Spiritual Tattoo: A Cultural History of Tattooing, Piercing, Scarification, Branding, and Implants

By John A. Rush

Book Overview

Say "body modifications" and most people think of tattoos and piercings. They associate these mainly with the urban primitives of the 1980s to today and with primitive tribes. In fact, as this... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1583941177
• ISBN13: 9781583941171
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Frog in Well
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

its more than just ink

All I can say is wow, so if people really knew why other cultures get tatoos, body modifications, and knew the spirtual part of it, they wouldnt even get one.. this is a fantastic book, well researched!

Love this book!

I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Rush as a professor in school, and so I bought this book to go along with what we were speaking about in class. And I have to say, I couldn't put it down! I've bought several copies for friends since. As someone who is strongly into the spirituality associated with body modification, I have to say that I really appreciated the professional voice this book lent to the various subcultures and communities associated with body mod. It covers a variety of topics with depth and understanding. You can tell Dr. Rush is passionate about the topics he writes. Highly recommended to everyone with an interest in tattooing and body mod.

Excellent information for anyone considering a tattoo!

I found Rush's research and presentation of information to be extremely interesting and well-presented. However, the real value of this book for me was in the suggestions for dealing with psychic and physical pain. As I had my own tattoo work done, I used many of Rush's suggestions and techniques on breathing, relaxation, and "embracing the pain." Prior to getting my tattoo, many of my peers described their own experience with the pain of tattooing in terms of bravery "it didn't hurt at all" or annoyance "it is really irritating." By properly channeling the pain--rather than fearing, putting up with, or obsessing about it, however, I found the entire tattooing process to be so much more pleasant, profound, and meaningful. I can truly say that I felt serene throughout the entire three-hour experience. I highly recommend this book for people interested in experiencing tattooing on all levels-the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual.

A history which is gruesome at times, but always revealing

Works of body art have traditionally reflected rites of passage, served as group identifiers, and made people confirm to a cultural code and social standard outsiders rarely understand, so it's timely that cultural anthropologist John Rush examines different processes and procedures of radical physical alternations in different cultures, from branding to tattooing and self-inflicted pain. Spiritual and social concerns are gathered into a history which is gruesome at times, but always revealing.

Provocative and compelling reading

I read numerous books on tattooing prior to my own adventure but Spiritual Tattoo tops them all. Dr. Rush presents some very interesting information about tattooing and scarification in ancient societies, concluding that the behavior is very, very ancient and is probably analogous to marks naturally acquired. Purposes include rites of passage, group identity, and in more recent time, the use of tattoos and scars by governments to mark the body for control purposes. What I found most interesting is the procedure he details for using pain to purge limitations and traumas in history. As our monotheistic religious myths focus on pain and suffering, this work fits right in! I also enjoyed the connection he made between tattooing, yoga, chakras, and spirituality. There also appears to be a great deal of coding in the book, which relates to this book's sequel, The Twelve Gates. For example, in the page headings for Chapter Five, Trauma is spelled Trama--Dr. Rush is saying he "takes U (you) out of your trauma." This is a very readable work that will appeal to a wide audience. I'm looking forward to The Twelve Gates.