Traditionally, Hugin symbolizes thinking and Munin represents memory. However, we have reason to believe that Munin is a derivative of munr and not minni (memory). Many people like to translate munr as desire, but the fact is that there is actually no modern equivalent translation for the word munr. It represents collective image, in which desire, will, passion and delight are concentrated. Munr is plans and ambitions, desires and hopes.
So while the húg or hugr (thought) represents the more objective, sensible part of your mind, the munr part is beneficial. If you lose your munr, you will lose your drive, your desire. I think this is what happens to people who are too dependent on the so-called modern society, as a rule, we call it depression. But it is believed that depression is not necessarily associated with our industrial society, because even our ancestors struggled with this disease. In the Elder Edda (translated into English by Benjamin Thorpe) Odin says:
Hugin and Munin fly every day
Over the vast land.
I'm scared for Hugin, that he won't come back,
And I’m even more worried about Munin.
Personally, I believe that Odin here is alarmed at the possibility of being isolated from the world, which would be the result if Huginn did not return. However, Odin is more frightened by the sad and depressing news from human world; news because of which he could lose desire, passion and hopes for a bright future, thus munr, Munin, will not return. Keep in mind that we call Asatru and the Scandinavian way of life was under threat from the Christian horde - the Franks, long before the Scandinavian kings finally managed to subjugate their own people, local democracy and bring back the old faith. So could this verse be about Odin's worry that people will forget him and the Norse and their Viking spirit will be tamed?
I like to think that we all have two invisible crows sitting on our shoulders. And it is our duty to feed them well and take care of their health. If one of them is hungry, it will fly away. This means that for now we need to remain reasonable and attentive in life choices, we also need passion, desire and dreams for the future. Hugin and Munin whisper in our ears, and we need to listen to both. There must be a balance. We cannot run towards everything that seems tempting to us; that would mean acting without listening to Hugin. But we shouldn't always choose the logical, safe and reasonable option, that would make Munin fly away.
We must live every day as if it were the last day of our lives, we must realize that life is not endless. Make your dreams come true before it's too late, but do it while keeping both crows on your shoulders.
There are many popular tattoos, and one of them is the crow tattoo. This one is beautiful and smart bird causes delight in some people and fear in others. If you perceive them purely negatively, you are unlikely to want to apply such a pattern to your skin. However, there are many people who love these birds very much.
In general, it should be clarified that a crow and a raven are two different birds that are very different appearance and sizes. The raven is always black, and the crow can be gray or even white. Naturally, the meanings of a black raven tattoo and its analogue with a crow will be different.
In world culture, a crow tattoo can have many meanings. It was used by the Celts, Greeks, German tribes, etc. IN different eras The following ideas existed:
- The personification of the power of the wind;
- Wisdom and longevity. It was believed that the bird was quite capable of living up to 300 years. In a world where not everyone lived to be forty, that's an eternity;
- Fertility;
- Nadezhda ( Ancient Rome). It seemed to the Romans that the bird was shouting the word “kras”. Translated from Old Latin “tomorrow”;
- Message from the Gods, or prophecy;
- Christians gave mixed assessment. On the one hand, it is a dark bird, the opposite of a dove. On the other hand, it was they who helped the Old Testament prophet Elijah not to die of hunger;
- The Chinese considered it a symbol of power and the Shui dynasty;
- The Japanese believed that the raven was a symbol of a happy family;
- The Egyptians were much more pessimistic. They considered the raven to be the bird of destruction, chaos and evil;
- African tribes considered ravens to be guides. It was forbidden to kill them. It was believed that the entire tribe could pay for such an act.
Another meaning of a black raven in a tattoo is loneliness. For many peoples who practice shamanism, this bird symbolizes wisdom. She was considered the animal incarnation ancient ancestor, Indian shamans turned to him. Even in “Game of Thrones” there is a similar character - the three-eyed raven.
Three-eyed raven tattoo Returning to the history of this tattoo among the Celts, it is worth remembering that it was often applied by people who were directly related to the cults of Morrigan and other deities responsible for war and death.
Followers of traditional Scandinavian beliefs
Odin's crows Hugin and Munin often become the heroes of original tattoos. These birds symbolize memory and thought. Some researchers believe that these are not real birds, but the personification of certain psychic powers that the supreme god of the Nordic peoples possessed.
Odin's crow tattoo Hugin and Munin According to legend, these are living drones—scouts that collect information about the human world—Midgard—and transmit it to Odin. It is believed that he made the ravens talk so that they could tell him about the most important events.
Often, tattoos of Odin's ravens are part of a composition with references to mythology and beliefs of adherents old tradition. They can be drawn floating or sitting on the shoulders of their owner.
In the photo there is a tattoo with crows and a raven rune in the center of the back The raven banner is also often used in tattoo subjects. It was used by the Vikings on their ships and on foot. For example, the king of Norway, Harald the Severe, and Canute the Great, a Dane who became king of England, fought under him.
Raven and death
Crows are always circling over the battlefield. They are the retinue of Death itself, following it everywhere. Where the bony one swings her scythe, there are feathered black creatures right there. They are capable of eating the body of a fallen warrior down to the bone. The plot in which a raven pecks at a skull has long been popular.
This image has become an important part of the image of war, as a kind of mystical idea in which it is the action of the Gods, and people are only instruments in it.
Goth subculture/rock culture
Subcultural movements often exploit images of animals and birds. Raven feather and raven tattoos on skulls, grave crosses, and tombstones have become popular. There are many design options. You just need to choose among them the one that suits your design. Or order the creation of a drawing.
By the way, tattoos of raven wings have become the same rock symbol as an eagle, a wolf, or Harley motorcycles. They are drawn either on the back in the area of the shoulder blades, under them, just below the neck, or on the shoulder. In the first case, a background can be drawn that occupies a large area of skin. When a raven is drawn on a skull, a fragment of a field strewn with spears and arrows can also be depicted.
Often a bird can hold something in its paws, even a chain with some kind of pendant, a key, or other objects. Every person invests certain meaning into this idea, choosing one or another picture.
Occultism
Often gothic smoothly flows into esotericism, so the general style can be preserved.
By the way, raven tattoos on the shoulder are often done by girls who follow a movement such as Wiccan magic (natural witchcraft).
The crow tattoo in “dark” mystical movements is considered separately. There is a well-known theory that many sorcerers and witches keep a tame raven at home. He can spy for the owner, help communicate with other worlds, and perform other important functions. Some view the bird as a guide of souls. It is also believed that this is a kind of spirit, a guardian. Cults use blood, raven feathers, and tattooing for a special spiritual connection with the bird.
Nevermore!
Fans of Edgar Poe are well aware of the poem “The Raven,” published in 1845. It is difficult to name a more atmospheric work in poetic form. It tells how a certain young man, who has lost his bride, turns to the wise bird with questions, and receives the same answer Nevermore! Often people order raven tattoo designs with this very word. It looks really beautiful and stylish. Perhaps this is the least banal solution among the popular ones that use the image of a bird of prey.
Fans of the movie “The Crow” with Brandon Lee and numerous sequels
You can often see raven tattoos on the arm among fans of this cult film, main role in which he performed the son of the legendary martial artist. Then he was replaced by several other actors, but neither they nor the film adaptations themselves gained that fame.
Arm tattoo based on the movie “The Crow” with Brandon Lee The film itself was shrouded in mysticism, and after the sudden death of the actor, it became the subject of discussion on long years. In the story, bandits brutally kill a couple, but the young man is resurrected with magical power and almost complete invulnerability. He is alive as long as the raven lives, accompanying him everywhere.
After the release of the film, tattoo artists received many orders related to the general theme - the bird and the main character.
Raven fan club
In this case, we do not mean the film, but the bird itself. The phenomenon of keeping corvids in captivity is becoming popular. Many people who do this get a raven tattoo. Quite a logical decision. By the way, the army of such raven fans is growing, although it is inferior to lovers of dogs, cats and even snakes and spiders. Such customers rarely associate their pets with mysticism, and therefore the style is usually closer to realism.
White crow
What does a white crow tattoo mean? To understand the meaning, let's look at the concept itself. Of course, there are albino birds in nature.
They are rare, but are photographed and described by biologists. In human society, the term “black sheep” refers to outcasts, people who stand out from the general mass. They do not want to bend to the foundations, to live according to imposed patterns, even to the detriment of socialization and material well-being.
Albino white raven tattoo and white raven sketch Prison theme
The zone is a separate world with its own rules and laws, which the local inhabitants call “concepts”. In fact, to the common man it is difficult to understand all the features of the psychology of those who created these canons. All that remains is to try to understand them. Prison tattoos have long been the object of research by various scientists.
Now the tattoo of crows has a very specific meaning in the zone. For example, it can mean an abbreviation. Thief He is born of Hatred alone. A bird in prison has no special significance. So, if there are people around you who have been in prison, you don’t have to worry that the images on your body will be offensive to them, or to yourself.
Men's and women's tattoos
It is worth recognizing that girls are more often interested in such tattoos than men. Some experts believe that the meaning is different for men and women. In general, if you delve into the details, the raven himself is both masculine and female sign. It represents the dark feminine side, yin.
The masculine side of this symbol is wisdom and awareness of mystical secrets, the ability to see what is inaccessible to the eyes of ordinary people.
The raven is a strong bird, but rarely enters into open confrontation. First of all, it is a scavenger, waiting for the prey to be “ready”. He always senses when and where the next feast of flesh and blood will be. Consequently, he has the gift of foresight, or strong intuition.
Girls often choose sketches with flying birds. They also like options with trees, old houses, the moon, candles, or a lantern, and a pocket watch. In a direction such as steampunk, the raven himself can wear a watch, clothes, hat and monocular.
Lovers of ethnic designs are found among both sexes. This is a style reminiscent of the drawings of the Celts, tribal, Romans, and ancient themes.
Crow Tattoo Areas
For any tattoo, the most space is on the back. Here you can stuff a bird almost into life size, taking into account the volume of the body and the tail. Unless you won't be able to show your wingspan. The black beauty has it from 1 to 1.5 meters. It is unlikely that any of the clients of the tattoo parlor have oblique fathoms in their shoulders.
Therefore, a raven tattoo on the back is done either to scale or with folded wings. By making a large drawing, you can convey all the details and the play of color on the feathers.
The back is not the most painful area of the body, so even a large tattoo can be done in two or three visits without fear that you will not be able to withstand the session. Although there are some nuances. For example, when the tattoo artist’s machine passes over the vertebrae. The closer the needle is to the bone, joint, spine, the more painful the process. If you have a low pain threshold, it is recommended to warn the specialist about this. Then he will solve the issue with anesthesia. Now there are quite a few effective means to “freeze” the area during the procedure.
Next popular option– crow tattoo on shoulder. Here the surface area is noticeably smaller, and you have to make do with more modest image dimensions.
However, you can see a raven tattoo on the shoulder of both a young student and a lady over forty. Well, it’s not for nothing that they say that all women are a little bit of a witch.
How much does it hurt? If everything is fine with the pain threshold, then nothing special. You will feel approximately the same if you get a raven tattoo on your arm. The skin on the wrist is thin. The joint is close, there may be some discomfort. There is not enough space, so the bird will not be very big. You can make it in the form of a half-bracelet so that the wings cover the sides of the hand.
The crow tattoo on the chest should be discussed separately. If a stern and brutal man is unlikely to have any complaints about the tattoo artist who gives him such a tattoo, then a young girl who wants to stand out may be unpleasantly surprised that getting it done is not at all as cool as wearing it. The skin on the chest is quite thin and delicate, and under it there are many nerve endings. So think in advance how much you need it.
Usually a raven on the sternum is drawn either with outstretched wings, or with a plot, with a fragment of the background. You can make a sketch with the expectation that the wings will go to the collarbones and shoulders.
A crow tattoo on the neck will look original. Here it is best to turn to the style of minimalism, or graphics. It is a single-color pattern that will look best on this area of skin.
Select a sketch. Themes for tattoos with crows
The only advice we would like to give you is to avoid banality. In any theme, be it gothic, Celtic, or occult, you can always find original designs for raven tattoos. Of course, when choosing, you can build on existing ideas, but copying them means becoming a copy of someone else. If you claim some kind of individuality and independence, such actions go against your position.
One of important issues questions that visitors to tattoo parlors ask – are bright colors appropriate for such a tattoo? Depends on the overall theme and chosen style. For example, paints can emphasize the play of colors on the feathers of a bird, or be part of the design, some kind of decoration against the background. In styles such as trash polka and watercolor, the use of red, pink and other bright colors is considered common.
Often you come across interesting images on the Internet. For example, the silhouette of a large crow, consisting of many small ones. There are a lot of such ideas. We recommend that you carefully study examples on the topic of interest before making a choice.
Photo
An interesting collection of photographs for your viewing.
The raven (Corvus corax) is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. He is the hero of many myths and legends, occupying a special place in the mythology of the peoples of North America, Scandinavia and Siberia. According to Claude Lévi-Strauss, a French ethnographer and creator of structural anthropology, crows acquired their popular status as mythological characters because from ancient times they were considered intermediaries between life and death.
The first written mention of the raven was created about 5 thousand years ago. The Sumerian cuneiform Epic of Gilgamesh tells of Utnapishtim, the only survivor of global flood person. He alternately released a dove from his ship, and... The first two birds returned back, and only the last bird found land.
Raven in Norse mythology
The Vikings often used the image of a raven, whose wings symbolized sails. Ragnar Lothbrok, a Danish king who lived in the 9th century and came from the Yngling family, owed his victories and defeats to a wonderful banner called Reafan, on which Odin’s raven was depicted. When the banner fluttered in the wind, the valiant warrior invariably won, and when it remained motionless, the battle was lost.
King Harald III the Severe of Norway (1015-1066) had a similar Landeithan battle banner. King Canute the Great of Denmark (995-1035) had the same talisman. Both were considered formidable warriors, and both considered the wise bird their patron.
The supreme German-Scandinavian god Odin had two ravens, Hugin and Munin, sitting on his shoulders. Their names mean "thinking" and "remembering" in Old Icelandic. They knew how to speak, were Odin's messengers and his main informants. Based on their reports, he often made fateful decisions. God released birds every morning trip around the world. During the day they flew around the whole earth and in the evening returned back with a detailed report.
The raven is depicted on right side heraldic coat of arms of the Isle of Man, a former Viking colony. It has become a permanent part of the islanders' folklore, being associated with death and lost souls. In Sweden, crows represent the ghosts of the murdered, and in Germany the souls of damned people.
Celtic mythology
The Irish associate black birds with warfare and the battlefield led by the war goddesses Badb and Morrigan. The goddess Morrigan, in the form of a raven, sits on the shoulder of Cuchulainn, the legendary Irish hero with seven pupils and seven toes. During his lifetime, he rejected her love, eventually lost her support and was killed by his own spear.
Bran the Blessed was the greatest king of Britain in Welsh myth. His birds were ravens, which, by tradition, still guard the Tower of London and the whole of Great Britain.
Germanic paganism
According to one of the legends, Frederick I Barborosa fell asleep in one of the beer cellars at the foot of the mountain in Thuringia along with his knights after a heavy libation. He could not wake up for several days in a row. The king's subjects were very sad, as all attempts to wake him were unsuccessful. Many already thought that their ruler had died.
Fortunately, the crows arrived and began to circle over the mountain and scream loudly. A few hours later, their screams had an effect on the sleeping hero and returned him from the kingdom of Morpheus. After this incident, he closed his eyes while sleeping, but always raised his hand so that the young servant could see whether the noisy birds were still flying around him or not.
Ancient Greece
Apollo was fascinated by the beauty of Princess Coronis, daughter of Phlegius, king of Orchomen. The god personifying the Sun assigned a white raven to her, who protected her from any misfortunes. One day the feathered guard lost his vigilance. Taking advantage of the opportunity, a mortal named Ishis immediately seduced the princess.
The enraged Apollo wanted to kill her, but almost before her death, Coronis learned that she was pregnant with his son Asclepius, the future patron of medicine and healing. The father had mercy on his son, allowed him to be born and gave him to be raised by the centaur Chiron. As punishment for neglect of one's duties White Raven forever turned into a black bird.
Raven in Eskimo mythology
Eskimos treat the raven with obvious reverence. They believe that he is the progenitor of the universe. Being an all-powerful being, he created people, brought them daylight, taught them to use fire, build canoes, weave fish nets, use skins for clothing, sing, dance and do other useful things. It goes without saying that the raven created animals, birds and plants so that the Eskimos he loved would always have plenty to eat.
Similar beliefs were preserved among the Chukchi, Koryaks, Itelmens and North American Indians. For many peoples of the East, the raven is a symbol of wisdom and longevity, and in Japan and China it is the patron saint of family love. It was the emblem of the Chinese Shu dynasty (221-263) and was depicted with three legs, symbolizing the sunrise, its zenith and sunset.
A pair of ravens in Scandinavian mythology that fly around the world of Midgard and report to the god Odin about what is happening. In Old Icelandic, Huginn means "thinker" and Muninn means "rememberer" (or "thought" and "memory" respectively). 
Crows are mentioned in such literary monuments Scandinavia of the 13th century, such as the Elder and Younger Edda, the Earthly Circle, the Third grammatical treatise of Olav Thordarson, as well as in skaldic poetry.
In these works, Hugin and Munin are described as ravens serving Odin, who sit on his shoulders and provide him with information. The Earthly Circle tells how Odin endowed ravens with speech. The role of Hugin and Munin as messengers of the supreme ace is connected with the tradition of shamanic practices and with the general symbolism of the Germanic peoples, who depict the raven as a source of hidden knowledge. 
Odin's companions are the ravens Hugin and Munin ("thinking" and "remembering") and the wolves Geri and Freki ("greedy" and "voracious"), his mount is the eight-legged horse Sleipnir ("sliding"). In Valhalla, Odin and his squad are served by Valkyries - maidens who determine the fate of warriors on the battlefield, choosing heroes for Valhalla. Odin's weapon is the spear Gungnir, which never misses its target and kills anyone it hits. Odin's ship is Skidblaðnir (Skíðblaðnir, “made of thin planks”), the fastest ship in the world, accommodating any number of warriors, which, however, can be folded and hidden in a pocket if necessary.
Hugin and Munin are only personifications of the mental powers of Odin. In honor of these ravens, the Swedes named two DC-3 transport aircraft converted for reconnaissance at Pentagon funds, which spied on Soviet air defense systems in the interests of NATO and Sweden. A Swedish reconnaissance aircraft based on the Douglas DC-3 transport aircraft, shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 fighter during the period, was named in honor of Hugin. cold war after the violation of USSR airspace in 1952.
Odin the All-Father had two ravens, Hugin and Munin. They flew over all the worlds and returned to Asgard every day to tell Odin about everything they saw and heard. One day the day passed and the crows did not return. Then Odin, standing on the tower of Hlidskjalf, said to himself:
I'm scared for Hugin,
For Munin and even more so,
Where are my prophetic birds?
Another day passed, and the ravens flew in and sat on Odin’s shoulders. Then the All-Father went to the Council Hall near the golden-leaved grove of Glasir and began to listen to the revelations of Hugin and Munin.
They told him only about bad omens and omens. The All-Father did not reveal to the inhabitants of Asgard what the ravens told him about. But Frigga, his mistress, saw in the eyes of her husband the harbingers and omens of future troubles.
And when he spoke of these troubles, Frigga said:
- Don't try to prevent what's about to happen. Let us go to the sacred Norns sitting at the source of Urd, and see if the bad omens and omens will not disappear when you look into their eyes.
And so Odin and the gods left Asgard and went to the source of Urd, where three norns sat under the huge root of Yggdrasil, protecting a pair of wonderful swans. Odin, and Tyr, the great warrior, and Balder, the most beautiful and most precious of all the gods, and Thor with his hammer, set off on their journey.
The Rainbow Bridge led from Asgard, the city of the gods, to Midgard, the world of people. But another rainbow bridge, even more wonderful and trembling, led from Asgard to the root of Yggdrasil, under which the waters of the Urd spring splashed. This rainbow bridge was rarely seen by people. And where the ends of two rainbows connected, stood the golden-toothed Heimdall, guardian of the gods, guardian of the path to the source of Urd.
“Open the gates, Heimdall,” the All-Father addressed him, “open the gates, for today the gods will visit the sacred norns.”
Without a word, Heimdall opened the gate wide, beyond which began a bridge brighter and more wavering than any rainbow visible from the earth. Then Odin, and Tyr, and Balder stepped on it. Thor followed them, but before his foot hit the bridge, Heimdall placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You cannot go this way, Thor,” said Heimdall.
- What? Will you, Heimdall, stop me? - Thor cried.
“Yes, because I am the keeper of the path to the Norns,” answered Heimdall. - You and your hammer are too heavy. The bridge that I guard will break under you, Thor the Hammer.
“And yet I will go to the Norns along with Odin and my brothers,” said Thor.
“But not this way, Thor,” Heimdall repeated. “I will not allow the bridge to collapse under your weight and the weight of your hammer.” Leave me your hammer if you're going here.
- No no! - Thor recoiled. - I will not trust anyone with the hammer that protects Asgard and nothing will stop me from going with Odin and my brothers.
“There is another way to the source of Urd,” said Heimdall. - Do you see these two wide swirling rivers - Kermt and Ermt? Can you ford them? They are cold and their vapors are suffocating, but they will lead you to the source of Urd, where the three sacred norns sit.
Thor looked at the two wide, boiling rivers. Their waters were cold and their vapors were suffocating. And yet, crossing them, he will be able to carry a hammer on his shoulder, which he does not dare entrust to anyone. He stepped into the steaming river that washed the base of the rainbow bridge, and with a hammer on his shoulder, he began to make his way to another river.
Odin, Tyr and Balder were already at the source of Urd when Thor emerged from the seething river, wet and out of breath, but still with the hammer on his shoulder. Tyr, straight and handsome, leaned on his sword, completely dotted with magical runes. Balder stood with his head bowed and a smile on his lips, enchanted by the quiet song of two wonderful swans, and next to him stood Odin the All-Father, in his blue cloak bordered with golden stars, without an eagle helmet on his head and without a spear in his hands.
Three norns - Urd, Verdandi and Skuld - sat at the source flowing from the hollow of the huge root of Yggdrasil. Urd was a gray-haired old woman, Verdandi was a young beauty, and Skuld was almost impossible to see because she sat behind her sisters and her hair fell in her face. Urd, Verdandi and Skuld saw the whole past, all the present and all the future. The Allfather looked into their eyes, even into Skuld's eyes. For a long, long time he looked at the norns with divine eyes, while others listened to the song of the swans and the rustle of the leaves of Yggdrasil falling into the source of Urd.
And in the eyes of the Norns, the All-Father saw with his own eyes the omens and omens that Hugin and Munin had told him about. And then Frigt, Siv and Nanna, the wives of Odin, Thor and Balder, crossed the rainbow bridge. Frigga looked at the norn, then turned her gaze, full of love and sorrow, on Balder, her son, and, retreating, laid her hand on Nanna's head.
The Allfather tore his gaze away from the norns and turned it to Frigga, his royal wife.
“I must leave Asgard for a while, wife of Odin,” he said.
“Yes,” Frigga responded. - Much needs to be done in Midgard, the world of people.
“I will turn my knowledge into wisdom,” Odin continued, “so that what inevitably happens will, if possible, turn out for the better.”
“You need to go to the source of Mimir,” said Frigga.
“I will go to the source of Mimir,” said Odin.
“Go, my husband,” said Frigga.
They again walked across the rainbow bridge, more wonderful and more unsteady than the one that people see from the earth. Everyone returned across the rainbow bridge, the Aesir and Asini, Odin and Frigg, Balder and Nanna, Tyr with his sword and Siv next to Tyr. As for Thor, he, with the hammer Mjollnir on his shoulder, again wandered through the boiling rivers Kermt and Ermt.
Little Hnos, the youngest of the inhabitants of Asgard, stood next to Heimdall, guardian of the gods and guardian of the bridge leading to the source of Urd, when Odin the All-Father and his royal wife Frigga with bowed heads emerged from the huge gate. And she heard Odin say:
- Tomorrow I will become Vegtam the Wanderer, wandering along the roads of Midgard and Jotunheim.
