Happy New Year! Almost. This year has
been such an amazing year, and I cant believe it is over! Although I
am sad to see 2011 go, I am more than stoked about 2012. I have many
adventures to embark on and new experiences to experience! 2011 has
probably been one of the best years of my life and I know it will
just keep getting better from here. I wish all of you a safe and
happy New Year!
Anyways, I got my second tattoo this
week! I am in LOVE with it! I am grateful that I found the perfect
woman to work on my tattoo with me. I met Derynne during my yoga
teacher training and though it would be awesome for her to tattoo me,
because she always represented and inspired me to be the strong woman
I talk about in the story of my tattoo. The whole tattooing process and talking
been such an amazing year, and I cant believe it is over! Although I
am sad to see 2011 go, I am more than stoked about 2012. I have many
adventures to embark on and new experiences to experience! 2011 has
probably been one of the best years of my life and I know it will
just keep getting better from here. I wish all of you a safe and
happy New Year!
Anyways, I got my second tattoo this
week! I am in LOVE with it! I am grateful that I found the perfect
woman to work on my tattoo with me. I met Derynne during my yoga
teacher training and though it would be awesome for her to tattoo me,
because she always represented and inspired me to be the strong woman
I talk about in the story of my tattoo. The whole tattooing process and talking
with Derynne and her son made the experience so awesome, the whole process
gave my tattoo that much more meaning. With my story, some ideas and
her intuition Derynne has created the most beautiful, perfect piece of
artwork that represents so much to me.
her intuition Derynne has created the most beautiful, perfect piece of
artwork that represents so much to me.
I would like to share the meaning of this piece with everyone, hope
you enjoy
My tattoo was more of a feeling than an idea and it took
off from there! I could feel where the tattoo was going to
go before it revealed itself to me. So here is the story of
how a feeling turned into an idea, a visualization, and a
symbol of safety, strength and peace.
On a particularly rough day I decided to take a moment to sit
with myself in a meditation/visualization. I put on my
favorite Native American flute music and attempted to let
go of my thoughts. Since I was feeling particularly weak I
started to see myself as a strong resilient, loving woman,
and tried to remember times I practiced strength and
humility. I thought about the strength it had taken me to
love and accept myself, even the strength to fully express
myself with no apologies. I remembered the strength
exhibited to flow through hard times and stay positive
through them all. I thought about my power, and every human
being's power to change and manifest their own lives and
how I have demonstrated this time and time again. While
remembering all of this I saw myself standing on top of a
mountain standing in Warrior Two ( a very beautiful,
majestic, powerful pose to me) and felt the solitude of my
being. It occurred to me, while standing in Warrior II (in
my imagination) that I was my own warrior. Just like one of
my favorite Goddesses, Artemis, was the divine huntress and
warrior of her own life, so too was I. I realized I wasn't
hunting in the traditional sense, but I was hunting, or
bringing to fruition my own manifestations. Artemis was
independent strong and fully believed in herself. She knew
that when she set out to hunt she would be successful. She
lived in faith. Everything came easy and flowed to Artemis,
except when she lost focus and lost faith in herself. When
she was aligned with her true being and purpose she was
connected to all of life and all the universal energies. I
feel that it works the same way for everyone in life. When
we are in a state of allowing, have faith in our ability to
create our future and believe in our dreams and ourselves
everything flows and come to us with ease. Thinking about
Artemis brought me back to how important is is to believe
in myself, and stand strong in my dreams, beliefs, and
love.
After my meditation I felt renewed and strong. Every
time I start to feel down or notice I am not believing in
myself, my dreams and my ability to create I remember
Artemis. I remember that I am the Divine warrior and
huntress of my own life!
A week or two later I was in a yoga class and
as we set up for Warrior II. I closed my eyes and pictured
myself in the forest, bow and arrow in my hands, feeling
strong, ready for the (imaginary) hunt! When I opened my
eyes once again I saw, in my mind's eye, a double arrow on
my upper arm pointing the same direction my arm was and to
the sides. At this moment I felt a deep resonance with this
symbol and what it resembled for me. When I got home I
googled what arrows resembled in different traditions. I
found that a crossed arrow represents friendship,
protection, warding off evil and even peace. A crossed
arrow also has four sides pointing north, south, east and
west. The four points also represents earth, air, water,
and fire with the center point representing spirit. I love
everything it represents and how all of the meanings tie
into what the arrow means to me. The arrow represents
strength, love, protection and union with all of life. It
reminds me of my own ability to manifest my dreams. When we
are grounded in love, faith and belief in ourselves we hit
the bulls-eye every time.
I just need to say something to
everyone who doesnt not agree with my decisions, or does not
understand. I'm am following my heart and doing what I love. My soul
is the same soul in this bodily form as it was with or without
tattoos. That's what I am a soul not this body. What you love is my
soul not this body. Sometimes things aren't meant to be understood,
and that's beautiful. I respect myself and my feelings enough to
realize that my actions have a consequence and I know I will deal
with them whenever they come up. I feel passionately about my tattoos
and EVERYTHING I do in my life (weather it seems rational or crazy or
smart to others) because they all make me who I am. I know myself
enough now to know that I will look at the tattoos and smile because
they are a part of who I am and who I am is a beautiful soul with an
amazing life that I love.
Thank you Derynne for creating with me. You are one of the most beautiful, inspiring woman I have ever met.
