Dragons - A Symbol of Protection

By Jeff Bronson

The dragon is a powerful, mythical creature of legend and lore that you can find in pretty much every culture. While the strength of a dragon is a constant in different societies, the appearance and significance is not. Today, many of us adorn our homes and bodies with dragons for their qualities of good luck, well-being, and protection.

In the West, dragons were thought to bring hardships and destruction and often were the guardians of treasure and representations of greed. Societies such as the Norse used the symbol of the dragon as their figurehead, carving dragons into the heads of their ships and placing them on crests and shields. When Christianity was introduced, dragons' reputations became even worse and they came to be known as satanic beasts.

However, in the East and even in some Western societies, including Celtic, Gnostic, Alchemy, and Draconic Wicca, dragons symbolize a supreme being. This divine creature is believed to represent the spirit of nature and the ability to transform. It offers hope, courage, and good fortune. Legend often presents dragons as the guardians of the "flaming pearl," a gem symbolizing spiritual perfection. You will often see this pearl in dragon figurines and collectibles. You will sometimes see Celtic dragons in a circular position, tail to mouth. As in paganism, the circle is perfection, the circle of life, transformation, and eternity.

In our modern literature and movies, dragons are portrayed as terrifying, fire-breathing creatures that create obstacles in our personal journeys and that threaten to eat our women and children. Dragons worn with the more Western beliefs symbolize power and freedom and independence, but not usually an intention of evil. Most of the time, when we see a dragon, it isn't a symbol to fear, but one of protection.

Dragon images are one of the most requested tattoo designs. The inked image represents goodness and honor, power, and wisdom. It may also symbolize magic and a spiritual or personal quest. The actual form and meaning of the image depends on the culture it is from, whether it is Chinese, Japanese, Celtic, Western, Tribal, etc. Once the dragon becomes a permanent part of a person's body, the power of the dragon becomes a part of that person's existence. The tattoo also comes to represent that person or a part of that person's life.

Dragon images make powerful amulets. Worn close to our body, the talisman radiates protection, drives away negative forces, and attracts good fortune. You can wear your amulet all the time, or you can wear it when you feel you need it. You may also carry your amulet or sleep with it under your pillow-it depends on what you are seeking.

Dragon décor is a popular and stylish way to surround yourself with the power of dragons. From collectible figurines, statues, incense holders, chess sets, plaques, goblets, and even a roof cresting, there is a dragon for every part of your home.

Feng Shui has become popular in our Western culture and at the heart of this practice is the dragon. There are specific guidelines in this ideology when placing dragons around your space, including how many dragons you should have in the room, so if you are practicing Feng Shui, go easy on the dragon décor.

To sum it up, dragons are believed to be the protector of treasure, spiritual or material, is also a powerful protector and bringer of fortune in the human realm. There are many ways we can bring dragons into our daily lives and a plethora of benefits we can reap from doing so.

Jeff Bronson is the owner of Obscuria.com, a darkly unique Gothic shop. Obscuria not only offers a quality selection of dragon figurines and dragon collectibles, but many custom made, exclusive in the U.S items. ------------------------------------------- For more information and articles on Dragons, see www.bestdragonguide.com. To purchase Dragon Collectibles, see www.kamsgifts.com.

Dragons Throughout History - A Glimpse Into Dragon Mythology

By Jeff Bronson

Dating back to between 4000 and 5000 BC, dragons have been an integral part of our history. From mythology to architecture to collectibles, dragons are magical beings that may or may not have roamed the earth in actuality but have left gigantic footprints in our sensibility.

These extraordinary reptilian/serpentine creatures are found in many different cultures, and each of those dragons is as different as the culture itself. Some live in the center of the Earth, others live in the ocean. Some have wings, some don't. Some have hundreds of legs, some have four. Some have nine heads, others have one. Some have five claws, most have less. Some are friends and others are fiends. All are a symbol of awesome strength and power.

Studies suggest that the Tiamat, a goddess that personifies the sea, in ancient Babylonian and Assyrian text is the first reference to the existence of dragons. However, scholars argue about whether or not she truly was a dragon, as we define it. It is not believed that most dragons throughout history can be linked to the Tiamat myth.

Perhaps the best documented dragons come from the Chinese culture. These creatures are said to be made of parts from nine different animals: the body of a snake, talons of an eagle, antlers of a dear, head of a camel, belly of a clam, ears of a cow, soles of a tiger, 117 scales of a carp, and eyes of a demon. Dragons in Asian cultures are believed to be benevolent beings who control the water, including the rain, and have the power of transformation. They are forces of nature and the universe; protector of Buddhist law. The dragon is the symbol of wisdom, luck, good fortune, nobility, and divinity.

Western culture introduced us to a different kind of dragon: the malevolent, aggressive dragon. These dragons are like those Hercules battled and Beowolf waged war. In northern Europe, Thor battled the Jormungandr (the World Serpent). West dragons are fierce creatures that guarded (and horded) treasure and that heroes would have to slain to protect helpless maidens (acts that often ended in marriage). These were fire breathing dragons, more like the modern American dragons we are familiar today. Battles with these horrifying creatures became symbols of the battle between good and evil.

In the book of Revelations, Satan is referred to as a "great dragon." Stories tell of people who are turned into dragons as punishment for greed. Others tell of dragons eating children and even the sun and moon, causing eclipses.

Today, dragons are the symbol of power, of supernatural abilities, and of protection. People adorn their homes and their bodies with representations of the mystical creatures. Movies portray dragons as magical imaginary friends to fantasy adversaries. While we no longer talk about heroes fighting dragons, the creatures are still prevalent in our culture, for better or worse.

Jeff Bronson is the owner of Obscuria.com, a darkly unique Gothic shop. Obscuria not only offers a quality selection of dragon figurines and dragon collectibles, but many custom made, exclusive in the U.S items. --------------------------------------------------------------- For more information and articles on Dragons, see www.bestdragonguide.com. Purchase all types of Dragon Decor at Kam's Gift Boutique.