it is curiously true
That the dragons you disparage
Choose to not believe in you."
---Jack Prelutsky
Dragon Magick
I just love Dragons :-) I am hoping to share my love for them along with what I am learning of them through literature and magick. One challenge in searching through literature was finding authors who loved Dragons, instead of having so called knights slay them. Children seem to naturally love dragons, before they get programmed otherwise, I am always looking for good childrens' books with dragons (not being slayed by St. George).
One great children's author, Jack Prelutski, has a wonderful book of dragon poems with beautiful illustrations. The books is wonderful and I recommend it to dragon lovers of ALL ages. The title is "The Dragons Are Singing Tonight". Here is an example, although you can't see the amazing artwork with it...
Once They All Believed In Dragons
Once they all believed in dragons
When the world was fresh and young,
We were woven into legends,
Tales were told and songs were sung,
We were treated with obeisance,
We were honored, we were feared,
Then one day they stopped believing--
On that day, we disappeared.
Now they say our time is over,
Now they say we've lived our last,
Now we're treated with derision
Where we once ruled unsurpassed.
We must make them all remember,
In some way we must reveal
That our spirit lives forever--
We are dragons! We are real!
---Jack Prelutsky
Somehow, I can't talk about magick without thinking of children, after all, children don't seem as far from it as we are, and their natural fascination with the world around them and imagination is magick in itself. I also find that reading poetry and looking at related art helps in magick, because it contributes to the imagery. These particular poems also rhyme, and rhyme is great for raising energy or rhythm, two of the many things that I have read that dragons love.
Dragons in History and Culture
My feeling on dragons is that they do exist, though not as "physical" but as astral beings. To me, this explains how so many have seen dragons and used them throughout history, while no physical evidence has ever been found. I have seen them myself at times, (you can call me crazy if you like), but I'm not :-). I think we were programmed not to see them, as they began to be viewed negatively by Christian culture....as seen in the knights slaying them. My guess is that the dragons may be wary of humans due to this as well. Our word for dragon comes from the Latin "Draco" or the Greek "Drakon". We have a constellation "Draco" in the Northern sky, winding between the Big Dipper and Little Dipper. The constellation Draco was once considered the guardian of the pole as he marked the limit of stars in the ancient world. It is the pathway for the Sun, moon, and planets. Draco is at the heart of the stars which appear to be guarded by him.
In ancient alchemy, the dragon was used as a symbol, an unending circle of eternity. The ancient symbol actually had the Dragon holding his tail in his mouth to form the circle. The reknowned psychologist Carl Jung has written much on the dragon archetype. He also related water and the dragon with the Taoist symbol of Yin/Yang. Taoists saw dragons as the bringer of eternal changes. Mythology scholar Joseph Campbell has described the dragon as being the balance between Earth and Spirit. Mythology from around the world is full of dragons. The Chinese, Celtics, and Norse decorated with them, and continue to do so. The Chinese have used the dragon as Imperial and religious symbols. Four Chinese dragons include The Celestial Dragon, which holds up the heavens; the Spiritual Dragon of wind and rain; the Earth Dragon of rivers and streams, and the Dragon of Hidden Treasure, who watches over the treasures concealed from men. The Dragon is actually to China what the Eagle is to the United States. It symbolizes power, royalty....and the elements of nature.
****To be continued!!!****
Cruise other pages in the meantime....
Index/Air/Earth/Fire/Water/Spirit/Dragon/
