For the past couple of years, I’ve wanted to get a sak yant tattoo while in Thailand or Cambodia, but could never find the right place to have it done. First, let me explain what a sak yant tattoo is. These are “magical” or “bamboo” tattoos that purportedly began in Cambodia, where it’s known as yantra. These tattoos are composed of geometrical, animal and deity designs that offer the wearer power, protection, love, fortune and other benefits. I’ve read that warriors used to have such symbols on their garments when going into battle, then simply began tattooing the symbols directly onto their body. They are supposed to be tattooed on you by an Ajarn (i.e. teacher) who’s studied and been trained in such things. Previously, they used sharpened bamboo sticks to tattoo, as opposed to regular tattoo needles/guns, thus, they’re often called “bamboo” tattoos. Nowadays, many Ajarns also use steel rods. They say that the Ajarn queries you about your life and your goals, decides what tattoo to give you and decides the placement of the tattoo. He tattoos you, then blows on it to imbue it with his magical powers. Once the tattoo is finished, you are also given a set of rules to follow. If you do not follow the rules, it renders the powers of the sak yant nil. Being a superstitious Asian/Pacific Islander, as well as having ties to the Thai culture, I definitely wanted one. The problem was finding where to get one. The most famous place to get one is at Wat Bang Phra, a temple outside of Bangkok. I’ve heard that it takes quite awhile to receive as there are so many people waiting. What concerned me, though, is that new bamboo sticks/steel rods and ink are not used on each individual. Therefore, I did research to find an Ajarn in Bangkok who sterilized their equipment and who were known for their work. Of course, the Ajarn who did the two sak yant tattoos on Angelina Jolie is the most famous at the moment, but he also charges exorbitant prices (for Thailand) in the wake of his fame due to having her as a client. Obviously, I went with someone else.
My sak yant appointment was booked about two months in advance. I paid in advance as well over PayPal. For my hard-earned money, I was promised pick-up an hour before my appointment, drop-off after the and an interpreter.
When the morning of my appointment arrived, I was nervous, to say the least. Petz and Lek were waiting for me in the lobby of the condo I was staying at. Both spoke English relatively well and did their best to put me at ease during the drive to the On Nut area, though neither of them have a sak yant. Both are very nice guys. I asked about an offering, which they assured me that they’d already prepared. Upon arrival, I was instructed to pray with incense and repeat the words (to the best of my ability) that were spoken by one of the Ajarn’s assistants. By this time, Petz had control of my camera, so was taking photos and making videos of my experience. The Ajarn spoke to me, through them, asking me about my life and what I wanted – fortune, love, success, etc. My response was that I want change in everything – work, life, friends – and the means to accomplish that change. Based on that, the Ajarn chose the budd sorn for me, which represents change and success. He said that it would look nice if placed just below my neck in the middle. Although I was wearing a loose black top, it wasn’t quite loose enough for the Ajarn to tattoo a little further down. Thus, they gave me a men’s shirt to put on backwards and had me change in the restroom. I’d made my offering to him by then, while he chanted/prayed. Then I sat in front of him with my back towards him and awaited the start. He showed me the clean, wrapped steel rod/needle and the new gloves that he put on first to put my mind at ease. Lek took over my camera while Petz sat on one side of me and the male assistant sat on the other. They pulled my skin taut while the Ajarn began the tattooing process. Various people have said that the sak yant tattoo is less painful than a regular one. Others have said the opposite. My consensus is that it’s slightly MORE painful than a regular tattoo; it definitely stings. We took a few little breaks. Petz took my camera back while the female assistant helped the male assistant to pull my skin taut. The tattooing took about half an hour. Then my back was wiped off and a square of gold leaf was applied. Lek tried to explain by saying something about the properties of the gold were to seep into my body. The Ajarn blessed me/prayed more, then gave me a card with a chant/mantra to be repeated three times daily both morning and evening, along with a Buddha amulet. Petz said that I was perfect – no fidgeting, no grimacing and very little blood. He said that many people bleed a lot when getting tattooed. We took some more pictures, then the guys dropped me back at the condo.
The sak yant process was unique and I will consider getting another from him in the future. If you are interested in receiving a sak yant from Ajarn Neng, you may contact them at Arjanneng Thaisakyant via Facebook. As stated before, it’s possible to pay them in advance through PayPal as well.
