Tattoos, Samsara and the biz of the 8 folds something...

Musings...

                     Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves

-   Henry David Thoreau

                                                                      (Image: Flickr: Boovis)

So the idea behind this blog is to explore how to live a fun, authentic yet mindful existence and in the process become a more loving person (whilst still being able to yell 'hipster!' out loud in public, and seemingly at random strangers). To that end, the author appreciates there is much is to be gained by balancing reflection with experience.

(Eh no.. the other hipsters...)

I dont know about you, but I wake up every now and then and find myself getting seriously cranky. At the most mundane things. Sure, its part of being human. And yes, anyone worth their salt is probably aware that in meditation, you learn to acknowledge and let go of the thoughts that niggle you. That's ok for the small stuff. But I know me. I judge, I label, I blame and I criticise. And not just once. And not just you. There are times when it feels that my brain will explode from all the endless chatter that goes on inside. I bet there are times when yours does too...

(Rodin gets a headache, Flickr style. Image: Mark Ansel)

To ink or not to ink

So what to do? In my case, being young(ish), visual and out there in the world on my own, I needed a powerful, symbol to remind me of what my values and belief systems should be based on if I wanted to live a relatively harmonious lifestyle. Given a lifetime of penning anything from grocery lists to phone numbers on my hands, getting inked by a professional never seemed an outlandish idea. Like any self-conscious groovester, I wanted something that was symbolic and meaningful. 

Image: Shirin Neshat

And so, a decision was made to get a tattoo, and a decade or so later, to start this blog. The blog has started. The tattoo is still pending. But this is the basis of the ink design I've always wanted:

Image: Wheel of Dharma

Wheel of Dharma

Why, of all things the Wheel of Dharma? More to the point, why the attraction to it so many years later? It's a number of things. Primarily:

1. The circle. A symbol of the cycle of life, death, re-birth and so on, as explained by the concept of Samsara. The circle has no finite start or end. In short, its a perfect shape - a geometric ॐ.
2. The Noble Eightfold path: each spoke represents one of the eight principles fundamental  to the teachings of Buddhist philosophy. Each spoke represents a different teaching, the aim of which is to cease suffering and over the course of a lifetime, achieve self-awakening. Its purpose is to examine the true nature of reality. 
3. The Wheel of Dharma: according to some, is said to represent the overcoming of obstacles.

When I was an impressionable 19 year old university student, I studied a unit on world religions and quickly became introduced to the concepts of Samsara, Dharma, Nirvana etc. (I dont recall our teacher having a peculiarity for concepts ending in 'a' only, but you never know...) There was even a perfume by the name of Samsara that had come out at the time as well. Not that I ever wanted a bottle of perfume tattoed on my arm:



(I actually quite like a woody combination of jasmine, sandalwood, rose, narcissus and vanilla)



Anyhoos, the design had long been in mind's eye. But why?

It was time to seperate the perfume from philosophy....

 Samsara (संसार)

Of Hindu origin, the term Samsara refers to the continuous cycle of birth, lfe, death, rebirth and reincarnation. Breaking the continuous cycle of Samsara is said to lead to the ultimate state of Nirvana, or enlightenment.



(Wikipedia: Traditional Tibetan painting or Thanka showing the wheel of life and realms of saṃsāra)

 In Buddhism, the fundamental thoughts underpinning its teachings, otherwise known as the Four Noble Truths, are as follows:

1. Life is Suffering (yes, out with the fun stuff!) = Dukkha
2. The cause of suffering is craving = Tanha
3. Suffering ends once we get rid of craving and grasping
4. The method in which we overcome craving and grasping is through the Eightfold Path.

 (Image: Mariko Mori)

Subdivided into three categories these are:

• Wisdom:  Right View and Right Intention
• Ethical Conduct: Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood
• Concerntration: Right Effort, Right Mindfullness and Right Concerntration

Simplified as so...

Or elaborated as so:

1. Right view: having the right knowledge about 'illness' in order to endure and eventually be released from it.
2. Right aim: willingness to renounce attachment and practice benevolence and kindness.
3. Right speech: no lies, slander, abusive or idle talk (no more 'hipster'? what about the weather...)
4. Right action: abstaining from taking life or what is not given, as well as 'carnal' indulgence
5. Right living: practising right livelihood
6. Right effort: discipline in encouraging and sustaining right thoughts and actions over weaker thoughts and actions
7. Right mindfullness: physcially and mentally aware of self and others without attachment.
8. Right concerntration: having fulfilled the first 7 aspects, is able - from a place of detachment - enter into Jhana- the states of Buddhist meditation.

(Image: Mariko Mori)

References: Flickr, (flight of the conchords: http://www.listal.com/viewimage/435164), http://viewonbuddhism.org/general_symbols_buddhism.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmacakra

Disclaimer: feedback is welcome. The author would like to acknowledge that she is indeed a fan of the Flight of the Conchords. Even if she is an Australian...