Understanding Yantra Tattoos

When looking into the tradition of tattooing, you may be most familiar with the bright bold New School designs, or perhaps you enjoy the dark clean lines of tribal tattooing.  You may not be familiar with yantra tattoos, however, which hail from Cambodia and represent a disappearing tradition of protective tattooing among the people there.   Yantra tattoos are thought to be extremely powerful and highly revered protective charms, and though the tradition is one that is rapidly fading in the light of modernity, it has a profound and interesting history behind it.

The West is perhaps most familiar with yantra tattoos through the actress Angeline Jolie, who has one on the back of her left shoulder.  Yantra tattoos are composed of two elements.  The first is a geometric design that is known as the yantra, and the second element is the mantra, which are lines of text that describe a protection or blessing on the person wearing it.  It is believed that a yantra tattoo can confer protection from evil spirits and despite the fact that Cambodia is quite modern, these tattoos are still recognized as having strength and merit.

Traditionally, you will find that people who receive these tattoos enter into relationship of being a disciple to the tattoo artist.  This relationship might be one that is quite deep and will last the rest of their lives.  The symbols that the master will use on his disciple were learned from his own master and they will be chosen especially to fit his disciples personality.  The teacher is most commonly a monk or a religious person.

Receiving a yantra tattoo is a ritual that is quite ancient.  Someone who receives a tattoo of this sort is told not to speak to anyone for three days and three nights.  The power of the tattoos are such that as long as the person who bears them does not break any of the rules that are imposed upon them, they are considered to be well nigh invulnerable.  Though these prohibitions will vary from person to person, there are a few prohibitions that are quite common.  One common one is that they are not allowed to show arrogance or pride, and they are only allowed to have one wife.  They may not eat dog meat, walk underneath the tall stilt houses found in Cambodia, or steal from others.  Unless these prohibitions are kept, the power of the tattoo will drain away, possibly leaving behind madness!

Yantra tattoos can be found in Cambodia, and this tradition has also spread to Thailand, where the mantras might be inscribed in Pali text or in ancient Khmer.  They represent a deep connection to the past and a faith in a world that cannot be seen.