Chiang Mai is the historical cultural and religious center of Thailand, and the city is beautiful. It’s easy to get around, and while a bit touristy, I’m glad I opted to spend a few days here instead of spending more time in the chaos of Bangkok. Chiang Mai is more my speed.
I don’t remember how I heard about Sak Yant tattooing, but when I learned there was an Ajarn (master) in the area who was willing to tattoo foreigners, I thought it would be the perfect way to learn about Thai Buddhist culture while gaining a permanent memento of my travels.
A Sak Yant tattoo, also known as a Yantra tattooing, uses sacred geometric shapes, animal images, and deity designs to bring luck, good fortune, protection, and other benefits to the owner. The farther down on the body the tattoo is placed, the less sacred is considered, so a first Sak Yant tattoo should be placed above the waist. There are many different types of designs, and Buddhist monks must undergo extensive training in order to be able to give a Sak Yant tattoo.
Finding someone to perform a Sak Yant tattoo was easier said than done. Practicing monks cannot perform the Sak Yant on women, but former monks who have been trained in the practice can get around this rule. I found several places that used ‘shared ink buckets’, a sanitary nightmare, which is why I chose the place I did – ink is discarded after each use, every needle is sanitized and discarded (or you get to take it home if you like).
After a short ride outside the city, we arrived at the temple where I would be getting my tattoo. I was accompanied by my guide/translator/driver and another woman who, as fate would have it, was the same height and age as me and also happened to be from Chicago. Ajarn Tu Nametta, who would be doing my tattoo, was busy performing an exorcism (a local woman who was waiting to get her own Sak Yant showed me the video – it was insane) so we had plenty of time to go into town and put together an offering for the Ajarn.
Everyone in the market stared at the two of us foreigners. We were out of place to be sure, both a full head taller than anyone else. Our guide told us people were staring because they thought we were twins. Even though she is blonde, and I’m brunette, I guess it’s seldom that they see two thin, 5’9” tall white women walking through the market.
We gathered the necessary supplies for our offering to the Ajarn, which consisted of white flowers, cigarettes, whisky, apples, incense, and candles. We ate lunch and headed back to the temple. The Ajarn was tattooing a young boy, probably around 13 or 14 years old, and the tattoo was a large tiger that took up most of his back. The Sak Yant tattoo is performed by repeatedly tapping a bamboo stick with a thin needle on the end into the skin, and it did not look pleasant. Although, if this young boy could do it, so could I…right?
When it was my turn, I had to wait a bit as there were several monks waiting to chat with the Ajarn. My guide explained that while he is no longer still a monk (which is why he can perform the ceremony for us), he is still revered and respected by the locals.
He came back and motioned for me to sit. He said something in Thai and everyone laughed. The guide told me the Ajarn is very funny, and I’ll have to take his word for it.
When we began, I gave the Ajarn my offering which he blessed along with the needle that he will be using. As he began the tattoo, I noticed it didn’t hurt nearly as much as I expected, but it was still wildly unpleasant since it was on my spine. I asked the guide if he could play some music to distract me, and he began playing a Lady Gaga station on Pandora. The Ajarn started humming along, singing what words he had memorized.
The guide was right – he was funny.
My tattoo was called the Prachao Ha Praong. Here is how it was described: “The 5 blessings of Buddha Na-Mo-Put-Ta-Ya. Although less known by the general public, it is considered one of the Yant Kru, or fundamental yant. These sacred utterances (Mantras) are usually pronounced over and over by Buddhist monks, in order to enter a high level of meditation. They can be found in many Buddhist representations. It will bring good luck, happiness, and well-being to the wearer and protect you from the potential surrounding bad spirits.”
Essentially, there are fundamental Sak Yants which, if this were a video game, would be your base stats. Then, you can level up your character by adding additional Sak Yants that provide you with different blessings and protections. For example, a warrior would want a Sak Yant to protect him in battle.
It didn’t feel great, but thankfully, the Ajarn is experienced and quick so the tattoo only took about 30 minutes. He used olive oil to seal the wound (I googled it and apparently yes, this is a thing) and then began the final blessing for the Sak Yant. I hope it brings me lots of luck and protection for the remainder of my journey.
The Sak Yant was a magical experience. Still, it was early afternoon when I was done, so I decided to show off my new back ink and wander around the Chiang Mai night market. There are several, very beautiful temples scattered around Chiang Mai, and they really come alive at night.
I learned while my Sak Yant may be offering me protection from evil spirits, this protection did not extend to evil tastes. Throughout my time in Southeast Asia, over and over again I encountered Durian, the world’s stinkiest fruit. People have strong feelings about Durian – they either love it or hate it. It seems to be the Asia equivalent of really strong and stinky cheese – it’s either for you or it’s not. I had stayed in many hostels and Airbnbs that outright banned the food from entering the premises. I encountered a vendor who was selling pieces of cut-up Durian and finally got the courage to try it…and, well, it sort of tasted like popcorn? It’s the only way I can think to describe it. It was more savory than sweet and had a buttery taste to it. The taste itself wasn’t’ bad, but the smell and aftertaste were horrendous. I couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth or the smell off of my fingers for hours.
And with that, I decided I had tested my luck enough that night. I had a lot more of Chiang Mai to see in the coming days.
[Head slap emoji face] owie owie owie