i'm planning for another tattoo - a rhino It's very meaningful for me and holds a lot of positive imagery that helps me stay focused in hard times, and provides a lot of comfort in sadness and fear

i'm interested in what positive rituals or symbols others have that they use to stay well or to get healthier. i've always been a big believer in surrounding myself with lots of meaningful objects and symbols, and i believe also in the nurturing aspect of it... that's why various religions have so much imagery and ritual things, because human beings draw some sort of healing from those sorts of things.

Joseph Campbell's book Myths of Light talks a lot about the loss of mythology(in various forms) as being a big part of the sort of modern problem... he even talks about the comparison between various psych schools of thought and the path of the kundalini as believed by yogi's thousands of years ago. That particular mention of "swimming the abyss" as how people go insane is fascinating.

anyway.. sorry for the diversion into nerd-alert territory.... the point i am interested in is what sort of public or private things do use practice as a sort of ritual that brings you strength? what symbols bring meaning for you?

i am super excited about the tattoo... need to save up. My T will be excited too. He was really impressed with the lotus i got last time. A lotus symbolizes the emergence from a difficult journey and after leaving my abusive ex, i decided at some point i was free and i got the lotus tattoo.

many peoples around the world integrate their symbology into body work... i wanted to have my most powerful symbols become a part of me and i wanted to carry them where i could see them.

interested in what helps others