The ancient alchemists held a very unique association to the hourglass. The top half of the hourglass was seen as the sky, where the bottom half was representative of earth.

The energy continues to pass from one to another and represents duality, balance, and the cycles of life that pass from the mundane to ethereal. Duality and balance are also key meanings for yin yang tattoos and libra scale tattoos.

These cycles are constant, and although they appear to be changing for the minute, in the end it has and always will be a delicate balance.

These cycles of balance also represent the unique connection of life to death and the inevitability that time will eventually run out for us all at one point so it is important to make the best of the time you have left in the top of the hourglass.