This Week: INVIDIA (Envy)

It's over.



Like Greed, Envy is characterized by an insatiable desire; they differ, however, for two main reasons: First, Greed is largely associated with material goods, whereas Envy may apply more generally. Second, those who commit the sin of Envy desire something that someone else has which they perceive themselves as lacking. Dante defined this as "love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs." In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire, because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low.


HIT ON 17 April 2007

This week: IRA (wrath)

Wrath may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism), fanatical political beliefs, and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others. A modern definition would also include hatred and intolerance towards others for reasons of race or religion, leading to discrimination. The transgressions borne of Wrath are among the most serious, including murder, assault, discrimination, and in extreme cases, genocide. (See Crimes against humanity.) Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy). Dante described Wrath as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite".

HIT ON 27th March 2007
So. For the next tenday, no physical/verbal/psychologic violence, no bad feelings, no anger, no vengeance. Just peachy :) You can slap me and i won't fight back, how cool is that?

This Week: AVARITIA (avarice/greed)

From wiki: Greed is, like Lust and Gluttony, a sin of excess. However, Greed (as seen by the Church) applied to the acquisition of wealth in particular. Thomas Aquinas wrote that Greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." In Dante's Purgatory, the penitents were forced to kneel on hard stone and recite the examples of avarice and its opposing virtue. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of sinful behavior. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain, as the case when someone lets oneself be bribed. Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed. Such misdeeds can include Simony, where one profits from soliciting goods within the actual confines of a church.

HIT ON 12 March, 2007

This Week: LUXURIA (Lust)

Lust is usually thought of as involving obsessive or excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. Unfulfilled lusts can lead to sexual or sociological compulsions and/or transgressions including (but obviously not limited to) sexual addiction, adultery, bestiality, and rape.

Dante's criterion was "excessive love of others," which therefore rendered love and devotion to God as secondary. However, lust and love are two different things; while a genuine, selfless love can represent the highest degree of development and feeling of community with others in a human relationship, Lust can be described as the excessive desire for sexual release. The other person can be therefore seen as a "means to an end" for the fulfillment of the subject's desires, and becomes thus objectified in the process. In Purgatorio, the penitent walks within flames to purge himself of lustful thoughts.

HIT ON 1st of March, 2007
So, until the next tattoo, we're on Luxuria week (or tenday, depending on the healing process). That means no sex, of any kind. At this point i would like to apologize to my understanding, perfect girl for supporting me, through this completely dumb idea :) I'll make it up, hon, i promise.

This Week: SUPERBIA (Pride)

In almost every list Pride is considered the original and most serious of The Seven Deadly Sins, and indeed the ultimate source from which the others arise. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others though they may be deserving of them, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Dante's definition was "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbour." In Jacob Bidermann's medieval miracle play, Cenodoxus, Pride is the deadliest of all the sins and leads directly to the damnation of the famed Doctor of Paris, Cenodoxus. In perhaps the most famous example, the story of Lucifer, Pride was what caused his Fall from Heaven, and his resultant transformation into Satan. Vanity and Narcissism are prime examples of this Sin. In the Divine Comedy, the penitent were forced to walk with their heads bowed while they were whipped in order to induce feelings of humility.

Hit on February 16 2007 (two weeks from last one)
Obviously, we changed the drawing. The first Fallen Angel was too long. He also had a weird posture- much like just laying there, not falling from the skies. His face was also really beautiful, but very calm and peaceful. So we made another one on the spot- this one has a convincing falling posture, arms flailing and legs sprawled. His face is tilted back and can't be seen clearly, but for his gaping, screaming mouth.

Later, it ocurred to me. Although this is clearly symbolic and the picture is of a non-offensive, falling angel...well, technically, that is Lucifer, the first and most beloved angel that kinda became the Devil himself.....I had actually tattooed SATAN on my arm :P

Crap, i'll never hear the end of this :S

This Week: GULA (Gluttony)

Derived from the Latin gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow, Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. Modern views identify Gluttony with an overindulgence of food and drink, though in the past any form of thoughtless excess could fall within the definition of this sin. Marked by unreasonable or unnecessary excess of consumption, Gluttony could also include certain forms of destructive behavior, especially for sport, or for its own sake. Substance abuse or binge drinking can be seen as examples of gluttony therefore. The penitents in the Purgatorio were forced to stand between two trees, unable to reach or eat the fruit hanging from either, and were thus described as having a starved appearance.

Depending on the culture, it can be seen as either a vice or a sign of status. The relative affluence of the society can affect this view both ways. A wealthy group might take pride in the security of having enough food to eat to show it off, but it could also result in a moral backlash when confronted with the reality of those less fortunate.

Early Church leaders (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony (Okholm 2000), arguing that it could also include an obsessive anticipation of meals, and the constant eating of delicacies and excessively costly foods. He went so far as to prepare a list of five ways to commit gluttony, including:

Praepropere - eating too soon
Laute - eating too expensively
Nimis - eating too much
Ardenter - eating too eagerly
Studiose - eating too daintily

EDIT: Coincidence? Cosmic Fate? This thursday's Fat Thursday, the last thursday before Lent, where we regularly gather to consume vast amounts of grilled meat :P Link for more info on this gluttonous day. I'll have to fight people from stuffing BBQ down my throat and keep up my fasting.

Hit on February 02 2007

This Week: ACEDIA (Sloth)

In Roman Catholicism, sloth (latin: accidia, pigritia) is one of the seven deadly sins, and is defined as spiritual and/or actual apathy or laziness, putting off what God asks you to do, or not doing it or anything at all. Acedia is a Latin word, from Greek akedia, literally meaning "absence of caring".

Sloth can also concern wasting due to lack of use or allowing entropy, expanding into almost any person, place, thing, skills, or intangible ideal that would require maintenance, refinement and/or support to continue to exist.

Several religious views concerning the need for one to work to support society and further gods plan and work by doing so; reflects that by not being active alone, you invite the desire to sin on its own. (“For Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do”. Isaac Watts)

The meaning of sloth as a vice closely follows the meaning of the Greek word "akedia": "absence of caring". A student who neglects her studies to pursue another interest, such as martial arts or filming, does not commit the sin of sloth. Perhaps she should restructure her priorities, but the student does not display a spiritual decay, a lack of interest in anything, and thus is not slothful. A student who took no interest in anything requiring great effort, but preferred to watch television and play video games, might be slothful.

Hit on January 25 2007

Seven Weeks, Seven Sins

So today i'm at last starting my seven sins tattoo. It took about three or four months of research, planning, drawing to come this far... the final sketch is not 100% complete- some of the sins need some details, but the first two or three are complete. So, it begins.



When the idea first came to me of a seven sin tattoo, there was an accompanying insipiration of making this more symbolic, of letting it affect my life more. So i then thought that i could make one tattoo per week- and on that week i would display everything that goes against that sin's nature. Anyway, the original plan was meant as an exercise, a test, a thing to accompany this fine piece of art, to make it mean something more than a mere tattoo. Still toying with the whole idea, i was not sure how this translates into practical, everyday stuff- but a rough list can be made.

Acedia (sloth) A diligent week of not being idle/postponing.
No pointless ceiling-staring, no 6-hours of WoW, no excuses for not doing important stuff. Complete half-done things, errands, projects that have been too lazy to look after.

Gula (Gluttony) A week of fasting.
Last time was when i was 5. Still, i could use the detox :) No milk, oil, meat, fish, egg, animal-stuff.

Ira (wrath) A week of forgiveness.
I don't fully grasp how this can be implemented in my daily routine. I guess, just being calm no matter what happens. No violence of any sort. I hope i don't get into a car accident :P

Invidia (Envy) A week of kindness and pure admiration.
I don't fully grasp how this can be implemented in my daily routine, again. Maybe again, just a behaviour pattern of not being jealous, of being happy for one's accomplishments and/or belongings.

Luxuria (Lust) A week of no sex.
Of any kind. That's tough.

Avaritia (Greed)A week of sharing, giving.
Give away to the needy. Give the equivelant of my daily salary to random beggars? Is that going too much?

Superbia (Pride) A week of humbleness.
I don't fully grasp how this can be implemented in my daily routine, yet again. Maybe accept humbly any remarks, demands and generally be, er, humble.

It should be noted that i'm not a religious freak, not even a regilious person. I've been to church twice in the last 2 or 3 years. And no, i haven't watched SE7EN too many times :P These sins are not sins that will send you to hell and burn your psyche for eternity, duh... but, they are passions that can (if taken to extremes of course) consume us... and make this life a hell. This project is not religious (altough of course it's inspired by a religious theme) but a spiritual one, a homage to the everyday traps that await us.

The Seven Sins

The first draft of my next tattoo is finally in my hands. Thanks to my sister of course- i could not draw that good.

It seems that some corrections must be made. Envy (top right) looks eerily like Mr. Burns (Homer Simpson's boss), Wrath (top left) looks like a gay Cherokee, Gluttony (bottom left) is not... well, he's not eating anything to display his gluttonic nature. Pride, the Fallen Angel at the right is a bit small.

Seperate spacing for titles must be made, along with decorative fillings. I'm thinking of tiny roots entangling mr. Sloth (bottom right), or flames engulfing the Fallen One.

And there's more.

Anyway, this is a draft, so i have already compiled a list of ideas and corrections for my sis. We'll talk things over and have the second draft soon enough.

Excited :)