Tattoos and spirituality have an ancient relationship. The first records of tattoos are as old as the pyramids, and they were believed to instill real power in the wearer.
Tattoos were also important to the tradition of Polynesian cultures, as they were used to track and record a person’s spiritual journey. In the same way, you can use our kundalini tattoo ideas to find the best way to commemorate your own process.
In this article, we’ll explore these kundalini tattoo ideas:
- Serpent
- Shiva & Shakti
- 7 Chakras
- Caduceus
- Kundalini Mantra
- Kundalini Mudra
- Less Common Symbols
Why might you get a Kundalini tattoo?
Of course, tattoos are also an expression of individuality and have their aesthetic value – but that’s only part of the story.
The tattoos on our list can help remind you of your true goal and path, which is expanding your consciousness and progressing in spirituality.
I personally have a tattoo which was a vow that I will never repeat a damaging habit and addiction I once had. During weak periods, this tattoo easily became the only reason why I kept my promise.
If you’re currently feeling inspired, it can seem impossible that you’ll ever give up. But we all have our weaknesses and once the good emotions stop running or our support system fails us, we can easily get pulled back into the materialistic life, and stop our spiritual journey.
Having a kundalini tattoo can help you set an intention that you’ll never give up on your spiritual journey, regardless of any external or internal factors.
These particular kundalini tattoo ideas include both the kundalini symbols and parts of the Kundalini Yoga practice, in the hope that every person will find something that resonates with them.
Without further ado, let’s help you find a perfect tattoo.
1. Serpent
The principal symbol of kundalini is a snake. It is said kundalini energy is coiled at the base of the spine just like a snake, and that it uses snake-like movements to raise up towards the crown.
Snake’s shedding of the skin can also represent Kundalini awakening, as we are also born anew in this process.
The great thing about snakes is that you can use them in a variety of different images to make the tattoo original and yours. You could combine it with other ideas from this list, or other natural or yogic imagery.
The placement of the tattoo can also help guide your ideas – for example, maybe you’d like a small snake behind your ear or a large tattoo of a serpent wrapping around your leg.
When you think about it, you can really get creative with this one and allow both the kundalini symbology and your personality to shine through.
2. Shiva and Shakti
Kundalini awakening is often explained as the union of Shiva and Shakti within our body.
Shakti represents the feminine principle and resides in the Root Chakra, and Shiva resides in the Crown. By raising our energy from the root to the crown, we are symbolically marrying Shiva and Shakti, or the two polarities within each one of us.
If you are interested in the Hindu deities and would prefer to tattoo a human form on your body rather than only a symbol or an animal, maybe Shiva and Shakti are a good idea for you.
You can get very creative with this one. Opt for separate portraits or full-body tattoos of Shiva and Shakti on different parts of your body – like the left and right arm. Or, tattoo them on your back embraced in a hug.
You could also go for the image of Ardhanarishvara, which is a depiction of Shiva as half male and half female, therefore representing the unification of Shiva and Shakti.
3. The 7 Chakras
If you want to tattoo something that will never lose its meaning then chakras are a foolproof choice.
Yes, they may not be the most original tattoo idea, but who says you need to be original?
Each one of us has this system of 7 energy centers within us, and it can represent our connectedness in the age of individuality – all of us have the innate capability to awaken and expand our consciousness.
Far more important than doing something unique is tattooing something that has a meaning, and the chakra system has one that is universal and essential.
The 7 chakras are closely related to kundalini, as the kundalini energy rises from the Muladhara (root) center through the other 5 chakras to finally reach the Crown where it “blossoms”, expanding our consciousness and connecting us with the divine.
There are endless tattoo designs you can create with the chakras alone.
Get all 7, only one, complex images or only Sanskrit symbols – you can get as elaborate or minimal as you want with these.
You can also combine them with the other Kundalini tattoo ideas from this list too, like the serpent or Shiva’s Ardhanarishvara form.
4. Caduceus
Another kundalini symbol that is closely related to the serpent is the Caduceus or the Staff of Hermes. You might have seen this symbol as it is now used to represent modern medicine, but its real meaning is kundalini awakening.
The staff in this symbol represents the human spine and the sushumna nadi.
The two coiled snakes which wrap around the staff represent the duality of the feminine and masculine, which we are able to unify in this process of awakening.
They also reference to ida and pingala nadis through which the kundalini energy raises to meet at the Third Eye chakras. At the top of the symbol, you can see two wings, which represent the completed process of kundalini awakening.
This may be a great tattoo idea for you if you’re into esoteric knowledge and love exploring the hidden meaning behind art and symbols.
It can look great both as a tiny or a full-back tattoo and can be done in a variety of styles to stay in tune with your vibe and taste!
5. Kundalini Mantra
If you love text tattoos, one of the best kundalini tattoo ideas is a mantra.
Many mantras are used in the process of Kundalini Yoga. If you want to get a kundalini tattoo, we’re sure you already have experience with these mantras, but here are a few of the most popular ones to remind you:
- Adi Mantra – Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
- Mangala Charn Mantra – Ad Guray Nameh Jugad Gurey Nameh Sat Guray Nameh Siri Guru Devay Nameh
- Siri Gaitri Mantra – Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
- Panj Shabad – Sa Ta Na Ma
These are only our ideas, and there are countless other mantras to choose from. A lot could be said about this topic – and we discussed it in more detail in this article.
But for the purpose of this guide – we think a personal connection with the mantra is just as important as its translation or purpose.
It’s common that practitioners can feel particularly connected to a specific mantra in their practice. Did you ever practice a kriya and chanted a mantra that just can’t get out of your head? Maybe that’s the perfect tattoo for you.
You can tattoo mantras in English or Sanskrit, make it small or large – text tattoos are great for their versatility, and they never get old.
6. Kundalini Mudra
Mudras are an essential part of kundalini kriyas or sequences of movements that are practiced for an intended purpose.
Kundalini Yoga particularly uses hasta mudras or hand gestures. These are used to direct our energy, but also to set an intention for the practice and to help us increase our focus.
Just like with mantras – there are countless kundalini mudras to choose from. Find inspiration in your own practice or in our large library of hasta mudras where you can virtually all mudras used in Kundalini Yoga and beyond.
This could be a great pick if you are looking for more unique kundalini tattoo ideas. You can do a simplistic mudra tattoo, or combine it with other imagery from yoga or nature.
7. Less common symbols
Other items on this list can be easily associated with kundalini, and all of them, except for Caduceus, are related to the eastern practice.
However, kundalini was also a part of gnostic knowledge of the east and there are many alchemical symbols hidden in esoteric and Christian imagery. If you want more unique kundalini tattoo ideas, this is a fantastic field to explore.
For example, a pomegranate is a symbol of kundalini energy, and so is an eight-pointed morning star.
The Holy Grail is another symbol that became associated with kundalini energy.
The Iris flower and pine cone can look amazing on tattoos and they both symbolise the pineal gland, or the third eye – the place where the two energies in our body meet and unite in the process of Kundalini Awakening.
Trees and pillars can represent the spine holding the awakened kundalini energy.
In old imagery, fig and palm trees were used especially for this purpose, and when two pillars were present instead of one, they would represent the feminine and the masculine, as well as the ida and pingala nadis.
You can use these kundalini tattoo ideas on their own or combine them with other symbols and tattoos to create cool compositions.
More on kundalini
We hope our list gave you tons of awesome ideas to celebrate your dedication to the path of kundalini awakening. We have covered tons more about the topic of kundalini on our website – click here to expand your knowledge further.