Out of all the different religions and belief systems, perhaps none have such strong associations with the exotic and mystical as Buddhism holds for those in the West. Images of ancient monasteries perched on Tibetan cliffs, hidden from the world and holding the keys to enlightenment are conjured. This, of course, is not the whole story.  

The Buddhist tradition arose 2500 years ago in India, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a wealthy prince who renounced his extravagant lifestyle in favor of an existence of poverty and deprivation. When this path didn’t fulfill him he created the “Middle Way”, a method of existing without luxuries but also not embracing abject poverty. After six years of meditation Siddhartha reached enlightenment and became the Buddha, spreading his knowledge and approach to life with all that would listen.  

There are a number of different symbols used in the different forms of Buddhism, but the unalome is interesting for a number of reasons. These lovely designs represent the path to enlightenment: the spirals in these designs represent the various twists and turns though out life, and the straight portion refers to the instant that enlightenment is achieved. The dots at the end of the design represent death and the moment life fades to black.  

Most common in the Theravada Buddhism of South East Asia, the unalome makes for great tattoos thanks to their simple, elegant shape and the practically endless ways they can be incorporated into body art.  

1. Black Unalome Tattoos

Many people prefer bold colors in their tattoos, and while there is nothing wrong with vibrant ink, some designs really don’t need it. In the traditional sacred tattoo process of South East Asia known as Sak Yant the unalome is a common element, and as these tattoos use only black (or sometimes blue) ink this style translates perfectly to these interesting shapes.