can be, how many things have been rewritten and etched into my
flesh over years. I want to continue the evolution of this practise.
There are a few tattoos I have that when I see them now I say
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Have you ever looked in
the mirror and thought “Well maybe I got a little too carried
away with this?”
Not at all, this is an integral part of my identity, I feel a greater
sense of unity and peace with who I am, the more tattoos I get. The
blackwork/ scarification is an idea that I have thought out for many
years now, it feels very fulfilling to finally be getting further in the
completion of this project. I love the ritual aspect of it, the mental
discipline the process demands, to me it feels transcendent, heal-
ing, an intensely palpable and wordless language that teaches
volumes to the soul. It spits out all that was dark and loveless, re-
gurgitates memories, reminds and reassures of what was gained
and how you grew from such times and invigorates the flesh and
everything within, it rattles you up a bit and reminds you how strong
you are, as a human, offers a surge of thriving new potential. Whilst
it is happening it’s unavoidable to get totally locked into the pres-
ent, concentrating on every pulse and sensation and breaking down
its impact. My soul devours these moments and the sense memo-
ries are forever etched into my mind as well as skin. It is the great-
est sense of being alive I’ve ever known, I don’t always deal with it
placidly twiddling my thumbs and chanting ‘Om Shanti’ mantras with
a deluded grin on my face, many times it is insanely challenging, I
am always learning with it. The mental discipline it gifts me with is
staggering, sometimes I am melted by the emotions it’s brought to
the surface. The marriage of pleasure and pain, reclaiming the body
and reaffirming connection with forces beyond this daily life can
be a really surreal thing. Not every session has been like this but
enough have, to the point where I treat this ritual with religious pas-
sion, it is undeniably cathartic and to be respected at all costs.
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