105+ Serenity Prayer Tattoo Ideas to Give You a Guiding Hand

From simple designs to powerful imagery, there are a lot of serenity prayer tattoos for you to choose from!

I haven't suffered from addiction on a personal level, but I do have friends and family members who have worked towards getting sober. Due to this, it is always incredibly emotional when a client wants a serenity prayer tattoo and I am always honored to hear their stories and share in their journey.

Here are the best serenity prayer tattoo ideas for you to choose from, including some insight into their meanings.

The Top Serenity Prayer Tattoo Designs

Here are the serenity prayer tattoos that you should check out for yourself:

Serenity Courage and Wisdom Tattoos

The serenity prayer tattoo is beautiful but it can also be rather telling. If you are recovering from addiction, then you may not necessarily want to announce your situation to the world.

In this case, consider a serenity prayer tattoo with just the words serenity, courage, and wisdom. These words in your serenity prayer tattoo will be all that you need to remind you of uplifting ideas and to stay on the straight and narrow.

This serenity prayer tattoo is also an excellent idea for anyone who wants a smaller or more subtle serenity tattoo.

The Full Serenity Prayer Tattoo

If you want more meaning in your serenity prayer tattoo, then you should consider getting the full passage inked on you.

The serenity prayer is a well known prayer but there is actually more to the serenity prayer than most people realize. After the first few lines following God grant me the serenity, the final version of the serenity prayer continues like so:

living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; taking this world as it is and not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

As you can see, this can make for a rather meaningful serenity prayer tattoo. Here is a serenity prayer tattoo to draw inspiration from:

Simple Serenity Prayer Tattoos

The most important part of your serenity prayer tattoo is the serenity prayer, of course! These words hold so much meaning, which is what makes it the purest body marking.

And, if you are a recovering alcoholic or addict, then these words can give you the strength to remember God in the hardest and darkest of times. This famous mantra can also be the reminder that you need to lead a peaceful life and walk the straight line.

So, a simple serenity prayer tattoo can work well for you if you want a more subtle design. Here are some of the serenity prayer tattoo designs as well as placement options for you:

Now, this type of serenity tattoos don't have to be boring. A great way to take your serenity prayer tattoo to the next level is to choose a beautiful font.

Remember, the font of your serenity prayer tattoo can alter the meaning of your tattoo. The font can make your serenity prayer tattoo look anything from whimsical to serious. So, choose wisely!

Scroll Serenity Prayer Tattoos

This is probably one of my favorite serenity prayer tattoo designs. Here, the serenity prayer is inked on an old text or scroll design. The writing for this serenity prayer tattoo is typically done in flowing script, much like you would find in the olden days.

There is no denying that this is a beautiful serenity prayer tattoo, but it is a pretty meaningful one too.

This serenity prayer tattoo is similar to important documents throughout history, such as the Declaration of Independence. By getting your serenity prayer tattoo done in a similar format, you are symbolizing just how important this mantra and your sobriety are to you.

Here are the serenity prayer tattoos that you should check out based on this concept:

Religious Serenity Prayer Tattoos

While the serenity prayer and serenity prayer tattoo have long been associated with AA, this can also be a religious tattoo for you if you want. Or, if you are a recovering addict who is also quite religious, then your serenity prayer tattoo can have double the meaning for you!

So, for your own inner peace, you can consider getting a religious tattoo form for your serenity prayer tattoo.

So, what would such a serenity prayer tattoo look like? Well, there are lots of ways to make such a serenity tattoo work.

As you can imagine, you should include some religious iconography in your serenity prayer tattoo. Your serenity prayer tattoo could include a cross, praying hands, divine light, doves, and anything else that makes an impression on you.

Flowers and Serenity Prayer Tattoos

Serenity prayer tattoos can seem like pretty heavy stuff. However, for a lot of people, their serenity prayer tattoo is a symbol of light and hope.

If this is how you feel about your serenity prayer design, then you may want to choose a design that is in line with this concept. This is why I suggest adding a few flowers along with your serenity prayer.

After all, flowers are all about blooming and blossoming - something that you hope to achieve in your sobriety journey. Not to mention, they are great for adding a pop of color to your serenity prayer tattoo.

If you want to add even more meaning to your serenity prayer tattoo, then you may want to consider using a flower that has a personal meaning to you. For instance, consider one that is representative of your birth month or the birth month of a loved one.

Or, choose a flower that is symbolic of your journey.

Birds and Serenity Prayer Tattoos

Birds are a common theme for serenity prayer tattoos and it isn't difficult to see why. What is the first thing that you think about when you imagine birds? Freedom and flying free.

If you have suffered from any kind of addiction, then you know that drugs and alcohol can be your prison, holding you captive. When you are able to break out from the cycle of addiction, though, you are free to live your life on your own terms.

This is what the birds in your serenity prayer tattoo symbolize.

If you want a custom, beautiful serenity prayer tattoo, then you may want to think about the kind of bird you want to be inked on you. This is because each bird has its own meaning.

Doves can work well for peaceful serenity prayer tattoo designs, while eagles would work for brave or courageous serenity prayer tattoo designs.

What Does the Serenity Prayer Tattoo Mean?

Here is an important question: what is the meaning behind the serenity prayer and serenity prayer tattoo?

Well, in its full form, the serenity prayer goes like this:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference, living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; taking this world as it is and not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

While this prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, there is some confusion about who the author actually is. The prayer might have Christian origins, but over the last few decades, it has become more closely associated with recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.

This is because this is the mantra used by Alcoholics Anonymous, although it isn't officially taught by the AA and is only used by certain groups. However, the serenity prayer recited in AA is a lot shorter. Still, the meaning remains the same.

It has also been adopted by people of other faiths and belief systems.

The serenity prayer and serenity prayer tattoo are used by some to remind them that only certain things are within their control; you can only control only your thoughts and actions. You don't have control over other people or the universe.

Due to this, you should only focus on the things that you can control and change and work on these.

The serenity prayer and serenity prayer tattoo is also a good way to remind you that you shouldn't get upset over things or people that you don't have control over. Instead, stick to what you can do to alter your circumstances for the better.

Of course, people do have their own personal interpretations of what this passage could mean as well.

There you go - the top serenity prayer tattoo designs for you to choose from. These should help you to remember God, focus on your goal, and help you stay on the right track on your journey.