The All Seeing Eye Tattoo Meaning and 105+ Designs to Open Your Eyes

The meanings of the all seeing eye tattoo include God's benevolence, a government's watchful eye, independence, capitalism, and more!

I hate to admit it but I do love a good conspiracy theory. So, when one of my clients who was getting an all seeing eye tattoo explained the various meanings, I knew I had to find out more. Cue my deep dive into research.

In this post, I will describe each all seeing eye tattoo meaning to see which one resonates with you the most! I will show you some gorgeous tattoo designs too.

The All Seeing Eye Tattoo Meanings

As the all seeing eye is a fairly old symbol, it is referred to by various names, including the eye of Providence.

Here is some insight into each all seeing eye tattoo meaning:

The All Seeing Eye and the Link to the Eye of Horus

Many believe that the all seeing eye has its origin in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians referred to this as the eye of Horus and I will explain why:

According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, the god Horus was locked in a battle with his uncle Seth for the throne. Horus was the rightful leader and Seth had usurped the throne.

Horus was eventually able to defeat Seth and take his rightful place as king. However, he lost his left eye in the process. It was later returned to him in the form of a magical eye later on, by another god.

Due to this story, the eye of Horus was often a symbol of the battle between good and evil. Also, it was considered a sign of protection, which is why it is sometimes linked to the evil eye symbol.

An eye of Providence tattoo - without the triangle or the beams - can be a good alternative to a traditional eye of Horus tattoo.

Now, you may be wondering, how does the eye of Horus makes its way to Europe and North America and become the all seeing eye?

Well, during the Renaissance period, artists became fascinated with Egyptian hieroglyphs. The problem was, they didn't know how to translate these hieroglyphs.

As a result, they assumed that each symbol was a representation of something in Egyptian culture. Back then, the artists mistranslated the eye into the symbol for God.

So, when they used the eye in their artwork, they used the eye to represent God. It was also seen as seen to represent the love and benevolence of God as well.

This isn't the only thing that your all seeing eye tattoo has to be about, though. Keep in mind that the renaissance period was also about widening your horizons, broadening your mind, and being open to personal growth.

The Evolution of the All Seeing Eye Tattoo

Of course as you will have noticed, the eye of Providence is more than just a single eye. Instead, the eye is typically framed by a triangle - which is why it is sometimes referred to as a triangle eye tattoo.

You will also often notice that there are also beams or rays surrounding the eye. So, what is this all about?

Well, triangles were actually used in Christian art a long time before the eye was used. A triangle has typically been used to depict the Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Then, there are the beams. These are meant to represent the radiance and glory of God. Some also see it as God's light and love touching upon his children.

So, when all of these components are used in the all seeing eye tattoo, it can be a representation of God or your faith.

The All Seeing Eye and the Depiction of Independence

Interestingly enough, your all seeing eye tattoo has a link to independence.

After the American Revolution, the eye was used as a symbol in the Great Seal of the United States of America. Here, it was meant to represent God's watchful eye over the new nation.

It was to safeguard America from powers that sought to claim power over it again. In short, the eye became a simple of independence.

Then, after the French Revolution in 1789, the eye was placed on top of Jean-Jacques-François Le Barbier’s The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Here, the eye was a symbol of a promise to keep a close eye on the people in power to make sure that the upper classes never gained too much power.

If you believe that everyone should have equal rights and have the right to independence, then an all seeing eye tattoo is a great way of showcasing this.

The All Seeing Watchful Eye

If you have ever thought the all seeing eye feels a little like Big Brother, you aren't the only one.

In 1794 in Britain, a prison was built with a revolutionary design - all the cells within the prison could be viewed at all times. The symbol for this prison was the all seeing eye, along with the words Mercy, Justice, and Vigilance.

Your all seeing eye tattoo could be about how the government is watching you in one form or the other. These days with so much video and digital surveillance, this is especially true.

In this sense, your all seeing eye tattoo could be a bit of rebellion against the status quo. Or, it could be a reminder of how your movements are being watched and that you need to be mindful of this or stay one step ahead of the government.

The All Seeing Eye Tattoo and Capitalism

Like most people, you are probably most familiar with the eye of Providence due its placement on the one dollar bill.

If you want to get an all seeing eye tattoo design based on the one dollar bill this could be your statement of capitalism.

On the one hand, you may get it because you understand how the world works. Money makes the world go round and you can choose to be a part of that machine and make a profit from it.

If you so, then your all seeing eye tattoo would be pro-capitalism.

On the flip side, your all seeing eye tattoo could be a statement against capitalism. At the end of the day, capitalism only profits the 1 percent and the rest will lose out. If you feel like things need to change, then your tattoo is a great way to depict your feelings about this.

The All Seeing Eye Tattoo and Holding Yourself to a Higher Standard

As you may be aware, the all seeing eye is an important symbol for the Freemasons. These individuals believe in divine providence and that God is constantly watching you.

However, the Freemasons have a different meaning for this. They believe that God is constantly watching them and hold themselves to a higher standard of existence.

As a result, they strive to be better people and to constantly improve themselves and to grow their inner wisdom. It can also be a symbol of how you are trying to get to a higher level of spiritual illumination.

The all seeing eye tattoo can also be a reminder to be a better part of your community and to help others, especially those in need.

The Undocumented History of the All Seeing Eye

It is not surprising that there is so much confusion regarding the all seeing eye and that it is translated into so many ways. In reality, the origin and history of this meaning is completely undocumented - while there are many theories as to where the sign may have originated, no one knows quite where it came from.

This adds to the mystery surrounding this ancient symbol. In fact, in general, the all seeing eye is linked to many conspiracy theories. Many people believe that it is a symbol of secret societies.

While the Freemasons use the all seeing eye symbol, many also believe that this intriguing symbol is a sign of the Illuminati. This secret society is supposed to be a group of subversive people with incredible power and influence. Their alleged goal is to create a new world order.

If you have a love of secret societies, mysteries, conspiracy theories, and the unexplained, an all seeing eye tattoo is a great way to depict this!

Meanings Not Associated with the All Seeing Eye

Now, before I show you all the body art based on the all seeing eye, there are a few things I want to clear up. Now, the eye is a very old and powerful symbol.

As with most ancient symbols, though, people often get them confused with similar iconography. Due to this, it is quite common for people to mistake the all seeing eye for the evil eye - which is a symbol for keeping away evil spirits.

Some people also associate it with the third eye - an icon of spiritual enlightenment. However, it is not these things.

That being said, you are free to take creative liberties with your eye of Providence ink. So, if you do want to incorporate concepts like the third eye in your tattoo design then you certainly can do this.

The Best All Seeing Eye Tattoo Designs

Here are the top all seeing eye tattoos that you can get:

Minimalistic All Seeing Eye Tattoos

Looking to keep your ink simple and clean? Here are your choices:

Original All Seeing Eye Tattoos

This are the tattoo designs that are based on the eye of Providence that you would see on seals and the dollar bill. It can be considered a more vintage design and a great option if you want to keep your tattoo classically American.

If this is the kind of tattoo design you are interested in, here are some options to look at:

Floral All Seeing Eye Tattoos

The eye of Providence and flowers may not seem to have much in common but you should check out what this tattoo design looks like. When combined, there is something both beautiful and eerie.

If you want to do something a little different, why not go for a flower that is designed out of a dollar bill. This will add layers to your tattoo! Just make sure that you go with a talented tattoo artist for more complex designs.

Human Eye All Seeing Eye Tattoos

Sure, the eye in the eye of Providence looks pretty human. If you want to take your tattoo to the next level, though, then you should get an eye that is startlingly realistic.

This can add so much more emotion and power to your ink than you can imagine - here are some ideas to check out!

Traditional All Seeing Eye Tattoos

Want to give your tattoo a more vintage look? Then consider adopting a traditional tattoo style for your design. These kinds of ink boast thick black lines and bold colors.

Check out what your tattoo can look like:

Egyptian Themed All Seeing Eye Tattoos

As the all seeing eye has its origins in Egypt, it only makes sense to get an Egypt themed tattoo. Check out these stunning designs!

Spiritual All Seeing Eye Tattoos

Feel a spiritual link to the all seeing eye? Then here are the tattoos that can depict this feeling:

Mandala and Geometric All Seeing Eye Tattoos

If you want to add some ornamental style to your all seeing eye tattoo, here are the designs to check out:

Creative All Seeing Eye Tattoos

Want go all out with your tattoo? From a third eye to mushrooms here are all the crazy designs to consider:

There you have it - all the meanings tied into the all seeing eye. In addition, you can also now find the designs to go along with it.