I've noticed quite a few magazine articles about pagans (esp wiccans) and their obsession with body art. What's up with that? Granted I only know a few pagans, but as far as I know they haven't plastered themselves with tattoos like the folks in the articles... am I the only one who noticed this?
i have three tattoos, and they do have spiritual meaning to me. the most obvious spiritual tattoo is the pentagram on my left ankle. there is a little satyr playing a flute, sitting on some mushrooms on my left bicep, and a black silhouette of a cat carrying a little red "devil" as if it had caught a mouse on right forearm. i know several other pagans with tattoos, including a high priestess running one of the local covens, whose tradition encourages tattoos for priestess after a certain degree as a symbol of committment. many of the pagans with tattoos i know had them done for shamanic or spiritual reasons. i had a friend who was putting together a website of pagan tattoos, that featured some of mine, but i don't know how far he got with that project.
I have six total and each is personal and meaningful to me. I can't say I am obsessed with body art, but each marking I have placed on my body is symbolic of a certain time of life and indeed one is shamanic.
Ink is many things, above all personal. I find that the pagans that i have come into contact with seem to go about 50/50 on the body art. Various reasons, various lives...
All four of my tattoos have spiritual meaning to me as a Pagan. The mermaid on my left lower leg symbolizes the Water Goddess. The peacocks on my forearms are this Dianic feminist Witch's tribute to the male aspect (even so, the male peacock is such a femme-y show-off!). And the Goddess over my heart (complete with triple moon and peace sign) needs no explanation. I'm not sure what it is about Pagans and tattoos. Tats are such a wonderful way to express yourself and your spirituality; maybe that's the key...
OK, they're in there! Take a look! (OT, but hey - whereabouts in the Netherlands are you? We visited Amsterdam and Heiloo a couple years ago for a friend's wedding. I LOVE IT!! I want to live there!!!!)