The meaning of wild boar tattoos may differ according to place and time. In the island of Borneo, wild boar tattoos are considered as the symbol of achievement. Traditionally, the family of young boy awards him with a badge of this special tattoo symbol, when he successfully hunts a wild boar. It’s an age old ritual in the island of Borneo. On the other hand, Indians use tattoos for religious purposes. So, the meaning differs along with place and time.

In most of cases, people get tattoos for a life time. Therefore, you need to understand the exact meaning of your chosen wild tattoos. It’s always better to select wild boar tattoos wisely rather than regretting later. You are reading this article that means you want to understand the exact meaning behind it. Most of them are related to old European cultures. Since this designs are very powerful, in ancient Europe hunters used to group in order to kill wild boars.

Therefore, even today a person with wild boar tattoos is considered brave and courageous. If you want to convey such a message through your tattoos, these types of tattoos are the best for you. The wild tattoos will add value to your already impressive and bold personality.  On the other hand according to Japanese mythology, wild boar has religious value. It is related to Japanese god of war. In Japan, the images of wild boar have been used in decoration and artworks for centuries. The warriors always loved this tattoo design and it is the symbol of war and violence.

Apart from these aspects, wild boar symbolizes various other things. For instance it is associated to spirits. In certain cultures it’s believed that wild boars can treat ailments. In many regions wild boars find relation with fighters, sincerity, hunters, scholars, devotion etc. All these aspects are behind the growing popularity of wild boar tattoos and other wild tattoos. They express the novel, bold, and tough personality. Now that you get some light on wild boar tattoos, you should be able to determine whether these are suitable for your personality or not. If you find the designs that appealing and suitable, do some homework in order to get a professional tattoo artist. Only then you can flaunt your wild boar tattoo with proud.

The Scarlet Letter is a novel with much symbolism. Throughout the novel several characters represent other ideas. One of the most complex and misunderstood characters in the novel is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic symbol – one that is always changing. Although Pearl changes, she always symbolizes evil. Pearl symbolizes evil in the story by representing God’s punishment of Hester’s sin, symbolizing the guilt and the scarlet letter that controls her behavior, and defying Puritan laws by being cheerful and associating with nature. Pearl represents God’s punishment by her mocking and nagging of Hester. Throughout the novel she sometimes seemed to her mother as almost a witch baby (Matthiessen 104). She is a baffling mixture of strong emotions with a fierce temper and a capacity for evil. With Pearl, Hester’s life became one of constant nagging, and no joy. The child could not be made amenable to rules. Hester even remarks to herself, “Oh Father in heaven – if thou art still my father – what is this being which I have brought into the world” (Hawthorne 89)? Pearl would harass her mother Piyasena/Pine 2 over the scarlet “A” she wore. In time, Hester was subjected to so much ridicule from Pearl and others that she was forced into seclusion. Pearl represents the sins of both Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearl is said to be the direct consequence of sin (Martin 108). Their sins include lying to the people about the affair that led to Pearl. Hester realizes what Pearl represents when she does not hold Pearl up in front of the “A.” She carries the child around because it is a direct reflection of her sin. Hester is, “wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another” (Hawthorne 48).

Dimmesdale’s sin is not adultery but not having the courage to admit that he had adulterated. Therefore his is a “concealed sin.” The scarlet letter amuses Pearl, and also controls her behavior. It is noted that, Pearl has been described in terms almost exclusively of uncontrolled, chaotic passion (MacLean 54). Throughout the novel Pearl is attracted to the “A.” Even when she is just a baby, “her infant’s eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter” (Hawthorne 90). When Pearl is older and Hester throws the letter on the ground, Pearl yells at her mother until she places the “A” back on her bosom. Hawthorne says that Pearl is, “the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life,” (95) which proves the she is truly the scarlet letter. Throughout the book the “A” is the sign by which the colonial authority seek to fix the crime and the criminal (Ragussis 97), although the cloth shows the sin so does Pearl. She is a far stronger device for punishing Hester than Piyasena/Pine 3 the piece of cloth on Hester’s chest. Due to her influence, Pearl becomes the chief agent to her mother’s salvation. Hester and Dimmesdale share much guilt because of Pearl. Dimmesdale’s guilt is filled with mental anguish, and serves as a constant reminder of his sin. Dimmesdale is a minister [who] commits adultery and is driven to public confession by remorse (Martin 108). He remains silent so that he can continue to do God’s work as a minister. It is said that he was a guilty character [who] finds empathy in connection with others (Peckham 92). Pearl brings him guilt when he would not stand with them on the scaffold; “Thou was not bold! – thou wast not true! … Thou wouldst not promise to take my hand, and my mother’s hand, tomorrow noontide” (Hawthorne 150)! Hester’s guilt, however, is derived from both Chillingsworth and Dimmesdale. Chillingsworth married a woman who did not love him, which is one of the causes of Hester’s guilt. Dimmesdale causes her guilt when he sees her suffering alone for the sin that they both committed. Though they both committed the same sin, only Hester’s shines through. Pearl was cheerful due to the scarlet letter her mother possessed. When the breastplate at Governor Bellingham’s Mansion distorts the scarlet “A” into something overpowering and horrible, it is Pearl who points at it, “smiling at her mother with the elfish intelligence that was so familiar an expression on her small physiognomy” (Hawthorne 99). Even as a child, Pearl is affixed to the letter “and, putting up her little hand, she grasped it, [the letter] smiling, not doubtfully, but Piyasena/Pine 4 with a decided gleam” (Hawthorne 90).

Pearl’s tendency to focus on the scarlet letter is fully developed when she mimics her mother by placing a seaweed “A” on her own chest. Much of Pearl’s strangeness comes from her exceptional quickness of mind and the abnormal environment in which she is reared with only her mother as a companion. As Pearl develops a personality, she becomes symbolic of the kind of passion that accompanied Hester’s sin. Hester tolerated Pearl’s pretentious behavior but could not find it in her heart to condemn the child. As Pearl thus becomes so closely associated with the letter “A” on Hester’s breast she becomes the embodiment not only of Hester’s sin but also of her conscience. Nature is an amusing hobby for Pearl; therefore one of her favorite activities is playing with flowers and trees. She fits in with natural things, “and she was gentler here [the forest] then in the grassy margined streets of the settlement, or in her mother’s cottage” as Hawthorne notes in the novel (202). She is so closely affiliated to nature that the creatures of the forest approach her instead of disperse. “The mother-forest, and these wild things which it nourished, all recognized a kindred wildness in the human child” Hawthorne notes as Pearl is on a walk with her mother (202).

However, the Puritans believed that anything affiliated with the forest was evil; therefore, Pearl defies their laws by being effervescent and joyful in the woods. Some of the Puritans even believe her to be a demon offspring. So unusual is her behavior that she is often referred to in such terms as “elf child,” Piyasena/Pine 5 “imp,” and “airy sprite.” Pearl is a virtual shouting match between the Puritanical views and the Romantic ways. Pearl is a source of many kinds of symbolism. She is both a rose and indeed the scarlet letter. If she had not been born, Hester would not have had to wear the letter. Pearl is a burden to Hester; yet Hester loves her. She is also her mother’s only treasure and her only source of survival. Without Pearl, Hester would have lived a different life, one without the scarlet letter, one without sin, and one without her treasure.

One of the most popular trends and designs in the world of tattoos right now are koi fish tattoos.  It is pretty obvious to see why these designs are so sought after.  They are deeply symbolic, mysterious and beautiful all at the same time.  They are bright and colorful and when they splash in the blue water behind them they can make for a dynamic tattoo that is full of power, symbolism and movement.  If you are considering getting a koi tattoo design then you should really know what the symbolism and meaning is behind them first.

The Story

The koi have long been a part of the Japanese life.  At almost every temple and sacred place there is a small koi pond.  The koi also know as Carp fish is known throughout China and Japan.  Originally the story came from Buddhist teachings in Chine where it was believed the koi fish would swim upstream and go against the current and even up a waterfall.  The myth states that any koi fish that could swim up the Yellow river and up the waterfall at the mythical place called Dragon Gate would then turn into a dragon.  Therefore in China the koi fish would stand for strength and power and advancement.  This same idealism was adopted throughout Japan.  It was adopted in Japan to such a degree that it has become a part of their daily life and ritual.  In fact large flags of koi fish are flown on Boy’s Day to celebrate the strength, energy and power that boys should posses.

The Meaning And Symbolism

The meaning of this symbol has become so much that it can be hard to communicate it in one paragraph.  It can stand for many different things.  For example on Boy’s Day in Japan a group of at least four koi fish and often flown together on a flag pole.  Thus the fish can be thought of as a symbol of for family strength and unity.  Since the legend states that koi fish would swim up stream it has also symbolic of power, struggle and overcoming the odds in life.  In the same vein it is also a symbol of courage.  The Japanese believe that the koi fish is so courageous that when it is caught and put on the cutting board to be killed it doesn’t quiver like other fish but it bravely accepts it death and its fate as a person especially someone with a Samurai spirit should accept their life and its short falls.

Other people might ascribe different meanings to it as the design since it is so sought after and regarded so highly throughout Japan it has become a symbol for everything good, strong and powerful .  It therefore make a great tattoo design.

Victory is a powerful word that conjures images of a battle, the victory going to the winner of the battle. There are many different symbols of victory- some with ancient origins, as battles have taken place in all cultures since the beginning of creation. Some of these symbols include the conch shell, the peacock, the resurrection of Christ, the letter V, Mt Kailash, the Greek goddess Nike, and the victory banner. As symbolism and storytelling are commonly linked with teaching, religious and spiritual writings often use the word victory in reference to the divine victory over human limitations and ignorance.

The word Victory in the English language comes from Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, and counterpart to the Greek goddess Nike, who is said to have assumed the role of the god’s personal charioteer in the Titan War. Nike’s wings supposedly symbolize the fleeting nature of victory.

The letter V can mean victory on its own. It was used extensively during the Second World War, and today is a generally accepted finger sign for victory all over the globe.

In spiritual terms, the word victory is used in relation to a divine victory, the victory of light over darkness, good over evil. Ancient battles were often fought when situations forced the powers of good to face the powers of darkness, as in The Mahabharata, the famous Indian Epic which is overflowing with symbolism and still very much applicable to our own era, and in fact our own selves. A famous symbol of victory from The Mahabharata is the conch shell, which was blown by the famous warriors in the battle of Kurukshetra. The conch shell has become an important part of Indian tradition, and is still used today as a part of daily spiritual practices.

“Of all the musical instruments, the conch is the most sacred and spiritual. Cosmic Gods and Goddesses hold the conch. Sri Krishna, Arjuna, and all heroes of the highest order used the conch. It is the symbol of victory. “

– Sri Chinmoy.

In Sanskrit, the word for victory is dhvaja, meaning standard, flag or sign. Originally, the victory banner was a military standard carried in ancient Indian warfare, and bore the specific insignia of its champion. For example in the Mahabharata, Sri Krishna’s chariot was adorned with a banner showing the image of Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Rama.

The victory banner is also used in Buddhism as an emblem of the Buddha’s enlightenment, heralding the triumph of knowledge over ignorance. It is said to have been placed on the summit of Mt. Meru by Lord Buddha himself, symbolizing his victory over the entire universe. Again, Mount Meru is believed to be the central axis supporting the world.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Mount Kailash in the Himalayas is a symbol of victory. Milarepa, commonly known as Tibet’s greatest yogi, said

“There is no place more powerful for practice, more blessed, or more marvelous than this; may all pilgrims and practitioners be welcome!”

The peacock appears in many Hindu religious myths and legends as a protector and symbol of victory. Since a potentially deadly emotion such as anger is depicted as a serpent, and the peacock is immune to the serpent’s poison, the peacock symbolizes victory over poisonous tendencies in conscious people. In Christianity also, the Peacock is symbolic of victory, and also immortality, because of the periodical renewal of its splendid feathers. In Christianity, the victory of Christ over Death is said to be the most glorious victory in history, and so The Resurrection has been used to symbolize this theme.

When selecting a tattoo design it is extremely important that the design you are going to have etched on to your body is one that you will be satisfied with for the rest of your life. Don’t make a hasty decision that you may end up regretting, as the cost of having an unwanted tattoo removed is extremely expensive. Think long and hard before you visit the parlor and commit to a specific design.

Many people make the critical mistake of selecting a tattoo design on the spot, often because they are pressured by friends or influenced by the artist. It is very important that, when choosing a particular design, you consider the reactions that the design will provoke from friends, family and the public in general. So, before you go ahead and choose a particular one, take the time to research the meaning or symbolism behind your particular selection. These days the internet is a fabulous source for investigating the true meanings behind the many tattoo designs that are now available.

A very popular tattoo design is, for example, the skull tattoo design. There are many reasons why people, particularly guys, select this particular design, including the fact that it invokes a degree of masculinity in the wearer. This is because of the implication that the skull tattoo design relates to fear, danger and death. Are the people who choose this design actually aware of the true meaning behind the design?

The true meaning of a skull tattoo design

There is actually a more in-depth meaning to the skull tattoo designs than just fear, danger and death – and in fact it was not originally conceived as a symbol to represent any of these things. It was instead originally used to represent the symbol of ‘great change’. In analyzing what them traditionally meant in ancient society we discover that it was related to the happening of great changes and it is highly probable that its association with death grew because of the fact that death is the greatest change that we will experience.

Today it is extremely unfortunate that the majority of the general public does not understand the true meaning of them, and when they see it they automatically relate the symbol to fear, danger and death. A lot of conservative people loathe the design because of its perceived meaning; however, if they were aware of the true meaning behind the design their views may be totally different.

If you decide that this type of design is the one for you, then your next step is to choose which genre you would like to go with. As the designs have been around for centuries the styles have somewhat evolved over time. The styles range from the old fashioned Jolly Roger, the pirate’s flag with the skull and cross bones or perhaps you would prefer the bio-mechanical style of skull – the choices are extensive and totally dependent on your personal taste.

So if you are interested in the skull design, or any other particular design, just take a little time to research the meaning symbolized by the design and if they are in alignment with your own true views then go ahead and adorn your body with this fantastic art work.

There is a tendency, in the Church today, toward adopting the manner and dress of the world. For instance, it is not uncommon to see tattooed and pierced persons in the pew on Sunday. Often these are not new Christians recently saved from the kingdom of darkness, but second and third generation Church goers, young (and no so young), people raised in Christian homes.

One way that the Church has chosen to deal with this growing phenomena is to down-play the significance of these demonic symbols. That isn’t because the older generation actually approves of tattoos and facial piercing; it is because the older generation doesn’t really have a well thought out objection to the practices.

For the most part those Christians who oppose “body art” do so simply because it is not “Christian.” They’re right, but when a young decorated Church goer asks why it isn’t Christian, the undecorated can only say that it is worldly and un-Christlike. At which point the hipster will ask what it is about body art that is worldly and un-Christlike. Typically this leaves the artless one speechless. To the conservative Bible believing Christian, tattoos and piercings1 are plainly contrary to Christ’s example and one’s identity as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet he finds that he cannot really articulate a convincing argument as to why. The reason Joe conservative Christian cannot articulate his belief is because in “modern rationalistic Western society, men do not understand the power of non-verbal symbols and of dress.”2 In other words, because your average Christian does not understand the significance and prevalence of symbolism he cannot formulate an argument against the misuse of symbols.

James Jordan has written that:

Symbolism, then, is not some secondary concern, some mere curiosity. In a very real sense, symbolism is more important that anything else for the life of man.3

Jordan’s thesis is that all of creation is designed by God to tell us about Him and to teach us about reality, by means of symbols. In other words, the world does not exist for its own sake nor ultimately for the sake of man; but it was brought into being in order to disclose God in the symbols of creation.

For instance, God is a shepherd (Ps. 23:1), a fire (Heb. 12:29), like a lion and like a flock of birds (Is. 31:4-5). He is an eagle (Deut. 32:11), a lamb (Is. 53:7, Rev. 5:6), a hen (Matt. 23:37), the morning star (Rev. 22:16), food, drink and bread (Is. 55:1, John 6:35), a rock (Deut 32:4), and a tower (Prov. 18:10). Thus the Christian view of the universe must be fundamentally symbolic.4 We look at a flower, a rock or an eagle in flight and say, “here is wisdom, here is God on display.” These things are expressions or symbols that help us to discover God and to learn to see through God’s eyes, so to speak. Or to put it another way, the stuff of creation allows us to peer into the (ultimately incomprehensible), character of the Creator and teaches us to think in terms of symbols.

This is how Jesus thought. Take the time to reread the Gospels and you will be reminded that Jesus constantly used symbolic language and stories (parables), to convey truth. If symbols are not important, than nothing Jesus said is important. It seems that everything he taught was explained with symbols. Hence, the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, a dragnet and a pearl of great price. His followers must take up the cross, take on His yoke and let go of their lives.

Since mankind is the special image bearer of God (a special symbol of God), he is likewise a symbol maker. Thus when we invest something with symbolic significance we are supposed to follow God’s lead (Eph. 5:1). For instance, God uses dragons to symbolize evil. In like fashion, our use of dragons (in literature, art and so on), should correspond to God’s symbolic use of dragons. This isn’t to say that a Christians may never utilize dragon imagery in a positive fashion. God Himself speaks of the fire breathing Leviathan in positive terms (Job 41). Indeed, the Tannin, the great monsters of the deep – including Leviathan – were God’s own special “pets.” Moreover, God endows some symbols with multiple meanings. For instance, there is both the lion of Judah and Satan prowling like a lion (Rev. 5:5, 1 Peter 5:8); the righteous are as bold as a lion and the ungodly ravage like a lion (Prv. 28:1, 15); a lion is the servant of God bringing judgement and it is a wicked people in rebellion against Him (Jer. 4:7, 12:8). Nevertheless, until we better understand God’s fluid use of symbols we should remain within the obvious guidelines provided by Scripture.

Symbols are powerful; they are more than the expression of ideas they actually give direction to life: “for God, symbols create reality, for man, symbols structure reality.”5 To suggest that we can arbitrarily redefine the meaning of symbols is foolish. For instance, if I were to conduct next Sunday’s services while wearing a tie embossed with a swastika, I have little doubt that on Monday I would no longer be employed by the Idaho State Veterans Home in Lewiston or be the pastor of Cottonwood Community Church. Why? Because the Nazi swastika is universally understood as a satanic symbol of evil and death. But what if I protested and claimed that I was rehabilitating the symbol for Christian use? What if I said that I viewed the swastika as a symbol of giving one’s all for the sake of Christ and His kingdom? It wouldn’t matter. Symbols are too powerful to be toyed with. Even though the swastika has ancient origins that have nothing to do with Naziism I have no doubt that it will forever be associated with the horrors of unbridled power, brutality and death. Truly, the swastika structures reality. It defined a worldview and served as a spur to action drawing out the grisly barbarism of a pagan Germanic people. The same is true for many of the symbols utilized in the sub culture of body art. Skulls, bones, bats, and so on all remain symbols of bad luck, death, magic and evil 6

Which brings us back to the issue of tattoos and piercings. The real reason that they are inappropriate for Christians is that those things symbolize evil. Tattoos and piercings are symbols of a worldview that is opposed to God and His kingdom. In the Bible, marking or cutting the flesh was prohibited because it was part of the Canaanite culture – specifically a ritual to honor or mourn the dead. In Leviticus 19:28 we read, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord” (cf. 21:5, Deut. 14:1)7

Pagan thought has long embraced chaos as a regenerative fountainhead; bestiality, homosexuality, self mutilation and so on are indulged in an attempt to size the supernatural power of chaos.8 As a matter of fact there are many today who consider their participation in self mutilation a spiritual experience. They believe that enduring the pain of tattooing or piercing develops control and allows them to discover a deeper sense of themselves.9 Truly it is a spiritual experience; a descent into the realm of the occult. Thus the tattooed and pierced wear the uniform of paganism’s foulest form whether they realize it or not.

Moreover, tattooing and piercing have been endowed with negative symbolism in our age as well. Even today with the practices being so prevalent, tattooing and piercing are still equated with criminals and the lower class.10 And yet, modern Christian youth apparently believe that they break new ground by joining the ranks of the tattooed and pierced. Part of the deception is the belief that the underclass lifestyle (and the uniform of paganism), is somehow more real than a life lived in Christlikeness. Theodore Dalrymple writes that those who adopt the norms of the underclass are;

…under the influence of the idea that some aspects of reality are more real than others; that the seedy side of life is more genuine, more authentic, than the refined and cultured side – and certainly more glamours than the bourgeois and respectable side. This idea could be said to be the fundamental premise of modern popular culture.11

Whether the church going tattooed and pierced care to admit it or not, “body art” remains the uniform of the criminal element and the occult; it is associated with rebellion and youthful foolishness – all defined as sinful by God. The tattooed and pierced have the short term view of the self centered worldling rather than the long term view of the self sacrificing born again kingdom Believer. Rather than see the increase of body art in the church as a sign that its symbolic value is undergoing a positive transformation, we need to recognize it as a creeping influence on the Church by the world and the kingdom of darkness.

____________________

1. In this essay I am defining “piercings” as facial piercing, nose piercing, multiple ear piercing and body piercing. In a nut shell, anything other than a single or perhaps double piercing of the ear (by a woman). I know that I’m setting myself up for the charge of inconsistency, but at this point I don’t see a single (or double) ear piercing on a woman as being in the same category of face, nose and body piercing.

2. James Jordan, Through New Eyes: Developing a Biblical View Of The World,(Brentwood: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers Inc., 1988), 35.

3. Jordan, New Eyes, 30. See also, James Jordan, Creation In Six Days: A Defense Of The Traditional Reading Of Genesis One, (Moscow: Canon Press, 1999).

4. Jordan, Creation.

5. Jordan, New Eyes, 32.

6. Iona Opie and Moira Tatem, eds., A Dictionary Of Superstitions (Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1992)

7. See my essay, Another Hole In Your head.

8. R. J. Rushdoony, The One And The Many, (Fairfax: Thoburn Press, 1978), 104f.

9. David Kupelian, the Marketing Of Evil, (Nashville: WND Books, 2005), 72.

10. Theodore Dalrymple, Life At The Bottom: The Worldview That makes the Underclass, (Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2001), 48f.

11. Dalrymple, 119.

The color of passion

Please let me indulge in one more stereotype as I navigate the world of electric kettles. For some reason red has always been associated with passion and anger. I do not know whether it is because that is the color of blood or that we are being victims of a deliberate campaign by some clever clogs to get us to buy into yet another stereotype. We have all heard the stories about the red heads. I have not done any research about it but again the impression still remains and those that live with the stereotype will testify to its power or influence. Therefore in humble homage to this great perception, I have proposed to list the things that the fiery red electric kettle says about your personality. Please do not take it to heart if this does not fit your own experiences. I am just taking a frivolous look at these phenomena.

The red kettle with the red personality

1. Your red electric kettle indicates that you are not afraid to be individual. You will not buy into bland beige for the sake of conforming to society. You make your own rules and live by them in spite of the generality of consensus within your chosen community. You do not want to be part of the crowd but to stand out and make a statement about who you are and want you want.
2. To me the red electric kettle says that you are a confident person who is not afraid to be up against convention. You trust your stylistic tastes to the extent that you are able to go outside the box in order to achieve you dream look. There are some who are absolutely terrified by the prospect of ever challenging societal norms. You are definitely not one of these people. In fact you might just despise them for their stylistic cowardice.
3. If I was to meet someone who owns a red electric kettle, I would immediately try to work out what their sense of style is. I would look at the décor in the room and try to pick up ideas. This is because the people who choose such bold colors tend to have an amazing sense of what is appropriate stylistically and what is not. Those are the kinds of people who would do wonders in the decoration and design business.
4. I know that this is very presumptuous of me but I would assume that anyone with a red electric kettle would have owned a previous kettle before moving on to this rather bold statement. I find that generally people tend to start off with the safe colors when they first purchase an item. It is only when they have the necessary confidence that they will try out the bolder alternatives.

Finally I might add that the fiery red electric kettle might say absolutely nothing about you. It could be something that you bought on a whim and therefore have no specific personality attachments to it. If that is the case then please forgive my generalizations.

Clouds have many symbolic meanings. In general, clouds symbolize revelation. Since they come in layers, they symbolize the unveiling of an answer or solution to something that has been bothering a person. On the other hand, they can also symbolize things that can cloud one’s judgment or reasoning. Sometimes they also symbolize a confused state of mind.

Tarot card meanings that have the clouds as a symbol are lovers, wheel, tower, judgment, world, Ace of Swords, 3 of Swords, 5 of Swords, Page of Swords, King of Swords, Ace of Cups, 4 of Cups, 7 of Cups, Ace of Wands and, Ace of Pentacles.

Clouds come in many shapes and forms. Thus, the interpretation of the clouds as a symbol can also vary. There are storm clouds or what is scientifically referred to as cirrus or stratus clouds and fair-weather clouds known as cumulus clouds.

The effects of clouds in nature as well as in human nature also affect their interpretation in tarot readings. Dark clouds of course make people feel frightened, negative, pessimistic, threatened or depressed. These can also mean distress, disaster or danger. White layers of clouds make people feel optimistic, happy, positive and confident. This can mean new opportunities. Thus it depends on the type of clouds found on the tarot card or image.

Clouds are symbols of change or movement just as they move across the sky. When people see clouds in a tarot card, these are usually interpreted as a symbol of something that is fleeting, temporary or short-lived.

Anchor tattoos were all the rage for sailors. It was often the symbol of a very experienced sailor. Anchor tattoo designs are one of the oldest types of tattoos. However with an interest in all things retro and chic these have come back into fashion. In fact in the tattoo field as a whole retro tattoo designs have been experiencing a resurgence. These retro tattoo designs have come back to life with new more vibrant tattoo colors, designs and placements on the body. This trend originated on the west coast mostly and has even become known as west coast tattoo style.

Retro themes in tattoo designs are especially popular with the rockabilly group.

So what is the symbolism behind the anchor tattoo design? While the earliest forms of an anchor being used as a symbol harkens all the way back to the early Christians. They would often use the anchor as a hidden symbol for the cross. This was often used to show that they were Christian while escaping persecution from the Greeks.

The symbol much later became popular with sailors. This is a pretty obvious connection here being that sailor use anchors constantly in their work.

The anchor tattoo design has become a symbol for stability and a strong foundation. It can also mean a boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other in someone’s life. You see a man might get an anchor tattoo to show that his girlfriend is the stability in his life.

These have become increasingly popular for women to get and they often place them just below their collar bone on the right of left side.

So the anchor tattoo is a great tattoo with lots of symbolism and history behind it. If you are looking for something to remind you to stay grounded or want to symbolism a particularly stable or grounding relationship that you have then an anchor tattoo design might be something to look into.

Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize and received literary fame for her series of short stories. There are several symbols in one of her short stories, Interpreter of Maladies. The major symbols are: the strawberry necklace around Mrs. Das’ neck, which rested between her breasts, the naked intimate statutes at the temple which she admired, and the paper with Mr. Kapasi’s address, which blew out of her pocket book and into the wind.

The short story, Interpreters of Maladies, focuses on an Indian-American couple, Mr. and Mrs. Das, who are on vacation in India with their three children. They are chauffeured by an Indian taxi driver who developed an immediate affection for Mrs. Das. His imagination focused on comparing Mrs. Das with his wife in a sensual manner.

The strawberry necklace around Mrs. Das’s neck, which rested between her breasts serves as a symbol of her sensuousness. Mr. Kapasi’s infatuation for Mrs. Das started at this point. He found her irresistible. The strawberry resting between her breasts on the tightly fitted undershirt styled blouse, reminded Mr. Kapasi of the ripeness of her breasts as a symbol of her femininity. He watched her through the rear view mirror. This allowed him to daydream of an irresistible relationship with Mrs. Das, one he never had with his wife.

The naked statutes at the Sun Temple were symbols of intimacy to Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das. Mr. Kapasi watched her reactions to the naked statutes and their love making positions. He was pleased that she stopped every three or four paces and stared at the carved lovers and topless females. He also gazed at the topless figures as his mind wandered on Mrs. Das with intensity while he subsequently gazed with affection upon her profile. This led to his continued daydreaming about her. He saw her in a more sexually appealing way than his wife.

The slip of scrap paper with Mr. Kapasi’s name and address which was in Mrs. Das’s pocketbook signified a connection between them. He even daydreamed about having future contacts with her. However, when she revealed to him her secret of infidelity regarding her son Bobby’s birth, it changed their relationship from positive to negative. She was not pleased by his reaction, walked away, and went in search of her husband and children. When they re-entered the taxi, the paper with the address blew out of Mrs. Das’s pocketbook and into the wind. The only person who noticed the paper as it blew away was Mr. Kapasi. This served as a symbol of loss infatuation to Mr. Kapasi. The event signified the ending of their relationship.

This short story by Jhumpa is authentic, original, and enjoyable to read. I like this story because it is closely related to reality. It touched on events that could possibly occur on a daily basis between individuals in various settings. The symbols in the story provided enrichment to the text and enhanced its interpretation. It is a great story which should be read by individuals interested in understanding various cultural myths and symbolism.

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