Before getting a tattoo I reflect on this most important & beautiful question

The Tattoo Chronicles: Personal Stories and Shared Experiences - PART 1

In the dimly lit aisle of the outdoor adventure shop, surrounded by the musky scent of aged leather and dust, I was lost in thoughts of hiking trails when a gentle touch on my arm and a stranger's intent gaze pulled me into a tale of secret tattoo desires.

It always takes me a few seconds into a stranger’s story to remember why they have chosen me to reveal this hushed tattoo desire. I have more than I can count, but I don’t see myself as a ‘tattooed person.’ I am me, the same me who was born, who I was before tattoos, and the same person who is now decorated with them.

Being entrusted with someone’s secret tattoo desire is a treasured experience. I recognise that sometimes the long-held desire comes with fear—of pain, judgment, or the permanence of the decision. I relish the chance to offer hope, self-trust, and a way of working through this unique desire.

Looking for some guidance in their own decision, people often ask if my tattoos have meaning.

Some do, but mostly,

                                they’re personal expressions that make me more myself.

Getting a tattoo, if done for the right reasons, will mean something deeply personal to you. Something that…

             you may be able to explain, but you may not and that IS ok.

You don’t have to explain it, but you do have to feel it is right for you.

Have you ever asked a painter why they chose to paint a particular painting? The answer a painter might give to this is also how I imagine describing why I got some of my tattoos.

This tattoo is something that comes out of me, some expression from the inside bubbling up and out and in that way, it makes me more me.

A big guiding question for me is; Will this tattoo will make me more the eternal me.

Not just now, but in forty years, will it still feel like an expression of myself I want to showcase?

Will this tattoo make the eternal me more me?

Other tips:

For your first tattoo, consider a design for a year before getting the ink. A year to make sure a forever piece of work is just right isn’t long.

Choosing the right tattooist is crucial. Check their work, ensure their style matches your vision, and verify their hygiene practices.

Decide on placement beforehand. The tattooist will stick an ink version to your skin to help you decide the final placement. It can be hard in the moment to decide exactly where it sits on the skin.

The tattooist has an intense job that requires a lot of concentration—try to give them, as best you can, the work environment that will help them. Work out if they want to chat or not and allow them to take the breaks they need.

And finally, do tattoos hurt?

There are stories of the odd person saying it doesn’t hurt, but for most of us, yes, it definitely hurts. It feels like it’s cutting into your skin because it kind of is, and you can’t shy away from it. You have to prepare yourself to sit in pain. The longer a tattoo takes, the more intense the pain will get.

If you have a tattoo, can you explain what it means or is it more of a feeling for you?

Needles, Ink, and Soul

There is a sacred art,

of needles,

ink,

and soul.

One in which I partake,

because it makes me whole.

~

Here is the link to Part 2, which includes:

• behind-the-scenes photos of my tattoo progress,

• the collaborative aspect, which is a beautiful spiritual process between you and the tattooist, and

• a key mindset that has the ability to affect how happy you are with the outcome.

• how getting a tattoo has a relationship lesson in it.

My Thank You Gift for Subscribers is a poetry book; as soon as you subscribe, you will receive the link to download it in your welcome email.

Photos by Andrew Wilson Photography

This tattoo is something that comes out of me, some expression from the inside bubbling up and out and in that way, it makes me more me.

Ta Hiron