The Alchemy of Tattooing – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, I sit in powerful conversation with Stephanie Big Eagle—traditional handpoke tattoo artist, cultural bearer, and author of Thunderbird Rising. Of Lakota and Dakota ancestry on her father’s side, and Nordic and Haudenosaunee lineage on her mother’s, Stephanie walks the path of remembrance, revival, and reclamation.

Together, we explore the sacred role of tattooing within the Native American Nations—an ancient tradition largely disrupted by colonisation, but now rising once more through the hands of those called to remember. Stephanie shares her journey of reconnecting with these ceremonial markings, and the deep spiritual resonance they carry.

We speak on the ancestral significance of the designs, the power of the handpoke method, and the return of tattooing as an embodied prayer, a rite of passage, and a symbol of cultural survival. This is more than ink—it is the language of memory, land, and identity inscribed back into the skin.

This episode is a reverent and stirring exchange for all those drawn to the resurgence of Indigenous tattooing, and to the healing power of cultural reconnection.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephbigeagle/

Website: https://www.stephbigeagle.com www.thunderbirdrising919.com

Book: Thunderbird Rising: https://www.amazon.com/Thunderbird-Rising-Reconnection-Resilience-Empowerment/dp/1737512211/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=thunderbird+rising&qid=1635197592&qsid=141-0253157-8127214&sr=8-1&sres=1737512211%2CB098LQWS8R%2CB097CGVXGZ%2C0913056049%2CB08ZQ8K6KH%2CB07M8P5VF2%2CB098DR4V76%2CB07QCQNKG7%2CB06WVFMYWT%2CB00SARHPKS%2CB084PV952N%2CB08D1XX766%2CB000OOKJ58%2CB00DOTL5EE%2CB08L6W3W63%2CB094SYV22L

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

WHAT IS THIS This Meditation of Smoke and Flame is a semi-active mediation where we can ask for insights or guidance and journey to the otherworld. This is a meditative state that brings in elements of Scrying. We use Flame and Smoke. Both these elements have meditative effects and are also considered the in-between places. The thin veil between this world and the otherworld. In this meditation we connect with the Flame we see… to the Flame within us… our sacred flame… our spiritual fire… our source of inspiration. We also connect to the Smoke and let it guide us with its flow and shapes, it’s journey and it’s access to insights. SET UP For this meditation you will need a candle… if you can find sustainably made pure beeswax candles… then these are best… as the burning of pure beeswax stimulates the pituitary gland in humans which in turn triggers the intuitive parts of the brain. You will need some form of incense… stick incense or cone incense… or I prefer using charcoal blocks to drop resin or dried herbs or leaf on… my favourite is pine resin… juniper and cedar… also sage. This meditation is best done in a dark room or space so that the light of the flame illuminates the smoke as it rises. The set up… we want the incense or burning charcoal placed in front of the candle… play around a little bit with the exact location… sometimes directly in front is good… sometimes just to the left or right of the front of the candle gets better visual results for the smoke. PURPOSE The purpose of this meditation is really whatever you want it to be. Set an intention beforehand. If you have a question or are searching for some insight on anything… then set this as the intention for the meditation. The reason I find this style of meditation useful is that I’m not spending the moments clearing my mind of thoughts. I let the smoke of the incense and the flame of the candle take me on the journey. For periods through the meditation I can find myself blissfully drifting… clear of thoughts and concerns. As I watch and observe the swirling smoke and the illumination I feel I am entering another realm. In fact I am. Here is where we receive our insights… our answers… our guidance… here is where our Intuition is most powerful. Rather than concentrating on clearing my mind… I let what comes come. What messages am I receiving… what epiphanies am I awakening. What am I hearing… what am I seeing… what am I feeling. This journey will be experienced in whatever way yours takes you. Everyones experience is different. It may be very visual… it may be more of a feeling journey. Remember… in the Otherworld we may receive our information very differently than this realm. Learn to take notice of how you receive. You may have visions… you may have internal audible… you may just have feeling. But take notice of other aspects of receiving… in the otherworld the rules of this world don’t always apply. Really observe how you may be receiving… you could be hearing a thought… or are you feeling a vision… maybe you are seeing a feeling or thinking a sound. Take note of how this Otherworld communicates to you. Most importantly… go with the flow… let go… have fun… and enjoy awakening your inner wisdom through your journeys with Smoke and Flame. Download PDF Instructions: https://a76f09dd-6212-4777-b46e-971fdb361695.filesusr.com/ugd/41a3a5_8af8f68ccc644d6fa3152f07eefff4fa.pdf

The Alchemy of Tattooing, Wisdoms of Ancestor Tattoo, where we explore and revive the ancient understandings and methods of tattooing... For transformation, creation and shifting into a higher vibration... through processes so effective that it seems like Magick. Or is it indeed... Magick!

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: @shanetattooer

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

(Part 2): In this expansive and deeply personal episode, we journey into the power of ancestral connection and how it lives within us—through our blood, our bones, and the markings we choose to carry. Shane explores how tattooing, when rooted in cultural memory, becomes a sacred act of remembering, a way to honour lineage, and a tool for healing inherited wounds.

You’ll hear stories of personal awakening, intuitive downloads, and encounters with ancestral guides—alongside the long path of reclaiming identity after centuries of disconnection. From the impact of colonisation on Western ancestral reverence to the resurgence of indigenous tattoo traditions around the world, this episode traces how we begin to mend what has been broken.

Shane shares how ancestral connection can awaken intuitive gifts and open access to the deeper realms of knowing—through dreams, symbols, and the subtle language of divination. He speaks to the importance of connecting only with well ancestors, the dangers of unfiltered ancestor work, and the vital need to acknowledge all of one’s heritage—especially for those of mixed lineage.

We also explore epigenetics, shadow work, and the role of sacred markings in cultural revival and spiritual transformation.

This episode is an offering to those who are seeking their roots, healing their bloodlines, and remembering who they truly are. A powerful listen for anyone called to represent their ancestors through sacred tattooing and walk the path of intuitive remembering.

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

(Part 1): In this expansive and deeply personal episode, we journey into the power of ancestral connection and how it lives within us—through our blood, our bones, and the markings we choose to carry. Shane explores how tattooing, when rooted in cultural memory, becomes a sacred act of remembering, a way to honour lineage, and a tool for healing inherited wounds.

You’ll hear stories of personal awakening, intuitive downloads, and encounters with ancestral guides—alongside the long path of reclaiming identity after centuries of disconnection. From the impact of colonisation on Western ancestral reverence to the resurgence of indigenous tattoo traditions around the world, this episode traces how we begin to mend what has been broken.

Shane shares how ancestral connection can awaken intuitive gifts and open access to the deeper realms of knowing—through dreams, symbols, and the subtle language of divination. He speaks to the importance of connecting only with well ancestors, the dangers of unfiltered ancestor work, and the vital need to acknowledge all of one’s heritage—especially for those of mixed lineage.

We also explore epigenetics, shadow work, and the role of sacred markings in cultural revival and spiritual transformation.

This episode is an offering to those who are seeking their roots, healing their bloodlines, and remembering who they truly are. A powerful listen for anyone called to represent their ancestors through sacred tattooing and walk the path of intuitive remembering.

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

In this intimate episode, I sit down with master carver and renowned Tā Moko artist Gordon Toi, recorded at his private studio and home in Mapua, in the South Island of Aotearoa. Together, we explore the ancestral origins, symbolism, and spiritual power of traditional Māori tattooing.

Gordon shares deep insights into the meaning held within the lines of Tā Moko—how they map the journey of one’s life, lineage, and belonging. As one of the most respected living practitioners of Pūhoro, he speaks to its sacred role as a rite of passage and a continual thread of connection to the ancestors.

We also touch on the mysterious carved texture of facial moko found on the ancestors—markings so precise and detailed that they hint at an ancient technology or knowledge still not fully understood today. Gordon offers reflections on the sacred responsibility of carrying this art forward, and the vital role Tā Moko plays in cultural healing, identity, and the revival of indigenous wisdom.

This is a powerful and grounding conversation with one of the great holders of Māori tattoo tradition—a must-listen for anyone called to the deeper currents beneath the skin.

Gordon Toi:https://www.instagram.com/gtoinative/

Contact Shane... ancestortattoo@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

In this deeply personal and powerful episode, we explore the sacred relationship between tattooing and ancestral connection—how the markings we wear can become conduits of remembrance, healing, and reclamation.

We speak to the spiritual truth that your ancestors are not gone—they are within your blood, bones, and DNA, and they are waiting to be acknowledged, honoured, and welcomed into your life. Through the act of ancestral tattooing, we open the door to this connection and embody it in living form.

Together, we journey through:

• The energetic presence of ancestors in our cells and spirit

• How ancestral trauma is passed through epigenetic memory, and how conscious reconnection brings healing

• The revival of cultural tattoo practices as acts of resistance, restoration, and sacred continuity

• The role of tattooing in initiating identity, restoring lineage dignity, and ending generational silence

• The importance of calling in only the “well ancestors”, and assisting in healing those who remain fractured

• Reclaiming lost European tribal tattoo practices and honouring multicultural lineages with integrity

• How marking the skin with ancestral symbols becomes an act of deep reverence, activation, and transformation

This episode is a call to all those who feel the pull to remember where they come from. To honour the ones who walked before. To reclaim a sense of rooted belonging in a time of mass disconnection.

Tattooing is not just personal expression—it can be ancestral invocation.

You are the current bearer of your bloodline.

You are the voice of those who came before you.

And what you do now echoes both backward and forward across time.

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: https://www.ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: shanetattooer https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend and master practitioner of traditional Māori tattooing, Turumakina Duley. Together, we explore the sacred art of Tā Moko—its ancient origins, its ceremonial nature, and the powerful stories embedded in each pattern and design.

Tu shares the rich whakapapa of this revered practice, guiding us through the rituals that accompany the receiving of these ancestral markings and the deep connection they offer to identity, belonging, and lineage. We speak about Tā Moko as a living bridge—one that connects the past to the present, healing personal and cultural traumas along the way.

From the traditional tools and pigments to the myths and legends that shaped the practice, Tu takes us on a journey through time and spirit. We also discuss the global relevance of this revival, and how Tā Moko now stands as a beacon for other cultures seeking to reconnect with their own ancestral tattoo traditions.

This episode is rich with wisdom, reverence, and deep remembering—an essential listen for anyone drawn to the power of tattoo as sacred ceremony.

Turumakina Duley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tu_moko/

Website: https://www.artselemental.com

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanetattooer/

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

In this episode, we go deeper into the energetic technology behind tattooing—specifically, how energy can be imprinted, programmed, and transmitted into the lines, shapes, and pigment of a tattoo through conscious intention, ritual, and resonance.

Building upon our previous discussion on resonance, we explore:

• The power of intentional imprinting during the tattoo process

• How emotions, thoughts, blessings, and environment leave an energetic signature in a design

• The science and mysticism of energy memory, psychometry, and vibrational imprint

• The teachings of Dr. Masaru Emoto and how water—and ink—responds to intention

• Ancient methods for infusing tattoos, weapons, and sacred objects with spiritual energy

• How to ensure your tattoo resonates with your purpose, healing, and higher self

• Why the energetic state of the tattooist and the space matters deeply

• Ways we can use tattoos as a tool to restore resonance between humans, Earth, and cosmos

We also touch on the need for conscious alignment in a world saturated with manipulative resonance—from media, advertising, and systems designed to pull us away from our true frequency.

This episode is a reminder of your sovereign power to program, create, and resonate—through every mark, every word, every act of sacred intention.

Your tattoo is not just a memory.

It is a vibrational transmission, a frequency, and a living prayer.

Contact Shane... shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: @shanetattooer

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu

In this episode, we explore the ancient and energetic principle of resonance—the subtle yet powerful phenomenon through which your tattoo becomes more than a mark. It becomes a vibrating field of intention, a living energy aligned with what you’re calling in.

We ask essential questions:

What is your tattoo in resonance with?

What does its shape, structure, and symbolic content invite into your energy field?

And how can we ensure our tattoos vibrate in alignment with healing, transformation, or initiation?

Drawing from ancestral knowledge, shamanic traditions, Ancient Egyptian science, and vibrational mapping techniques, we dive into:

• The Law of Resonance and how symbols communicate across dimensions

• Why certain designs have remained unchanged for millennia

• How ancient cultures used patterns to heal organs, realign energies, and connect to the Otherworld

• Modern tools to test and refine tattoo designs for energetic alignment

• The deeper spiritual technology behind sacred shapes like the spiral

• The importance of initiatory tattooing and how it marks transitions in life

• The archetypes of mature masculinity and the lost rites that once embedded them

• How tattoos can be used to heal, to reclaim ancestral connection, and to reattune ourselves with Earth and cosmos

Your skin is not just a canvas.

It is a portal, a communicator, and a boundary between the seen and unseen.

When we understand how shape, symbol, and placement emit frequencies, we step into the deeper path of tattooing as ritual, as medicine, and as remembrance.

This is an episode for seekers, tattooists, initiates, and anyone who feels the pull to reconnect with the sacred through design.

Contact Shane: shanetattooer@gmail.com

Website: ancestortattoo.com

Instagram: @shanetattooer

Title music: Ngā Tai Tawhito, Kiki Pounamu https://smarturl.it/kikipounamu