The symbol of the Ouroboros is the symbol of the Dream Dragon, that which protects the treasure of your soul.
The mythical dragon played a significant
role in the lives of the Celts. It symbolized power and was associated
with the four elements and ley lines.
The dragon has been a universal creature
of myth and legend for centuries. It’s associated with fire, air, earth
and water, the four elements.
The flag of Wales has the Red Dragon on it with a green and white background.
The Welsh motto is.
"Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn,"
or "the Red Dragon leads the way."
The most powerful of Druid animal
symbols, the dragon, representing all of creation, symbolizes power,
hidden wisdom, vitality, new thresholds, fertility, inspiration,
imagination, purification, wealth and the treasures of the subconscious
mind.
Dragon: Protection, Elemental Magic
If you have a Dragon, your soul has lived
during a time when spiritual practices were predominant. It is rare
that a younger soul would have a Dragon totem. Dragon represents the
supernatural, infinity itself and the spiritual powers of change and
transformation. It is a fierce protector and adds extra power to any
magic you may perform.
the 4 elemental dragons
Fire Dragon
(Gaelic name ~ Draig-teine)
It is he who, blazing, seeks burial mounds,
He, the smooth, spiteful dragon that flies throughout the night,
Enveloped in flame; all men fear him greatly
~Beowulf
The name Pendragon brings to the
imagination stories of heroic kings of Britain and probably the most
famous of them all ~ King Arthur. My heart skips a beat at the mention
of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Lady Gwenivere and the adventures my
mind takes them on. The name Pendragon however did not start with King
Arthur, it began with his father. Uther, the future king of sub-Roman
Britain and the father of King Arthur, saw an image of a fire-breathing
dragon in the sky (most believe the dragon to have been a fiery comet).
Uther, in his excitement, immediately went to the Druid Merlin to
decipher the meaning of the fire dragon he had witnessed. Merlin
explained that the fire dragon was a two-fold symbol of his ill
brother’s coming death, King Aurelius, and his own future kinghood. This
symbol came at a time when Uther was trying to force Paschent and the
Saxons out of Britain. **Backing up a bit, Paschent’s father, Vortigem,
had previously taken the throne of Britain by murdering Uther’s brother
Constans.** By this point in the story Uther and his other brother
Aurelius had retaken the throne and killed Vortigem, but still had
Paschent and the invading Saxon army to deal with. Uther did win the
battle against Paschent and the Saxons at which point he assumed the
name “Pendragon”, which literally means “Head of the Dragon”, and took
the dragon as his totem beast. When returning to Britain he discovered
his brother was poisoned by an assassin and immediately crowned king. He
then proceeded to have two dragon statues constructed, one of which
became his insignia. He also secured Britain and stomped out the Saxon
invasion. King Arthur and later kings continued the Pendragon name and
the dragon symbol became a heraldic emblem to stand behind.
Story of the Wales Dragon
The legend of the dragon on the Welsh
flag is a very interesting tale, one that dates back to the time when
Vortigem had taken the throne after killing King Constans. Votigem was
trying to build his fortress at Dinas Emrys, but failed due to the
continual collapse of its foundation. A young boy named Emrys, whom
would later become known as Merlin, was brought forth to use his
‘mystical visions’ to explain why the foundation was so unstable. Emrys
explained that there were two dragons below the ground in a lake in an
eternal struggle, one which shook the ground in which the foundation
stood. One dragon was red and represented the Britons, the other was
white and represented the Saxons. Vortigem did not believe this tale and
immediately had the ground excavated. The two dragons were found and
began fighting immeditately. The red dragon defeated the white dragon
and became the emblem of Whales.
Nwyvre ~ The Dragon’s Fire
Each of the four dragons I have explained
thus far ~ Earth, Air, Water, and Fire ~ represent power and energy.
Each dragon mediates this power or energy in a different way and we must
learn how to weave all 4 “dragon energies” into our being, the key
being balance. The Druids believed that the Fire Dragon represented
kingship, leadership, rulership and mastery. For this reason, Merlin was
able to predict Uther’s vision, as well as, his future accurately.
The Druids believed the Fire Dragon
guards the ‘Inner Fire’ that burns inside our being which is called
Nwyvre in Druidry. While Earth Dragons are seen as passive – coiling
around hillsides and lying dormant for the most part, the Fire Dragon in
mythology is seen mostly as a malignant force destroying all that lies
before it. But the Druids did not see the Fire Dragon as only malignant.
They believed the Fire Dragon to be neutral or having a mirror effect –
being malignant or benign based on how ready we are to take on the
‘Inner Fire’ of our being. The Fire Dragon reminds us that not all power
is for everyone. The Fire Dragon only becomes malignant when we take on
too much. When the energies we surround ourselves with consume us and
send us into “burn-out” and nervous exhaustion. One such energy is
anger. Anger can erupt without warning or remain scattered making every
effort to succeed fail. Anger can cause exhaustion and keep us
unmotivated, therefore the goal we strive for is never reached. As with
anything balance is a must physically and psychologically. The Fire
Dragon can also become malignant during drug abuse, which causes the
mind to become muddled and in time permanently damaged – creating an
imbalance. In this case the unity of Mind, Body, and Soul is completely
broken – I know this from experience. Abusing your “Inner Fire” and the
Fire Dragon’s power can only create a dangerous situation and can most
certainly become fatal, creating a fierce and ‘fiery’ situation.
However, learning to befriend the Fire
Dragon can promote vitality, enthusiasm, and courage that will help one
overcome obstacles in life. By befriending the Fire Dragon, what I mean
to say is that we learn where our limitations are and how to work around
them or with these limitations creating a positive spin. Once we learn
how to balance stressful situations the Fire Dragon begins to “fuel” our
“Inner Fires” allowing us to master leadership situations and to
accomplish objectives.
Fire Dragon ( Draig-teine) brings
vitality, enthusiasm and courage. He will help you overcome obstacles
and give you qualities of leadership and mastery. He can fuel your inner
fires. He is a powerful protector. Fire is the element of
transformation, so he can help you transform yourself, your life or
change the energy around others.
Air Dragon
(Gaelic name ~ Draig–athar)
The gaunt wolf and winged serpent held
Dominion o’er the vale ~ Polwhele
Air dragons have been sighted throughout
the different regions of the United Kingdom. Some believe that the
sightings were nothing more than the bright heads and dark forked tails
of comets passing close to the earth. With enough imagination these
comets might look like a flying dragon, breathing fire. Stories of
dragons may have also arisen from misfits wanting to keep the locals
away from their stolen and hidden treasures. Some stories may have even
been created when exotic lizards from foreign regions escaped their
owner and entered the city. I agree with the authors of the book, Philip
and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, there aren’t enough explanations that can
‘account for the universality of the dragon in the mythic and folkloric
life of cultures all over the world’. At some point in time, as with all
myths, one has to sit back and wonder how so many cultures came up with
a particular mythological creature or story. There has to be some basic
truths in the myth somewhere that may not be able to be explained
through science. As a science lover, even I have to succumb. In the
Tradition of the Air Dragon, I will go into more detail on certain
regions of the United Kingdom where dragons dwell.
The Tradition of the Air Dragon
Snowdonia, Whales is home to the ancient
city of Emrys, also known as, Dinas Affaron to the locals, which
translates as “City of the Higher Powers”. In this city lived the
dragons of Beli. Beli Mawr (Beli the Great) is the Cymric and Gaulish
God of Death, also known as, “Lord of the Kill” and “Lord of (battle)
Death”. Beli Mawr, whom is celebrated at Beltane, is often depicted
riding a horse drawn chariot across the sky. He is also worshipped on
Dragon Hill, below the Uffington Horse. After reading the Earth Dragon
mythology and understanding the link/controversy between the horse and
dragon, one must wonder if the horse leading Beli Mawr across the sky
was not meant to be a dragon instead. In any case, Taliesin a Welsh
speaking bard or poet/scholar, described one of Beli’s dragons in a poem
called Protection of the Honey Isle in which he said, “A deep cavern
opens before me, shadowed by great rocks. The dragon comes out and
crawls toward the cups of song.” Taliesin’s own mythological birth is
interesting in its own.
There are stories of the Goddess Ceridwen
riding across the skies with her chariot drawn by flying dragons. But
most air dragons exist on their own and are seen flying across the
countryside encumbered by no one. In Devon, England a dragon is said to
fly every night across the Exe Valley between the hill-forts of Cadbury
and Dolbury Hill, solely to guard his treasure. At Henham in Essex,
England, a small dragon – eight or nine feet long with large eyes,
fierce teeth and small wings was “sighted” several times before he
finally flew into nearby woods. In Somerset a fire-breathing dragon flew
from Curry Rivell to Aller regularly, scaring the villagers’ with “the
hiss of its wing-beat”.
The flight patterns of the Air Dragon
were thought to be much more than just the guarding of treasure. In
fact, some believe that these regular patterns represented the
“dragon-lines” or earth currents from sacred spot to sacred spot; that
were referred to above in the Earth Dragon section. The Druids believed
that they could control negative earth currents through geomantic art.
Iron stakes were driven in the ground to disperse the negative energy.
Much like Chinese Feng-shui or Earth acupuncture.
Draig-Athar as Servant of the Sky God
The Air Dragon in Druid tradition is a
sacred animal of the Sky God. The Air Dragon may have been born from the
constellation Draco. As I noted above, Druids were like early
psychologists who linked the sacred animals to the human psyche. The Air
Dragon represents the descent of the spirit, a visitation from another
world, and an invitation to soar to higher levels of consciousness. The
Air Dragon can be fierce, striking all at once with thunder and
lightning into the human psyche and intellect. One must learn to respect
and work with the Air Dragon and all its ferocity; opening one’s mind
to the “sudden flashes of illumination”. Befriending the Air Dragon,
instead of closing your mind to him, can bring insight and clarity to
thoughts and imagination. The Air Dragon’s arrival is a gift from the
Sky God, one that should be embraced and not shunned. If the mind is
closed to new ideas then it becomes in danger of adopting dogmatic
practices. Only hatred and prejudice can be born from dogmatic ideals.
But one must also stay steadfast and constantly be reality-checking.
There is such a thing as too much faith in messages from the Otherworld.
Remember, just because they’re dead – doesn’t mean they are right.
Wisdom is born from many sources. As with all things balance is the key.
Air Dragon (Draig-athar ) brings
Inspiration, Insight, and Vitality. This totem must be treated with
great respect. Great flashes of illumination in intellect and psyche are
possible with this totem. The Air Dragon brings insight and clarity to
all problems. Trust your inner voice.
Earth Dragon
(Gaelic name ~ Draig-talamh)
The dragon shall be in the tumulus, old, rich in treasures ~ Beowulf
The large chalk figure of the Uffington
Horse, located in Oxfordshire, England, has long been thought to
represent a dragon instead of a horse. Those who argue that the symbol
is a dragon, maintain that St. George once slew a dragon, on a nearby
hill called Dragon Hill, and the symbol is a portrait of the dragon. The
dragon’s blood poisoned the ground where he was defeated and to this
day grass still does not grow in this spot. Although there is still
controversy surrounding the symbol, the dragon and the horse share the
same symbol of earth energy and with the power of the land.
The Barrow Guardians
In ancient times such places as barrows
and hills, stone circles as well as single standing stones were thought
to have spiritual powers. When these barrows became a grave for a dead
warrior or chieftain and were filled with riches and valuables, a
guardian was needed to protect the spot from gravediggers. The Druids
would invoke a spirit to guard the treasures. As mythology matured,
these spirits became monstrous dragons driven with jealousy and who
guarded the treasure with lethal means. Some popular dragon guarded
barrows in the United Kingdom are the “Dragon’s Hoard”, in Oxfordshire,
the Old Field barrows in Shropshire, the Drakelow barrows in Yorkshire,
and a barrow in Walmsgate, where the bones of a slain dragon is said to
be buried.
Buried Treasure and the Inner Search
Buried treasure guarded by dragons can
also be found in hillsides. Some popular known places are Wormelow Trump
in Herefordshire, England and Money Hill on Gunnarton Fell in
Northumberland. A hoard of gold can be found in Sussex in the Iron Age
hill-fort of Cissbury. The gold is said to be 2 miles inside an
underground passage. No one has ever successfully found the gold because
it is said to be guarded by two dragons that hide halfway down the
tunnel.
Of all the dragons, earth dragons have
minimal contact with human beings and are hunted far less. Earth dragons
remain dormant and hidden until provoked. Once provoked they carry a
potential threat. The Druids believed that each of us have a dragon
guardian that protects our inner most “riches” or secrets. This guardian
keeps all from violating our innermost self and can even keep our own
conscious thoughts from entering. Think of just how dangerous this is
and maybe the reason our primal thoughts when acted upon shocks and
scares our conscious thoughts.
The earth dragon is not only found in the
center of a barrow or hillside, but also wrapped around the hill as
well representing a spiral. The spiral is a powerful symbol of spiritual
quest and discovery, a representation of the journey of the soul in and
out of incarnation. The spiral the dragon creates around the “hill” or
around the “treasure” itself, represents aspects of our self. Both
positions place the earth dragon as a Guardian of the Threshold. This
‘threshold’ should be respected but challenged as well and sometimes
overcome. If we are able to stand up to the dragon-guardian, which is
nothing more than an aspect of ourselves, and befriend him, we can then
reach into the inner depths to unlock the treasure hidden within and at
this point truly understand ourselves. With this understanding will come
the power to understand what is in the hearts of those around us and in
the Earth herself.
Earth Dragon (Draig-talamh) brings Power,
Potential, and Riches. This totem shows us our potential, our riches:
what we are capable of. With his help, we can discover the beauty and
power that lies in all of us. He lives deep within the Earth and can
help you ground scattered energies. When you call him, think of a slow
moving, heavy Dragon pulling himself toward you. Feel his weight around
you. He will nurture you as Mother Earth does.
Water Dragon
(Gaelic name – Draig-uisge)
One Sunday morning Lambton went
A-fishing in the Wear,
And catched a fish upon his hook
He thought looked verry queer,
But whatten a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton couldn’t tell;
He wouldn’t fash to carry it home,
So he hoyed it in a well
~From “The Lambton Worm”
The dragon began its life as a Worm – a
large snake or eel-like creature, sometimes with horns, that lived in
the wells, lochs, or the sea. During its mythological development, the
Worm grew small wings and two feet and became known as the Wyvern. In
its final development, into a mythological creature, the Worm became a
Dragon with four feet, larger ribbed wings, and a barbed tail.
These dragons were said to sometimes
leave the water and terrorize the hills and country they settled in. The
ones that remained in the water were depicted as sea monsters, the most
famous living in Loch Ness. The first recorded sighting of the Loch
Ness Monster tells of St. Columba saving a friend who was crossing Ness.
The monster broke the water behind the swimmer and opened its mouth
with a mighty roar. It was stopped when Columba declared, “Go thou no
further nor touch the man. Go back at once.” The creature obeyed.
The water dragon has been sighted in the
whirlpool of the River Taff at Cardiff, located in the capital city of
Whales, and Llyn-y-Gader Lake in Snowdonia, located in the National Park
of Whales. Legend states, that anyone who is unlucky enough to fall
into either body of water is quickly consumed by the water dragon
leaving nothing but swirls of blood!
Gateways to the Otherworld
In most all dragon stories, the dragon
originates from a body of water whether it be river, well, pool, lake,
marsh, bog, and/or sea. Water sources were considered sacred to the
Druids who believed it a gateway to the Underworld or Otherworld. The
Otherworld is the Celtic version of heaven where the domain of the
Celtic deities and mythological creatures such as the Fae Folk and
Dragons exist. Since the dragon is an Otherworldly creature it is
fitting that it would come from the water or gateway of the Otherworld.
Druids were like early psychologists who
linked the sacred animals to the human psyche. Monsters of the sea and
their emergence can represent the unconscious realm of the human psyche.
Breaking this down further, the sea represented unresolved desires,
repressed and distorted drives that well up into awareness. The
destructive water dragon symbolized the damaging nature of certain
contents of the mind. To heal one’s self, these hidden drives must be
brought to the light and dealt with. These hidden drives may at times
overwhelm an individual with emotion, but in time the individual can
achieve a sense of balance as the desire is integrated from the
unconscious to the conscious. By doing this a metamorphosis of the
psyche is required that can be seen as a symbolic death.
Earth and air dragons are rarely
destructive if left undisturbed. But the elements of fire and water can
be dangerous, the water dragon can overwhelm one with emotion and drown
one is self-pity. If befriended the water dragon can invoke compassion,
passion, depth of feeling and a connectedness with life. Basically, the
Druids believed that instead of burying our hidden desires and allowing
these desires to overcome us; we should confront them immediately and
deal with the desire to create a balance. Further more, I believe this
interpretation of the water dragon could be used in times of depression
by making the water dragon a totem or spirit guide.
Water ( Draig-uisge) Dragon brings
Passion, Depth, and Connection. This totem brings memories and wishes,
perhaps long hidden, to the surface. By facing painful past experiences,
we can achieve a sense of peace and balance in our lives. This totem
gives us the courage and compassion in this challenge. This Dragon also
has the gift of emotional healing since he lives in the element of
Water.
In 1964, famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov ventured a guess at what you might find if you set foot inside the 2014 World’s Fair. Using his gift for envisioning future technology, Asimov’s predictions from 50 years out are both stunningly accurate and perhaps a little bit depressing. Here’s a look at what he got right.
“One thought that occurs to me is that men will continue to withdraw from nature in order to create an environment that will suit them better.”
“Kitchen units will be devised that will prepare “automeals,” heating water and converting it to coffee”
“Complete lunches and dinners, with the food semiprepared, will be stored in the freezer until ready for processing.”
“The appliances of 2014 will have no electric cords, of course”
“Much effort will be put into the designing of vehicles with “Robot-brains”
“There will be increasing emphasis on transportation that makes the least possible contact with the surface”
“By 2014, only unmanned ships will have landed on Mars, though a manned expedition will be in the works and in the 2014 Futurama will show a model of an elaborate Martian colony”
“For short-range travel, moving sidewalks (with benches on either side, standing room in the center) will be making their appearance in downtown sections.”
“In 2014, there is every likelihood that the world population will be 6,500,000,000 and the population of the United States will be 350,000,000”
“Synchronous satellites, hovering in space will make it possible for you to direct-dial any spot on earth”
“Communications will become sight-sound and you will see as well as hear the person you telephone.”
“In fact, one popular exhibit at the 2014 World’s Fair will be such a 3-D TV, built life-size, in which ballet performances will be seen.
“Part of the General Electric exhibit today consists of a school of the future in which such present realities as closed-circuit TV and programmed tapes aid the teaching process.”
“Robots will neither be common nor very good in 2014, but they will be in existence.”
“The world of A.D. 2014 will have few routine jobs that cannot be done better by some machine than by any human being. Mankind will therefore have become largely a race of machine tenders.”
“Even so, mankind will suffer badly from the disease of boredom”
“The lucky few who can be involved in creative work of any sort will be the true elite of mankind, for they alone will do more than serve a machine.”
“Indeed, the most somber speculation I can make about A.D. 2014 is that in a society of enforced leisure, the most glorious single word in the vocabulary will have become work!”