"Hi there, fellow horses. I stumbled across your blog some 6 months ago and have ever since checked in regularly to get a bite of dharma-burger. This is my contribution to 'body vows':

"After decades of making the same mistakes I decided it was time to take first steps to self improvement, through buddhist meditation. I realize this is going to take a lifetime, but one of the first goals I set for myself was to gain CONFIDENCE. In search for a reminder and something to symbolize this I repeatedly came across the Tiger, one of the four dignities in tibetan buddhism.

"The Tiger abides in the South, symbolizing unconditional confidence, disciplined awareness, kindness and modesty. Now this is my first tattoo, and it surely won't be the last, since there is much to learn and improve on, right folks?

"Here's a link to my punkrock myspace, for those interested: www.myspace.com/primudd"

Much thanks, Guy.

"I was already resolved to get inked with a Dharma tattoo before I saw FRAN’s 'Om Mani Padme Hum' around her ankle (Body Vows: Part II). My tattoo has basically the same text, colours and (possibly) motivation.

"I said to tattooist Dan Gold star of reality show “London Ink”,  'I would like an Om-Mani-Padme-Hum tattoo please.' He pointed to his own neck and replied, 'Like this one?' and said I would get a discount for this design!

"The mantra spirals around my leg from the side of my knee down to the front of my ankle. Dan Gold is a tattooist but he told me that he considers himself to be an artist first and foremost; I let him play around with the design a little, and I am very happy with the end result.

"With Metta,
"Stuart Dubois, London UK"

Thanks -- and metta back -- Stuart!

While on a recent retreat, he "noticed that there was some really cool ink being sported by some of the retreatants. I asked each to pose for photographs; they all obliged and [these] are the results."

Cool stuff! See'em here.

Oh, and while we're talkin' bout Konchog, he also sends a new Dharma-Burger -- just the latest appropriation of the word "mantra." His email's subject line was "Om My God." We've seen worse, but still... yee-gads.

"I picked the Dharma Wheel so it would help me be more mindful of the Buddha's teachings. I haven't been practicing long and thought this was a good expression of my beliefs. I found this design and will have it colored in sometime in the future. Thanks for your site - you bring great joy to me!"

And you bring great joy (and ink) to the Horse, Kimberly. Thanks so much.

[It's] "The Golden Fish, on my left shoulder, done by Byron at Black Lotus Tattoers.

"The golden fish symbolizes the auspiciousness of all living beings in a state of fearlessness, without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings, and migrating from place to place freely and spontaneously, just as fish swim freely without fear through water."

Thanks again for sending it, Gavin.

And while we're talking links, here's one of our favorite bloggers on his new practice tattoo. (Thanks to Ross WMB.)

And here's an interview by Tokyo Mango, with the Dalai Lama's little brother. (Thanks to Erin F.) Now, that is one heck of an interview.

"The lotus was my first dharma tattoo.  It is very special to me because it is the first 'affirmation' of my choice to follow the dharma and consider myself a buddhist.  The symbol of the lotus has always been very special to me.  The lotus roots grow deep into the mud, the strong stem, however, breaks through the strong mud to allow the beautiful flower to bloom.  This is symbolic of the ability of the dharma to lift us out of the mud of everyday existence and to bloom."

"The dharma wheel was my most recent tattoo.  It was done by Francois and Senzala tattoos in Old San Juan, PR.  I love this tattoo, because it is very visible to me.  It is a daily reminder of the fourth noble truth and my commitment to end suffering through the eightfold path."

Thanks for sending 'em, Jeremy!

He explains that it says, "anitya," adding, "I tell folks it's a Buddhist practical joke. " (Get it?)

Dale also adds, "theworsthorse.net is a wonderful site. you always makes me smile. please keep up the great work."

Thanks, Dale. With so many nice contributions from so many cool people like you, it's easy to keep it up.

As she writes:

"I have 5 tattoos in all. They’ve become more ornate as my practice grew.

"It started with "karma" on my right shoulder, and then it was the peace symbol on my left. Next I got the endless knot. After that I designed my own take on the golden fish. I wanted them to be intertwined in a type of eternity symbol instead of swimming head to head as usually depicted. My latest is Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.

"I would eventually like to get all of the eight auspicious symbols. The next will be the lotus. Blue, I think."

Cool, Amy keep going. And thanks for sending.

...by the way, it should be noted that sometimes the Horse gets emails that, um, take exception with Buddhists getting Buddhist tattoos. Here's one such example (with name withheld and typos uncorrected):

"just seen your buddha tattoo's and found that its a big shame to think that you all need tattoos on order for you all to remember your so called faith, Buddhas are pure and im supprised you dont think it is so disrespectful to put buddhas pure images on bodies that at some point get dirty, smelly and sweaty, you should all have more respect and faith."

OK. So that's one such opinion. But what do YOU think?

She writes:

"This tattoo is by Sunday Dawne-Marie of Lark Tattoo in Westbury, NY. Its the endless knot placed inside of a skeleton key. This is one of the eight auspicious symbols, the lines remind us that everything is inter-connected in the universe, and that there is no beginning or end. To me this is the basis of all understanding, and I am grateful for this constant reminder."

Very cool, Carol-Anne. Thanks so much for sending it.

He writes:

Here is another practice tattoo I just got.

It is the Dharma Wheel, I got it to remind me of the Noble Eightfold Path. The artist is Conan Lea.

Thanks for sending it, Erin -- it's gorgeous. (And so is Lea's other work!)

You'll find attached an image showing my Heart Sutra tattoo. It can be read "Form is Emptiness" and also "Emptiness is Form" since it's circular and therefore recursive. I wanted it plain and unadorned and that's exactly what I got.

It comes from Pain and Wonder in Athens, Georgia.

Thanks, DB!

Thanks to reader Erin who sends on this shot of her gorgeous Buddha tattoo. She writes:

Thanks for sending it, Erin.

You'll find plenty more practice tattoos not just on this blog, but in the Body Vows archives. Just check the "Graze" section on the bottom of the homepage.

She writes:

I had wanted this tattoo for 10 years, had thought of it often.  I took vows 10 years ago but in the last 5 years my practice has slipped after the birth of a child.  So, I got this on my left knee and an OM on the right knee.  They are both in spots where my hands rest for meditation.  It is in spot that reminds me to practice more often.

Thanks, Aleathia. Looks like it was worth the wait.

They used to say that if you were parodied in Mad magazine, you'd made it. These days, not so much.

By the way: if you haven't, be sure to check out our Dolla interview, here. Dolla rules.

Hi, I'm Gary from the UK and I noticed the features you have as regarding tattoos relating to Buddhism.

I have two so far, one on either bicep. On my left arm I have what is basically a half sleeve Koi, representing the courage to battle adversity and to attain one's goals against the flow of the tide, so to speak.

On my right arm I have an image of Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of Practice and compassion.

Both provide a certain inspiration and reminder of fundamental values that many of us implement each day.

Koi done by Jerry at Positive Vibrations, Albufeira, Portugal (six hour sitting)

Samantabhadra done by Sjef (www.chefdetattoo.nl),