Category: Dragon Magick

Dragons In Other Cultures

Dragons In Other Cultures

Everywhere the legged dragon is associalted with creation or life-giving. Throughout the world the Goddess or Great Mother, is connected with serpents, dragons, and spirals. As the great whale-dragon, Ishtar brought about the catastrophic flood which made it possible for a new order of humans to develop. Tiamat of Mesopotamia was the Mother-creator-dragon whose body was shaped inot the heavens and Earth. Worldwide, dragons and serpents are symbolic of the energy source of life, healing, oracular powers, fertility and maternal blessing.

H. P. Blavatsky states in her books that the dragon is a very old sign for Astral Light or Primordial Principle. This means that there is always wisdom in chaos, even if humans cannot see it. The dragon stood for psychical regeneration and immortality. Perhaps the stories which insist that dragons were partial to virgins simply meant that the seeking of wisdom and true innocence of the spirit were traits which attracted draconic beings.

In some cultures a full initiate was called a dragon or snake. Priests of Egypt and Babylon called themselves Sons of the Serpent-God or Sons of the Dragon. Even the Druids of the Celts spoke of themselves as snakes. In Mexico, the priests of Quetzalcoatl referred to themselves as of the race of the Dragon. The Welsh word Draig or dragon, was used to denote a leader, hero, warleader or prince. King Arthur and his father Uther Pendragon were said to have used a dragon as their emblem. Even today the royal banner of Wales has four-legged red and gold dragon on it.

The dragon has become a symbol of evil and the Christian devil only after the church gained power. In an attempt to crush the ancient beliefs of Pagans, the Christians spread their propaganda of their devil, calling them the Dragon. By instilling deep fears, particularly of eternal punishments, the priests and church leaders managed to grasp control of rulers and governments. By becoming the controlling forced behind governments, the church could control the people themselves, either through making their own Christian religious belief the state religion or by influencing the laws that were passed. Even then, though, there were truly individualistic people who refused to give up what they knew to be for them, true spiritual paths. These Pagans had to go underground, living in fear of persecution and death, for centures until they were once again granted the freedom to follow their ancient ways, freely speak of contacting the powerful astral beings who aided them.

 

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Dragons In Alchemy

Dragons In Alchemy

In alchemy, the dragon was considered to be matter, metal and the physical body. Often mentioned in conjunction with the dragon was the dragon’s sister: spirit, metallic mercury, and the soul. Ancient alchemy used the picture of a dragon or winged serpent as one of its many secret symbols. A common symbol of spiritual alchemical work was the dragon or serpent holding its tail in its mouth, an unending circle of eternity. Near this circled dragon was written the Greek motto “en to pan,” or “all is one.” The fabled Philosopher’s Stone of alchemy was also considered the One Which Is All. This Stone was closely connected in ancient writings with the Great Work of alchemy; the Great work simply means humankind becoming God, or merging with the Supreme Creative Forces within, thus completing the cycle of human growth by returning to the Source.

Jung wrote that the alchemists considered the winged dragon as female, the wingless dragons as male. Jung also considered water in dreams and analysis as unconscious spirit or the water dragon of Tao. This water dragon of Tao symbolized the yang embraced in the yin, or balanced growth in spirit. In Chinese Taoist symbolism, the dragon was seen as ‘the Way,” the bringer of eternal changes. Often in was depicted as guardian of the Flaming Pearl, or spiritual perfection. Joseph Campbell also speaks of the winged dragon or serpent as being the balance between Earth and Spirit. To the Chinese, the dragon was a potent symbol of luck and power. Silver dragon amulets were worn to help gain these qualities.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

What are Dragons?

What are Dragons?

 

 

Many cultures around the entire world have stories of dragons in one shape or another. Some are depicted as huge wingless serpents, other more like the traditional picture we of the Western world have of dragons: heavy bodied with wings. Dragons are shown with four legs, two legs, or no legs at all. Some dragons were said to have arrowhead-pointed tails, while others have spiked knob on the end of the tail. Some have twisted horns, others long antennae rather like those of moths. But the dragon, in whatever form, is there in thousands of folk stories, regardless of the description attached to it. Humankind has a subconscious knowledge of the dragon and its powers that even the assumed thin veneer of so-called civilizations cannot remove.

I discovered dragons and their potential powers years ago as a child. Being open-minded and noncritical, as most children are, I enjoyed the company of dragons, faeries, elves, and similar beings on a daily basis. My activity, however, was deeply frowned upon as “imagination.” I soon learned to keep quiet about my special ability in order to stay out of trouble with adults. Soon I began ignoring these others beings because I was afraid of making a slip and talking about them. Ridicule and punishment were severe when this happened; the subconscious negative programming had begun. When I finally rebelled against family control, I found the inner door not only shut, but locked. It took years of conscious retraining and experience before I could again understand how to call upon these beings, especially dragons, and use their magickal powers.

Negative programming has created havoc and unhappiness in a great many lives. This type of programming is inflicted upon others because of fear and a desire to control. The perpetrator forgets, or does not care, that they are dealing with an individual who has the right to her/his special abilities, dreams and goals in life. This happens not only to children, but to anyone who is less than sure of themselves, dependents upon someone else, or unable for whatever reason to leave the situation and people who are causing them great mental and emotional pain. If these beleaguered souls could make contact with their own special dragons, they could build the inner power to either remove themselves from the problem or at least refuse to accept the guilt, fear and control being placed upon them.

But what are dragons? Are the real or imaginary? In the Western world, our word dragon comes from the Greek drakon and the Latin draco. Drakon comes from a verb meaning to see, to look at, or possibly to flash. Certainly in most legends dragons spend their time watching, whether it be treasure, territory, or the supposedly captive maidens. The word “dragon” is used in many different fields, as diverse as astrology, astronomy, alchemy, magick, heraldry, psychology and the study of dreams. From the time that humans began to record things, dragons have been mentioned.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Dragons In Heraldry

Dragons In Heraldry

 

Even through times of persecution, the dragon did not fade from sight. In European countries, and China in particular, the draconic image remained alive in stories. European families, especially used the dragon in coats of arms. The European art of heraldry and coats of arms still employs the depiction of dragons in its art. The Prince of Wales has a red and gold dragon in his coat of arms and on his flag. The families of de Drago, von Drachenfels, de Draek, de Dragon de Ramillies, and Dragomanni, among others, all have a dragon on their coats of arms, as did the family of Sir Francis Drake.


In heraldry, a dragon with two legs is called a wyvern; a dragon without wings is a worm; a serpentine dragon with wings but no legs is an amphiptere; a dragon with wings and legs is termed a guivre. Further meaning of these draconic images was determined by how the dragon was posed: rampant (forelegs raised), a passant (one foreleg raised), statant (all four feet on the ground), wings endorsed (upright over the back), displayed or depressed tail nowed (knotted). Even further definition was determined by color: or (gold), gules (red), sable (black), or vert (green).

Dragons In Alchemy

Dragons In Alchemy

 

In alchemy, the dragon was considered to be matter, metal and the physical body. Often mentioned in conjunction with the dragon was the dragon’s sister: spirit, metallic mercury, and the soul. Ancient alchemy used the picture of a dragon or winged serpent as one of its many secret symbols. A common symbol of spiritual alchemical work was the dragon or serpent holding its tail in its mouth, an unending circle of eternity. Near this circled dragon was written the Greek motto “en to pan,” or “all is one.” The fabled Philosopher’s Stone of alchemy was also considered the One Which Is All. This Stone was closely connected in ancient writings with the Great Work of alchemy; the Great work simply means humankind becoming God, or merging with the Supreme Creative Forces within, thus completing the cycle of human growth by returning to the Source.

Jung wrote that the alchemists considered the winged dragon as female, the wingless dragons as male. Jung also considered water in dreams and analysis as unconscious spirit or the water dragon of Tao. This water dragon of Tao symbolized the yang embraced in the yin, or balanced growth in spirit. In Chinese Taoist symbolism, the dragon was seen as ‘the Way,” the bringer of eternal changes. Often in was depicted as guardian of the Flaming Pearl, or spiritual perfection. Joseph Campbell also speaks of the winged dragon or serpent as being the balance between Earth and Spirit. To the Chinese, the dragon was a potent symbol of luck and power. Silver dragon amulets were worn to help gain these qualities.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

What are Dragons?

What are Dragons? 

Many cultures around the entire world have stories of dragons in one shape or another. Some are depicted as huge wingless serpents, other more like the traditional picture we of the Western world have of dragons: heavy bodied with wings. Dragons are shown with four legs, two legs, or no legs at all. Some dragons were said to have arrowhead-pointed tails, while others have spiked knob on the end of the tail. Some have twisted horns, others long antennae rather like those of moths. But the dragon, in whatever form, is there in thousands of folk stories, regardless of the description attached to it. Humankind has a subconscious knowledge of the dragon and its powers that even the assumed thin veneer of so-called civilizations cannot remove.

I discovered dragons and their potential powers years ago as a child. Being open-minded and noncritical, as most children are, I enjoyed the company of dragons, faeries, elves, and similar beings on a daily basis. My activity, however, was deeply frowned upon as “imagination.” I soon learned to keep quiet about my special ability in order to stay out of trouble with adults. Soon I began ignoring these others beings because I was afraid of making a slip and talking about them. Ridicule and punishment were severe when this happened; the subconscious negative programming had begun. When I finally rebelled against family control, I found the inner door not only shut, but locked. It took years of conscious retraining and experience before I could again understand how to call upon these beings, especially dragons, and use their magickal powers.

Negative programming has created havoc and unhappiness in a great many lives. This type of programming is inflicted upon others because of fear and a desire to control. The perpetrator forgets, or does not care, that they are dealing with an individual who has the right to her/his special abilities, dreams and goals in life. This happens not only to children, but to anyone who is less than sure of themselves, dependents upon someone else, or unable for whatever reason to leave the situation and people who are causing them great mental and emotional pain. If these beleaguered souls could make contact with their own special dragons, they could build the inner power to either remove themselves from the problem or at least refuse to accept the guilt, fear and control being placed upon them.

But what are dragons? Are the real or imaginary? In the Western world, our word dragon comes from the Greek drakon and the Latin draco. Drakon comes from a verb meaning to see, to look at, or possibly to flash. Certainly in most legends dragons spend their time watching, whether it be treasure, territory, or the supposedly captive maidens. The word “dragon” is used in many different fields, as diverse as astrology, astronomy, alchemy, magick, heraldry, psychology and the study of dreams. From the time that humans began to record things, dragons have been mentioned.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Finding Dragons

Finding Dragons

 
 
Dragons live deep underground in caverns, usually with many passages and inner caves where the treasure is kept.
 
Some areas, like Wales or the Catalan region around Barcelona, have strong fire-dragon traditions.
 
Visit places with dragon or drake names such as Dragon Hill near Uffingham on the Berkshire/Oxfordshire borders, close to the huge chalk horse symbol of the Celtic horse goddess Epona.
 
Go also to those spots where there are dragons legends, such as Krakow in Poland where the dragon lived in a cave beneath Wawel Hill under the castle. You can be sure people in times past experienced dragon energies there and so wove the legends. Enter ‘dragon’ in the regional website of the place you intend to visit.
 
Explore dry, rocky, sandy regions, like Almeria in the south east of Spain. Visit also the bush lands of Australia and the Midwest of America and New Mexico, where European and Scandinavian settlers from the Old World carried the dragon mythology and the absorbed energies to join with the indigenous myths.
 
Explore the sacred sites of the creatrix rainbow serpent in Australia. In American, Serpent Mound in Ohio, just east of Cincinnati, which was used for worship by the Adena Indians, somewhere between 800 BCE and CE 100, is another perfect dragon location.
 
Most deep forests also have their share of dragon legends, especially in Germany. Visit different cavernous or rocky areas and feel for your dragon.
 
You may even find friendly fire-dragon energies near seaside caves in sandy coves (watch for tides). Western dragons traditionally live alone except for mating.
 
Collect the legends and your own impressions in your Book of Shadows.

Dragon Blessing

Dragon Blessing

 
 
This is a ritual for blessing and consecrating all your ritual tools. Whether your ritual tools are chosen specifically for dragon magick or whether you plan to use them in several kinds of magick, it is wise, as well as a nice gesture, to ask your dragons to add their powerful blessings to the equipment. The stronger the power in a magickal ritual tool, the better the rituals are worked.
 
This ritual is best done on a Full Moon or at bright noon. All of the tools may be consecrated at once if you have gathered them, or you may consecrate those that you have at this point. Others may be blessed as you acquire them. Any jewelry can be blessed at the initiation ceremony. Have pure frankincense gum to burn in the incense burner; a little goes a long way with gums, which tend to smoke.

Tools that you will find useful at this point are the dragon pentacle, the pentacle disk, incense burner, chalices, salt dish, sword, and wand. If you cannot drink wine, substitute apple cider, grape juice, fruit juice or soda.
 
Arrange your ritual area with care. It is best to set the altar in the center of your working area so that you can face the east. Light the two altar candles (black on the left, white on the right). Remember, if you are timid about using black, substitute extremely dark blue, purple or indigo.
 
Play soft instrumental music, if you wish. It helps to create the proper atmosphere and mask minor noises. Once the circle is cast, do not cross the boundary until the ritual is finished! You are dealing with mischievous creatures in this type of magick. Dragon power is a totally different and more unpredictable kind of magick: it can even be dangerous if you are frivolous and half-hearted about your work.
 
Begin the ritual by going to the east. With the forefinger of your power hand (this is generally considered the one with which you write), “draw” your magickal circle on the floor around your ritual area. Do this by pointint your finger at the floor and seeing great flames shooting from it. Move clockwise around the circle with this flame; end by overlapping it in the east. While drawing the circle, say:
 
“BY DRAGON POWER, THIS CIRCLE IS SEALED.”
 
Return to the altar. Put a small amount of frankincense on the burning charcoal in the incense burner. Point your forefinger at the burner; say,
 
“BY DRAGON POWER, I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Lift the incense burner and carry it clockwise around the edge of the cast circle, beginning and ending in the east. Return the burner to the altar.

Slowly pass the pentacle disk through the incense smoke, Say;

“ELEMENT OF SPIRIT, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.” 

Set the dish of salt on the pentacle disk. Circle the dish three times clockwise with your forefinger. Say:
 
“OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF EARTH AND SEA COMES THIS BLESSED SALT.
BY DRAGON POWER, I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Sprinkle a few grains of salt on all four corners of the altar. This sprinkling purifies the altar and may be done at any time, whether during ritual or as a cleansing if someone has messed about with your altar.

Pass the dragon pentacle through the incense smoke and say:

“ELEMENT OF SPIRIT, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
With the dragon pentacle in your power hand, go to the eastern quarter. Hold up the pentacle, facing the east. Say:
 
“DRAGONS OF AIR, BEHOLD YOUR SYMBOL AND ALLY.”
 
Moving clockwise, go to the south. Hold up the pentacle, say:

“DRAGONS OF FIRE, BEHOLD YOUR SYMBOL AND ALLY.”
 
Go to the west. Hold up the pentacle, say:
 
“DRAGON OF WATER, BEHOLD YOUR SYMBOL AND ALLY.”
 
Finish by going to the north. Hold up the pentacle, say:
 
“DRAGONS OF EARTH, BEHOLD YOUR SYMBOL AND ALLY.”
 
Return to the altar. Lay aside the dragon pentacle and take up the sword. Touch it briefly to the pentacle disk and pass it through the incense smoke. (You will have to keep adding small amounts of incense through out the ritual, but not enough to make breathing uncomfortable.) Say:
 
“SWORD OF FIRE, O (NAME OF SWORD),
BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Hold the sword for a few moments before the dragon pentacle. Put down the sword and take up the dagger. Touch it to the pentacle disk, pass through the incense smoke, and say:
 
“DAGGER OF FIRE, O (NAME OF DAGGER),
BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Hold the dagger for a few moments before the dragon pentacle.
 
For each tool set it briefly on the pentacle disk, then pass it through the incense smoke. When finished with the Call, hold the tool up before the dragon pentacle.
 
Water chalice:
 

“CHALICE OF WATER, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 

Wine chalice:
 
“CHALICE OF EARTH, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Dragon bowl:
 
“BOWL OF EARTH, YOU HOLDER OF LANDS FAR DISTANT AND NEAR, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOUR PURIFIED.”
 

Gem bowl:

“BOWL OF EARTH, YOU HOLDER OF GEMS BRIGHT AND POWERFUL, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 

Wand:

“WAND OF AIR, WIELDER OF MIGHT AND MAGICK, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 

Staff:

“STAFF OF SPIRIT, AUTHORITY AND POWER ARE YOURS, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 

Water bottles:

“CONTAINERS OF WATER, HOLDER OF GREAT SEAS AND RIVERS, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 
Gong, finger cymbals or bell:
 
“YOU ELEMENT OF AIR, WHOSE MUSICAL NOTES REACH TO THE DRAGON WORLDS, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 

Mirror:

“EYE OF THE DRAGON, YOU ELEMENT OF EARTH, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”

 
Whenever you get new supplies of herbs and oils, they can be consecrated by circling them three times with your wand and saying:
 
“HERBS (OILS) OF EARTH, GIVEN BY DRAGONS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, BY DRAGON POWER I CALL YOU PURIFIED.”
 
Now is an excellent time to chant and use free-form dancing. Invite the dragons to share in the raised energy and your joy of being a magician. Talk to them about your hopes and dreams. And listen to see if they have suggestions or words of encouragement for you. This is an opportunity for close friendships to be forged.
 
To close the ritual, take your sword in your power hand, your wand or staff in the other. Hold the sword up in salute. Go to the east and say:
 
“DRAGONS OF AIR, BEHOLD THE TOOLS OF MAGICK,
CONSECRATED BY DRAGON POWER,
LET US BE ONE IN MAGICK.
FAREWELL, O DRAGONS GREAT AND WISE.”
 
Continue clockwise to the south. Say:
 
“DRAGONS OF FIRE, BEHOLD THE TOOLS OF MAGICK,
CONSECRATED BY DRAGON POWER,
LET US BE ONE IN MAGICK.
FAREWELL, O DRAGONS GREAT AND WISE.”
 
Go to the west: Say:
 
“DRAGONS OF WATER, BEHOLD THE TOOLS OF MAGICK,
CONSECRATED BY DRAGON POWER.
FAREWELL, O DRAGONS GREAT AND WISE.”
 
Go to the north; Say:
 
“DRAGONS OF EARTH, BEHOLD THE TOOLS OF MAGICK, CONSECRATED BY DRAGON POWER,
LET US BE ONE IN MAGICKL
FAREWELL, O DRAGONS GREAT AND WISE.”
 

Return to the altar. Point the sword at the dragon pentacle and say:

“DRAGONS OF SPIRIT, HIGHEST OF DRAGONS AND MOST POWERFUL, BLESS THIS ALTAR WITH YOUR FIRE,

LET US BE ONE IN MAGICK.
FAREWELL, O DRAGONS GREAT AND WISE.”
 
Cut the circle with a backward sweep of the sword across the circle boundary. Extinguish the altar candles. Leave the ritual tools on or around the altar overnight to be further empowered. The dragons may inspect them closer during this time and add special blessings.

It is important to realize that you work with dragons as partners and co-magicians. You have to be firm in your intentions but willing to listen to their point of view. A magician tries to gain control over dragons at her/his own peril.

Dragons in Mythology and Legend

Dragons in Mythology and Legend

 

 

The world’s mythologies are full of tales about dragons. Sometimes they are portrayed as huge serpents, sometimes as the type of dragon known to the Western world, sometimes in the shape known to those in the Orient. But dragons have always played a part in the shaping of this world and its many diverse cultures. They have also had an important part in cultural perception of spiritual ideas.

Dragons have been portrayed in many forms and variations of these forms. Ancient teachings say dragons can have two or four legs or none at all, a pair of wings or be wingless, breathe fire and smoke, and have scales on their bodies. Their blood is extremely poisonous and corrosive, but also very magickal. Blood, or the life force, is a symbol of the intensity of their elemental-type energies. Depending upon the reception they received from humans in the area where they lived, dragons could be either beneficial or violent. One thing is for certain: dragons were regarded with awe by all cultures affected by their presence and interaction with humans.

Although one can speak of dragons as a separate species of being, there are numerous subspecies and families within the dragon community, as one can deduce from reading ancient histories and stories. The subspecies and families may have greater or lesser differences in appearance but still retain the basic traits that are common to all dragons wherever they are. One family of dragons, with very similar characteristics, lived in Europe, especially northern Germany, Scandinavia, and islands of the North Atlantic. A second family was recognized in France, Italy and Spain. A third family dwelt in the British Isles, including Ireland; these dragons, commonly called Firedrakes, included the subspecies of Wyverns (dragons with two legs) and the winged but legless Worm. A fourth family was found in the Mediterranean area, especially Greece, Asia Minor, southern Russian, and northern Africa; the dragons with many heads was common in this region. A fifth dragon family and the largest in number was the Oriental dragon of China, Asia and Indonesia. The sixth family, of very limited size and number, was found in the Americas and Australia.

In the Eastern world, dragons seldom breathe fire and are more benevolent, although hot-tempered and destructive when provoked. They are sometimes pictured as wingless, but can propel themselves through the air if they wish. The dragons of the Orient, Mexico, the Americas and Australia propelled themselves through the skies by balancing between the Earth’s magnetic field and the winds.

Characteristics of Dragons

Characteristics of Dragons

 

Dragons are long-lived, hoard treasure, and are very wise. The older a dragon, the wiser he is. Conversing with an old dragon is a double-edged sword. He may be wiser, able to give you greater knowledge, but he is also touchy and extremely untrustworthy, unless you handle him correctly. After all he has been around long enough to have experienced human unreliability and deceit.

Dragons have control of deeper currents of elemental energies than is usually felt by humans. They are always connected in some manner with various forms of the four elements. Sightings of dragons have also been reported in areas where other psychic phenomena have occurred, such as ghosts and other astral creatures.

Depending upon the behavior of the dragons under observation, their apppearance can be considered an omen of good fortune. Oriental dragon-watchers said that it was possible to predict the weather and fortune of any community by studying the part of the sky in which a dragon appeared and the way it behaved, such as breathing fire, fighting with another dragon, screaming or frolicking in and out of the clouds.

Dragons tend to speak in riddles and symbols, avoiding straight answers whenever possible. The only weapon dragons respect is the sword, but only if it is wielded by a confident magician who is prepared to stand his ground. Please notice I say respect, not fear. I believe this is because dragons like strong humans with a healthy, balanced opinion of themselves. They do not care for vacillating humans, who are afraid to make a decision or take responsibility. Do not make the mistake of trying to physically attack with the sword. In the first place a dragon could melt the blade like ice in a flame. In the second place, the dragon is an astral creatures, incapable of being actually harmed by a physical weapon. The sword is only for magickal gestures.

As one can see by the legends, there was a time when dragons materialized from the astral into the physical plane on a fairly regular basis. Considering a dragon’s intelligence, it is no wonder that they now choose to stay away from humans. Most humans want to control, dissect, or vanquish everything they do not understand, and even a lot of what they do understand.

But that wonderful, vast storehouse of dragon magick and power is still available if a magician will take the time to learn how to approach the dragons and their deep magickal energies.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

TO THE DRAGONS, REBORN

TO THE DRAGONS, REBORN

They say the flame wrought winds are dead;
Ethereal dancing, jeweled wings – no more.
Monolithic rationality is the head.
Noble dreams and works – shattered, torn.

Their world was theirs – never doubt.
But the magic and power faded away,
When the light gave way to spiritual drought
and Oppenheimer replaced Morganna Le Fay.

But in some strange souls they found a home:
Those inspired, lost, exiled castaways.
Music and verse and The Craft are the bones
Of these long lost archetypes of elder days.

And it takes a mere seed to create an oak,
and music and light, rain and mirth,
bridging land and sky with it’s growth;
fulfilling the call to renew the Earth.

So nurture these dragons who live within you-
The Burning has ended and they may go free.
Let them grow so that their work may continue.
An it harm none, do what ye will

 
Blessed Be!

Dragons and The Ancient Arts

Dragons and The Ancient Arts

 
 
The Chinese word for dragon’s breath is sha, a term which may correspond to what European dowsers call “black radiations.” For the past 50 – 60 years European dowsers have traced lines of black radiation which seem to follow underground water-bearing fissures or “black streams.” These black streams produce an energy imbalance in the Earth, affecting the landscape, its vegetation and crops, and any humans or animals that live there or frequent the area. Dowsers say that this imbalance of energy can be caused by quarrying, cutting through hills for roads or building, landslides, etc. Like an acupuncturist “staking” a node on an acupuncture meridian to restore balance in the human body, these dowsers stake the black streams with iron rods. In Chinese terms, they are restoring the Yin and Yang of the land where the dragon’s breath has turned sour or noxious.
 
This staking or guiding the dragon’s Earth energies may have been an ancient art which both balanced and collected these energies within a specific place. Dragons are connected in legends with mazes, spirals, labyrinths, and hills, coiling around or within them. It is possible that the terraced and spiraled hills, the circles of stones, indeed the single monoliths, were a method of controlling and directing this dragon energy. With the spiraled mounds and labyrinths the energy would have been guided into the center of the structure where it would have been of use to initiates who understood its great potential and power. In legends this guided dragon energy would be symbolized by the dragon coiling around a hill and squeezing the hill into its spiral form, such as in the legends of the Wormington Hill and Bignor Hill dragons in Britain. The Vurm of Shervage Wood was said to lie in and out among the trees of its area, its winding coils marking the boundaries of an ancient so-called campsite. Archaeologists have long called these spiral-marked areas ancient campsites, although common sense tells you that they could not be defended from invaders.
 
This dragon energy may be a form of static electrical energy flowing naturally through the Earth. It would explain the strange sensations one gets within specific areas, especially in what are called sacred spots. The sensations range from tingling in the fingers, spine or back of the neck to a great sense of peace to an unidentifiable strange feeling. Whatever this energy is, it is extremely strong wherever it is concetrated into a contained area, such as the center of a stone circle or a spiral. There are other places, commonly called power spots or power-sinks, where this energy appears to rise from the ground without human-made structures. These power spots covers a specific area of ground and have definite edges where the energy phenomena cease to exist.

Barrow mounds have long been associated with strange happenings. It may be that the priests of the original builders knew now-forgotten techniques of situating these sites over power flows so that they collected and stored the energy as would batteries. Among the Celts, it was a common practice for trained seers to spend the night on such a mound or grave and communicate with the dead, either to gain information from the past or predict the future. It has been documented several times within the last few centuries, that when a barrow mound was opened, strange and violent thunderstorms occurred soon afterwards. It would appear that there was a release of some kind of contained energy, and that the release was done in such a way as was not safe for such a build-up.
 
Many old stories tell of the dragon using a regular path, whether by air or land, whenever it journeyed from one place to another. These paths were not necessarily in straight lines. It is possible that these dragon paths followed underground streams of energy that move from one sinkhole of energy to another. In his book Folklore of Prehistoric Sites in Britain, L. V. Grinsell tells of a mysterious light commonly seen moving from a cairn at Torhousetie to a water conduit and back; the conduit had been covered with a stone slab taken from the cairn. In this instance it would seem that the cairn slab had become so magnetized that the energy set up a new line of flow from the sinkhole (cairn). Legend says that when the dragon’s blood is spilled, no vegetation will grow there. Dowsers say that if something goes wrong with the Earth energy the same thing happens. One story about spilled dragon blood is connected to the bare spot called Dragon Hill, which lies just below the White Horse at Uffington in Berkshire, England. There is another such legend connected with a bare spot near Aller in Somerset.
 
The conquering Christians were quick to take advantage of these power spots. They had a policy of building churches to St. Michael the dragon-killer over these old sites, some of them in very unlikely places. Both Glastonbury and Burrowbridge in Somerset have churches to St. Michael atop them. Other churches are built in the most illogical, out-of-the-way places, areas far from towns or even roads. There is absolutely no reason for siting the church in such an isolated place except to cover a power spot known to the Pagans.

The Anglo-Saxons spoke of another type of dragon Earth energy when they said dragons laired in certain sites to protect hoards of treasure. These sites most often seemed to be connected with burial mounds which the Anglo-Saxons called dragon hills. The Celts, Anglo-Saxons and the Norse all said that were-fire burned above the barrows where treasure was buried. It may well be that the ancient peoples knew where the energy streams ran and built burial mounds over them for some specific reason. The grave goods in barrows over such energy streams would absorb that energy, particular if they were made of gold or silver.
 
In the Mabinogion, there is a story of Peredur, son of Efrawg, who refers to a Welsh barrow that is guarded by a Worm. The Mabinogion is filled with symbolic stories that can be interpreted on a spiritual level. On the physical plane, the burial treasure was considered to be magickally charged. Perhaps the treasure in the dragon lairs really meant spiritual treasure which could be discovered through the use of the streams of “dragon” energy. Physical treasure which has been removed from such mounds often carries with it strange vibrations which precipitate very weird events.

“Dancing with Dragons”
D. J. Conway

Dancing with Dragons

Dancing with Dragons

 

 

The sun is out. The day is bright.

The dragons dance upon the grass

And trees and flowers brilliant.

On the winds they pass.

In and out among the clouds

They frolic in the light,

Sliding down the sunbeams,

Dragons crystal bright.

When the Sun has passed beyond

Mountains turned purple-blue,

The dragons dance on through the night

On strands of Moon-lit dew.

They dance to strains of music

Unheard by human ears,

As they have danced through eons,

Untouched by human years.

Teach me, lovely dragons,

To dance with joy life’s plan,

To life myself to higher planes

Above the limits of common man.

 

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway