Bull Tattoo Meaning

One of the most popular tattoos that I've seen men sporting is bull tattoos. Maybe it's the angry looking creature or the mere size of the beast that entices them to get one branded on themselves.

But when I asked a friend who had a similar one on his arm, he emphatically told me the reason behind his tattoo and also the meaning that the bull tattoo held for him. Being curious by default, I looked up the various other meanings that bull tattoos hold. Given below are the spoils of my find!

On my quest for the search of the true meaning of bull tattoos, I came across one thing. The men who have them are either over protective or overbearing or simply go overboard trying to display their machismo. That was one of the clues that helped me figure out what bull tattoos could mean. Here are the different possible meanings.

Have you ever seen a herd of bulls charging? If not in person (thank God for that!), you must have least come across one on TV for sure.

Whether in an animated form or the real thing, there's something eerily frightening about them as they stare you in the eye and run towards you with a fierce determination. No wonder people get bull tattoos to portray a level of fierce aggressiveness (passive or active) in them.

Another thing that you may have some across about bulls is their immense strength. Their angry roars are compared to that of thunder and hence, often bulls were sacrificed to the sea gods. They are also connected to celestial events like lightning, strong gales, tempests, storms and violent ocean crashes.

A bull is also often seen as a strong protector due to its extraordinary physical strength. Since a bull is generally considered the 'father' of the herd, it becomes his duty to protect the herd. This attribute of security and guarding is highlighted in a bull tattoo.

As a male, the bull was often seen as a symbol of fertility and virility. This fertility emerges from the combined strength of the sun, fire, heat and lightning. Especially in Hindu beliefs, Lord Shiva, the ultimate depiction of masculinity, is always accompanied by a white bull. While this bull generally stands for justice, it also stands for sexual energy and virility.

A bull is associated with both, the sun and the moon. By being a leader of the herd, it becomes associated with the sun. Because of this association, the bull also stands for the spirit of rising after falling. This makes for its association with resurrection. Also, since the bull stands for the sun, it can also be perceived as a symbol of life.

While all the above meanings of a bull tattoo are definitely flattering to a male who has it or very alluring to a man who wants to get one, there is one often ignored (for obvious reasons) meaning that may make them think twice about getting it.

While it is true that a bull stands for immense physical strength and power, it is also true that the mental strength of the bull is often overshadowed by the physical strength. A bull, strong though it is, often gets carried away by this sense of security.

Hence, it is not as mentally strong, in fact, quite slow when it comes to thinking logically, compared to other even much smaller animals. They are considered controlling, risky, reckless and extremely ambitious which isn't something very favorable, is it?

• Reckless Destruction
• Death (Black Bulls)
• Short Memory
• Perseverance
• Harmony

A tattoo is something that is going to remain with you for the rest of your life. And while you may be longing to get one for yourself, you must realize that there is a lot of meaning and thinking that goes into coming up with the perfect tattoo design for yourself.

So, based on the meanings given above, be completely sure about why you're getting the Taurus tattoo as it is also called for yourself.