My first tattoo, a blessing from a monk

When I first entered the room I counted only ten other people but within the hour the room had reached its maximum capacity.   I sat next to a nice lady who spoke a bit of English.  She was there with her husband, their two sons, and a friend.  In her limited English she made me understand that this was a very special day for them as they would all finally be blessed and tattooed by the monk.  They had been waiting for this day for a long time.  She was understandably curious about me and why I was there.
“Are you nervous?” she asked.
“Yes I am very nervous, it’s my first time”.  I replied.
I returned the same question “what about you, are you nervous?”
“I am very nervous that it will hurt, it is also my first time” she said in a concerned voice.
“We will give each other support” I added looking into her eyes with kindness.
And then the real questions that I was afraid of began…  “Are you a Buddhist?” she asked warily.  She probably wanted to know if I had the right intentions for being there.
“I am not a Buddhist but I believe in Buddhist philosophy” I replied confidently.
“Do you believe in the magic of the tattoo?” she asked again.
I wanted to answer correctly.  I wanted to show respect for the tradition but I wasn’t necessarily attached to all of the superstitious beliefs that it carried.  This was obviously a very important day for them in a very religious sort of way.  For me it was also important but in an adventurous sort of way.  I was getting a much desired souvenir of my solo round-the-world trip.
“I believe everything is possible” I replied.
She smiled and I smiled back, it seemed she was satisfied with my answer and I had her approval to be there.
After the friendly interrogation the woman and her family had warmed up to me.  I had new friends and would not be going through this experience completely alone.  I was happy.  I was also relieved to not be the first one in line so I could watch the process and people’s reactions to the pain as they began to be marked.  I wondered how it would feel against my own body as I awaited my turn.  I noticed the monk was switching from the bamboo needle to the machine depending on whose turn it was.  I later found out that he’d recently began using the machine to help speed things up as he’d become very popular.  I watched him use it on younger women (in their 20’s) and men.  The traditional bamboo needle was used on the married  women (30’s to 50’s) who were marked with invisible palm oils.  Apparently there is still a stigma on women getting tattooed in Thai society.  I had no idea if he would use the bamboo or the machine on me, a non-Thai woman who looked to be well over 30.

For years I had wanted to get a tattoo but not just any tattoo, I wanted it to be special.  I thought that it would be great to get it done during my travels so that it would remind me of my solo journey around the world.  I gave some thought to a couple of different symbols and the different places where I could have them placed on my body.  I just wasn’t quite sure when and where it would all happen.  One day, while reading one of my favorite travel blogs (in preparation for my trip), I chanced upon a story on Sak Yant.  I became so interested in this ancient art that I continued to search more into the topic and was quickly convinced that this was the type of tattoo I wanted to get.
Sak Yant is a form of tattooing practiced in South East Asia, mostly in Thailand and Cambodia.  Sak means to tap or tattoo in Thai and Yant is how the Thai refer to the Sanskrit word Yantra; which is a geometric design that is used as a tool in concentration or meditation.  Sak Yant is a 2000+ year old ancient magical practice done by some Buddhist monks who become Ajarns- masters in the tradition of Sak Yant- and who do the ritual in specific temples in Thailand.  The tattoo is traditionally done using a sharp bamboo needle and a special ink recipe that is said to contain snake venom, charcoal, palm oil and other unknown ingredients.  Apparently the Ajarn keeps the exact recipe mix a secret.  The Ajarn will decide what symbol and where to tattoo it on the person’s body based on a quick reading of the person.  If you were to do a private ceremony, then the Ajarn would do it based on whatever he believes you need after you share your personal story with him.  Lucky for me it seemed that he always chose the back first.  The tattoo images are based on Buddhist, Animist and Brahman beliefs. These tattoos are believed to give the wearer luck, strength and protection from evil.  In ancient times they were given to warriors to protect them in battles.  Nowadays they are sought by true believers but have also become popular with tourists who try to get them in tattoo parlors in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.  These tend to be conveniently located near bars where people end up after a night of drinking.  This to me does not seem to be the true practice, but to each their own.
I decided that if I was going to go through with this then I wanted to follow the tradition as legitimately as possible.  I would find one of these Ajarns that carried on the ancient tradition in the country.  I learned about Wat Bang Phra a temple that only focuses on this special practice and where Thai believers go to get theirs done.  The main Sak Yant Ajarn at the temple is Master Luang Pi Nunn.  He gives over forty tattoos a day everyday.
After about an hour of waiting, my turn came up.  I slid myself across the floor over to the monk while keeping a kneeling pose.  I understood that as a woman I could not look at him in the eyes or talk to him.  I pressed my hands together against my chest in prayer mudra and brought them up to my forehead while respectfully bowing down to the monk.  I was following what everyone else had done prior to me.  I proceeded to sit in front of the monk giving him my back.  He had other plans and wanted me to sit with my left side facing him but since he could not touch me he grabbed a marker and began poking me to make me rotate.  I was so nervous I barely knew what to do but his two assistants helped me get in the right position.  It was a very awkward moment to say the least.  Everyone in the room seemed curious to see if the foreigner would follow all protocols correctly.  I leaned over and clutched the big pillow provided as the assistants held my neck down and pulled the skin on my upper back tightly with their hands.  Master Luang Pi Nunn turned on the machine and I braced myself for the pain that was about to be inflected upon my flesh.  I took a deep breath and tried to imagine being on a nice beach but my effort was futile, the horrible pain quickly destroyed the mental image and brought me back to reality.  The monk used a piece of cloth to separate his hand from my skin to avoid any touching.

For the actual logistics to get there… it is rather easy if you follow instructions as given on this blog www.wheresidewalksend.com.  Once you manage to arrive there you head to the back of the complex where you will see the small temple and a table just outside of it where you find a lady selling offerings.  You are expected to buy at least one offering to donate to the temple in exchange for your tattoo.  The small gift contained a pack of cigarettes, orchids and a box of incense.  The cost was 75 baht; approximately US$2 at the time.

Once you enter the temple you go to the room on the second floor where everyone else will be waiting.  You place your offering plus an additional money donation inside a bowl placed in the middle of the floor.  The Thai people were offering 20 baht so I left 40 baht (foreigner tax included) just to be safe.