Monday, April 27, 2009

Tattoo in Thailand Temple

Tattoo is the interest thing to talk about, this is the unique art, but some people have bad imagine if looking a person who has Tattoo, in their mind Tatto only for the bad person, they don't know this is the real art. I just know that Tattoo we also can get from a monk in Thailand, as I read at a site, really interest so I want share in here.

This is the history.
There is no existing record of when this temple was founded, however the architecture of its assembly hall indicates the late Ayutthaya period, while the murals inside the sermon hall demonstrate the craftsmanship during the reigns of Kings Rama III] and Rama IV. Former abbot Phra Udom Prachanart, more commonly known as Luang Poh Pern, was a famous meditation monk well known for his potent incantations and was also well rounded in the knowledge of the body of canons binding the Buddhist priesthood (Tripitaka). He built many of the structures on the premises from public donations during his time. The well renovated assembly and sermon halls, as well as the local museum where many abandoned artefacts have been put on display, are of interest.

The temple is also known for the daily tattoos or Sak Yants given by the monks that live there, and especially for the tattoo festival held on the temple grounds once a year during March. There are many articles found on the internet regarding the tattoo festival but very little information found regarding the day to day operations of the temple as described below.
The process of receiving a tattoo from the monks at Wat Bang Phra outside of the events surrounding the tattoo festival are as follows:

Before the tattoo
A person wanting a tattoo will arrive at the temple around 8:00 AM. Each tattoo takes about 15 minutes. Before entering the temple, the person will purchase flowers and cigarettes as an offering to Buddha and to support the Wat. These offerings are then recycled back into the place where purchased and the money used for up-keep for the Wat. Upon removing your shoes and entering the Wat, a person will sit down in line. The offerings are kept in the center of the room. The tattoos are done in groups of about 20 people. When the previous group is complete, the monk blesses the next batch of offerings and the next group of people. Then, the tattooing begins again. The typical person receiving a tattoo has been observed to be between 18 and 30.

Upon entering the Wat, one of the first things a person sees on the wall is a very large banner of tattoos available. Unless there is a specific choice requested, the monk will begin with a simple tattoo at the top of the back.


Daily Tattooing
Right before reaching the monk, the people next in line to the one being tattooed will assist the monk with holding the one receiving the tattoo still. The monk uses a single long thin needle about 18 inches in length and about four millimeters in width. There are about 8 of these needles in a pot of a type of cleaning solution. Sometimes the monk will sharpen the needle with fine grade sandpaper before beginning. The monk will then select from several different rubber templates with the design of choice. He will apply the template to ink and then press it on to the receipients back to transfer the design. When ready to begin, he will dip the tip of the needle into a mix of oil, probably palm oil, Chinese charcoal ink, and possibly snake venom. He then begins to trace the pattern. The typical tattoo takes about 3,000 strikes over 12 to 15 minutes to complete. The monk dips the needle into the ink about every 30 seconds. When complete, he blesses the tattoo and blows on it to infuse it with power. For men, the monk uses the charcoal ink. For women he uses a transparent ink and will use a glove in order to not touch the female body.

Health
The sanitation of the needle and ink are unknown. Receiving a tattoo at the Wat Bang Phra temple potentially exposes a person to HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C. There are approximately 580,000 people living with AIDS in Thailand. However, it is important to note that according to the "UNAIDS 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic" there are no recorded cases of contracting HIV or AIDS from a tattoo needle due to the absence of a reservoir inside the needle containing enough blood to deliver the virus into the body to pass infection.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Tattoo Designs & Symbols of Chrysanthemum

Do you like Tattoo? Usually what kind of Image do you want to Tattoo at your body? Ever think Chrysanthemum? I read at one off Tattoo site :

What do they mean
Tattoo Designs & Symbols - Chrysanthemum Tattoos

Chrysanthemum tattoos
One of the most widely cultivated flowers in the world, the chrysanthemum's popularity has grown such that "mums" now reign as the undisputed "Queen of the Fall Flowers." Centuries of careful breeding by gardeners has resulted in a wide range of floral colors, shapes, and sizes. Today, the flower's colors include various shades of pink, purple, red, yellow, bronze or orange, and white.
Chrysanthemum comes from combining the Greek word chrysos; meaning gold, with anthemon; meaning flower. So the chrysanthemum is literally, the ‘golden flower’. This noble blossom was often portrayed as a symbol of perfection in many cultures. Quite an achievement for a blossom that started out as a small, yellow daisy-like flower!
The chrysanthemum has been cultivated in China for nearly 2,700 hundred years and the flower was revered for both its beauty and as a medicinal herb. As an herb, it was believed to have the power of life. Legend has it that the boiled roots were used as a headache remedy; young sprouts and petals were eaten in salads; and leaves were brewed for a festive drink.
"If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow Chrysanthemums," says one ancient Chinese philosopher. In China the
chrysanthemum is a symbol of Taoist simplicity and perfection. Autumn is the season of this flower, a time of tranquillity, completeness, and abundance following the harvest. Since it blooms right into winter, it may also symbolize the ability to mediate between life and death, between Heaven and Earth. The ancient Chinese name for chrysanthemum is "Chu."
Really Lovely and Amazing.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

New Year Flowers


New Year comes with new hopes and dream. Fragrance with the freshness of flowers it fosters mirth and glee in your life. Each flower unfurls different narratives of emotions and the display seamless folds of your heart. New Year Flowers depict the desires of an April morning. Fresh and bright, they are rivulets of our feelings. New Year Flowers can be virtual and artificial too. Love is the language of flowers. They can be presented to any one. Do you agree? I think yes, I'm agree when read this site, very suitable with my mind.

So who can deny the innocence of dainty flowers? They live and hurtle for the reasonable human beings. They are "glow worms" of a person's life.They dwell in your heart of hearts to bring back a fading smile on your face. Who has been able to decipher what "flowers" mean to us? There are innumerable flowers in this living globe. Some are significant, others are anonymous. Still, they are flowers. Even they can paint your love. They are warm token of humane emotions. Flowers can both conceal and reveal the tender sensations of your heart's innermost marrow. sounds like very romantic.