What defines you as a YOU? Is it the car you drive, the clothes you wear, where you live, the work you do? Is it your friends, family, your name, your star-sign or numerology?
In our quest for finding some uniqueness, to what lengths to do we go to stand out in a crowd, to add character as such?
Grow your hair, colour your hair, shave your head, grow a beard, shave your beard and hair into odd patterns, get piercings, maybe even tattoos?
Let’s see… I’ve done the whole long hair thing. It was interesting but a lot of maintenance. My hair changes colour of it’s own accord due to the seasons. I shave my head in Summer. I have a beard and it’s shaved to outline just my jaw-line until it joins the traditional goatee; funky designs are too much hassle to maintain. And piercings just don’t do it for me.
Something I have toyed with for some time now (upwards of 7 years) is the idea of a tattoo, but to be honest, I’ve never seen any in the usual catalogues that don’t… well… look overdone and boring. Yes, everyone seems to go for the whole tribal tattoo trend… or the opposite extreme with full (body) sleeves… All I ever wanted was something that defines me, the duality of me and something that I’m not afraid to show people. In other words, something tasteful and inconspicuous.
So, if I look at myself, the first thing most people pick up on, other than physical characteristics, is that I am one of those mixed up individuals that fall under the Gemini star-sign. The second, is my love for a certain animal… the wolf. The third is my love of myth and legend.
When I was in Cape Town recently, Rob and I sat looking through deviantART at different designs and I think I’ve found the one for me, should I ever be brave enough to want to permanently stain my flesh:
To me, at least, it’s neat and simple and rather symbolic for me. The wolf is a constant in my life, being my favourite animal and the one I aspire to be like in certain aspects of my life. For instance, the wolf is a very family orientated animal. They mate for life, are fiercely protective of their family… The following sums up quite a bit for me about certain aspects of myself:
The wolf is charged with a vast range of symbolic values which are always felt to be powerful and consequently important.
The wolf is perhaps purely “the beast”, which appears from nowhere, wreaks devastation, and vanishes without trace, leaving carnage in its wake. In mythology, its role is sometimes benevolent, sometimes evil. The wolf sees in the dark, so is symbolic of light and the sun. The wolf can be the solitary hero who defies the hunters. It is a symbol of intelligence and courage.
In dreams, the wolf acquires the importance that we attribute to it. It is often a part of the self, positive or negative. It can represent solitude and self-absorption, and retreat from relations with others, but it can symbolize instinct too; the instinct that certain people can only keep locked inside. The wolf can also represent a “devouring” character that we carry within us, a father or mother for instance. It often represents a social character of this nature, for a man may be “a wolf towards other men or women, but a wolf seldom behaves badly towards other wolves”. Wolves are fiercely loyal to their mates, and have a strong sense of family while maintaining individualism. In the stars, Wolf is represented by the Dog, Sirius, thought by many aboriginal tribes to be the home of the “Ancients.” It seems to be through this connection that Wolf has come to be associated with ancient teachings. The wolf is held in very high esteem, as they are used as totems and representative of clans.
Wolves are probably the most misunderstood of the wild animals. Tales of cold bloodedness abound, in spite of the their friendly, social and intelligent traits. They are truly free spirits even though their packs are highly organized. They seem to go out of their way to avoid a fight. One is rarely necessary when a shift in posture, a growl, or a glance gets the point across quite readily. Traditionally, someone with Wolf Medicine has a strong sense of self, and communicates well through subtle changes in voice inflection and body movements.They often find new solutions to problems while providing stability and support that one normally associates with a family structure.
There are also other meanings attributed such as the ones listed at these sites:
Wolf and Raven, to the North Americans are seen as teachers or pathfinders. I’ve been a teacher, both while studying and professionally, and to some I am a pathfinder of sorts, even if only as a ‘conscience check’ now and again.
Visually, no differentiation is made between the symbols of a raven, a rook or a crow. The symbol of the crow signifies that the bearer is someone who is watchful and vigilant for friends. It has also been associated with being crafty and strategic, to the disadvantage of one’s enemies.
To be honest, it also just strikes me as a symbol of enigma and mystery. Some more of the symbolism behind Raven can be found here: http://www.askyewolfe.com/symbolism-raven.html
Raven has other meanings for me too. It reminds me of many of the books I’ve read that have affected me over the years. From Edgar Allen Poe’s works (“The Raven” being one of the most poignant) to the likes of Charles de Lint’s “Someplace To Be Flying“, to the various stories from Arthurian, Celtic and Norse myth and legend.
The chosen image, interestingly enough, also makes for an nice and fresh alternative to the old traditional Yin-Yang imagery.
We’ll see… I don’t know if I’m quite ready to mark myself permanently yet, but if I do, I’d like to think that in doing so, I am doing so with a mark that correctly defines who I am or who I wish to be. And I think this is indeed the correct one for the job.
I think I can sum it up as an anime-themed forum turned web-based MMO.