I received the following question via email:
“I am getting a chakra tattoo. Is it ok to get the third eye chakra tattoo’ed on my wrist? I ask because the wrist is not where the actual third eye chakra is located in the body. Am I going to mess something up if I get the tattoo there? I really love the symbolism of this chakra and want it someplace I can see it all the time.”
I respond to this question about getting a chakra tattoo thusly:
Dear Indelible Ajna:
Have you ever seen the image “Oversoul” by Alex Grey?
Go to http://www.alexgrey.com/ (under “Paintings” then “Progress of the Soul” on the right menu to find “Oversoul”) or Google images for this magnificent painting by Alex Grey.
You will note in this painting the predominance & repitition of the eye theme.
There are philosophies that maintain every cell in our body is infused with the watchfulness that the Anja (Third Eye) chakra represents.
This is a kind of observation that is powerful, spiritual, and outside of our form-based concept of reality.
You’re not the first to ask me about the protocol of getting a chakra tattoo elsewhere on the body (not associated with that chakra).
My answer is always – it’s your decision.
Symbols…their meanings to us, what they represent, and what we do with them is all a very personal matter.
Furthermore, symbols (including chakra symbols) are languages to help us learn the truth about who we are.
If a Third Eye chakra tattooed on your wrist brings you closer to the truth of who you are – then by all means, happy tattooing.
Okay, wow. I’m really glad that I found this site. I also have a chakra tattoo placement dilemma except that I already got mine! It is the second chakra and it is on the left side of my chest. I really love the meaning of this symbol i can totally relate to it on so many levels and I chose to get it close to my heart. As i was sitting in the tattoo chair right after my artist asked me if I was ready someone who actually new what the symbol meant was like “why are you getting that there?” I gave them my answer only to have them give me this “if you say so” look. Obviously I went through with it anyway. Even after a year of having this beautiful piece of art on my body I had always had this nagging feeling that maybe I was stupid for getting this tattoo here instead of putting it in it’s actual area of the body. Even despite the reassurance of my friends and yoga teacher. So much so, that I thought about covering it up! But ya know what. Forget that! It’s my body and I’ll do what I want. It’s what it means to you not everyone else. And trust me not many people in the west know what a chakra symbol is let alone what one looks like. You’ll probably get sick of telling people what it means, LOl.
Hi Trina,
I’m so glad you took the time to share your similar experience here.
I’m even MORE glad you’ve embraced the concepts this symbol represents and followed your heart.
I love learning that you cut a path into your OWN personal spiritual journey.
There are so many ways to awareness…so many ways to allow our souls to smile….so many ways to make us ease more comfortably into our own skins.
Namaste,
A.
I find the motivations and logic of people who seek tattoos will vary widely. I suppose to get a third eye chakra tattoo in the middle of one’s forehead would remove at least part of the mystery? It may also be obvious when the tattoo- seeker may desire something private and subtle.
Curiously, lots of tattoo shops are opening up and doing very good business. I wonder about the body piercing centres? They seem far fewer…
An energetic vacancy is being filled.
More tattoo shops are the result of more people seeking out a physical expression of spiritual union (even if they are not consciously aware of it).
Union through ritual (tattooing, piercing, etc.) has been a practice to concretize heady concepts since man’s dawning.
Caroline Myss has expressed this phenonmenon beautifully in her radio shows at:
“Survival Rituals” broadcasted on 03/11/08 and
“Sacred Rituals” broadcasted on 3/18/08
You can listen to these shows for free by clicking on this Hay House Radio link here.
You’ve got to establish a membership account – but it’s free (and so worth it – there are so many great shows to listen to on this site).
After you’ve set up your free membership go to the “Listen Again Archived Shows” link on the left Navbar. Then view shows – find “Sacred Contracts” show by Caroline. There you’ll find the show titles I’ve referenced here.
She’s got a great way of cutting through the fluff and laying out some intriguing reasons for modern body modification.