted something that when I looked at in the future, would represent the mindset and period of my life I was in at the time. Even if it was a ‘lower’ point of my life.
Side note: it’s best if you want Buddhists symbols on you to do your research on them first; and the most important thing – get them done by Buddhist saints! There are certain traditions that should be followed, unless you want to be disrespectful. If you can’t get to a Buddhist saint or someone accredited by a temple, just don’t get one and wait until you get the opportunity to do it the right way.
This doesn’t go for all Buddhist symbols, you just have to do your research. One celebrity we wrote about with such traditional and other spiritual symbols is Angelina Jolie! Click here to go to page.
They’re my personal reminders of the good and the bad. I especially cherish the ‘bad’, because although painful and what some might call ‘negative’, I learned so much from it and was able to turn it around and see the positive side of things. And let me tell you, being an optimist was impossible for me.
The wound is the place, where the light enters you.
So you see, I personally like to call this ‘spiritual growth’ and what’s a better way to keep track of it, than tattoos!
Accepting the dark side of reality... wait, what?
If you’ve ever dipped your toes in spirituality you know our world is made of light and darkness. Wherever light is, there’ll always be shadows. It’s only natural, it creates balance and harmony in our world, hence the yin-yang symbol! That doesn’t necessarily mean the darkness is negative, mourning or something bad. It’s just the way it is. I mean, think about it, every single person has a ”dark” side to them. Even if you take a look at the most happy-looking and succesful people: they might not always show it but everyone has bad habits.
Take me as an example. I like to think of myself as a generally positive and happy person, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my bad days or bad habits. A big part of keeping my positive mindset, happiness and inner peace has to do with simply acceptance and forgiving myself. That doesn’t mean I’m content with my bad traits and don’t try my best to improve on them, it just means I accept that perfection is an illusion and being too hard on myself will only put me in a really dark, deep rabbithole.
One way of accepting, healing and self-improvement for me, is tattoos! And the best thing is, ANY tattoo designs, tattoo ideas can be spiritual tattoos, even the typical ‘negative’ symbols like the number 13. Let me explain why.
And the tricky part... You make your own reality
Anything you visualize, becomes your reality. Hold on, don’t leave! Try to follow me for just a few more text lines, you know you want to.
Have you ever thought of somebody and before you know it, they send you a text message?
Or perhaps you’re meeting someone but for whatever reason, you thought they’re going to cancel last minute, and they did.
Maybe you, likewise, thought you probably weren’t going to be in the mood to go out but regardless you agreed to some plans. The time comes, the anticipation has built up inside you because that’s what your mindset was focused on and you either back-out last minute, or you go through with the plans and are miserable the majority of the time.
Now what about some ‘positive’ examples. Personally, and I’ve encountered this on 2 different occasions way before I got into the spiritual world, I’ve thought of finding something only to find it 2 seconds later. More specifically, a four-leaf clover!
Both times, it was kind of like an intrusive thought. Me thinking out of the blue, ‘What if I just look and spot one?’, telling myself it’s just another intrusive thought and surely enough, both times I found me a four-leaf clover.
Intrusive thoughts are not always a bad thing, sometimes it’s instinct! And this dear friends, is called the law of attraction.
Apply the law of attraction to tattoos and every single tattoo can have it’s own spiritual meaning! Yes there are the typical ones like lotus flower, hindu tattoos, chakra tattoos, angel tattoos, mandala tattoos, koi fish, etc… You name it, but the sky is the limit when it comes to spiritual tattoos, because the internal power each of us holds, is real.
If you put intention into your tattoos, all of them can be powerful symbols. Everything you put your energy in, grows. We get it if you’re sceptical, but since you’re here, try it! The spiritual life tattoos can open up for you is actually fun.
Furthermore, there are so many different symbols from many cultures that each have their own meaning. Let’s dissect a few of the typical ones together!
Spiritual tattoo ideas with a deep meaning
Want to ward off evil spirits or negative energies with your body art?
If you answered yes, this might be interesting for you. There are multiple spiritual symbols you can get to protect yourself from negative energies, if you believe in them, that is.
Christianity tattoo ideas
The most obvious one – any religious symbol from your religion!
If you’re any type of christian, get a christian symbol! A depiction of the Virgin Mary is a very popular tattoo amongst believers! Angel wings, a cross symbol to honour the holy spirit of Jesus Christ & the christian cross or a bible verse, is something many christians go for aswell.
All of the above have very deep meanings that can definitely be a way of expressing your religion!
Islam, BuDDHISM, Hinduisum, ETC... tattoo ideas
Some may refer to it as the hand of Fatima, but many know this symbol as the Hamsa hand. It’s a hand with 3 ‘main’/’normal’ fingers and 2 thumbs on each side, pointing to opposite directions and (sometimes) an eye on the hand’s palm.
Over the last few centuries this has become more of a popular symbol but it’s good to know that this is one of the oldest symbols in history and it’s even believed that it pre-dates all of the major religions! This said, as centuries passed and the religions developped, many of them adapted the symbol to express a certain aspect of it.
Originally, it was supposedly a very powerful symbol used as protection against the evil eye. In many cultures, the evil eye represents a curse. A curse by others with bad intentions, whether intentional or unintentional. People being judgy can be enough of a reason to be ‘cursed’ if you believe in that. Wearing this palm shaped amulet, facing upwards, is a protection against those negative thoughts and intentions people around you might have. Getting it tattooed on you might not be a bad idea!
If you want a chakra tattoo design this might be an option too as it has a deep spiritual meaning in the Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Each finger has its energy and different meaning on a spiritual level to it!
Other symbols
Trinity knot, dream catcher, natural feathers, blue lotus flower, OM tattoo, etc… Doing your own research is the best way to ensure it’s personal and relatable. You’ll sumble upon something that you’ll instantly relate to, that’s how you’ll know!
The best spiritual tattoos however...
… Are the custom ones. There’s nothing wrong with getting popular symbols on you! If you’re willing to do the proper research AND you relate to it, that is. This is why I recommend getting something that’s personal and customized to fit you! There is no such thing as (spiritual) perfection, there is however spiritual awakening. Some of you might not have had it already but are interested, hence you reading.
A custom tattoo is an easier way to start when going about spiritual tattoos, rather than choosing a sacred symbol and having to do all the research when you may not have had your ‘awakening’ yet. That can be exhausting for some.
Think of something that means a lot to you. Perhaps you have a ‘lucky’ sign, like seeing a ladybug everytime you’re feeling low. Or maybe it’s a piece of jewelry your late grandma gifted you. Really, anything.
Totemic animals tattoo ideas
Getting a tattoo of your spirit animal is a really easy way to start if you really have no idea what to get but want to show your interest for the (un)known! Just figure out what your spirit animal is.
A spiritual tattoo can be a beautiful and meaningful way to express your faith or beliefs. With so many different designs and symbols available, it can be both easy and hard to find one that fits your personal style.
Whether you choose a cross, angel, or other religious symbol, make sure you do the research for it to ensure your new ink entails the meaning you desire! And, don’t stick to stereotypes, do the research, be original.
Do you guys have any spiritual related tattoos? Be sure to let us know down below!
