As time passes, we begin to think we have it all figured out. We become older, people will say we grow wiser and we believe that at this point in our lives, we should be a lot more comfortable with the way things are going.
This isn’t always the cases though and we tend to see other people who we think have it all figured out. By appearances, they seem to have a great job, great family, they have achieved all the goals they have set up to accomplish and they seem generally happy. At the same time, we still with the same insecurities and fears that we always have.
The thing to remember about these thoughts is that nobody has it all figured out and we are all striving to find some kind of happiness in life. We all deal with the same fears keeping us from accomplishing the goals we want.
In a world with so many people, it’s tough to stand out from the rest but we need to try. Each wrinkle on our body or scar we’ve earned tells a story about where we have been. By the same token, a tattoo can tell a story about the moments that define us and our deepest emotions. You might be a person who defines themselves by denominational religions. However, you might have a deeper connection with spirituality. In order to find a spiritual symbol that means something to you, one doesn’t have to follow one particular sect of religion.
A great example of this is the Unalome tattoo. The Unalome is a mysterious symbol and has been for many years. As a rule, the Unalome is a spiritual symbol related to Theravada Buddhism and is similar to other spiritual symbols like the Bindu in Sanskrit and Tigli in Tibetan.
In this post we will talk about the history of the Unalome and the meaning of the Unalome tattoo. With a symbol that is so small but such a powerful meaning, it deserves an explanation. We hope that by the end of this post you have a greater understanding of the Unalome tattoo and what it means for the person with this tattoo.
About the Unalome Meaning
The Unalome is a symbol that represents the path one takes to enlightenment. This is a symbol that signifies an individual’s transcendence on the earth. This symbol is about analyzing what we do on a day-to-day basis and learn from them, so we can learn how to be more benevolent in this life.
In the Buddhist religion, the Unalome represents a path that a person takes during their existence. The path that one takes can be a winding one. It can have ebbs and flows and one person’s path might be completely different that another person’s path. In fact, it will most likely be much different than the person standing next to you, but this is the point. You learn along the way and the path that you go down will be full of life lessons. You will take this walk until the road clears up and it is straight, and this is supposed to be when you reach that enlightened moment.
In the Unalome, the path begins in the center and represents us being trapped in our own fears and insecurities. We all feel these things as we go through life. Society is sick and leads us to feeling bad about ourselves. As our path unfolds, our journey becomes clearer and our mind finds clarity in these moments, and we are eventually freed from the constraints we put on ourselves throughout our lives.
Once you are able to see more clearly, you’ll start to understand that you have a great deal of emotions that are clouding your mind. Because we are human, we have a hard time letting go of the issues that we know are impacting us in a negative way. This inability to let go of the same habits and ideas that hold us down is the idea about the spiral. Performing the same things that hurt us day in and day out. However, there is hope.
Fortunately, the Unalome tattoo can be an everyday reminder to stay on the path and learn from our mistakes. If we are self-aware, we will understand that we do not have it figured out and the path we must take to get to where we want to go is a tough road. The Unalome tattoo reminds us the road is supposed to be rough and we won’t always choose the right way to go. If we stay vigilant, we will eventually get there.
Unalome Tattoo Variations
The Unalome is a straight up image. When you get the Unalome tattoo, you know what you are getting. However, you might see a few images attached to the Unalome and below is an example of that.
Unalome With Lotus Tattoo
The Unalome with Lotus tattoo is a very popular way to get this tattoo. In the same way the Unalome represent the journey to enlightenment and the struggles of doing so, the lotus symbolizes overcoming adversity on your way to accomplishing your goals. In this way, it perfectly coincides with the Unalome.
Unalome Tattoo Placement
One thing to remember when getting your Unalome tattoo is that in many places, it can be offensive to have it tattooed in the wrong spot. For example, in Thailand, the head is sacred, and the feet are dirty. To put a spiritual tattoo below the waste can offend many people. Do your research when you go to get your tattoo, so you don’t offend the locals.
If you are looking for a way to get your own Unalome tattoo, look for artists with experience in this area. You might even look to get it the old-fashioned way in another country and get it the Sak Yant way which means, “To tap Yantra”. This means you can get the tattoo by tapping bamboo shoots. However, if you’d like some help on deciding where to go, let us know and we’d be happy to help.