Tattooing is an age-old art form that has been used since ancient times for tantric purposes and has in several cases all over the world become connected with the supernatural. But how, people often ask, can tattoos which are basically an art form, get connected with the supernatural or be used for tantric purposes ?
To understand how, it must be remembered that permanent physical additions or changes brought about by tattooing and other body alterations such as getting the navel pierced to wear a ring affect the consciousness of those who go in for tattoos. Briefly, that is because, as we all know, the physical body is connected with and therefore affects the chakras and mental and spiritual consciousness of a person and opens up unknown possibilities, both good and bad. It is here that the supernatural link gets formed.
Consciously or subconsciously, through tattoos of animals, divine forms and other creations, people try and align themselves with the spirit of the animal or divine forms or other tattooed symbols and their powers. In black magic and tantra, there are specific tattoo figures and symbols with magical powers which are used on the consciousness and chakras of unsuspecting people to gain control over them or destroy them.
But how can a tattoo come to life, many people ask ? Firstly, black magic is all about making what appears impossible possible, but with an evil intent.
Several old tantric and tribal tattoos have a black magic and \or supernatural history. Today, they are known only to a few tantrics, aghoris and babas. I know an aghori who has a set of fascinating tattoo designs, which, he claims, if tattooed on a person, can change the person’s life dramatically — for good or for evil. However, the passage of time between the past and the present has not changed the intent behind the tattoos and as before, at the tantric and supernatural level they continue to be used for love or for evil purposes. But even when used purely for decorating or adorning one’s body or as an “offering” to the Gods to obtain their blessings or generally for protection — as when people get images of Lord Shiva’s trident or Goddess Durga, etc tattooed on their arm or the back of the hands — there is the very real danger of those tattoos being energised and used to harm a person.
But how can a tattoo come to life, many people ask ? Firstly, black magic is all about making what appears impossible possible but with an evil intent. Secondly, even leaving aside black magic, a well know mutation artist has pointed out that “If muscle-flexing and other movements are considered, tattoos can come to life; drawings of figures can become animated, images of faces and forms can ripple and change”. If we change our bodies through tattoos, our minds and souls are likely to follow suit according to the new tattoo forms they are associated with or that take up “residence” and open themselves to new influences. A tattoo can also be infused with life through mantras, just like pran pratishtha of an idol or yantra or other object.
Some years ago, I was startled to come across a very interesting tattoo incident. In Abhujhmar in Bastar, I was intrigued by a young tribal who would move around only on all fours and growl like a lion. Nobody would reveal anything at first but I gradually learnt that he had got a lion tattooed on his chest by a wandering tattoo artist. But after the tattoo was done, the boy’s family refused to honour the barter terms that had been agreed upon with the artist at which the artist, who also knew black magic, infused life into the lion tattooed on the boy’s chest and the boy started behaving like a lion. The witch doctor was unable to “cut” the black magic and the search was still on at that time to try and locate the wandering tattoo artist.
Near Alirajpur in Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh, I came across another incident where a black magic tattoo was used to kill a man in a local love triangle. Incidentally, Alirajpur reportedly has the highest murder rate in Asia, with most of the murders having a love-black magic-supernatural angle to them.
The use of tattoos of different kinds in magic is not confined to India. To give just one example, according to the Wikipedia, “sak yan is a form of tattooing that originated among the Tai tribes of southwestern China and northwestern Vietnam over 2,000 years ago, according to Chinese chronicles of the time. It consists of sacred geometrical, animal and deity designs accompanied by Pali phrases that offer power, protection, fortune, charisma and other benefits for the bearer…Sak yan designs are normally tattooed by ruesi — the Thai form of rishi, wicha — magic — practitioners, and Buddhist monks… Yantra tattoos are believed to be magic and bestow mystical powers, protection, or good luck. There are three main effects of a yantra tattoo… benefits the wearer, such as making them more eloquent. Another is that of protection and to ward off evil and hardship. This is commonly used by military personnel, police, taxi drivers, gangsters and others in perceived dangerous professions. Another type is that which affects people around the wearer, such as invoking fear…”
As can be imagined, black magic through tattoos is very specialised, especially if there is a supernatural element involved. If there are strange occurrences or strange behaviour after a tattoo has been made, an expert who knows how to handle such tattoos should be contacted immediately.
In my experience, what is most scary about tattoos — tantric, black magic or otherwise — and other body alterations is that tattoos are usually permanent and as pointed out earlier, have movement in them and are known to affect a person’s consciousness. The fact which most people tend to overlook is that there is always the very real possibility of further changes in life — good or bad — due to the tattoos that are made on the body. For this reason, it is very important the possible effects, inner and outer — including the supernatural connection — of any tattoos should be considered carefully before one gets a tattoo done.