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Stairs. An architectural element that we deal with on a daily basis in our lives. We all know that stairs are constructions specifically designed to communicate various spaces located at various heights. However, what few people know is his meaning and / or symbolism within the world of body art. And it is that stair tattoos are very popular.
In this article we will dedicate ourselves to explaining and detailing the meaning of stair tattoos. As well as to collect different types of designs so that all those who are interested in capturing a tattoo whose main element is a ladder on your body have all the necessary information to really understand what these tattoos that are increasingly common and popular symbolize.
Meaning of stair tattoos
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There are a lot of possible meanings in ladder tattoos, depending on whether they go up, down or even on the elements they are accompanied by. Among the most popular tattoos with this very interesting architectural element we find:
Ascent to enlightenment or descent into hell
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The meaning of stair tattoos is, in its most basic sense, the direct path to worlds beyond ours, both downwards and upwards. That is, it will be necessary to walk a ladder to access heaven. In the case of ascending stairs, or, conversely, to hell, in the case of descending stairs. Everything will depend on the type of religion we are facing.
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That is to say, that the sense where the stairs go is also an important piece of information to know what this special tattoo means. Thus, the stairs that go up, evidently, have an associated idea of progress, of the final goal (or of the sky, as we said before), normally symbolized by the end of the stairs, which can be enveloped in a luminous mist, as if it were heaven, or it may contain a door leading to a new personal state of enlightenment, for example.
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On the other hand, the descending stairs represent a descent into hell and they are used, above all, to remember past times in which we plunged into complicated situations and from which there seemed to be no way out. The tattoo can reflect that descent, for example, with a staircase that degrades as it descends or with a spiral staircase, which we will talk about below, a symbol of mystery and madness, among others.
Stairs with lotus flowers
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It is also a tool and a means of communication with the unknown and the spiritualThat is why it is common to find them combined with lotus flowers and other elements of Buddhist dyes. In that case, the staircase would be the path that leads us to enlightenment, to self-knowledge (which is precisely what these beautiful flowers symbolize).
Spiral stairs
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We must also pay special attention to spiral or spiral staircases.as they are considered as a symbol of mystery. Some mythical movie scenes take place on a staircase of this nature, for example, they are used to show the fear of heights suffered by the protagonist of Vertigo, by Hitchcock, where the spiral, that is, the shape of the spiral staircase, also plays a fundamental role.
The spirals, in turn, they are a symbol of change that never ceases, of death and resurrection, but also of madness in many works.
Stairs with clocks
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They are one of the most common and popular stair tattoos, since its symbolism resides in the family. Normally they represent or a whole family, a couple, a child ... and they are a symbol of the time that is spent together, but also of the personal and joint evolution of each one of them, for that reason, the staircase, which adopts this meaning, always it goes up and not down.
Ladders
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Ladders could be considered the cousins of lifelong ladders. Just as these tend to be related to very mystical and elevated meanings, since as we have said they are both the way to heaven or enlightenment and to hell, ladders have a more prosaic meaning. They are a symbol of achieving a goal, but this goal will be simple, and it will not be a long spiritual journey. On the contrary, ladders can be considered that little push that you needed at a given moment to achieve what you set out to do.
Stairs to nowhere
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The stairs to nowhere are, like the spiral staircases, a symbol of mystery, but they can also come to symbolize bewilderment or even a cynical view of life, since the stairs are expected to lead somewhere, to have a destination. Stair tattoos that lead nowhere tend to reflect that feeling when we feel that we are not part of anything, and that life has no meaning or leads anywhere.
Precisely the grace of the tattoo is to catch a symbol associated with religion, like the stairs that lead to heaven, and turn it around so that it has a totally different meaning.
What to inspire when choosing the design
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As we have seen throughout the article, although the meanings of stair tattoos are many and varied, they all have a common background: the spiritual and mystical. That is why they are not tattoos that are used to being done in color. Black and white gives it a touch of transcendence and mystery, ideal to associate with the meaning of the tattoo, usually of a realistic style and fine lines, and with a significant size, especially if it is accompanied by other elements.
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However, Simple style stair tattoos are becoming more and more common, as they can also be very mysterious. With very fine lines and a much smaller size than the previous ones, these tattoos maintain the black and white, but they tend to be combined with more prosaic and surreal elements, such as doors, planets ...
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On the other hand, Radically different designs are common in ladder tattoos. In these, thick lines tend to be used more, and the color is not so unusual. In fact, the design is especially cool with a traditional style to give it a casual touch.
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In the stair tattoo gallery that accompanies this article you can see different types of designs, both conventional stairs and spiral or spiral staircases. As you can see, There are many people who bet on simulating a staircase whose end is an access door to the afterlife.
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We hope we have inspired you with this detailed ladder tattoo meanings swatch. Tell us, do you have any tattoos of this style? What does it symbolize for you? Did you opt for a realistic escola, a ladder with a traditional design or, on the contrary, something totally unique and original?
