Mandira Antar
Tattoo symbols / The lily or lilium
Updated: Oct 13, 2018

Lily or lilium is one of the most ancient flowers, with the strongest of fragrances and a wonderful and deep meaning.
The term lily is used for a great variety of flowers but the true and authentic lilies are liliums.
We have seen them first in 1580 BC in Crete Greece, they are part of Greek mythology, connected with goddess Hera. It is said that it is her breasts' milk that created both the stars in the sky and the lilies on earth.
They are part of the holy flowers trinity rose-lily-lotus, the three sacred flowers. They usually have the qualities of innocence, devotion, purity, transformation, femininity, divinity, motherhood, creativity, gratefulness. Needless to mention, different colours of the flower alternate it's qualities. We can find lilies in white, pink, purple, orange, yellow... It is also important to mention that the lotus is also a lily... just a water-lily.
For Christians the white lily (Lilium candidum) is always connected to Virgin Mary (Madonna), symbolising her virginity, innocence and purity.
For those who are familiar with the Biblical figure of Lilith (first wife of Adam that turned into a demon), originating for many from Sumerian demons "Lillu" or Mesopotamian myths about succubae (female night demons) called “lilin", her flower symbol is the Lily. In this case the lily represents the wild inner woman, full of power femininity, fertility and sexuality, the woman that can seduce and haunt the men's dreams.
In Chinese culture the lily is often gifted to women on their birthdays or on their wedding day because the flower represents a bringer of sons and it represents a happy union. It is connected to faithful and devoted relationships.
The essential oil of the lily flower can be used in aromatherapy for individuals who are feeling stressed, anxious or tense . In a deeper level, lily flower can transform the emotions or traumas that are held in our bodies that effect our cycles, organs, and health. As a remedy in homeopathy it is considered a "left-side" medicine, which means it has great beneficial effects on the problems that derive from the left part of our bodies (the feminine part), like the heart or spleen. This is the case in both genres. In conclusion, lily flower is great for generating feelings of happiness and integrating a sense of security, tranquillity and calmness.
Now you might ask, how are tattoos associated to tattoos?
Everything around us has energy! A tattoo is an ancient therapeutic way to integrate this energy in our bodies. Like our eyes or ears and noses that receive energy from our environment, so does the skin. So when you are conscious about the tattoo you choose, or you choose someone that can make the best choice for you, you en