Angel Tattoos

Angels are supposed to be beautiful and we tend to relate beauty to women. That's how we come up with angels with long flowing hair shapely bodies. But, many tattoo lovers get angel tattoos as a representation of someone in their lives, like their children. Others choose angels for the more traditional spiritual reasons. They don't all look like women holding doves or harps. Cupid has his bow and arrow. Archangels carry swords.

It has also become fashionable to get wings tattooed on ones back without angels. The symbolism shows the interrelationship between man and spirit. It can signify a search for inner peace and purity of ones soul. Women typically are the people who choose wings as a tattoo. But, rarely do they seem like angels to me. It seems like the ladies are making a reference to being feminine, using the wings to represents confidence, strength, beauty and spirituality. Women have sought the balance between maintaining elegance and beauty, while becoming strong enough to protect oneself and family. Someone once told me that the wings of an angel help her show how she felt inside.
Men are much more likely to choose an archangel because they are more masculine. Men also have a desire to achieve a balance of strength and benevolence. Archangels were the seven angels mention in the Revelation. They are strong in their fight for all that is good. They are often depicted as very muscular beings with swords in hand, prepared for battle. Yet, they do not provoke fear. The symbol somehow makes us feel safe because the power of an angel is typically perceived as greater than that of a mere mortal. This stems from the Catholic description of angels as intelligent spirits that are assigned by God to protect us. Though the designs vary so greatly, the desire to feel protected and to provide protection for loved ones is universal. That's what makes angel tattoos so popular.

We can't really talk about angels without mentioning the devil. Fallen Angels are those who did not want to perform their duties for God and the devil is the most widely known. He lost his wings, but remains an important part of people's beliefs. It has also become popular to use both angel and devil art together in a tattoo. This is done to express that as humans, we are a little of each. We all have the potential for good and evil. We all have the choice to choose the path we follow in life. Isn't that what makes us unique?