Journey of Cutting

Cutting in Pencil

Several years ago, i would have never imagined i would want to have a cutting. Yes, it amazes me where my path has come. There is a lot of power and meaning behind this cutting, as i believe there is for most people who decide to embark on such an experience. Much thought and preparation went into this experience, which created yet another sacred and treasured step along my leather journey.

i have written about the experience in my livejournal, which is open for others who wish to read about my personal thoughts and experiences as i journey along my leather path. The entry about the cutting is dated Tue, Apr. 20th, 2004 and can be found here: Cutting a pug.

For those who are just curious about the symbolism of the cut pattern and are too lazy to look up the journal entry, *grinning ... the explanation is this:

Over the coming months the initial design came to me: an arrow shooting upward... i came to realize that the shooting arrow, for me, represented Kundalini energy shooting up and outward from me.

To explain a bit more about Kundalini without reinventing how it is described, i will quote one website,

"Kundalini is the Hindu word for the "sacred transformative energy that awakens consciousness" Kundalini energy is often spoken of as a snake that is coiled at the base of the spine.

The Kundalini is the Primal Life Force for all Creation that is "stored" and latent at the base of the spine. We are born naturally with this energy in which it awaits activation in later years. The aspirations for many who do chakra meditations along with yoga traditions, is to clear the energy centers to allow the Universal Energy of the Kundalini to flow naturally and unhindered. The energy moves upward from the root chakra along the spinal column to the crown. It then showers up and out within the auric layers in an ovular field and cycles back to the body - the process continues like a huge circuit. It is the foundation and basis in the Cosmic Consciousness that produces various degrees of enlightenment." ~ http://www.starstuffs.com/chakras/index.html.

The cutting design that finally emerged was an image of an arrow shooting upward, comprised of a series of lines in groups of threes. The design looked modernistic yet still conveyed a sense of the primal. The concept of a serpent or snake did not resonate with me, yet the image of the shooting arrow did. The design also represented the joy i feel welling up within me and bursting forth. Overwhelming joy. Only half the arrowhead is shown to give a sense of movement. The arrowhead lines are wavy to represent the quivering motion that begins to occur as an arrow propels forward. The squiggly lines above the shooting arrow are symbolic of the energy and joy emanating from within me, upward and outward.

When i looked at the completed design, i suddenly felt it important to add in the spiral - the coil - at the bottom of the arrow to symbolize the energy building before springing forth. After adding it in and looking at it, i suddenly realized that it was also the same look of a curly pug tail! And, if any of you have ever seen a curly pug tail wagging, it certainly is a symbol of pure joy and exuberance! Absolutely perfect! i was elated.

Below are photos taken of this powerful and beautiful experience.


Cutting Photo 1 Photo of cutting design transferred onto the skin.


Cutting Photo 2 Photo of finished cutting, before cleaning.


Cutting Photo 3 Photo of finished cutting after initial cleaning.


Cutting Photo 4 Close-up photo of finished cutting.


Cutting Photo 5 Photo of finished cutting while stretching.


Cutting Photo 6 Photo of finished cutting while standing.


Bloodprint Photo Photo of first bloodprint taken after cutting.


Cutting Collage



paw divider