My First Healing/Protection Tattoo

8.25.22 10am.

First and foremost, huge shout out to @Starseed Tattoos for creating this custom tattoo piece for me. My inspiration came from their protection talisman, in addition to my spiritual journey, my partner, and being drawn to healing tattoos. Mai Kue is a phenomenal artist, creator, and human being. She listened to my non-sense thoughts and was able to capture and create it into such an artistic, intimate, and strong talisman.

The three red diamonds at the top and two red diamonds at the bottom symbolize the joss paper that I use on my shaman altar. The two dragons/snakes are the actual depictions of my very own tswb neeb / shaman finger bells. These are the bells I received from my master, which is a special ritual and ceremony passed down from one shaman to their apprentice. In the center it incorporates twelve inner dots that just so happen to symbolize 12 tshooj ntug and three inner circles symbolizing the three souls of a human.

To the sides of the dragons/snakes are my Hmong divination horns, also known as "kuam neeb." In the tattoo, the horns are closed inwards, meaning that the spirits confirm protection is activated. The entire circular shape created by the dragons/snakes and the lines around it, including the pointer at the very top, symbolizes my txhiab neeb or shaman pewter staff. It shows my txhiab neeb capturing the three human souls (three inner circles), concluding a shaman healing ritual. I am drawn to the different meanings it provides for me and the energy it releases. It is a protection talisman incorporating Hmong shaman symbols.