Tattoo

Tattoo

Uncover Hidden Dream Meanings

If you dreamed of a tattoo then this is an interesting dream and I will try to explain what it means. The tattoo in dreams intrigues me the most, it can imply that spiritually you are undertaking a journey depending on how the tattoo is depicted. Such dreams can have multiple interpretations.

A tattoo dream is all about definition. It indicates you are trying to define yourself and that has to represent you or somebody else who wants to be associated with positive energy, it is also a “symbol” of a spiritual journey. In short, the color, design, and placement of the tattoo have a specific meaning. The tattoo indicates that you need to be noticed. If you have encountered some difficult events recently than the tattoo dream indicates that even though things have been negative in the future those negative events are likely to melt away. As in real life and in our dream world the design and color of a tattoo on someone’s body shows his or her beliefs, emotion, life events, and ideas which have a long lasting impression on our lives. Similarly, the tattoo dream can give insight and represent the way you think, demonstrate things which you believe in and your habits as well. The act of pricking the skin with a needle indicates spiritually, that experiences in life go beyond our presence. We understand there are many different paths to the unexpected. Having a tattoo is extremely popular. Surprisingly America in total spends around £1.5 billion on tattoos every year. Interestingly, 21% of the American population have at least one tattoo. It’s no surprise you have a dream of having a tattoo.

I'm Flo and I have been studying dreams for 20 years. I will help you define this dream and give symbols to the dream meaning. While researching for this dream interpretation I was surprised to learn that those that do have a tattoo age ranges between 30 and 39. So, if you are between this age the dream could be what Carl Jung believed as a "transition" of what you experience or see in waking life. Spiritually speaking, a tattoo is associated with our feelings in life. What I’m going to try to do here is apply the historical meaning of dreaming to having a tattoo grouped with the psychological dream aspects. Tattooing is obviously pigment of the skin with a needle, knives or blades and as an ancient art and tattooing date back to around 50,000 years. The "act" of tattooing comes from mummies which were tattooed as part of a spiritual enlightenment - which dates to around 3000 years before Christ.

The reason why I wanted to mention this was because tattooing is an ancient art, even though there is no date when tattoos were developed we can assume that tattooing is historic. The word "tattoo" was bought into Europe by sailors who had seen tattoos in places such as Hawaii and tattoos were popular with the Tahitians. The word "tattoo" in Tahitian translates to "one’s hand several times with colors." It is thought that once we have a tattoo in real life the paths of spiritual enlightenment are opened depending on the type of tattoo that is chosen. Let’s get a quick round of as to what you may have seen in your dream and what implications it may have on you. As I have already discussed tattoo dreams are associated with our own symbolism is in life. I will now briefly go over the details of your tattooed dream.

​​​​​​What does it mean to dream that you suddenly have a tattoo?

Dreaming that a tattoo suddenly appears on your body quite interesting dream. It is associated with understanding spiritually your path in life. If you love the tattoo it can employ some amazing things about to happen. Often, as tattoos are personal to you it can suggest that there is an in-depth association with rebirth and change. The actual tattoo on your body is quite interesting and I will discuss some popular symbolism later on. In short, the tattoo has a vibrational connection. Sometimes because of the permanency of the tattoo, this can indicate in a dream that you are feeling things are forever.

What is the detailed dream interpretation of a tattoo?

Tattoo dreams are indicators. They show your desire to stand out in public, your wish to be popular among people and have an acknowledgment in routine affairs. Such dreams also depict your attention seeking nature. A tattoo dream sometimes represents an event that has left an everlasting effect on your personality. To see others with a tattoo means that people are trying to get close to you (such as an old lover) to gain your attention especially in cases where you have not shown gratefulness. The tattoo sometimes relates to your personality. People having tattoos on their bodies normally are on a spiritual journey this information gets stored in their subconscious and finally gets expressed as a dream. Sometimes when you see your body getting tattooed for the whole stretch of a dream, it may imply a great difficulty that’s coming for a long time. In certain cases dreams with more emphasis on tattoos represent some urgent work that will lead you away from your home, or perhaps the start of a new phase of your life. When you find yourself being tattooed with one of your friend it implies strong love, bond, affection, and care that you may have or develop in the near future with that person.

Pay particular attention to the design and color of the tattoo you see in your dream as it can change the complete meaning of your dream. Compare it with your life events, whether it shows your past or is it telling you about something of the future? A dream of a flower may be indicating you of your love life whereas an animal tattoo which is a symbol of money may be giving you a direction in a particular way. It can even be a snake which may be warning you of an enemy.

What does it mean to see other people tattooed in a dream?

Seeing other people being tattooed can indicate the identity of others and how important this is to you. It could suggest that you are trying to understand somebody’s credibility, it can even imply somebody annoys you. Sometimes in life, we can never choose who we associate with. It could be a work colleague or alternatively an acquaintance of a friend. The tattooed person in a dream brings with them a message. This is the message of being noticed. If you know the person in real life he was tattooed in the dream this can suggest that you have an interesting relationship with them. It could be that you cannot really work out who they are. To see someone with a tattoo in a dream can often occur when we are trying to really identify other people and their motives.

What does it mean to dream of a women with a tattoo?

Tattoos on a woman in dreams symbolize persistence, gratitude, expression, individuality and finally rebirth. If you saw a woman with a tattoo then this could indicate a number of different experiences that you are undergoing waking life, as the tattoo is permanent it can suggest that there may be an event but you will soon attend. Something permanent. This dream signifies a permanent change and generally, I like to say for the better. The actual picture of the tattoo is equally important. However, it is important to understand the location of the tattoo in order to ascertain a deeper meaning of the dream. If the tattoo was on the women's legs this indicates a change. Her arms can imply a new start. To dream of a woman with a full cover can suggest you will meet someone who wants to cover up.

What does it mean to dream of a man with a tattoo?

To dream that you see a male tattoo artist indicates that you are quite comfortable with your own personal identity. If we look at dreams from a conscious perspective every single every symbolism does actually mean something and it connects with our subconscious mind. In ancient times it was believed that dreams were associated with our own soul even our body at night in order to venture out into the astral world the reason why mention this it’s because it’s very important to you to realize what picture you actually saw in your mind. A man with a tattoo on the arms denotes love and freedom. If the man has a tattoo on his legs indicates a new path. Neck or back can imply that in time things will work out for the better.

What does it mean to dream of getting a tattoo?

Getting a tattoo in real life is quite a big step and important decision. It is really something that you’re going to carry for the rest of your life. A there is a huge amount that needs to be done before embarking on body art. In dreams, the tattoo can indicate our own self-identity and spiritual journey. Most people start off with a small tattoo. If however, you dream of getting a huge tattoo (maybe over the whole body) then this could indicate that you’re going to push yourself to the max. The body placement that had to is also important. If you had a tattoo on the arms then this can indicate freedom and spontaneous relationships. A tattoo on the ankle indicates that other people turn to you for advice. If the tattoo is on your lower back then this can imply the beginning of a new path of life. This is quite a profound symbolism and the tattoo on your back indicates that behind you is possible setbacks and difficulties in life. A tattoo seen on the wrist in a dream can suggest that you need to be more graceful in life. If you dreamed of having tattoos on the legs then this is a representation of your personality, it will take you anywhere and you will succeed.

What does it mean to dream of getting an armband?

A tattoo armband is quite a popular placement. It can signify in dreams that time seems to "keep" running out. It implies it is too much you wish to achieve but there is not enough time to do it. Tattoos that shaped like bands (bracelets) in dreams, from my research can indicate that something exceptional is about to happen. Pamela Anderson had a barbed wire band and these types of tattoos spiritually can indicate strength and endurance. To understand this meaning I researched what a bracelet means dream-wise. Remember that the bracelet can hold your most inner thoughts and beliefs. There are many different types designed armbands, from celtic knots, barbed wire, simple lines, to flowers and also tribal bands. Any type of band or tattoo bracelet on the body in a dream can be that you need to take heed of how you are focusing on life.

What does it mean to dream the black and grey tattooed?

Black and grey tattoos in dreams are focused on polar opposites in life. The black and grey tattoos is quite an old-fashioned ink pigment. We need to also ask why did you have this color tattoo in the dream. We know that there are certain aspects of tattoos which have been passed on from generation to generation. There is also a number of phylogenetic roots. Black and grey in a dream represent technical intelligence, and perhaps the magic of bringing together life itself. The black and grey tattoo is connected to making a sacrifice in life. The Egyptians in ancient times generally used black pigment their tattoos, which sometimes used to fade to a green over time. Black was a prominent color in cave paintings. Obviously, black is a color of transformation and death. It also has a quality of rebirth and emerging from a difficult period in time. If you saw your skin being abraded with a needle and grey and black ink was used in a dream this can signify the fact that there is going to be regeneration or rebirth in the future. If you dreamt of a razor blade being used for your tattoo then this can indicate that other people are going to criticise you but you must take this bravely.

In my summary, I just wanted to share a few more things with you. Tattooing is a lucrative business, Americans spend a whopping £1.5 billion a year on tattoos. During 2012 the tattoo excelled in popularity with 21% of Americans bearing attached to some part of the body. The reason why I have given these statistics is that I wanted you to understand how common this body art is. There are many different reasons why somebody would get tattooed equally, there are additional “conscious” associations with why you would dream of either getting a tattoo or someone having one. After much research into this dream meaning and I have had discussions with tattooists about different types of tattoos, it is not uncommon to dream of tattoos before actually having one. Dreams about dreams tattoos fall into many different categories as I have outlined above, notably, you may have dreamt of a man or woman with various tattoos mean that rebirth is on the cards. There are vast amount cultural practices that go into tattooing.

If we look at a tattoo in its simplest form is basically an insertion of pigment into the skin with a needle, knife or bone. It basically creates a decorative mark that is permanent. I like to say, is a positive form of modifying the body. With at least one in five adults having a tattoo, it is really a symbol of the conscious mind. The tattoo began back so long ago which I mentioned in the opening paragraph we can understand that tattoos spiritual are associated with an ancient art. Dreaming of tattoos is associated and connected to how we see ourselves.

What does it mean to dream of covering up a tattoo?

To dream of covering your tattoo represents your wish to review your mistakes and change your past. I like to remind everyone that we cannot bring back the past and we must forgive ourselves and let go. Also, your dream reveals that you hide a kind attitude and naivety. If you care what others think of you then this is a great dream to have. Try to focus on your own actions in the future. To cover up a tattoo in waking life is possible and people undergo surgery for different reasons. Some want to avoid the gossip of conservative relatives, and others are trying to look more If you cover up the tattoo with makeup then this can indicate you need a foundation in life.

What does it mean to dream about a DIY tattoo?

To dream of giving yourself, a tattoo represents your desire to stand out and express your individuality. Do you refuse to be normal and live by the rules because you have your own rules to follow and you won demons to obey? We all do so don’t worry. A DIY tattoo in the dream signifies in old dream lore an enemy. I have seen many of my friends use eyeliner, henna or just a marker to make their tattoo. However, if you’re interested in something more professional and long-lasting, there’s a technique for DIY tattoos using rubbing alcohol, eyeliner, tracing paper, talcum powder and liquid bandage spray.

What does a full sleeve tattoo mean in a dream? Often we can actually see the tattoo in the dream. To dream of a full sleeve tattoo reflects your attitude and recent behavior. This is about control of your life and is a message that you are capable of great things. To dream of a full sleeve on others indicates that you will be exploring your emotional side in life. The sleeve tattoo is common among men in waking life. It’s a large tattoo with a unified theme. To see a collection of tattoos that cover most of someone’s arm or the entire arm, from shoulder to wrist can imply that someone is trying to cover something up.

What does seeing a tattoo all over the body mean?

To see yourself covered up in tattoos in your dream, it represents a complete transformation of your mind, body, and spirit. Your personal growth is on the rise. Have you gone through some transformation process that changes you forever? Here are some dreams regarding the "type" of tattoo you had:

Traditional – born in the 1770s, after sailors, especially those who sailed with Captain James Cook got involved with communities with tattoos. They were inspired by their body art and decided to collect body art as mementos of their sail trips. As time flew by, the traditional style became more refined and used by famous American tattooists of the 19th century like Sailor Jerry. To see black and white (what I call traditional tattoos) indicate something changing in life. Realism – extremely popular, refined style. Although classic realism has been part of fine art since the Renaissance, the style found its way into the world of tattooing in the latter half of the 20th century and has been used ever since. I included this for information. I could not find a specific dream meaning on realism tattoos.

Watercolor – modern and popular style, highly demanded by the new generations of artists who are looking for something modern to match the new century. The practice of this style is quite simple – brush in watery pastels. The watercolor style tattoo in a dream can indicate a calm effect on your life. Tribal – one of the oldest and most preferred styles when it comes to body art. The style is a blending mix of multiple styles from different traditions, starting from aboriginal communities across the globe. Aside from these styles, we have the new school style, the Japanese style, and Neo-Traditional. In dreams, these mean spiritual enlightenment.

What does henna tattoos mean in a dream?

To dream of henna tattoo symbolizes good luck. Often, people have these dreams when they are going to enter a new phase in life. There are many variations in the design of this type of tattoo. The most used are the Arabic designs, the Indian and Pakistani mehndi designs. Women apply henna on their feet and hands. Historically, henna was used in parts of Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, parts of North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and the Horn of Africa. The name “henna” came from the original name of the henna plant used to produce henna. Sorry, I just love my facts. But as I said at the start, henna equals love or a new start.

What does it mean to dream of a tattoo artist?

To dream of being a tattoo artist reflects your unusual life choices. However, if you saw a tattoo artist in your dream, it means you’re obsessed with making a life change but you’re not sure where to start. Why not with change your living place and the people you hang out with? Or you can start with something simple like meditation.

What does it mean to dream of tattoo removal?

To dream of tattoo removal suggests that you’re going to find yourself in the middle of some bad situation in waking life. You will need to make a complex decision. Your dream also reflects your wish to gain back your old reputation, your credibility and your good name in society. More and more people get tattoos but according to statistics, the increased number of people who get tattoos is equal to people who choose to remove their tattoos. People these days have more new and sophisticated options when it comes to removing tattoos. New techniques are developed and give better results, meaning the risk when removing a tattoo is reduced. Most of these techniques include lasers. There are currently three types of lasers doctors use for tattoo removal: Ruby, YAG, and Alexandrite. They work on different pigment colors and compounds. To see yourself undergoing laser removal in a dream indicates that you have a “specific” goal in life that you wish to fulfill.

What does it mean to dream of the tattoo on the chest?

To dream of a tattoo on your chest denotes how you feel about your past experiences. Why are you constantly thinking about your past actions? Your dream reveals an obsession.

What does it mean to dream of a tattoo on the face?

To dream of a facial tattoo reveals your attempt to express your individuality and show who you really are. Your artistic soul and many talents can help you deliver your message.

What does a rose tattoo mean in a dream mean?

To dream of this type of tattoo represent timelessness, love, beauty, temperate passion, devotion, and protection. You act protectively around people you love but refuse their help when needed protection yourself. You believe your thorns are enough to protect yourself. Here are some examples of rose tattoos that could appear in your dream and the meaning.

  • Rose and Skull Tattoo: The skull symbolizes overcoming challenges, enemies, and death. In combination with rose, the tattoo signifies life after death – starting a new life or defeat an enemy.
  • Anchor and Rose Tattoo: This tattoo denotes a commitment to someone you love. These tattoos are preferred by sailors who also tattoo the name of their women along with some rose that represents the sailor’s respect for the woman.
  • Dagger and Rose Tattoo: The dagger signifies betrayal, death and ruthless, and combined with rose it reflects the person’s belief that good can never defeat evil.
  • Clock and Rose Tattoo: The clock can symbolize many things but the main one is time – it helps people track time, and their lives, therefore, the clock represent time. But combined with rose it represents something more romantic – endless love.
  • Dove and Rose Tattoo: These tattoos are usually tributes to a loved one who’s passed away. They represent the endless love of the wearer for the person gone.
  • Butterfly and Rose Tattoo: These represent the transformation in romance or love.
  • Rosary and Rose Tattoo: This is one of the most popular rose tattoo combinations. The tattoo is dedicated to Holy Mary and the person’s prayers dedicated to her.
  • Cherry Blossom and Rose Tattoo: A beautiful tattoo design that symbolizes whatever you want – love, beauty, family, your lover, your kids, or your pet. You name it!
  • Compass and Rose Tattoo: This tattoo, as you might assume, represent directions. The design is very popular among sailors who believe that the compass and the rose will protect and guide them through storms.

What does a flower tattoo in a dream?

To dream about flower tattoo means that you want to find a better way to express your feminine side. Your detailed dream interpretation depends on the type of flower you saw. Scroll down and check the types of flowers used in tattoos. Stop at the one you dreamed:

  • Lotus Tattoo: the lotus symbolizes better understanding, knowledge, enlightenment, and life.
  • Cherry Blossom Tattoo: used as a metaphor for limited living and fading beauty to remind you that you’re not immortal. It’s a common tattoo symbol among Japanese tattoo artists.
  • Mum Tattoo: this too is common among Japanese tattoo artist. It symbolizes perfection.
  • The Peony Flower Tattoo: a colorful symbolizes elegance, wealth and just as the previous two – it’s a common symbol of the Japanese style of tattooing.
  • Orchid Flower Tattoo: the orchid represents bravery, power, strength, prosperity, and fertility.

What does it mean to dream of getting a tattoo and regretting it?

To dream about regretting a tattoo you have in real life denotes your personal inner transformation. This dream also reflects the ending of some toxic relationship in waking life. One in four people regret their tattoo and most of them find comfort in their recklessness and immaturity. They claim to have been too young when they got their tattoos.

Your dream

  • See a tattoo on you. are
  • See your friend having a tattoo.
  • See yourself as a tattoo artist.
  • See a dragon tattoo being designed on you.
  • See yourself being scarred with needles.

Positive

  • Your dreams of having a tattoo show your sense of uniqueness and a will to stand out among others.
  • Seeing your friend (especially your man or woman) having a tattoo which they do not have in actual shows that he or she is trying to get your attention.
  • Your dream of being a tattoo artist tells that your choices in life are estranging people around you.
  • Dreaming of getting a tattoo of a dragon suggests your desire to seek attention.
  • If you find yourself getting a tattoo scared on you, this shows that in real life you are fighting with hardships.
  • You are getting a tattoo with one of your friends. This implies everlasting friendship.

Feelings that you may have encountered during a dream of a tattoo

Bold behavior, authoritative personality, rebellion, repression, and challenge are some of the feelings which you may encounter during such dreams.

By Flo Saul
Mar 19, 2013