Saleste Mele

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My latest piece is an eye held within a merkabah, inked over my high heart chakra — the space where breath meets soul. It’s the all-seeing eye, not to watch the world, but to witness from within. A reminder to see with my heart, where perception is purified through sacred geometry and truth cuts through illusion. It’s a symbol of alignment, a cosmic compass, a vow to stay rooted in love even when things get chaotic. It’s not just art — it’s activation.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

It would whisper like the ocean, chant like a mantra, and howl like truth in the night: “I’ve lived lifetimes in this skin.” Each piece is a prayer, a memory, a map. The eye sees beyond, the snake and flower-heart pulse with transformation. Butterflies, Ganesha, mandalas, waves—each symbol a sacred sign on my path. You don’t just wear your path—you become it. I didn’t just get tattooed. I remembered who I am.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d plant the seed for something bigger — a sacred space where healing, art, and community meet. Whether that’s land for a future center or bringing my feature film to life, it’s all about creating impact. This isn’t just money. It’s fuel for a vision that’s been burning in my bones for years.