Hello everyone. This is my first post on here. I’m pleased to have found you.

I’m 19 years old and have been very keen on getting inked for about two years. I’ve given it time and much thought – mainly to be sure as, at 17, dawdling indecision isn’t out of the ordinary (not that two years can validly be seen as a long time compared to a tattoo that will live for as long as I do!) – and I am certain that this is what I want. I always knew deep down that somehow, someday I would end up tattooed, and I would like this artistic and expressive process to commence sooner rather than later!

Since tattoos should presumably say a lot about me as a unique individual, I have always been allured by meaningful, philosophical ink, either as obscure words (apophthegms, quotes etc.) or symbols. The particular ‘theme’ that works for me is liberty. Freedom of the mind, freedom of adventurous pursuit, freedom of expression, and so on. And equally the transition or journey from being figuratively ‘locked’ or constrained to attaining that freedom and self-knowledge. Whether this means anything to you at all is obviously irrelevant; it’s its importance to me that counts.

The tattoo I would like is on my upper arm (my cousin’s first tattooist said that’s the best place to start, although that isn’t the reason I want one there) with γνῶθι σαυτόν in a large, calligraphic style at the very top, just below my shoulder, a large symbolic representation of freedom/liberation and/or adventure/(self-)discovery, followed by “A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages” in another language (most probably Arabic or Persian). Here is an in-depth analysis of the semantic subtleties of the adage:

“The last thing ‘being wild’ means is seeking drug-thrills or being promiscuous. Wild does not mean hanging out in a bar, getting drunk, and wrecking your new car in a cow pasture. Wild is not about your gang slipping into the school at night and trashing the hallways and running off into the night howling with feral laughter. Wild is about real adventure, either in the world, or in the mind. Understanding that WikiHow is about answers and not questions, our task is to think out a 12 step plan, a ‘how-to’ that teaches the caged bird to fly free, and the free bird to accept the limitless sky. Go forth and unleash your heart.

Begin by considering the essence of Tenessee Williams’ quote. The quote precedes this article. There are two implied characters. The wild at heart who is “caged”, and the wild at heart who has managed to ‘fly free’. But, there are two conditions implied here as well. Ought we not to also consider what it means to be ‘caged’ rather than ‘free?’ And what is ‘free’ after all? How you perceive freedom makes all the difference between contentment and discontentment. Freedom exists as much in being amongst those around you as it does in being away from them. Once you accept this, it will be easier to stop feeling overwhelmed by company and the busyness of the world.”

My problem, though, is I don’t know what symbol or representation I could have for the concept of freedom or self-knowledge. I’m very open to suggestions (I’m mainly thinking on the lines of an animal or an actual shape/symbol that is emblematic of those notions). The only thing I’ve come up with is a lion (which relates to my real life name too), but I’m not overly satisfied. I would prefer an actual symbol, if possible. Up to now, the proposals have been a pair of chained hands releasing a dove or a woman (Virgin Mary) with chained hands releasing a dove (not that I’m religious at all, just that it’s a nice, fitting touch and covers up more space. By all means, make alternative suggestions if you have any).

Could any of you wise and wonderful folks help an ink virgin out? All help is welcome and much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.