Another enchanting journey in the realm of sacred tattoo designs comes to closure, and yet for my client, that journey has just begun. The title of this one is inspired by my Faery friend, Laura Bruno, who has the most enchanting garden both indoors and outdoors, reflecting a true magickal and witchy “Secret Garden”.

I love hearing and feeling the way these designs have an effect on my clients when they are revealed for the first time. The energy we share in the process is such an intimate connection and so each person becomes dear to me as we share that exchange during the creation and manifestation. Their powerful and beautiful reflections upon seeing them is the reason for why I do what I do.

This particular design is quite a large piece at 15″ long and 7″ at widest point, as it is created to flow down right side of my client’s back from shoulder to waist.

Having a larger space to work with is a lot of fun because I have a larger canvas to weave things in and detailing isn’t as challenging, since it will interpret better in ink when larger. With the size I was also able to create a graceful and ethereal, feminine flow to the piece where there are areas that just have beautiful delicate extensions and swirls and other areas that are a little more solid.

Yet, still, I kept to an organic feel with this and everything has a very balanced essence that anchors and centers the focal point. Although feminine, it is quite a powerful piece and will be a reflection of her sacred and empowered Feminine energy.

My client had shared butterflies and sunflowers were very important to her, which I couldn’t have been more excited about since those are two of my favorite things! Sunflowers are my favorite flower and butterflies have been with me on my spiritual journey as my own empowering symbols.

I felt from the start that there would be more than one butterfly and the same with the sunflowers. I’d seen this vine-like flow immediately too, and then a few other symbols started to flow through that felt key for her. These included a dandelion and dandelion leaf, a ladybug, and two Runes. I will share a bit more on each.

There is on the surface the feeling of this very enchanted garden and then as we dig further we uncover the symbolism embodied within it, to reflect things important to my client and her energy.

Two butterflies: I created the butterflies with a very magickal/faery-like essence with flowing tails to their wings and very ethereal shapes. Each with lovely spiral antennas. The one at top left has antennas that create a subtle heart shape, bringing universal love along with its transformational gifts. Butterfly medicine symbolizes transformation, celebration, transition, lightness, soul, time, grace, elegance, freedom, joy and bliss, miracles, flexibility, cycles of life, creativity, gentleness, preciousness of life, as well as the medicine the ability and clarity of mind needed before self-transformation. These butterflies also represent the more feminine aspects with their gracefulness and curved wings and design, and that connection with understanding both the strength and fragility simultaneously in life. The top left one has a Rune inside it, balanced between both wings from center. More on that below. The butterflies are fluttering around the sunflowers, whose nectar and bright colors attract them, pollinating and bringing “hope” to the flowers in the circle of life. Two is the energy of balance, duality, kindness, equalization, diversity, stability, reflection, choice, exchanges with others, partnerships, communication, desire, and asks us to exert our natural flow of judgment to do what is best for our souls. In alchemy, two are the opposites – like Sun and Moon, King and Queen, Sacred Male and Female, and also are like the Twin Flame aspect within yourself.

Three sunflowers: I created two that are in full blossom representing aspects of my client that are in their wholeness, and to empower her into her wholeness, and one that is a bud, which represents spiritual/personal growth and the ever-evolving journey, where she is learning new things about herself and going through continual transformations into these new layers as she continues along her path. Sunflowers are symbolic of the Sun, spiritual attainment, flexibility and opportunity (the way they move their massive heads to meet the sun), faith, longevity, healing, nourishment, focus, good luck, magick, worship, spiritual knowing, life giving force, vitality, warmth, pleasure, and light. I created the two open blossoms with spiral centers. The spiral is a symbol of creation, movement, fluidity, surrender/releasing, holistic growth, and awareness of the one within the context of the whole. It reveals the cyclical nature of life, the consciousness of nature from core center expanding outward, and the relationship between unity and multiplicity. It is the limitless spirals that move both “inward towards the Source of creation and eternally outward with Source’s continual self-creation.” In this way, the spiral reflects the contiguous journey home to who you really are and the journey to be one with Source. There are three sunflowers and the number three generally symbolizes creative power, growth, magic, intuition, expression, versatility, pure joy of creativity, celebration, very goddess energy connected and reflective of the Empress in the Tarot, overcoming duality, manifestation, integration, complete cycles, flow.

Spirals: in the stems and antennas of the butterflies as well, which signify growth and the above mentioned symbolism of the spirals inside of the sunflowers.

Dandelion and dandelion leaf: dandelions symbolize growth, warmth, clarity, healing, radiance, illumination, positivity, progress, hopes and dreams. The white puffball (rather than the yellow flower) is symbolic of intelligence, clarity, purity, cleansing, spirit/soul, space, and new beginnings. To me it felt also very magickal and faery in essence, with those white little puffs like star seeds when they blow and seed new spark of life. The green leaves/stems represent mother earth, groundedness, wholesomeness, growth, resurgence, nature and life.

Ladybug: the ladybug channeled through along with runes and so one graces one of the sunflower leaves adding her magick. Lady bugs are a sign of good luck, of wishes coming true, love and protection. Lady bug wisdom carries the Golden Strand that leads to the Center of the Universe, represents past lives, spiritual enlightenment, death and rebirth, protection, happiness, love, luck, friendship, good deeds done, and good omens.

Two Runes: Algiz and Dagaz came through for her given things she had shared and what I intuited. The Rune Dagaz is the one at the center of the upper left butterfly. You can read a bit about it at this link: http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/dagaz which includes: Awakening – new worlds, new possibilities, new opportunities arise as others fade away, awareness, hope-happiness, the ideal, paradigm shift. All things are interconnected and in a state of constant flux. There is balance in all things, celestial and material.  The Rune Algiz is found within the center of the dandelion leaf as part of the stem extending into the leaf. You can read a bit about it here: http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/algiz which includes: the essential link or connection with the patterns of divine or archetypal consciousness. It is divinity, state of listening, protective teaching force, the divine plan, awakening, higher life, connection with gods, courage in the face of fear, activation of higher self, communication with otherworlds, mystical communication, strengthening life force through courageous deeds, promotes independence and faith, spiritual force that envelops you with so much energy you that you are sacred and protected by Divine power.

It is a very magickal and powerful piece all around, which I really enjoyed creating and birthing into life. Flowing with the energy of it and the divine essence my client embodies in her wholeness that I see, enabled this vision to come through.

There is so much more that can be said in how things are placed and how they all intertwine and weave their energy, one into the other, but as always, I hope my clients and the people that view these will enjoy figuring out their own interpretative reflections daily.

If you would like to partner in co-creating your own sacred visionary piece of artwork or tattoo design to embody the empowerment you desire, you can contact me at tania@spiritualskin.com.

There is currently a waiting list, and a monthly limit of only 6 additional clients I can take alongside that.  You can easily make your deposit at the link provided below to embark on this journey in partnership with me.

For more information about the process and pricing please visit: Life Changing Tattoos

Some people have preferred to read my book, Spiritual Skin ~ Sacred Tattoos: More than Skin Deep, especially if they are new to sacred tattoo designs, before embarking on this journey.

If you are drawn to learn more about sacred tattoos you can order a copy of the book here: Spiritual Skin

It is also available in Kindle format here: Spiritual Skin

You can also order your personal copy here: Signed and Inscribed Copy of Spiritual Skin