‘A tattoo is a permanent affirmation that should be taken in a serious and sacred way,’ said my tattoo artist, Gary Mooney. ‘Whether you know it or not, it will influence your path the rest of your life.’For all its recent popularity, a tattoo is more than an adornment or a fashion statement. The entire process—the idea, designing, placement and receiving—is like an initiation. Something is evoked. When approached with clear intention and reverence, one can’t help but be transformed.