Whispering Woods Dragon Lore course – Lesson Four

Whispering Woods Dragon Lore course
Types of Chinese Dragons

Lesson Four

Types of Dragons:

There are nine major types of Chinese dragons. These include the horned dragon, the winged dragon, the celestial dragon (which supports and protects the mansions of the gods), the spiritual dragon which generates wind and rain for the benefit of mankind), the dragon of hidden treasures (which keeps guard over concealed wealth), the coiling dragon (which lives in water), and the yellow dragon (which once emerged from water and presented the legendary Emperor Fu Shi with the elements of writing)

The last of the nine is the dragon king, which actually consists of four separate dragons, each of which rules over one of the four seas, those of the East, South, West, and North.

The most powerful generalized type of Chinese dragon is the horned dragon, or “lung”, which can produce rain and is totally deaf. Additionally, there is a homeless dragon (Ii) that lives in the ocean and another type (chiao) that is scale-covered and usually inhabits marshes but also keeps dens in the mountains.

There are also nine ways the Chinese have traditionally represented these dragons, each one revealing a different dragon characteristic.

There are dragons carved on the tops of bells and gongs, because of the beast’s habit of calling loudly when attacked.

A second type is carved on the screws of fiddles, since most dragons are fond of music.

A third is carved on the tops of stone tablets, because of dragons’ love of literature.

A fourth is found at the bottom of stone monuments, as dragons can support heavy weights.

A fifth is placed on the eaves of temples, as dragons are ever alert to danger.

A sixth occurs on the beams of bridges, since dragons are fond of water.

A seventh is carved on Buddha’s throne, as dragons like to rest.

An eighth is placed on the hilts of swords, since dragons are known to be capable of slaughter.

The ninth is carved on prison gates, as these are dragons that are fond of quarreling and trouble making.

The colors of Chinese dragons are evidently quite variable, but in the case of the chiao type its back is striped with green, its sides are yellow, and it is crimson underneath.

The nine major characteristics of a lung type dragon include a head like a camel’s, horns like a deer’s, eyes like a hare’s, ears like a bull’s, a neck like an iguana’s, a belly like a frog’s, scales like a carp’s, paws like a tiger’s, and claws like an eagle’s. It has a pair of large canine teeth in its upper jaw. The long, tendril-like whiskers extending from either side of its mouth are probably used for feeling its way along the bottom of muddy ponds.

In color dragons varies from greenish to golden, with a series of alternating short and long spines extending down the back and along the tail, where they become longer. One specimen had wings at its side, and walked on top of the water. Another tossed its mane back and forth making noises that sounded like a flute.

Cow-heads are also common. A ten-footer, found lying on the banks of China’s Yangtze River, was different from most because of its long, thick eyebrows. A Yellow River variety, seen on shore in the 1920s by a Chinese teacher, was bright blue, and as big as five cows. Both dragons crawled into the water as soon as it started to rain.

A few dragons begin life as fish. Carp, which successfully jump rapids and leap over waterfalls, change into fish-dragons. A popular saying, “The carp has leaped through the dragon’s gate,” means success, especially for students who have passed their exams.

Chinese Dragons are divided into five categories and these are:

Celestial Dragons who guard the mansions of the gods

Spiritual Dragons who rule wind & rain but can also cause flooding

Earth Dragons who cleanse the rivers & deepen the oceans

Treasure-Guarding Dragons who protect precious metals & stones

Imperial Dragons; dragons with five claws instead of the usual four

Male dragons sometimes mate with other kinds of animals. A dragon fathers an elephant when he mates with a pig, and he sires a racehorse, after mating with a mare.

Having sinuous serpentine bodies and four legs, eastern dragons do not usually breath fire, nor do they fly. According to Wang Fu (Han 206 BCE-220 CE) dragons are made up of many different types of animals of the Earth: the body of a snake, scales of a carp, head of a camel, horns of a deer, the eyes of a hare, ears like a bull, a neck like an iguana, belly of a frog, paws like a tigers, and claws like an eagle. A lion-type mane decorates its neck, its chin, and each elbow.

They also carry two antler-like horns on their wide-mouthed head, and two long whiskers spread out from their snout. They are depicted in many colors like blue, black, white, red, or yellow. Oriental dragons are usually shown with a pearl in their mouth, under their chin, or in their claws.

They use the power emendating from the pearl to ascend to heaven. The male dragon holds a war club in its tail while the female dragon holds a sensu or fan in its tail.

Quiz:

1. Chinese Dragons are divided into ______ categories.
2. The ninth dragon is carved on _______ ______. 3. The most powerful generalized type of Chinese dragon is the ________ _______.
4. There are ______ major types of Chinese dragons.
5. The carp has leaped through the dragon’s gate,” means _______.
6. Spiritual Dragons rule the ______ and _____.
7. Eastern dragons do not usually breathe ______, nor do they ____.

Source:

Author & Researcher

Crick

Website: Whispering Woods

Crick also offers an online ezine which is located at Black Hen E-Zine

Your Ancient Symbols Card for Feb. 11 is The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Western Dragon

Unlike the beneficent Easter Dragon, The Western Dragon is a symbol of totally unleashed destructive power that is set upon anyone who crosses the Dragon’s path. The Western Dragon also hordes treasures that should rightfully be ours, and whose absence deprives us from being complete. The challenges set before us by the Western Dragon are truly prodigious, because they denote a force whose sole intent is not simply to keep us from moving forward in our lives, but to usurp all that we have previously gained as well. What is even more disturbing about the force behind the Western Dragon is that it may well indicate primal forces in ourselves so powerful that they do in fact turn us into our own worst enemy.

As a daily card, The Western Dragon is a powerful negative force intent upon thwarting your progress. In such a short time frame it is most likely you’re being undermined by an external force–someone who wants what you have gained or gains your are near realizing. While formidable, this bellicose entity does have vulnerabilities. First, there is nothing subtle about the forces represented by The Western Dragon, so the source will be easy for you to identify. Secondly, The Western Dragon represents undisciplined, primal energies that aren’t easy to control, so they are susceptible to logical responses steeped in self control. In short, don’t panic, act deliberately and decisively, and you will weather this storm.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Jan. 16th is The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Nov. 12 is The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Nov. 10th is The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Western Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol for November 4th is The Eastern Dragon

Your Ancient Symbol for Today

The Eastern Dragon

The Eastern Dragon derives its symbolism from eons of rich, Asian culture. The Eastern Dragon is a revered creature who brings good fortune and power to those under its influence. It influences situations by supplying courage, nobility and perseverance. The Eastern Dragon is the most Yang of creatures in Chinese mythology, and represents the male character at its strongest and best.

The Element of Fire: Fafnir (Dragons of Fire and Sunbeams)

The Element of Fire: Fafnir (Dragons of Fire and Sunbeams)

The element of Fire governs the southern quarter of the circle. Its dragon ruler is Fafnir (faf’-near) who oversees the dragons of Fire and the sunbeams. Its color is pure red; it is considered warm and dry. The positive association of Fire are: Noon, summer, the dagger and sword, candles, incense burner, any kind of helpful fire, the Sun, blood, enthusiasm, activity, change, passion, courage, daring, will power, leadership. Negative associations are: hate, jealousy, fear, anger, war, ego, conflicts, lightning, volcanoes, harmful fire of any kind.

Subspecies of the Fire—element dragon family are those of fire and volcanoes. The subspecies of desert and arid–region dragons, and those of chaos and destruction, often work closely with draconic entities of this element.

Dragon and Weather Magick

Chinese dragons are said to have a 4,000 year birth cycle and do not grow their wings to fly until the last thousand years. They are described as having bearded lion’s mane-like faces, 81 or more scales on their back (in multiples of nine, their sacred number) and five huge claws. Japanese dragons only have three claws.

Chinese dragons are made up of the parts of many creatures, including two antlers like horns on their heads. They are depicted in blue, black, white or red and often carry a pearl in their mouth or between their claws. The pearl symbolizes wisdom, the power of healing, fertility and the moon.

Their mating and birthing cycles can cause extremes of weather, whirlwinds, hurricanes and storms that last for many hours, especially when the male dragon stirs up the energies of the newborn dragon (a mere 1,000 years old) as it emerges from its jewel-like egg.

Clouds, mists and fog were believd to be formed from dragon breath and rain was thought to fall as they fought. Rain also was caused if their claws caught in a cloud as they roamed across the skies. If the fighting became too fierce, a storm occurred. Certain powerful dragons could regulate the rainfall to ensure a good harvest and they are still recalled in dragon processions like those held on the Chinese New Year.

Chinese and Japanese dragons are also associated with waters, such as lakes, river and the ocean. The four Japanese dragon kings who control the four seas, are given offering if there is too much or little rain since they, like the Chinese dragons, are believed to have the power to control the weather.

Air Witch Lore – Dragons and Serpents

The ancient Aztecs depicted the element of ai as a large feathered serpent who would “swim” across the skies. He was known as the god Quetzalcoatl. Curiously enough, such air creatures are found in many mythologies. The Japanese have a similar creature, without the feathers, in the Oriental dragon. Other beings of this sort are the rainbow snake (African) and the world snake (Egyptian).

Humans have documented sightings of these creatures since the year 793. The last recorded encounter with a sky serpent was as recent as November 29, 1983 in Maryland, and was witnessed by multiple people.

Sky serpents/dragons have shown themselves all over the world. In India, the primary home of colored rains, there is said to be a sky dragon whose urine will rot the skin of all it touches. Sky serpents are said to cluster around frankincense trees due to the pleasing aroma.

In China, sky dragons are seen s benevolent, wise and protective creatures. They live for thousands of years.

Making Dragon Magick

Half-close your eyes as you sit outside or near caves or rocks. If the light is bright, you may see the swirling iridescent silver, purple, gold, green and blue of the dragon outline shimmering ahead. Let the image enclose and energize you and breathe slowly and regularly, allowing the warm, shimmering colors to flow in and out of your own energy field, your aura. If you see nothing externally allow the image to build up in your mind and superimpose it in your imagination on the scene.

You may see an image of the dragon and her fabulous treasures within the cave or see her flying upwards towards the sun. There is no danger in this for she is a spiritual force, experienced through the layers of countless millennia.

You may feel very warm as though close to a bonfire and see sparks or sunbeams dancing in the air all around.

When you are ready, close your eyes and gently push away with your hands palms outwards and upright. Allow the energies to move away, or you may sense them fading spontaneously as the dragon moves on.

Don’t ask for anything. The experience is enough and will help you to move with confidence and attract and spread the abundance you need.

Be sure to take a bottle of water to drink afterwards and splash on your hairline, brow, throat and wrists or palms to cool you down.

While you are still there, take time to write in your Book of Shadows. You may have heard words in your mind as you experienced the dragons power or they may come now and even if you are not normally poetic, the encounter will trigger off rich and vivid descriptions of flying with the dragon, the mysterious smoke-filled air within the cave and metallic colors of your dragon. If you open your eyes in the night before sleep the colors may reform.

Afterwards is a good time to explore the caves and rocks, if accessible. Even if you are crammed in a tourist party, you can sense your dragon and maybe the special place that you connected with in your visions and see the shimmering silver and purples reflected on the dark walls.

Making Dragon Magick

You may feel very warm as though close to a bonfire and see sparks or sunbeams dancing in the air all around.

Don’t ask for anything. The experience is enough and will help you to move with confidence and attract and spread the abundance you need.

Be sure to take a bottle of water to drink afterwards and splash on your hairline, brow, throat and wrists or palms to cool you down.

Chinese Dragons

In China, for instance, dragons are portrayed with four legs, a long sinuous serpentine body and a snake-like tail; they ranged in size from a few feet long up to the Great Chien-Tang who was over a thousand feet in length. They could speak, were able to alter their forms and sizes and had a varying number of claws.

Chinese emperors adopted the five-clawed dragon as a sacred ancestor, symbol of their power. Only Imperial dragons were said to have the special five claws on each foot. All other Oriental dragons had only three or four claws. It became a law that only the Emperor could have a five-clawed dragon embroidered on his robes or painted on anything.

According to tradition, China’s history dates back to 3000 b.c.e., although modern historians only goes back to 1600 b.c.e. A clay vessel from about 2000 b.c.e., is decorated with a dragon picture. The dragon symbol and figured still exist in modern-day Chinese art and celebrations.

The Chinese divided their dragons into groups or classes, each with different characteristics. There were four major Lung Wang dragons, or Dragon-Kings. The names of these brothers were Ao Kuang, Ao Jun, Ao Shun, and Ao Ch’in. They also had specific duties: the t’ien lung supported the mansion of the gods; the shen lung brought rain; the ti lung controlled the rivers; and the fu-ts’an lung guarded hidden treasures and deposits of precious metals. The Lung Wang or Dragon Kings, resembled the Indian Nagas, or sacred serpents. They were the patron deities of rivers, lakes, seas and rain. They had valuable pearls in their throats and lived in magnificent underwater palaces.

Further divisions produced the kiao-lung, or scaled dragon; ying-lung with wings; k’ui-lung with horns; chi’i-lung which was hornless; the p’an-lung which was earth-bound. The ch’i-lung dragon was red, white and green, the k’iu-lung blue. Chinese dragons were also entirely black, white, red or yellow with yellow considered superior.

When it came to using dragons for decoration, there were nine distinct categories; the p’u lao was carved on gongs; the ch’iu nui and pi hsi on fiddles and literature tablets; the pa hsia at the base of stone monuments, the chao feng on the eaves of temples; the ch’in on beams of bridges; the suan ni only on the throne of the Buddha; the yai tzu on the hilts of swords; and the pi han on prison gates.

Chinese experts were said to be able to tell the age of Oriental dragons and their origins by their colors. Yellow dragons were believed to be born from yellow gold a thousand years old; blue dragons from blue gold eight hundred years olds; red, white and black from gold of the same color a thousand years olds.

To the Chinese, dragons could be either male or female. They laid eggs, some of which did not hatch for a thousand years. When a hatching did occur, it was known because of great meteor showers, violent thunderstorms, and great showers of hail.

The number of scales on a dragon was also of importance. Some Ancient dragon experts in China maintained that a true dragon has exactly 81 scales, while others stated that the number was 117. They were never said to be covered with anything except scales. This is characteristic of dragons worldwide.

Chinese dragons were said to have the head of a camel, horns of a stag, eyes of a demon, neck of a snake, scales of a carp, claws of an eagle, feet of a tiger, and ears of a cow. Although, as one can see from ancient pictures, all Oriental dragons did not fit conveniently into this description, they all were said to have a lump on the top of the head. This lump enabled them to fly without wings. Although this flying-lump was considered an essential part of Oriental dragons, it is rare to see it portrayed in pictures.

Oriental dragons could change their forms by intense concentration or when extremely angry. All dragons are said to have the ability to take on human form. One can see reasons behind a draconic being passing as a human; dragons are intensely curious about all things and may wish to directly experience human life from time to time. It is a possibility that, while in such a form, a dragon could contact a human and establish a line of communication that could be continued after the dragon resumed its own form.

The Chinese even had methods of protecting themselves from annoying dragons. It was said that they could be frightened away or controlled by the leaves of the wang plant(or Pride of India), five-colored silk thread, wax, iron, or centipedes. It is difficult to imagine a dragon being deterred by wax or centipedes. Perhaps this idea grew from a single dragon who reacted in fear to these objects, just as some humans fear crawling things, heights, or mice. After all, dragons have very distinct and individual personalities just as we do.

In Chinese medicine, the skin, bones, teeth, and saliva were considered very valuable. Powdered dragon bone was a magickal cure-all. Old medical textbooks are quick to point out that dragons periodically shed their skin and bones, like snakes do. Since the skins glowed in the dark, presumably they were easy to locate. Some of the bones were listed as slightly poisonous and could only be prepared in non-iron utensils. How “bones” could be shed is a mystery unless it is not really bone, but something that looks like it. The shedding and regrowth of teeth is known to occur among certain animals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Dragon saliva was said to be found as a frothy foam on the ground or floating on the water. It was usually deposited during mating or fighting. One Chinese story tells of a great battle just off the coast near a fishing village. The people watched the great dragons rolling in the black clouds and leaping waves for a day and a night. Their echoing roars were clearly heard by all the villagers. The next morning these people set out in all their fishing boats to the place of the battle. They scooped up whole boatloads of dragon saliva that they found floating in huge piles on the ocean.

The blood of Oriental dragons was sometimes red, other times black. Dragon experts said it changed into amber when it soaked into the ground. Wherever dragon blood fell, the ground became incapable of supporting any vegetation. Although the blood was considered dangerous, sometimes deadly, in Oriental myths. European heroes bathed in it to create invulnerability or drank it to become wise. This transformation of the blood into amber could well be alchemical expression of the manifestation of magickal power and elemental energies into a desired physicial result.

Oriental dragons did not figure in Chinese creation myths. Only rarely, and then only by accident, did they come in conflict with the gods or heroes. They tended to mind their own business and keep a benefical attitude toward humans. Oriental dragons had specific duties such as controlling the weather and keeping the land and animal fertile, as well as assignments to help humans learn certain civilized arts. Although dragon parts were widely esteemed in Oriental medicine, these magickal creatures were not hunted down as were Western dragons.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Western Dragons

In the Mideast, there seems to have been a meeting ground for dragons, some being like Chinese dragons, others more like Western dragons. Phrygian history tells of dragons that reached ten paces in length, lived in caverns near the River Rhyndacus, and moved with part of their bodies on the ground, the rest erect. Islam gives hints of Muhammad’s magick horse rising to heaven with the aid of dragon’s breath. An illustration from a Turkish manuscript now in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris shows this scene.

The Egyptian Apep was described as a huge serpent-dragon that lived in the Underworld. The Canaanite god Ba’al is said to have killed the dragon Lotan and made the world from its body; the Hittites had a similar legend about the dragon Illuyankas. The Mesopotamian god Marduk killed the she-dragon Tiamat and created the world from her body. Ancient heroes of Persia battled with dragons.

In the Classics, the Greeks told of their hero Herakles slaying the seven-headed hydra, a form of dragon. While still in his cradle, he slew two giant serpents sent by Hera. Later the hero save Hesione who was chained as a sacrifice to a sea dragon. Perseus did the same for Andromeda. As a baby, Apollo also killed a serpent (dragon) sent against his mother by Hera. Jason killed a hydra (many-headed dragon) to get the Golden Fleece; scenes of this story can still be seen on Greek dishes from about 480 – 490 BCE, showing a definite dragon creature. Both the Greek Medea and the Roman Ceres were said to ride in chariots pulled by dragons. Ancient Greece and Rome considered the dragon both beneficent and evil, depending upon the activities of the creature. The Purple Dragon became the emblem of the Byzantine emperors. There is a wall painting of a dragon still existing in the ruined Roman city of Pompeii.

In legends from India there was ordinarily no conflict between the gods and the Nagas, or serpent-dragons, as shown by the stories of Krishna and Vishnu. Both of these gods have a fine working relationship with Ananta, king of the serpent-dragons, and the Nagas. The greatly revered Indian god Vishnu was on good terms with Ananta, the Endless One, a giant serpent with eleven heads. Vishnu slept on Ananta while the serpent guarded him. Ananta is considered by the Hindus to be the symbol of cosmic energy which is vital for creation.

The one exception to this friendship between the Nagas and the gods was the slaying of Vritra, a great serpent who coiled around the navel of the Earth, holding back the waters, Indra killed him to create the world-mountains.

The Nagas were known for their great magickal powers and the pearls of great price that they carried in their foreheads. The Nagas, also patrons of lakes, rivers, rain and clouds, lived in wonderful palaces, often visited by the gods. But as with all dragons in whatever form the Nagas were capable of killing people and causing problem when annoyed. There are stories of their creating drought, pestilence, and great suffering when humans broke their rules.

Sometimes the Nagas were pictured with serpent heads and human bodies. They were said to live at the top of Mount Meru, where they had a golden palace full of music, gems that fulfilled wishes, wonderful flowers, and beautiful companions. In the center of this garden, which once belonged to Varuna, stood a dragon-guarded tree of life and reincarnation.

In Africa, the country of Ethiopia was said to be heavily populated with dragons at one time. The Roman poet Lucan and other Classical authors wrote the African dragons could fly, that their brilliantly colored scales shone brightly and that some of them were so huge that they could be mistaken for hills when they lay asleep.

Generally speaking Western dragons were different in physical structure from Eastern dragons. Most of them had two strong hind legs, two shorter forelegs, a thick body and a long tail. Their wings were membranes, like those of bats, and had long ribs or bones. Their wedge-shaped heads were carried on long sinuous necks. Western dragons were fully armed with long claws and sharp teeth, besides their fiery breath. They talked with humans by means of telepathy and were extremely cunning and wily.

The ancient Celts had traditions of dragons, considering them wily but wise. Unfortunately so much of Celtic lore was lost to deliberate destruction that we have only remnants of tales and fragments of dragon lore left today from that culture. The Celtic ram-snake or dragon is connected with Cernunnos, the antlered Earth god. This Celtic ram-dragon is also connected with the number eight, this being the number of spokes on the solar wheel; the solar wheel is set in motion by the ram-headed dragon. What few carving we have of the god Cernunnos picture him with a bag of gold at his feet and a double-headed ram-snake belt about his waist. This belt with its two ram-dragon heads symbolizes the spiritual bridge between various planes of existence. The Celtic shaman-magician-priest knew that in order to travel this bridge, she/he must go inward to meet the dragon guarding the bridge. A lack of self-discipline and self-knowledge would prevent any seeker from being able to pass the dragon and enter the realms of the Otherworlds.

Conchobar of Ireland was said to have had both a divine and a human father. He was born at the Winter Solstice with what the story calls a water-worm in each hand. From the description these water-worms were probably baby dragons.

The Irish hero Finn MacCumhaill also killed dragons. Some magickal systems would look at Finn’s activities as not physical but as battling his own destructive inner thoughts.

The dragon has been depicted on the Welsh banner since at least the departure of the Roman legions. And in England, Scotland and Ireland the dragon has been drawn with four legs and the wyvern with two since the 16th century. On the European continent, however, the two-legged wyvern is still called a dragon, the same name given to the four-legged variety. Even today, the dragon, alone or with other designs, is part of the heraldic heritage of some two hundred English families and some three hundred from Euope.

In Scandinavian legend, the hero Sigurd (called Siegfried in Germany) killed the dragon Fafnir. This story clearly details the benefits from a dragon’s blood. Sigurd accidentally swallowed a drop of it and immediately could understand the language of birds. This saved his life from the dragon’ss treacherous brother who was plotting to kill him for the treasure. Sigurd also was bathed with the blood when he struck Fafnir from a pit. This made him invulnerable to weapons, except where a leaf covered a tiny spot.

The god Thorr once caught the World-Serpent while fishing. Considering the power and negativity of the great serpent-dragon, Thorr was fortunate that his companion cut the line. The god did not feel that way about it though and clouted his friend alongside the head for letting his big “fish” get away.

If one reads the very best of translations of the story of Beowulf, it is quickly seen that he fought three dragons. Although the first he killed was described as a young two-legged male monster who was raiding for food among the houses at night, it could have been a wyvern (who has two legs) or a four-legged dragon who walked upon its hind legs or a dragon in human disguise. The second creature was a mature female, finally killed in her spawning ground, who definitely took on human form. The third dragon came later in his life, and was specifically listed as a dragon. This one was a mature flying male with a poisonous bite. Well into middle ages at the time, Beowulf used himself as batitto draw the last dragon out of its lair so it could be killed.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

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

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

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