Dragonfly tattoos are symbolic of independence, freedom and beauty. Their hues are across the entire color spectrum, from silver to blue and red. But, what makes dragonfly tattoos important are it’s symbolic qualities derived from it’s biology. Dragonflies, like butterflies, go through a metamorphosis. This magical change has been viewed for centuries as a beautifying process. It is a process that is also marked by newfound freedom as the dragonfly can now flutter away from the cocoon, and its past, and travel towards a new life. Therefore, beauty and positive change are some of the meanings behind dragonfly tattoo designs and why they are sought out by so many who want to physically represent their own inner beauty and changes in life. With the dragonfly’s ability to swirl, hover, fly backwards and loop-the-loop, dragonfly tattoo designs also represent free spirits and the independence of mankind. In Native American astrology, there is a strong belief that each person has a totem animal spirit which serves as their guardians and guides through certain phases of life. And one of these totem spirits was the spirit of the dragonfly. It would adopt men and women, young and old. Therefore, the dragonfly tattoo can be adopted by both males and females alike.
If you want an interesting and beautiful tattoo design then the dragonfly tattoo might just fit your needs. To some people the dragonfly may seem a pest, but that is usually because they do not recognize the differences between many members of the insect family and wrongly blame all of them for the annoyances caused by a few. In fact, dragonflies eat other pesky insects such as mosquitoes and don’t bite humans themselves. This makes them quite useful insects. The symbolism of dragonfly tattoos may come from a little known Japanese legend. According to the story, a dragonfly once ate a horsefly immediately after it had bitten the emperor. He was so happy with this that he named what is now the island of Japan, Asitsushuma, which roughly translates as ‘Island of the dragonfly". Dragonflies in Japan are often regarded as symbols of success, happiness and victory. Where you put the dragonfly tattoo is also of importance. A dragonfly place on the hip may be a sign of femininity, while one that is placed on the back is significant of strength or endurance. This tattoo designs looks especially good on the back of the lower leg, abdomen or even as a hip tattoo.