Spiritual Skin

Text in English & German. This is a photographic masterwork in two parts exploring the secret world of magical tattooing and scarification across the tribal world. Based on one decade of tattoo anthropologist Dr Lars Krutak's fieldwork among animistic and shamanic societies of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Melanesia, this book journeys into highly sacred territory to reveal how people utilise ritual body modification to enhance their access to the supernatural. The first part delves into the ancient art of Thai tattooing or sak yant that is administered by holy monks who harness the energy and power of the Buddha himself. Emblazoned with numerous images of dramatically tattooed bodies, this chapter provides tattoo enthusiasts with a passport into the esoteric world of sak yank symbols and their meanings. Also included is an in-depth study into the tattooing worlds of the Amerindians. From Woodlands warriors to Amazonian shamans, tattoos were worn as enchanted symbols embodied with tutelary and protective spirit power. The discussion of talismanic tattooing is concluded with a detailed look at the individuals who created magical tattoos and the various techniques they used. Krutak writes about many tribal tattoo designs permeated with various forms of power and explains what these marks mean for the people who wear them. Part two is an absolute must-read-and-see for anyone seeking knowledge about the religious meanings of tribal scarification. The rituals, techniques, and spiritual iconography of scarmasters in Benin (Bétamarribé), Papua New Guinea (Kaningara), and Ethiopia (Hamar) expose a relatively undocumented world of permanent body symbolism created through painful and bloody rites of self-sacrifice and restraint.

The most important, up-to-date, must-read tattoo guide ever that will answer all of your questions about body art, integrate spirituality into your tattoo process, and positively transform your life. A revealing rarity, receiving rave reviews. No other book like it! In-depth, practical guidelines and rich, historical information PLUS creating powerful tattoos for empowerment & spiritual awakening. Tania Marie's ground-breaking new book takes you on an enlightening spiritual journey through body art while you discover the world of you, through the world of tattoos. Spiritual Skin creates the bridge between physical and spiritual, as it challenges you to look further than skin deep. Learn why spiritual tattoos are increasing in significance with the revival of this ancient sacred art. If you're thinking about getting a tattoo, adding to the ones you already have, want to learn how tattoos can be an all-encompassing spiritual process, simply enjoy reading new perspectives and interesting history, or are opposed to tattoos and want to know what all the hype is about, then this is the must-have book for you.

Sacred tattoos, called 'sak yant' in Thailand, have been around Southeast Asia for centuries and afford protection from accident, misfortune, and crime. Young women get tattooed with love charms in order to attract partners, while adolescent men use the protective power of their yants in fights with rival youth gangs. For most though, the tattoos serve as reminders to follow a moral code that endorses positive behavior. During the application of a sak yant, the tattoo master establishes a series of life 'rules' that need to be closely adhered to, starting with Buddhism's first five precepts. Failure to observe the master's instructions will cause the sak yant to lose their power. Beautifully photographed these are tattoos that are the essence and 'key' to individual identity, a philosophy for living, the translation of soul to skin, as complex as the leaves of an autobiography, the story of a life.

Use this spiritual guide to equip yourself with the tools needed to tear down anxiety and build inner peace. Spiritual people often find that their own expectations of living a life dedicated to a higher power makes them more susceptible to high-functioning anxiety. Sometimes, traditional relaxation techniques either do not work, don’t last, or, in some cases, actually increase their anxiety. Psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and interfaith minister Rev. Connie L. Habash has helped hundreds of spiritual people overcome fear and anxiety, regain happiness, and feel calmer. In over twenty-five years as a counselor helping spiritual people overcome anxiety, Rev. Connie has taught that it takes more than chanting mantras, stretching, or relaxation techniques to calm anxiety. It requires a transformation in perception, moment-to-moment body awareness, and a conscious response to thoughts and emotions. Awakening from Anxiety provides valuable psycho-spiritual tools to deepen spiritual awakening and calm fears:Learn what anxiety is and when it becomes a problemUnderstand the six mistakes spiritual people make that increase anxietyDiscover the seven keys to a more calm, confident, courageous lifeKnow how to break through the old patterns of stress, worry, and fear into a new perception of your true selfExplore spiritual principles and yoga philosophy to cultivate inner peace If you enjoyed Stop Anxiety from Stopping You and First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, Awakening from Anxiety will take your healing and renewal from anxiety to the next level. “A book I will recommend to many for both practical advice and spiritual insights for handling stress, worry, and anxiety.”?Becca Anderson, author of Prayers for Calm

You were made for more than a love/hate relationship with your body. It's one thing to know in your head that you were created in the image of God. Yet it's quite another to experience this belief in your body, against the cultural ideals of a woman's worth. And between the two lies a world of frustration, disappointment, and the shame of somehow feeling both too much and never enough in your body. Jess Connolly is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, and trusted Bible teacher who knows this inner conflict all too well, and this book details her journey--and yours--of setting out to discover how to break free from the broken beliefs we all hold about our bodies that hold us back from our fullest life. The truest thing about you is that you are made and loved by God. And the truest thing about Him is that He cannot make bad things. This book will help you believe it with your whole self, as Jess guides you through an eye-opening, empowering process of: Renaming what the world has labeled as less-than Resting in God's workmanship Experiencing restoration where there has been injury And becoming a change agent in partnering with God to bring revival to a generation of women Far from a superficial issue, self-image is a spiritual issue, because God has named your body good from the beginning. Whether your struggle is with eating and exercise habits, stress or trauma, infertility or injury, this book makes space for you to experience God meeting you in this tender place, and ring His freedom bell over your body in a whole new way.

The human desire to adorn the body is universal and timeless. While specific forms of body decoration and the motivations for them vary by region, culture, and era, all human societies have engaged in practices designed to augment and enhance people’s natural appearance. Tattooing, the process of inserting pigment into the skin to create permanent designs and patterns, is one of the most widespread forms of body art and was practiced by ancient cultures throughout the world, with tattoos appearing on human mummies by 3200 BCE. Ancient Ink, the first book dedicated to the archaeological study of tattooing, presents new, globe-spanning research examining tattooed human remains, tattoo tools, and ancient art. Connecting ancient body art traditions to modern culture through Indigenous communities and the work of contemporary tattoo artists, the volume’s contributors reveal the antiquity, durability, and significance of body decoration, illuminating how different societies have used their skin to construct their identities.

For anyone who has ever longed for God but always felt like his love was just out of reach; for anyone whose messy story has made them feel like a third-string player on God’s team; for anyone whose soul feels beaten, battered, and in desperate need of some healing, C. S. Lewis just may have a remedy. This collection of essays and memoirs, delivered by an author whose fundamentalist upbringing painted a picture of a God who was simply impossible to please, are written for anyone whose has struggled with their spiritual self-worth. After life threw him a few curveballs, he was convinced that the God whose approval he yearned for, simply had no use for him. Lewis helped to changed that. This story about falling back in love with God takes the reader on a three-year journey in which the author digested just about every word Lewis ever wrote, including many of his classics, his lesser-known writings, and even personal letters he wrote to family, friends, fans, and even children. The memoirs will journey to Lewis’s home and favorite pub in Oxford, his office in Cambridge, his church, his gravesite, and more.

For thousands of years, Native Americans used the physical act and visual language of tattooing to construct and reinforce the identity of individuals and their place within society and the cosmos. This book offers an examination into the antiquity, meaning, and significance of Native American tattooing in the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains.--Publisher description.