Inktober 5: 11:11

New ink

A few years ago I got my name tattooed on my left wrist. I have the same number of letters in my first and last names, so I plugged them into an ambigram generator online and took the design to a tattoo shop. The design is bold and takes up my whole wrist. It catches people’s eyes and they ask me about it, then I whip out my party trick. “It says my first name this way,” I say, holding my hand up to the sky. Then I flip my wrist and lower my hand to the ground, “and my last name this way.” And much gasping ensues. “No way!” They invariably say, “let me see that again the other way.” 

Today I got a much smaller, more humble tattoo on my right wrist. It is meant to remind me to be present in the moment. But it also symbolizes a balance to me: while my left wrist represents my ego and connection to self, my right wrist represents the oneness of the universe and the connection to the collective consciousness.

We live in a dualistic existence, where everything has its opposite. It’s valuable to recognize that so that you are better able to see things from the other side, so to speak. Times feel very dark right now and they have felt dark for some time. But the universe seeks balance, and the pendulum is swinging toward the light. You can weather the storm by feeding the energy you wish to prevail. Sending all the energy of peace, love, and healing.