Meanings and Cool Interpretations of Feather Tattoo

Long before feather tattoos became popular, they held an important position in many ancient cultures. Feathers come from birds and human beings have always been fascinated by birds because of their ability to fly effortlessly. They soar up in the sky giving the impression as if they could travel to the heavens and come back to earth as easily. Alternatively, a human being that has once traveled to the heaven never comes back in flesh and blood. In short, birds are capable of performing so much more than humans.

• Early symbolism of feathers

In the olden days, with no airplane or helicopters around, birds were revered in several cultures. Though they were hard to catch, people could get hold of their feathers, which were used in various ceremonies and as ornaments. Chiefs of Native American tribes wore feathers in order to project their unique ability to communicate with the spirits. Feathers, as symbols, were also attached to celestial bodies in order to show their strength. The feathered sun is a strong cultural symbol of the Native Americans. It symbolizes the eternal power of the sun as the solo life giver. Even today, in a host of rituals, Native Americans can be seen wearing headgears made of feathers and dancing with feather sticks.

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Celts too had high regard for feathers. Druids especially used to wear robes heavily decorated with feathers. It was believed that the feathers would attract the attention of the gods and they would grant exceptional knowledge to the Druids.

In the Egyptian society, feathers were considered pure. The religious scripts suggest that Egyptian goddess Ma’at was responsible for the entry of only good souls in the heaven. In order to discern whether a soul was good enough, she would weigh it against a feather’s weight.

Cultures, which had an influence of Christianity, used the feather as a symbol for communicating truthfulness of the heart. Early evidence of 3-feathered logo was found in rings and seals. While people would wear the rings for emphasizing their noble intentions, envelopes and packages would be wax sealed with the 3-feathered logo for conveying that a sender is a genuine person.

Hence, it can be concluded that in the former times, actual feathers, as well as feather symbols, were used in a variety of ways for communication with the gods, forces of nature, and for establishing one’s righteous intentions.

• Feather tattoo meaning in today’s world

The modern world looks at feathers as delicate objects. Many people collect feathers because they are soft and colorful. A feather tattoo combines ancient meanings and modern interpretation. Consequently, people, who are looking for direction from the heavens as well as those, who are spellbound by the appearance of the feather go for such a tattoo.

• Change in meanings as per feather tattoos

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For the creative mind, a feather tattoo could have millions of meanings. Tattoo enthusiasts often combine the tattoo with other objects and give a new meaning to it. For instance, a feather tattoo with birds, sun, moon, or stars would have a direct spiritual meaning. The person may be a strong believer in destiny and want to be guided by the supreme force. Alternatively, feather tattoos accompanied by a tattoo of someone you love would signify your spiritual connection with that person. You could also have a quote added to your body art to emphasize the importance of that person in your life.

Not all feathers look the same and thus, some people tend to choose the color of a feather tattoo very carefully. White feathers of birds like dove, swan, and pigeon are considered more spiritually sound than other colors. Dark shades like black, brown, blue symbolize wisdom while bright shades such as yellow, orange, green, and red personify the free spirit. Innocence is depicted by soft colors like pink, sea green, and baby blue.

Feather tattoo meaning also depends hugely on how a person perceives a color or the shape of a feather personally. Many people have special memories attached to a particular color and they may get a feather tattoo in that shade with a view to immortalizing those memories. In such a case, the feather in that color may not appear in reality. For example, if you believe that golden color is lucky for you, you could have a feather tattoo in that shade.

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The place where you get the tattoo also carries significance. For instance, if the feather tattoo is in memory of an event that you would want to talk about then hands, upper arms, calves are the best areas. If the event is too close to your heart and only you wish to feel its presence, you could have it inside wrist, on your chest, thigh, and ankle. Discuss with your tattoo artist for learning how you can have a splendid feather tattoo with all the desirable features.

The Multiple Meanings and Cool Interpretations of Feather Tattoo was last modified: February 20th, 2016 by Goldy Kent

Tags: tattoo, tattoos