The Egyptians speak of their sun god, Horus, killing the serpent Aphopis. The Greeks have their story of Apollo overcoming Python. For the Babylonians, the god Marduk was dispatched to subdue the god of salt waters, Tiamat. In many creation myths, it was the jealous octopus, symbol of 'the waters', that tried to prevent the advent of life on terra firma. Around the world, cultures have chosen to represent the sea's mood and mind with images of an angry monster, serpent, or octopus.
In many cases, the octopus was depicted with severed tentacles, as if it was the loser in battle. 'Water demon', this is how mythologists interpreted early images of the octopus found on Greek pottery. Various observations of the octopus by people over the years have attached even more qualities to this animal's very busy aura - will, focus, magic, illusion, defense, mystery, expansion, complexity, adaptability, insatiability, and unpredictability.īecause the oceans are influenced by lunar cycles, by its waxing and waning and its constant motion and lightless depths, the octopus is considered to be a feminine energy. Octopus as illusionist - it's all part of the mystery surrounding this bottom-dwelling creature of the sea. And if that tactic doesn't work to evade predators, it ejects a dense black cloud of ink behind which it makes its escape. The octopus can literally disappear before our eyes. Of course, the octopus can grow back that limb, making it a symbol of regeneration.Īs a master of camouflage, its symbolism grows more mysterious. It reminds us that our life's journey moves forward more expeditiously when we continue with only what we truly need. The octopus' ability to disengage a limb when under attack earns it the right to stand as a symbol of 'jettisoning excess baggage' from our lives. An Octopus as a totem guide would be a reminder to loosen up, to give up old and calcified habits, to try something new for a change.
No wonder that they are escape artists extraordinaire.
#Octopus tattoo meaning free#
Without much of a solid structure, they're free to 'go with the flow'. Octopi don't have a spine, which makes them 'invertebrates', and which also accounts for their agility, grace and flexibility. Like the great Kraken of Pirate's of the Caribbean fame, these eight-armed wonders can fuel the imagination, and not a few nightmares! The North Pacific Giant Octopus can weigh up to 150 pounds with arms that span nearly 20 feet. The giant squid reaches lengths of over 40 feet (60 feet has been reported) and their only predator is the great Sperm Whale of Moby Dick fame.
They range in size from a few inches to enormous denizens of the deep. There are hundreds and hundreds of different species of squid and octopus (289 discovered so far), inhabiting every ocean and sea that covers our blue planet. For reasons no one has figured out, they will devour themselves, starting with their tentacles and ending with their death. It's true, the squid and octopus are voracious predators, occasionally turning on themselves. To that, add strategy, secrecy, and the power of reason, all attributes that were in action when the giant squid first rose from the deeps to hit the Cinemascope screen in the film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1954). The mysteries of the untamed sea contribute to the sense of wonder and mystery that surrounds this eight-tentacled creature.Īs a denizen of the deep, it takes on much of the symbolism of water itself - the psyche, emotion, fluidity, and intuition. Add to that the octopus' chameleon-like ability to change its color, or disappear in a cloud of black ink when frightened or attacked and you have an enigmatic phantom of magic, wonder and transformation. Naturally intelligent, creative and flexible, the octopus also acquires its mystique from the watery environment in which it lives. Octopus Tattoo Designs - If you're looking for a tattoo that covers a lot of symbolic territory, then the squid or octopus may well be the motif you're looking for.
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