Self Expression & Tattoos

SELF EXPRESSION & TATTOOS

I had searched, and searched, and searched but nothing struck me as 'magnificent' or 'magical' when it came to finding my next tattoo. You could say that I was a very unhappy lady! The idea of flowers or plants originated when I read the article "What Placement Says About You" and that's when my focus became much clearer.

Symbolism had always been something of high importance to me whether it's really subtle symbolism or really obvious and obnoxious. I live in a small city just outside of Portland, Oregon and have lived here for almost 14 years. Being a local and never really admiring this state too much, there is one thing I can really appreciate about Oregon, the city of Portland always surrounds itself with deep cultured roots and individual expressionism. To put it more bluntly, the city is filled with new-age kale eating hippies.

The City of Portland is known for Roses, or more formally "The City of Roses", this name originated when the people of its town grew more than 20 acres of roses for the advancement of The Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition. It was Mayor Harry Lane, who had then adopted the idea of planting roses everywhere throughout the city. As the name grew more popular, locals started adapting to its meaning and what is known as the Rose Festival Parade in present day, had originated in 1953.

The Rose Festival wasn't the only astonishing event that occurred in 1953, on that very same day the Oregon Zoo welcomed its very first species of Asian Elephant to its exhibit, her name was Rosy. Before Rosy, this beautiful creature, passed away, she gave birth to nearly 6 calves who still make up much of the Oregon Zoo's exhibit today. The Rose is a symbolic for love, beauty and delicateness. The number of pedals on a rose is commonly associated with numerology. In mythology, Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love) was often depicted with roses adorning her head, feet, and neck. This can be interpreted many ways, but the association comes from a rose bush that grew within a pool of blood spilled by her slain lover (Adonis), and so a common interpretation is that the rose symbolizes an immortal love that withstands time and even death.

In tarot, the rose is considered a symbol of balance. The beauty of this flower symbolizes promise, hope, and new beginnings. It is contrasted by thorns symbolizing defense, loss, and thoughtlessness. Roses of color often have meaning behind them as well, for example red roses are often symbolized as passionate or romantic. What matters the most though, is how a rose is interpreted by it's seeker. I chose THREE roses to be tattooed and placed on my right hip because I believe that a rose is a symbol of true beauty and is also a flower that represents love or to have love for someone. The rose also represents The City of Portland where I have spent most of my Young-Adult life. The placement wasn't an easy one, as the Hip bone, Pelvic bone, and Thigh bone are all very sensitive places where there isn't much fatty tissue. ​Having a sharp needle pierce your skin and practically hit your bones for nearly an hour and fifteen minutes wasn't my idea of a good time but I can proudly say that I really earned my tattoo that day.

#roses #tattoo #hiptattoo