Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan

I have been an annual visitor to Southeast Asia since 2007. My interest in the region was formed by a combination of factors, one of which was watching the Vietnam War on television while growing up in the late 60's/early 70's. Though the images coming through the set were for the most part violent (we were watching a war after all) it was clear that there was something unique about this part of the world (that is when things related to the traditional cultures were allowed to come through the war coverage). Asia was a specialized interest then; Lonely Planet had yet to come along and most visitors to the region were either part of a tour group or, during the war years, US soldiers reporting for duty (and in the case of Thailand; there either on leave, doing reconnoissance work or flying on missions to Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia from one of the US air bases then established in the country).A tradition established in the Thailand for over a thousand years at this point, sak yan was out of favor in the conservative culture of the time and for all intents and purposes still pretty much underground. As a youth and as yet unaware of sak yan I continued hunting through National Geographics, articles, books, etc (the only resources of information available then) for any insights I could find on the region. Aided by a deepening interest in Buddhism I finally became a regular visitor to the area along with being a more active student of the cultures there. In the course of my travels it became apparent to me that the people of Thailand stood out as having a particular genius for assimilating elements (artistic, religious, philosophical) of the foreign cultures they came into contact with and innovating, expanding and putting their own 'stamp' on what they learned while always maintaining their unique identity or 'Thainess'. This is evidenced in the roots of the language system, various elements within Thai (Theravada) Buddhism and, more relevant to this review, the tradition of sak yan.I'd had exposure to sak yan before my first visit to Thailand but mostly in the form of photographs of monks with these strange, esoteric looking tattoos. At the beginning of my fifth trip over in 2012 I picked up a copy of this book in Bangkok before heading off to Cambodia for twelve days or so. I took it along with me, began to read and, figuratively speaking, it immediately started getting 'under my skin'. The scope of scholarship and research in the text is unrivaled by any other book available in English that I've seen on the subject (and I have all of them). Mr. Cummings field research, combined with his long experience in the region, academic background, fluency in the primary key languages (Thai and Lao) needed to penetrate beyond what is available to the average foreigner, have made the book a stunning and revelatory read. The photography by Dan White is equally impressive and provides a window of intimacy simply unavailable in any other text I've seen on the subject.Thai culture is a complex web composed of many threads, all of which seem to connect at one (or more) points. Sak yan is one of the fundamental underpinnings of traditional Thai culture and has also recently begun receiving much more exposure and attention in the West. Many foreigners now travel to Thailand in part, if not solely, to receive sak yan (usually at the famous Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom Province). Attracted to the visual aspects (which are indeed amazing and completely unique in the world of traditional tattooing), many of them are still ignorant of the meaning behind the symbolism of the tattoos themselves, the spiritual/philosophical tenets (or 'contract') that is an essential part of receiving sak yan and the cultural contexts that need to be understood if one desires to be truly knowledgable about this very unique spiritual path. Along with providing a detailed and thorough historical overview, enlightening interviews with several present day masters and a number of interesting contemporary stories from both Thai and foreigner's personal experiences with sak yan, the text also clarifies many misconceptions and information holes found in other available books on the subject. Wether you're interested in sak yan itself, Thai culture, Buddhism or spirituality in general and wish to penetrate deeper/expand the depth of your knowledge on any of these topics then this book is an absolute must have.

Informative and what I’d hoped for.

These tattoos have fascinated me since I heard of them. I'm not a tattoo guy, because I know I would tire of the same design on me all of the time. I never thought a picture would hold enough meaning to wear it forever. These tattoos have a deeper meaning and purpose. Tapped in by monks while chanting sacred blessings empowering the tattoo. It would make for a good story to say the least. This book goes behind the scenes describing tattoo meanings, mantras and even the best tattoo artist in Thailand to go to, if you have the cash.

Great information and history behind the art of Thai Sak Yant! Enjoyed the book very much.

Sehr gut recherchiertes Buch mit sehr viel Hintergrundwissen zu den heiligen Tattoos bekannt als Sak Yant oder auch Yantra Tattoos. Viel mehr als "bunte Bilde". Genau die Aufklärung die ich mir gewünscht habe.

Pagine stampate benissimo! I colori sono molto reali ed è un peccato farlo rovinare. Copertina rigida. Scritto in inglese, ma meritevole.

I like this book so much, my husband wanted a Thai tattoos so he bought this book to do some reserch, good picturs and great explaination of invidual tattoos meaning.

Hab mir mehr erhofft, stehen recht wenig Hintergründe drin. Es ist eher ein schönes Buch fürs Regal und ab und zu durch zu blättern

Il miglior libro su tutta la storia dei YANT! Ve lo consiglio a chi si vuole acculturare sui tatto Thai