Spells & Sigils: The Magic & Mastery of Thai Sacred Tattoos | Joe Cummings | TEDxChiangMai

Drawing on the research for his book “Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan” (2012), writer Joe Cummings provides insights into the ancient traditions of the sacred tattoo art practiced in Thailand, covering the historical background of tattoos, their cultural and religious significance through the ages, their more esoteric role in the spiritual traditions, and their modern day resurgence in popularity. His research helped him understand the links between sacred tattoos, Buddhism and Thai culture. Thai tattoos have a deeper meaning than being works of art. They confer protection but it is the wearer's personal morality that sustains their powers. This talk is in English. www.tedxchiangmai.com

Joe Cummings was born in New Orleans and raised in California, France and Washington, DC. An interest in Buddhism drew Joe to Thailand, where he taught English before returning to the US to earn a master's degree in South Asian Civilization at the University of California at Berkeley. His Lonely Planet Thailand guide, first published in 1982, remains one of the bestselling guidebooks ever published. Reference books he has written include “Sacred Tattoos of Thailand”, “Buddhist Stupas in Asia”, “Buddhist Temples of Thailand”, “Burmese Art, Design & Architecture”, “Muay Thai”, and “Lanna Renaissance.” Joe’s honours include the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Gold Award (twice) and Mexico's Pluma de Plata (Silver Quill) for outstanding foreign journalism on Mexico.

http://sacredtattoosofthailand.com


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx