The oldest piece of human skin with a tattoo on it dates back to around 3370 – 3100 BC. It was discovered on the skin of a man discovered preserved in ice on the Italian-Austrian border. The tattoos seem to be made from ash or soot, and experts speculate that they are related to acupuncture points on the body.

Tattooing has evolved quite drastically over the millennia since then, going through various cultural and spiritual manifestations, and in the West today people are choosing to get tattoos with much greater personal significance.

Who Are You?

In an increasingly interconnected world – thanks to the internet – people are confronted on an almost daily basis with the question “Who are you?”. Before they update a Facebook status, send a tweet, or upload a picture to Instagram, they have to think about how that little piece of information released into the digital wild will reflect on them.

In the same breath, the personal stories each of us have to tell can be told each day anew through our next social media post. In a world of such transience, perhaps tattoos offer not only an indicator of who we are, but an anchor to remind us of that fact too.

It is widely thought that tattoos first made it to the United States of America as a way for U.S. sailors to avoid being forcibly entered into the British Royal Navy following the American Revolution. Sailors were ruthlessly recruited, even in spite of protection papers proving their newfound citizenship. As such, tattoos were used to add an extra mark of uniqueness and identity, keeping them safe!

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, tattoos were usually used as symbols of membership to various subcultures. However, in recent years, helped by the popularity of the internet, tattoos have become a lot more widely accepted in the mainstream.

With this popularity and acceptance, comes celebration. People are much more likely to get a “work of art” tattooed. They want something they can proudly show off to friends and strangers alike, as opposed to smaller, more subtle tattoos to be kept hidden and only revealed to the other “members of the club” so to speak.

Tattoos and Identity

The significance of tattoos has evolved just as much as their designs have. Tattoos are increasingly there as a reminder and definition of identity. Identities are incredibly complex and, as such, the tattoos people choose to represent themselves are getting increasingly complex.

No longer are tattoos themselves enough to make a person stand out from the crowd. With approximately 20% of Americans now bearing ink, it’s increasingly difficult to get an entirely unique tattoo. To create and fix that identity and properly stand out, a tattoo has to be completely original and exclusive to that person.

Various studies into the reasons behind why people get tattoos done have revealed that it’s a sense of “anchoring” that’s central to most people’s justifications. For many, a common, everyday tattoo isn’t significant enough to them, and might get lost in this big wide world.

Further to this, University of Arkansas professor Anne Velliquette, who studies consumer behavior and popular culture, notes that it is just as much about “cement[ing] aspects of their current selves.” Tattoos act almost like a “time capsule” for a specific moment in that person’s life. One might even think of it as a “personality capsule.”

The pain and dedication that it takes to get the skin tattooed also adds to the significance of having a meaningful and expressive tattoo. Almost like a rite of passage, the time and pain that goes into each piece of body art, calls for some degree of respect. After all, for hundreds of years, tattoos were used primarily as a part of rites of passage ceremonies. They would mark a person who was significant in some way, symbolizing status or tribal affinity.

In respect to modern tattooing, why waste all that time and effort to ultimately dislike a tattoo, to cover it from everyone, or even get it removed?

Are Tattoos For You?

Ultimately, the meaning behind a tattoo is entirely subjective and down to the person whose skin under which it sits. Perhaps you have a deeply personal connection to an otherwise popular tattoo symbol – a star, anchor, or infinity symbol, for example. As long as you hold your body art close to your heart, and love its significance in your life, you can’t go wrong!

This article was written by The Hearty Soul. The Hearty Soul is a rapidly growing community dedicated to helping you discover your most healthy, balanced, and natural life.

Sources:

1. Weller C. The Identity Crisis Under the Ink. The Atlantic. 2014. Available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/the-identity-crisis-under-the-ink/382785/. Accessed September 16, 2016.

2. Ötzi – La mummia al Museo Archeologico dell’Alto Adige. Museo Archeologico dell’Alto Adige. 2016. Available at: http://iceman.it/mummia/#tatuaggi. Accessed September 16, 2016.

3. These 10 Tattoos Have Deep Spiritual And Religious Meaning. The Huffington Post. 2015. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/these-10-tattoos-have-deep-spiritual-and-religious-meaning_us_56407716e4b0307f2cadf3ee. Accessed September 16, 2016.

Our planet is a strange and wondrous place full of amazingly beautiful scenery all across it. There’s still so much to be discovered in the world, however, so sometimes when we see these incredible phenomena we find it hard to believe they’re real.

Especially since Photoshop has become so popular in doctoring photos. I can assure you that these natural wonders are entirely real even if your eyes refuse to believe it.

 

1. Volcanic lightning

Your first thought may be Lord of the Rings, but Mt. Doom is surprisingly based on a real thing. When a volcano erupts, lightning can occur within the smoke plumes billowing out.

This happens as a result of charge separation much like in a thunderstorm as the volcano carries positive charge into the sky. Ash, rock and ice particles all collide which creates balance in the atmosphere. I’m still convinced that it’s probably Sauron’s doing.

2. Methane ice bubbles

Imagine playing pond hockey on some ice like this.

Lake Abraham in Alberta, Canada is home to a strange sight of frozen bubbles underneath the ice.

Bacteria in the lake digest organic material which releases methane bubbles.

When the methane makes contact with ice water it freezes in shape and rises to the top.

3. Giant’s Causeway

Legend says it was created by a mythical Irish giant known as Finn MacCool when he was challenged to a fight by Scottish giant Benandonner.

Located in Northern Ireland, approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns look carved from the rocky cliff side, with some of the columns as tall as 12 meters (39ft) with 5-8 sides.

They are actually believed to be the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It’s no wonder they’re one of Ireland’s top tourist attractions. Continue reading →

You wouldn’t believe all the great stories I have.

There was this one time I was sailing on the Atlantic ocean, and the ship was attacked by cannibalistic pirates who took the crew for hostages and lunch.

There was the other time I was at a masked ball in Victorian Paris with a secret mission with my wanted-for-treason face hidden behind a butterfly costume. Once I found a magic spell that taught me how to fly. Did I mention that I was switched at birth to this realm to protect me from the annihilation in the elf kingdom where I originate?

… I did say you wouldn’t believe me.

Honestly, I am not lying. Those things did happen to me, and more.

Just not in the literal world.

You wouldn’t claim the above stories are entirely false if you understood the detail in which I imagined them.

For those who relate to everything I am saying, good for you. For those who are doubtful, here are five reasons why imagination is better than reality.

1. Imagination Ignites Passion

In life, we have our responsibilities that cannot be ignored. There’s bills to pay, incomes to earn, jobs to work (or suffer) through, and sometimes these necessities dictate our days and our experiences. Dreaming of the future reminds us what it is like to be passionate about something. After all, a rut makes it easy to forget why we are doing this.

Imagination brings passion and purpose to our responsibilities.

2. Our Thoughts Create Our Future

Sai Baba once said, “All action results from thought, so it is thoughts that matter.” (1)

Our creative muscle is what makes our plans come to fruition. If we would stay in the present at all times, we will recreate the same problems and experiences over and over again.

However, if we would let our imagination create a new reality, your actions and energy will set the future to change. Continue reading →

Conversation is the essence of humanity. The invention of complex language is arguably the most significant step in the history of our species. Language gave us the means to articulate the way we feel, exchange ideas and accelerate our move towards civilization.

As society moves forward, the complexity of communication continues to increase. There are thousands of languages across the world, but underneath each and every one of them is a universal truth behind how we communicate with one another. Whether it is through subtle body language or the way we address each other, the common thread exists.

For some, the ability to pick up on subtle social clues comes naturally, and they are able to exude charm and charisma without a moment’s thought. For others, the art of conversation takes a little more work. If you fit into the latter camp do not despair!

This article provides a list of eight simple tricks that anyone can use to shift people’s opinion of you and turn you into a master craftsman of the spoken word.

 

Use their name

Whether people want to admit it or not, we are all ego driven machines to an extent. So when you meet someone new, give them the sense that they are important by working their name into the conversation.

Having someone new say our name makes us feel like we are worth remembering. In your first exchange with someone try to use their name at least three times in the first five minutes. Make sure you don’t force the name in, just gently use it at the end of questions e.g. where are you from Erica?, etc.

Don’t underestimate silence

Even if they aren’t pausing for effect or in thought, silence shows that you are comfortable to wait for their response and forces them to continue the conversation.

This comfort makes you appear confident, which is a very likeable trait.

Nod your head whilst asking questions

Still on the subject of questions, nodding your head whilst you ask a question influences the other people you are speaking with. Nodding, as a positive action, is more likely to create positivity within the conversation and an agreement with your opinions. You exude confidence from subtly implying that you are right and that they should agree with what you say. Continue reading →

There is a mysterious image that has appeared time and again in thousands upon thousands of pieces of ancient Egyptian art. The blue lotus flower looks almost fan-like across many of the images found in tomb paintings, papyrus scrolls, sculptures, and even on headdresses.

For decades it remained a mystery – what did it mean? Why was it appearing in these scenes? It seems we finally have an answer. They were getting high.

Flowers of the Gods

Though technically waterlilies, the flowers, known as blue lotuses, were very important in ancient Egyptian society.

They had godly associations, thought to be where Ra, the Sun God, went during the night, before re-appearing in the day.

This is because the flowers are closed during the night, and open again every morning (bringing the sun with them).

The flowers also symbolize the god of perfume, Nefertem. It was thought that Nefertem brought the flowers to the Sun God Ra to ease the suffering of his aging body. But how could a simple flower have such restorative powers?

Where the Flower Appears

The mythical stories surrounding the flower and its powers are just the start of its prevalence in Egyptian culture. As mentioned before, it surfaced time and time again in paintings and carvings and Egyptologists noticed a link between the scenes. This flower was incredibly sacred and prized above all other plants in ancient Egyptian culture. Continue reading →