Anybody know dream symbolism--in this instance, a tattoo?

[MorningGlow]

This is a new one on me--last night I had a dream that I got a tattoo. Apparently I handed the tattoo artist a page of scribbles and notes and told him to do whatever he thought would look nice. I laid down on my stomach and fell asleep (how did I sleep through tattooing? no idea), and he proceeded to transcribe the entire page of random stuff--exactly as I had filled the page--onto the back of my left leg, from my thigh all the way down to my ankle. I woke up as he started a tattoo on my left elbow; I stopped him because I didn't want one there. When I got a gander of the mishmash that was on the back of my leg--I remember it was all just black writing, no color, and very few images (although I recall seeing a tiny feather that I would have liked as a tattoo, perhaps elsewhere on my body instead of just above the back of my knee among all the black writing), I was furious.

He told me that I didn't have to do anything special as it healed (didn't have to keep it moisturized or anything), and in fact I realized it didn't hurt at all and wasn't red or swollen, but he did have to do something the next day as a kind of final step to the process. All the rest of that day and the next I was trying to figure out if I could live with the tattoo (and how to cover it up when I needed to) or if I wanted to have it removed. I went to the tattoo shop for the final step he talked about, but he wasn't there. I went to the other shop he worked at, across town, and he wasn't there either. Finally caught up with him--he had forgotten about me--but I don't remember if I let him "make it permanent" or whatever the step was--or if I looked into having it removed.

When I woke up I really thought I had an ugly tattoo! :shrug:

[WhiteTara]

1. my first thought was that you needed to

remember something, hence the tatoo...or indelibly embossed. Does that make sense?

[MorningGlow]

5. I can see that

Can't really connect it to anything IRL, though--at least not yet. Will think more on it. Thanks! :hi:

[Mist]

2. According to the dream book I use (Understand Your Dreams, by Alice Anne Parker), legs represent

support, and movement. The questions Parker suggests asking are "What supports me?" and "Am I getting somewhere?" Do you feel you need new info? Or have you recently starting learning something new--something that would pertain to your support of self, or help you in getting somewhere in your life?

Just a few ideas. I find Parker's book to be the best I've come across for helping me interpret dream imagery. I've used it for about 20 years now.

[MorningGlow]

6. That's cool

Might need to check that book out--! Hmmmm! :)

Support, eh? Nothing comes to mind, but that probably says more about my state of mind than anything else! Kinda like this:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MSkNpsrtnzc/Srp_h6JxlZI/AAAAAAAAACk/5G1VJBEa4TQ/s320/Swiss+Cheese.jpg

:rofl:

[Ricochet21]

3. If I may take a stab

not literally tho!

Sounds like a theme of surrender. You surrendered to "letting things be", allowing him to do the tattoo. You found that it was not painful and it surprised you. Yet, you found you did not get the "results" you wanted. 50-50 win.

To me, it was very significant because it is somehow reflecting a major issue in your life that could "stain" you.
You let go, but only halfway. Therefore, you got dubious results.

Funny, I'm working on the sign Capricorn as I write this - one that is all about letting go.

Good luck, I hope you grow to like your Tatoo! :hi:

[Ricochet21]

4. I wish I could do my own dreams! n/t

[MorningGlow]

7. I really did hate it when I finally saw it

I remember that I was angry with myself for falling asleep and letting him do "whatever". I don't think I liked giving up control. Imagine! :evilgrin:

[wickfordbard]

8. Re: it's about your feminine standpoint

Just had to jump in here. A tattoo is usually a symbol of initiation. Most people I know who get tattoos do it to commemorate a 'rite of passage' in their lives. I believe tribal people do it for that reason as well. Anyway, you - the ego - only have a vague idea of how you want to remember what you went through and instead of working with the artist to come up with a symbol, you just give him your notes and tell him to do what he will. I think your inner tattoo artist wants some input from you! Or else he's showing you that you're still a bit disorganized and you haven't visualized exactly what new feeling, new wisdom you've achieved regarding your own feminine power.

When you fall asleep in a dream, it means your ego is not retaining the new thing you've learned.

[MorningGlow]

9. I think I've got it

And your post did help trigger it. :hi:

I do think now, after reading through the dream again and rereading everyone's comments, that it is indeed about an initiation, but not a good one. I think that the dream speaks to the way I have been sort of sleepwalking through life, evidenced by leaving the tattoo choice to the artist and sleeping through the event. Serves me right for waking up afterward and finding something ugly all over my leg! :P

I do believe this was a call to be more of a participant in my own life.

[wickfordbard]

10. Re: that's it!

Great! That's what we all have to do.

I just wrote a blog on that very topic! <http://wisdom-of-astrology.blogspot.com/>

This full Moon is a good time to start!

[MorningGlow]

11. Oh, great blog post!

That really speaks to me, Wickfordbard. "Victim of life" engendering resentment especially. I must admit, regarding my own situation, that I do worry I won't be able to resolve it by this year and it will only get uglier when it comes back around. But I'll figure that out as it comes.

Thanks so much! :hi:

[AC_Mem]

12. Instruction manual on moving forward

Someone in your dream writing words on your legs feels very much to me like your higher self is giving you an instruction manual for some upcoming decisions in your life that can move you forward (what your legs do - move you forward).

You might want to try giving yourself suggestions right before you drift off to sleep that you will dream on what the message is that was being transferred to your leg(s), then when you wake up and before you even open your eyes and get out of bed, think back and try to remember what you were dreaming, and write it down immediately. Do this for about a week or two and see what comes up.

Also, tattoos are very tribal in nature. They have, since ancient times, been used to mark people with symbolism for achievements, goals, identity, relationship in group. So I would also wonder if this could have something to do with family past, present or future.

interesting dream~!

namaste,
Annette

[MorningGlow]

13. Thank you, AC_Mem

It took me a while to pick up on the symbolism of "legs". D'oh!

Welcome to DU! :toast: And, may I also note, I am replying to you when your post count is at one of my favorite numbers: 333! ;)

[AC_Mem]

14. LOL - well since I'm the "numbers lady"

333 makes wonderful sense, since tonight is my last night visiting with family (and 3+3+3=9=completion - of this visit) and there are literally THREES everywhere around me. Makes me less sad about having to leave in the morning.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

Annette

[nenagh]

15. Hi Morning Glow...

I am reading Dolores Cannon's books The Convoluted Universe series ..

which as she says will twist your mind into a pretzel...

But she has sometimes encountered symbols being more or less downloaded to a person.. which she has referred to as an upper dimensional language which will be helpful to a person in the future. Having to do with vibrational changes etc.. :)

But she has encountered this with people who are pretty intuitive etc themselves..

She has interviewed people who write down symbols in their awakened state.. because I see that you 'wrote them down' first.. in your dream, then more or less had them made permanent..

And good luck with your decoding .. just thought I'd mention her take, but not in an 'interpretation of a dream' system.

Glad you didn't need aloe :)