Dragon Magic

 “Pagan Portals: Dragon Magic.” Moon Books. 2024.

 

Of the dragon books I have read, I recommend “Dragon Magic” by Rachel Patterson. It is filled with wise words about how to relate with dragons, who are ancient beings shrouded in myth. Following Patterson’s advice will aid the reader who wants to learn about dragons.

 

In the beginning chapter “Before You Start,” Patterson cautions, “Always treat them with the respect that you would a wise elder. It will take time and effort to build a relationship with dragons and a lot of practice to understand their magic. You cannot force a dragon to come to you, you cannot make one work for you.”

 

Patterson continues, “Then think about why you want to work with them, what are your reasons and whether you are prepared to put the work and effort in to follow this through properly. Dragon magic is not a quick fix….usually they are the ones that make the decision for you.” In other words, if you are not careful, you will be toast.

 

In my relations with Dragons, I have come to the conclusion that they do need to know a person for a long time before even speaking to them. I was meandering through an overgrown field, when I glimpsed a shy field dragon flitting among the devil’s paintbrushes and squirrel grass. As the dragon kept eying me, I continued walking. Later, I came back to the field with offerings. It took several months before the little dragon would bounce directly in front of me. I continued to bring small colorful stones to the field, building a relationship between us. Only a couple of years later, did the dragon squeak at me. Afterwards, I started seeing various dragons in odd places. I believe that the field dragon spoke to the other dragons about me.

 

In “Dragon Magic,” Patterson describes dragons in all their infinite variety. They are not simply limited to fire breathers, who live in caves, and guard their jeweled hoards. Dragons range from Tiamat of the Cosmos to the Lambton Worm, who lives in the deeps. They can be found flying among the clouds like the Chinese Lung. Dragons can have no limbs or multiple ones, one or more heads, and spit venom instead of fire. Cold drakes, who are the color blue, release ice from their mouths. Meanwhile, Guivres of France spout water but run away at the sight of a naked human.

 

In the section titled “How to Summon a Dragon,” Patterson writes, “Do not. Never summon a dragon, seriously don’t do it. Dragons will not respond well to being summoned. Dragons are ancient, they are wise, majestic and powerful. Summoning them will either annoy them greatly, for which you will be made to pay or they will completely ignore you because of your arrogance and insolence.”

 

What a person does instead is to treat dragons with the utmost respect. Be mindful of your manners. And, if a person finds themselves with a Guardian Dragon, they need to make an altar for the dragon. At the altar, leave gifts to affirm the relationship. To form a bond, have daily contact through mediation and listening. Moreover, heed the dragon’s guidance.

 

To make the altar welcoming for the dragon, place dragon pictures and shiny coins on it. Also, have a candle to honor their transformative powers. At the altar, leave milk. In dragon myths, milk is often given to keep dragons from eating livestock.

 

As I do, Patterson divides dragons by their elements. Each element enhances particular qualities of dragons. Earth dragons keep their hoards in mountains. Air dragons prefer to ride with the storms. Fire dragons live in volcanos, while water dragons are found in the depths of the oceans. Patterson does include “spirit” and “chaos” dragons in her categories. The former mediates between the physical and psychic planes, while the latter brings transformation.

 

One thing that I learned from Patterson is how dragons relate to the different seasons. (Note 1) She aligns dragons by the Neo-Pagan festivals. Some dragons are seen more at harvest time (Lammas), while others only appear during the heat of summer (Midsummer).

 

Notes:

Note 1. I will explore dragons and their seasons in a more detailed post later.