I remember when I was in high-school that I had a goal to "attach" to my body a piece of art in the name of a tattoo, I was about 16 I guess when the brilliant idea came to my mind. I was thinking back then about a cross on my back, like Tupac had, and a Only God can judge me message that would make me feel me more than it would without that... thing.
Luckily I haven't done that and I am proud of myself. I now wouldn't appreciate this on my back at all and it would be almost impossible to wipe it out and would probably cost a lot too. There are though plenty of people choosing to paint their bodies with all sort of "meaningful tattoos" and I'm not against that. It's their skin, their pain they're image...
I don't like though seeing tattooed Buddhas and "ZENs"... and some other spiritual symbols or avatars at every corner on any arm or leg that doesn't have a clue about what ZEN might be. I don't see the point, when this comes from people that have absolutely no clue what ZEN is, who the fuck Buddha was or at least have a glimpse of his teaching. I am very dogmatic when it comes to spirituality. Either you know what you're talking about or you keep your mouth shut and learn. I don't like the glass half full when it comes to this topic.
I don't decide though on what people should paint their skin with. I do feel like becoming a bit sarcastic with such gentes that are pretending to be spiritual when they're not and when they only seek social recognition, a bit of attention and thousands of like on social media platforms withe their tattoos and copy pasted quotes. I don't know if English has this word but we call it "kitsch" in our language and that's how I feel about their ZENs and Buddhas.
We are though in the era of masks and a constant thirst to self recognition in this mad society thus we try decorating such masks as colorful as we can and as attractive as we can. They're still masks though... it's not ZEN and no we're not monks or Buddhas by having one "painted on the back". We might become famous on instagram with such an image but nothing more than that. Ultimately we are Buddhas in an infinite sea of Zen but it has nothing to do with the one we've painted on our bodies. It's just another tool for strengthening our egos and false self.
Nothing more than that...
Thanks for attention,
Adrian
