Tattoos with the Om symbol, spirituality on the skin

When we look for a design to tattoo, unless we are already clear about what we want, we rely on something that means a lot to us, like the Om symbol. And we cannot forget that we are going to wear it for life on our skin, so it must be something that it really reaches us and that it is not merely aesthetic.

That is why today we are going to talk about a very deep, popular and inspiring symbol with a lot of different possibilities, as we will see below. Indeed, we talk about tattoos with the Om symbol. By the way, we also recommend that you take a look at this related article on yoga tattoos, a complete list for inspiration.

Meaning of Om tattoos

As we said, one of the most tattooed symbols is Om. It is one of the most sacred mantras of the dharmic religions, it symbolizes the divine Brahman and the entire universe. For Hindus it is the primordial sound, the origin and principle of most of the divine and powerful mantras, words or sounds. In the Om symbol, we are ahead of the essential. On the other hand, it means unity with the highest, the elevated, the union between the spiritual and the physical. It is the sacred syllable, the sound from which all other sounds come.

At the level of tattoos, it offers some special designs, being its spiritual origin, and its three curves mean the consciousness of the human being and all physical phenomena. The point of the symbol means the highest state of consciousness, it is unity, it is strength.

In fact, the pronunciation of the syllable Om is related to three major meanings that encompass everything we just said. Thus, taking into account that the original pronunciation looks more like aum:

• La a it symbolizes the beginning, the creation augured by Brahma, the creator god.
• La u it is the continuation of life, embodied by the god Vishnu.
• And finally, the m it is a symbol of Shiva, the destroyer god.

These three gods embody the trimurti, the trinity of gods who maintain the balance of the world, and that embodies another of the ultimate meanings of the Om symbol, the balance that is necessary for the existence of the whole to continue.

Where do we find this symbol?

The Om symbol is well known to all, although it came to the West relatively recently. Before it was very present in the main religions of India, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, where it is common to find it both in sacred texts, as in buildings, sculptures and all kinds of places where you want to evoke its meaning. In addition, it can be written in many different ways, be it in Sanskrit, Tibetan, Korean ... which makes it ideal for tattoos with text.

Here it came from the 60s, along with yoga, when there was a spiritual boom that took hold of all things that came from the East, and especially from India.

Om symbol tattoo ideas

As you have seen in the previous section, having the Om symbol tattooed means, as a general rule, that our tattoo goes beyond what is an aesthetic tattoo.

Tiny om

One of the many forms that a tattoo that features this symbol can take is a very small size. Being such a clean and elegant symbol it looks great, in addition, being so small it looks great in all kinds of places as a counterpoint: on the wrist, fingers, ankle ...

Whole mantra

Not only do people live by Om, if you want to accompany it with something else, You can choose to tattoo a whole mantra that has this symbol as the protagonist. As there are so many alphabets that can be written in, choose the one that is most related to the mantra you like. Of course, make sure it is well written!

Om on the chest

The round shape of the Om looks great in many places. The chest is one of the most unexpected. Whether accompanied by a mantra, as in the photo, or alone, it is a great idea that there is also a mandala present to give depth to the composition. Play with the shadows and textures (thin or thick lines, dots…) to make the design hypnotic.

Ganesha, the elephant god

Another of the great protagonists in tattoos with the Om symbol is the god Ganesha, who is the son of two of the gods that we mentioned above. This elephant-headed god, who is credited with helping to remove obstacles, is closely related to the Om symbol. In fact, his mantra is oṃkārasvarūpa, 'Om is its form' as it is believed to be the physical form of the idea behind the symbol.

Ganesha tattoos are very cool in all ways, whether in color, black and white, detailed or more caricatured, although there is always a tendency to put the Om symbol on the forehead. Take the opportunity to highlight it, for example, with a tattoo totally in black and white but with red details, or to accompany it with all its mantra to give it a different and special touch.

Om with unalome

We have already talked about the unalome on other occasions. Being the line of life, and representing all the difficulties that we have encountered along the way, the natural end is in a representation of Om that indicates that we have reached a state of fullness and enlightenment.

Hamsa and Om

Two seemingly distant cultures in a single design that looks pretty good. The hamsa is an ancient symbol of protection against evil spirits typical of Arab and Jewish culture. In this case, the design combines the hamsa's five-fingered hand with an Om symbol instead of the original eye.

Om symbol tattoo with tree

You see that the Om symbol can be combined with a multitude of different designs, as well as different sizes and places. In this case the tattoo has been combined with a tree (a good combined symbolism, since trees are also related to the connection with the world, and in particular with nature) that is sure to be impressive once colored or shaded.

Om tattoos with lotus flowers

Lastly, comment that this symbol, the Om, it is common to tattoo it with a lotus flower. Another symbol with great force, and that is that the lotus flower is capable of being born in mudflats, regulating its temperature and endless details to adapt and be born wherever. It is a symbol of strength, of purity.

Tattoos with the Om symbol are very interesting both in terms of ideas and meaning, right? Tell us, do you have a similar tattoo? What does it mean in your case? As always, if you dare to share your tattoos with us, we will be happy to help you.