Sun Moon Star Tattoos

Meaning of Sun Moon Star Tattoos

Sun moon star tattoos gather together central astrological themes of the universe in some of the most beautiful artwork ever inked into flesh. You can enjoy these tats simply for their ethereal beauty, or you can delve into the deeper meaning of each element in the design.

The Sun

The sun happens to be a very powerful symbol in its own right, perhaps one of the greatest symbols of all. After all, our world is dependent on the sun to keep our atmosphere livable. Without it, permanent winter and darkness would descend, and it wouldn't take very long for every living thing on Earth to perish.

This is probably why you can find some form of sun worship across nearly every culture on the planet. Just think about the ancient Egyptian's worship of Ra, the sun god. The Romans, Greeks and Aztecs also gave this deity its due. Even modern civilization has its own form of sun worship. Just drop by any beach at the height of summer to find a bevy of bikini clad beach goers attempting to bronze themselves with the sun's fiery fingers.

In astrological terms, the sun represents Yang energy, which is masculine in nature.

The Moon

The moon plays Yin to the sun's Yang. This astrological body is feminine in energy, and is considered a symbol of the feeling side of human nature.

As a deity, moon worship is even older than sun worship. Consider Isis, the goddess symbolic of the moon in ancient Egyptian culture. She actually predates sun worshipers. The phases of the moon were also noted by the ancients to have a direct affect on the Earth. The moon's gravitational pull governs the tides, and her distinct phases were also used to create the first calendars civilization had ever known. In fact, some cultures and religions, still follow the lunar calendar.

Moon tattoos make glorious use of this astrological body in all her phases. Designs include full moons, crescent moons and everything in between.

The Stars

Stars have never truly been considered deities, but they still hold certain meanings, depending on the number of points they have. In general, stars are viewed as embodiments of divine power, lighting the way in the darkness. They can be considered symbols of goodness and truth.

Meanings of star points:

• Five points: This star is symbolic of the universal elements of air, earth, water, fire and spirit.
• Six points: This star is symbolic of God's interaction with the human race.
• Seven points: This star has a mystical quality. Think of "lucky seven" ideology.
• Eight points: This star has long been thought of as a symbol of rebirth and regeneration.
• Nine points: This star signifies achievement.

Design Ideas

Sun moon star tats are widely open to interpretation, so you can create your personal design just about any way you can think of. Here are a few suggestions.

The Lovers

Since the sun and moon are naturally masculine and feminine, it's not hard to imagine them entwined as lovers in a single sphere. You can sprinkle their children, the stars, all around them.

Opposites

Again using a sphere, think of it as a face, and divide it into two halves. One side of the face belongs to the sun with his fiery hair, the other belongs to the moon, whose hair is made of fine trails of stars.

Solar Eclipse

Just as the moon moves between the Earth and the sun during a solar eclipse, you can place your moon over your sun to partially obscure it from view. Sprinkle your stars around the image as you like.

Tattoo Sleeves

Sun moon star designs make wonderful fodder for full tattoo sleeves. You can work in your sun and moon amongst a trailing swirl of stars and other astrological bodies of your choosing.