For those looking to get a new tattoo, but not sure about which one, this informative blog post might be just what you need.
Snake and dragon tattoos are common among not only those looking for something different from traditional designs, but also among people with eastern beliefs. This article will help you figure out the meanings behind this beautiful tattoo.
Snake Tattoos
The Snake is one of the oldest surviving narratives in the world. It is an introspective symbol that has inspired many well known pieces of art, including “The Garden of Eden” by Michelangelo and “Judith Beheading Holofernes” by Caravaggio. The snake also has its place in almost every single religion from all parts of the globe, and it is still as popular today as ever.
The snake is a symbol of rebirth and transformation. It sloughs its skin to reveal a new, better skin underneath. The snake is an introspective image that represents the journey toward enlightenment found through self-knowledge.
People with this tattoo often have a keen interest in philosophy and psychology. They are comfortable with the dark side of human nature, and once they find their true selves, they are able to express themselves freely and set their goals high.
Dragon Tattoos
The dragon is a mythical creature of many different origins, but it is most known from Chinese culture and tradition. For many centuries the dragon has been a part of Chinese culture and one of their main symbols, with the word “dragon” being the phonetic spelling for the word meaning “heavenly rescuer” in their language. Some say that it represents power and strength, while other say that it symbolizes immortality and wisdom.
What does these two symbols combined mean ?
There are a number of constants in the world of symbol-based tattoos. Often, we hear about people getting the same tattoo for their significance to one another. One of those is snakes and dragons. This particular creature pairing tattoos often have some variety in meaning depending on who you ask. To shed some light on this phenomena, here is a breakdown of different interpretations you may find out there:
1) The snake represents wisdom, while the dragon stands for power. In Chinese culture, the snake is a creature that lives in the water, which means that it is connected to water elements. This is part of what makes it one of the most powerful animals in the world. It symbolizes both power and wisdom, depending on how it’s viewed and how you mix and match science with spirituality. In terms of a tattoo, people usually see this as being about balance.
2) The snake represents wisdom, while the dragon represents power or male energy. In the Western world, we all know that the snake represents evil, so this is a rather interesting variation. However, in some Asian countries, they view the snake as being wise and noble. So if you add it to dragon energy, then you have a powerful person with wisdom.
3) The snake and dragon represent passion and desire. This is another kind of interesting way to look at these symbol-based tattoos. In this interpretation, you take the whole male vs female thing out of it and instead focus on how both animals make you feel. If you combine the wisdom of the snake with the passion and desire of the dragon, then you end up with passion and desire.
4) The snake represents femininity, while the dragon represents masculinity. There are many people who see these creatures as representing different sexes. In this case, you have femininity represented by a snake and masculinity by a dragon. In terms of a tattoo though, this is linked to the idea that both creatures are powerful.
5) The snake represents wisdom and knowledge, while the dragon represents power and aggression. To get even more specific, this is literature focused on snakes as being wise guides to teaching us the way of wisdom. In addition, they are said to represent patience and protection in Chinese culture. So you have a snake representing wisdom and knowledge (as well as patience), in combination with a dragon representing power and aggression.
6) The snake and dragon represent balance. Particularly in Asian culture, there is a major focus on balance. This comes both internally and externally, which is why these two animals represent the balance between good and evil, male and female, scales and the sword.
There is also a lot of symbolism packed into the sounds that each animal makes. The snake hisses, while the dragon roars. So one has more feminine sound, while the other has more masculine sound associated with it. This is why the snake and dragon are given different meanings depending on who you ask.
In summary, it’s all about perception.
What one person sees as wisdom and balance, someone else may see as evil and aggression. In other words, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to symbolism based tattoos. You just have to make sure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. It’s a good idea to check out a lot of different interpretations, whether it be online or in books, before making your final decision.
