Helen Mirren's Tattoo

A rune called ing or ingz, associated with fertility, from one of the runic alphabets.

Her only tattoo - on her right hand at the base of her thumb - dates from that period. It's in the shape of three Vs, which she says is an American Indian peace symbol. She keeps in touch with some of the people with whom she forged friendship in the era of peace and love five-skin spliffs.

Cinemas online

URL: www.tarahill.com...

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
work, productivity, bounty, groundedness, balance, connection with the land
MAGICAL USES:
fertility, farming, growth, general health, balance
ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Freyr / Ing, Nerthus, Thor, the Vanir

ANALYSIS:
Ing is a Danish / Anglo-Saxon name for Freyr, the God of agriculture and fertility. Agriculture represents one of the first attempts by mankind to control the environment, and the fertility of crops, animals and people has always been the primary concern and religious focus of most Pagan agrarian societies. From the earliest Sumerian accounts to modern-day British folk custom, people throughout history have sought to ensure the success of their crops.
The vast majority of people in Western society have lost all contact and connection with the land and the process of growing things. The spiritual consequences of this segregation from the earth have been disastrous, since most people find it difficult to relate to deity in a purely man-made environment. The shape of this rune can be likened to that of a field, but its real significance may lie in its balance, representing the harmonious relationship between ourselves and the four elements / four directions. Inguz reminds us of that ancient connection between the Gods and the land, and re-links (the real meaning of the word 'religion') us with our spiritual natures through the realm of the physical. It is quite literally a grounding rune, and by reintroducing us to the earth, it reconnects our bodies, our minds and our spirits.