I was really excited to create this new sacred tattoo design, which was created as a powerful amulet bracelet.  However, it will be going on my client’s inner wrist, facing outward towards the hand, with the left and right lotus flowers wrapping delicately and slightly around and peeking on the outside of the wrist. It was an intricate measurement process 🙂

The challenge was in not only creating something mirroring of her and the energy that would be most supportive, but to imbue tons of symbolism within a more simple, delicate, dainty yet powerful expression that was balanced and not looking like it had too much going on for a smaller piece, even though energetically it does!

I was given free reign to intuit a design that would mirror an essence my client wanted, as well as who she is, where she’s at and headed and the design quality she likes. I’m so excited by her ecstatic love for it and can’t wait to see it in full gorgeous color very soon!

The elements I was able to get in this smaller piece (amazing what you can do with symbolism and interweaving things in a way that makes sense to the design aesthetics and energy) include the Dagaz Rune, Egyptian Sacred Scarab (mirroring a later piece for this client), the Sun, the Moon (Triple Goddess Moon symbol), lotus, henna- like style, heart/love, integrating all directions hence all-encompassing movement of energy without stagnation and seeing from all perspectives, and combining several ancient backgrounds.

While reflecting and beginning my explorations, it all just kind of fell together and I saw it in my mind’s eye how it could be integrated. The result, as I shared, creating an amulet bracelet effect with layers of symbolism included without seeming like there is too much.

We have the scarab at top center in its rebirthed form (as you’ll read below when it discovers its wings and that symbolism). The Scarab is holding the sun disk above and moon below (Triple Goddess Moon symbol which is the full Moon and the waxing and waning Moon left and right of it). Within the Scarab’s body is the Dagaz Rune. Within the Moon is a heart design created by two halves coming together making a whole – soul mate/duality integrated energy and of course LOVE!). Then we have lotus and henna-like design around.

Note the Sun and Moon above and below placements (Sun is connected with male energy and Moon with feminine energy – conscious and subconscious, mental and emotional, thought and intuition, the seen and unseen, etc. The lotus flowers are all facing different directions as stated above, flowing the energy fluidly. The Scarab has a very earthy connection, but also a spiritual/cosmic one. It is integrating the duality of Sun and Moon in order to fully integrate and manifest the reality of one’s essence-fully- realized self (read story below).

Here is some of the info on the symbolisms included: 

Triple Goddess: The Triple Moon is a Goddess symbol that represents the Maiden, Mother, and Crone as the waxing, full, and waning moon. It is also associated with feminine energy, mystery and psychic abilities. You often see this symbol on crowns or other head-pieces, particularly worn by High Priestesses. The Maiden represents enchantment, inception, expansion, the female principle, the promise of new beginnings, youth, excitement, purity, and a carefree erotic aura. The Mother represents ripeness, fertility, fulfillment, wellspring of life, giving and nurturing, stability, and power. The Crone represents wisdom, knowing, culmination of a lifetime of experience, repose, and compassion. These aspects may also represent the cycle of birth, life and death (and rebirth). Neopagans believe that this goddess is the personification of all women everywhere including Gaia, the Earth Mother.

Dagaz Rune: Dagaz – “Day-gahz” – Literally: “Day” or Dawn – Esoteric: Awakening. Rune of the hyper-consciousness. The process of concept becoming realized. Psi: paradoxical truth, incommunicable experience, conceptual realization, Enlightenment, satori. Energy: twilight/dawn polarity, non-dual reality, unity, synthesis, transmutation. Mundane: another day, daylight, the inevitability of dawn. Divinations: Awakening – new worlds, new possibilities, new opportunities arise as others fade away, awareness, hope-happiness, the ideal, paradigm shift. Continue reading here: http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/dagaz Dagaz also references the most basic of all cycles: Night and Day. This powerful rune is a reminder of the cyclical nature of all things. What rises must fall. What increases must decrease. All things are interconnected and in a state of constant flux. Day and night are (and will always be) in perfect proportion. There is balance in all things, celestial and material. Night has passed and a new day is beginning. See also: http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/dagaz.shtml

Scarab:  Beetles symbolize progress, simplicity, persistence, stability, methodical, contemplative, practical, grounded, potential, security, protection, solidarity energy. They move with bellies always close to the earth, and so their wisdom is sacred and deep. They are connected to the core of earth, and so they are rooted in their knowledge about the way of life and nature. Beetles also talk to us about steady, gradual progress.  Observing them, they do nothing without pragmatic, methodical movement. Beetles also remind us of the simple things in life, and point our attention to the magic in the small.  Beetles can tame us because of their simple, unassuming presence. The symbolic meaning of beetles in countless cultures, also offers protection.  Their own hard shells do more than just convey glimmering beauty – they protect. Beetles impart messages such as:

“Get to the root of your desire”

“Be practical in your expectations of progress”

“Find stability in simplicity”

“Anchor yourself in honest, true, natural ways”

“Allow yourself to be tamed by the small and gentle.”

“Scarabs are a symbol of resurrection/rebirth, transformation and protection. This is especially true in Egypt, where symbols were much more than simple drawings, they were reminders of men’s true nature – the spiritual life.

It is clear that the symbolism of the scarab refers to transformation – the transformation of the soul from physical to non-physical, from ignorant of its nature to wise. Egyptian represented the concept of immortality and resurrection (resurrection of the soul, not the flesh) through the image of the scarab beetle, and therefore, they created seals, amulets and talismans, which served as tools to inform those who carried them about these concepts.

It is important to point out that the real “power” of the talismans and amulets was never the object itself, but rather, the knowledge it contained. A person who is imbued with the spirit of immortality and transformation does not fear death (or fear itself). Since fear is one of things that prevent people from achieving their ideals, those who do not fear are the ones who make history, so it is the knowledge that protects, the amulets and talismans are mere instruments through which the knowledge is revealed.

Egyptians observed how the young scarabs emerge from a ball of dung until mysteriously, the scarab becomes aware of a pair of wings which had always been there, and they courageously fly away to explore life outside the dung. When they discover they have wings they then fly away towards their true nature… The Egyptian tradition taught that everything that happens in nature is a microcosm of universal truths, like imprints of the divine reflected in the physical world; therefore, they used the natural phenomena to understand spiritual phenomena.

The brief life of the scarab, then, reveals a beautiful message – just like the scarab beetle lives among the feces until it discovers its hidden wings. The human soul is also trapped in the physical world (symbolized by the dung ball) until it discovers its ability to fly.

Rebirth is symbolized in this moment in which the scarab finally abandons the dung ball to be born in another reality and into its true essence. Egyptian scarabs are all about building our best, most incredible opportunities from the “poop” around us. The sun was a big deal to ancient Egyptians, with the ability to yield bumper crops, or bear down so brightly as to blight growth entirely. Scarabs utilize the power of the sun by rolling up their eggs in mud or dung. The hot sun bakes the little mud balls – essentially incubating their eggs. Pretty resourceful way to hatch babies. The Egyptian scarab also specifically represents luck in the form of solar power. And so, not only is the scarab lucky because of its own ingenuity, it’s also symbolic of rebirthing into a new dawn of life.

The scarab beetle was also associated to god Khepri, who was regarded as an aspect of the sun god Ra. Sun gods embody the role of the sun in a solar system; like the sun, which makes all the flowers in the planet blossom, sun gods make all wisdom emerge among humans in periods of intellectual darkness (they are considered humans who have reached the human ideal through many incarnations).” – Excerpts from The Symbolic Meaning of the Scarab Beetle – Egyptian Symbolism by Thais Campos

Lotus: The Lotus flower is regarded in many different cultures, as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Its characteristics are a perfect analogy for the human condition: even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters, the Lotus produces the most beautiful flower…….The journey of the consciousness from spiritual ignorance to perfection happens through many rebirths and can be very painful and difficult, as the process of reincarnation involves the need to repair past mistakes at every new life and one faces the consequences of every action, thought and words. While humans are not conscious of their spiritual greatness, they believe that life is unfair and worthless, but as they evolve through many cycles of death and rebirth, all the darkness is slowly removed.

How it all ties together and more is a journey within itself! I’m so honored to have created this piece.

If interested in commissioning a custom sacred tattoo design you can contact me at tania@spiritualskin.com. You may also visit Spiritual Skin for more information on my consulting process, see more designs or get information about my book.