Do you recall story time when you were little and the tales of raging fire-breathers storming neighborhoods and eating man, woman, and children alike, only to be killed by a handsome, daring knight in shining armor? And, of course, the beautiful young maiden who had just been sitting around all her life hoping for this hero to come and save her.
The tales of my young days were full with young ladies in distress and people-eating dragons. Every night at bedtime, my mom or dad had to follow a special protective ritual of ensuring there were no child-eating beasts in the closet or under the bed just waiting to hurt me the minute my folks left the room.
When I was a little bit older, I studies about Hercules in Greek and Roman Myth. And I also learned that a normal mortal man, albeit the son of the god Zeus, attacked and cut down a serpentine dragon with multiple heads.
In college, I read Beowulf. Again in this story we find the greedy, evil beast of a dragon failing against our strapping, honorable hero.
The interpretation of mythological dragons as evil beings was on the silver screen too in motion pictures like Reign of Fire and Dungeons and Dragons. And you can't forget Godzilla, although many will declare that he was some breed of dinosaur/iguana, but at least one of his enemies was a dragon.
In these tales, no child, woman, or city was safe from the wrath of a dragon.
However, in the midst of all these horror tales, I also heard a couple of not so terrifying ones: Pete's Dragon and Puff the Magic Dragon. A friendly, peaceful one. I saw more of this type of dragon in The Never Ending story and Dragonheart (both I and II). The beasts weren't anything like what I had been hearing about in the other choices of tales. What was creating the difference?
The short answer is they were from the East. Traditionally in Eastern culture, notably in China, dragons have been revered and honored. In the East (as well as a number of other philosophies such as Feng Shui, Celtic, Draconia Wicca, Gnostic, and Alchemy), the dragon stands for a supreme being offering hope, courage, and success. It is also a symbol of transformation, personal and spiritual quest, and wisdom.
Where in the tales I had heard before dragons are protectors of treasures and prisoners, in this new philosophy they are protectors of not only human beings and valuables, but of spiritual perfection, itself. Yet every dragon, Eastern or Western, friend or antagonist, is a representation of power.The room I am sitting in is adorned with fantasy dragon resin statues; right in front of me is one that depicts two fire-breathing creatires fighting. Upon seeing this figure, I don't think of evil, instead I think strength and power. On the other side of the room (on the east side per Feng Shui guidelines) is a Chinese dragon carved out of a dark wood-it makes me feel serene.
Dragons are often depicted as unruly, fire-breathing creatures that are bringers of destruction and will take down anything in their track. We see this in folklore and stories and films in both Western and Eastern culture. However, these mystical creatures are also the guards of spirituality and good fortunes. Do you feel that a dragon is ally or antagonist?
The tales of my young days were full with young ladies in distress and people-eating dragons. Every night at bedtime, my mom or dad had to follow a special protective ritual of ensuring there were no child-eating beasts in the closet or under the bed just waiting to hurt me the minute my folks left the room.
When I was a little bit older, I studies about Hercules in Greek and Roman Myth. And I also learned that a normal mortal man, albeit the son of the god Zeus, attacked and cut down a serpentine dragon with multiple heads.
In college, I read Beowulf. Again in this story we find the greedy, evil beast of a dragon failing against our strapping, honorable hero.
The interpretation of mythological dragons as evil beings was on the silver screen too in motion pictures like Reign of Fire and Dungeons and Dragons. And you can't forget Godzilla, although many will declare that he was some breed of dinosaur/iguana, but at least one of his enemies was a dragon.
In these tales, no child, woman, or city was safe from the wrath of a dragon.
However, in the midst of all these horror tales, I also heard a couple of not so terrifying ones: Pete's Dragon and Puff the Magic Dragon. A friendly, peaceful one. I saw more of this type of dragon in The Never Ending story and Dragonheart (both I and II). The beasts weren't anything like what I had been hearing about in the other choices of tales. What was creating the difference?
The short answer is they were from the East. Traditionally in Eastern culture, notably in China, dragons have been revered and honored. In the East (as well as a number of other philosophies such as Feng Shui, Celtic, Draconia Wicca, Gnostic, and Alchemy), the dragon stands for a supreme being offering hope, courage, and success. It is also a symbol of transformation, personal and spiritual quest, and wisdom.
Where in the tales I had heard before dragons are protectors of treasures and prisoners, in this new philosophy they are protectors of not only human beings and valuables, but of spiritual perfection, itself. Yet every dragon, Eastern or Western, friend or antagonist, is a representation of power.The room I am sitting in is adorned with fantasy dragon resin statues; right in front of me is one that depicts two fire-breathing creatires fighting. Upon seeing this figure, I don't think of evil, instead I think strength and power. On the other side of the room (on the east side per Feng Shui guidelines) is a Chinese dragon carved out of a dark wood-it makes me feel serene.
Dragons are often depicted as unruly, fire-breathing creatures that are bringers of destruction and will take down anything in their track. We see this in folklore and stories and films in both Western and Eastern culture. However, these mystical creatures are also the guards of spirituality and good fortunes. Do you feel that a dragon is ally or antagonist?
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