Handpoke Tattoo Rituals

Handpoked tattoos are the origin of contemporary tattoo culture. 

Contrary to the modern way of tattooing, a tattoo needle without machine power pierces through the first layer of skin and places the color pigments in the second layer of the skin, the socalled “leather skin”. This procedure varies from the regular tattooing technique as far as its feeling is different and it doesn’t affect the skin as much. 

I work “only” with a tattoo needle since the beginning of my career, because I am concerned with awareness since many years. Awareness in this context means to really see and feel the process of tattooing. One should be able to really set into the experience, to feel taken care of in a sphere where whether time nor space matter. 

To recognize every dot sounds pretty painful to many people, but most of my customers assured me that the handpoked tattoo hurt them less than another one that was done by machine. 

Chi or Qi is a tibetan word and stands for the energy that lives in every person and every thing. Worldwide we can find various practices that work with this energy to balance inside and outside. 

This doesn’t always mean physical or mental healing – energy work also assists in finding ones’ own path and opens us up to other aspects of our selves and life. 

Based on my personal experience and education, I developed my own way of working with the Chi to rebalance the being at the center of the energy field. This knowledge forms the base for my holistic tattoo rituals. 

Now, the time has come to pass on my knowledge. I still tattoo, but I also teach this ancient practice in a Live Workshop in Cham, Switzerland, an Online Workshop via Skype as well as in private Lessons. 

You will learn everything you need to know to tattoo lines and dots by hand, including which materials can be ordered where, the metaphysical meaning of the individual parts of the body and everything important about hygiene and anatomy. You will practice on yourself under my supervision. 

I tattoo according to the original Celtic principle, which always includes a spiritual ritual. I will also pass this information on to you 1:1. 

What is required of you to participate in my Handpoke Ritual Tattoo Workshops is a deep sense of responsibility towards the physical body and its healthiness as well as towards your art and working with clients. If you have no other experience in tattooing, you will not be allowed to tattoo other people for money after this Workshop. According to Swiss regulation, you need proof of a 2 year internship and 3 year apprenticeship with a licensed tattooer to do so. You can, however, handpoke tattoo yourself and your friends without legal problems with the knowledge you acquire in this Workshop.

The important thing for me to note is that it really takes a lot of practice to handpoke lines as I do this. I have over 15 years of experience in handpoking and have taught myself every bit of knowledge. But if you take the time to practice and approach it with passion, you can get as far as I do with the knowledge from these Live Workshops, Online Workshops or Private Lessons.