To start with the experience of having the tattoo itself.....
I had the transfer thing put on me to see the outline. It started slowly and was a bearable pain. I thought I'd breeze it. Karla stopped once after about 35 mins to change some stuff which was a welcome break. When it got to around an hour I started to find the whole thing quite grating. Like having that just bearable pain but very constantly and continuously. With that there was so much excitement etc buzzing around for me and anxiety which must've been having a huge effect. I'm still feeling that now and that was my reason I didn't write anything that night because I was so kind of weird and charged by the whole thing. Now the experience of having it seems kind of like a blur to me. I went to the bathroom and rinsed my face after around 55 minutes. It was just a bit before then I think at around 40 minutes I turned around for more work to be done. Karla had a lovely bedside manner. I'm so glad she did it. I was glancing at my watch a lot and thinking it could go to more around 2 hours as that was the original estimate (or 1 - 2 hours anyway). Suddenly then it was over. I think just over an hour. It was a relief as I was mentally preparing for more but struggling but then felt really happy it had ended.
I looked in the mirror to check it. I felt a bit funny and couldn't help but think it was maybe a bit too over to one side but I felt weird and did know it looked really cool and it was probably all alright. Karla recommended I get something with sugar in. I paid and it was only $160 which felt a great bonus. I'd budgeted 300 so plenty left over. Not that money was the issue but always nice to pay less. I guess it was just one hour of work. She said I could have a bit of the labyrinth topped up in 4-6 weeks if it looked like it needed it for free.
I withdrew an extra 20 I needed then paid in cash. I still had quite a bit of cash I had already on me. I felt really weird. Karla said 'youre no longer a tattoo virgin' at one stage which was kind of cool and amusing. I left and got a bottle of coke from subway which did actually feel good for me. I was still in the work car and on a weird high so thought it would be good to just get home then treat myself to a takeaway. Karla also recommended getting some cream for it to use twice a day for a week then once a day for a week after.
I got back and changed cars then went to Northcote for that super takeaway which I had there again which was great. I felt I deserved it somehow. I also got the cream and the 5 for 5 dollars dvds. I was thinking of actually having a day off the next day but thought that may be pretty wimpy. I showed Alex later on who liked it and Carly checked it out too who really liked.
I felt really cool looking in the mirror. I took a photo and also posted on the vegan dating and friendship forum. Loads of thoughts were going through my mind about loving my tattoo and after all the thinking how I'd finally done it and now it was over and I had something forever.
rest of the week to now...
The rest of the week has felt quite strange. It's now Saturday and still in the week on Thursday and Friday I kind of wanted a day off so was great to just get through work. I felt this good new sense of me and more focussed. I thought about that cool post about the whole spiritual experience of tattooing. Now it's still really all kicking in how it will all play out for me. I have to say though I was struggling to enjoy it towards the end.
I feel kind of a bit stronger and more affirmed in me and all that the tattoo encompasses. The life journey, the soul overcoming the shadow, birth death and rebirth and the peace and the healing arts. Linking to my work with Amanda also too. It has everything I could've wanted.
It was cool to show Shanez who liked it and commented on the fb page too. Also good to tell my sis. I can't imagine I'll ever get another one really but I guess can't say for sure. It's so early now and again it's interesting how it will just all play out.
I enjoyed reading this about a heaving tattood girl. Also enjoyed this, a guy writing about his experience of getting a tattoo then almost how he became more of what his tattoo represented etc etc.
I'm still feeling quite overwhelmed by just having mine on my body now. There's still so many thought going around it's hard to put into words. It's been an unusual week. Like a normal work week but with a huge deep experience just threw in there. Like a new stage, this image on my body which will always be there. A showing of where I'm up to in life and images I stand for and resonate with me. A few girls described it as gorgeous which felt very nice. Obviously the image could be alien to me but it resonates me. I have a resonance with that art and it feels like an expression of my soul and things I've been through and stand for which feels wonderful.
I will write when other thoughts etc may arise. For now though I basically wanted a tattoo and I went through the process and got one consciously. I can look back at this and remember my reasons. I was out last night and people were talking about tattoos. I was kind of keen to say about mine but it wasn't appropriate and I would've been forgetting the labyrinth purpose of the right way forward and it wouldn't of been doing that. I'm always remembering what the symbols mean.
I want to keep running and doing stuff but maybe some time just with a bit of rest can be helpful. I've said I love my tattoo. I probably do. I'm certainly glad I've got it. Looking at the pics below I feel a great moving on in the photos. Wow I love to look at it, hehe!! peace out for now but may post again when other thoughts around my tattoo pop up.
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