Tattoos and Magick

Tattoos can be a beautiful adornment. An artistic expression. A constant reminder of your values, of an important moment or person in your life. But when you’re a Witch or a Wiccan, tattoos can often be so much more: they can be a way to express your faith, to honor your matron deities—or they can even be a means of focusing and protecting your energy while spellcasting.

If you’re thinking about acquiring a magickal tattoo, here are some things you need to know about their history, how they’re perceived today, and what to look out for when getting one.

Sacred tattoos across the ages

Our Pagan ancestors have been adorning themselves with tattoos for millennia. Although we don’t know much about when exactly the practice started, there has been evidence that dates back to 3500 BCE, using charcoal instead of ink. Interestingly enough, the oldest body that has been found was covered by 61 tribal tattoos that were all arranged to line up with acupuncture points—making archaeologists believe that these tattoos had a medicinal use, probably applied on the body to fight an illness or pain. This aligns with what we know about how tattoos were approached in the early Bronze Age: apart from purely aesthetic reasons, tattoos were used as rituals for protection and healing or as a spiritual declaration.

However, the later ancient world wasn’t always pro tattooing. Ancient Persians used tattoos to mark their slaves, enemies, and criminals—and the notion of tattooing as something connected to shame or punishment seems to have carried over to the ancient Greek world, where such marks on one’s body were thought shameful. On the other hand, Ancient Egyptians continued the Bronze Age tradition of sacred tattooing. Egyptian mummies have been found adorned with marks such as the Eye of Horus and symbols of the goddess Hathor like cows and lotus plants, or with strategically placed symbols on their throat that could be interpreted as the phrase “to do good.” It is believed that these bodies belonged to priestesses and their tattoos served a dual purpose: both to advertise their status as someone close to the gods but also to strengthen their own energy when they had to chant or move their arms during rituals.

Religious tattoos today

Today, the idea of sacred tattooing (or tattooing in general) creates different reactions based on one’s official denomination. In Judaism and Christianity, there is a Leviticus verse that can be interpreted as a prohibition of tattoos, and many practicing Jews and Christians are against tattooing because of that—while others maintain a more relaxed stance. Christians, however, have an interesting tradition: back when they were at war with the Ottoman Empire, some Eastern European Christians would tattoo themselves and their children with crosses because they thought this would protect them from being converted to Islam. This religious tattooing was performed during Christian celebrations and is something that became common with the Coptic Christians of Egypt as well. Today, some get religious tattoos to commemorate a pilgrimage they have completed (for instance, to Jerusalem).

In Islam, tattooing is a complicated subject. Many Muslims believe it’s a sin, as it changes Allah’s natural creation, while other Islamic groups have been historically known to practice tattooing. In the Hindu world, tattoos have a great cultural significance and are applied to this day in a temporary way, using henna to mark religious or personal milestones (like the practice of Mehndi). Buddhists often feature protective tattoos like mantras or sutra verses, as well as Buddhist symbols and images, on certain parts of the body. And of course, we can’t write about tattooing without mentioning the rich culture of the Polynesians, who have been using tribal tattoos for thousands of years to denote anything from clan affiliation and rites of passage to one’s personality and personal philosophy.

Ideals for magickal tattoos

Want to get your own magickal tattoo but not sure what that should look like? It could be anything from a symbol that’s important to you, a line from an invocation, a spell, or a bespoke design.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some ideas:

Runes

Runes were very popular among the Vikings of old as a way to tap into the power and wisdom of the gods and are still very popular among Neopagans today. Choose a rune or two that resonates with you or convey a quality you feel you need more of.

Alchemical symbols for the elements

Whether you identify more with Air, Fire, Water, or Earth, having their alchemical symbols tattooed could be a nice way to invoke and channel more of these elements in your life.

Moon phases

A very popular choice, not just for Wiccans but for everyone who has a love for the occult. Getting the different phases of the Moon tattooed on you is a great way to remind you of the cyclical nature of time.

Planetary symbols

Whether to show your astrological placements or to honor the deities associated with them, planetary symbols can also be a great idea for a tattoo.

Depictions of deities

This is a very personal choice—and it can be a very powerful one. However descriptive or minimal the portrayal of your chosen deity may be, carrying them with you forever is sure to increase your bond. That being said, you should make sure to only get this kind of tattoo if you’re absolutely committed to them.

Triquetra

Also known as the Trinity Knot, this is one of the oldest Celtic symbols used to symbolize the triple nature of the goddess. It has also acquired Christian connotations throughout the years as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. If you’re an interfaith Witch, this could be a great idea for a tattoo.

Tarot cards

If you feel a particular connection to a tarot card or want to invoke that energy more in your life, it would be a great idea to get a tattoo that depicts it.