A fabulous animal and a universal, symbolic figure found in the
majority of the cultures of the world—primitive and oriental as well as classical.
A morphological study of the legendary dragon would lead to the conclusion that it is a kind of amalgam of elements taken from various animals that are particularly aggressive and dangerous, such as serpents, crocodiles, lions as well as
prehistoric animals (38). Krappe believes that the amazement occasioned by the
discovery of the remains of antediluvian monsters may have been a contributory
factor in the genesis of the mythic dragon. The dragon, in consequence, stands for
‘things animal’ par excellence, and here we have a first glimpse of its symbolic
meaning, related to the Sumerian concept of the animal as the ‘adversary’, a
concept which later came to be attached to the devil. Nevertheless, the dragon—
like all other symbols of the instincts in the non-moral religions of antiquity—
sometimes appears enthroned and all but deified, as, for example, in the standards
and pennons pertaining to the Chinese Manchu dynasty and to the Phoenicians
and Saxons (4). In a great many legends, overlaying its deepest symbolic sense,
the dragon appears with this very meaning of the primordial enemy with whom
combat is the supreme test. Apollo, Cadmus, Perseus and Siegfried all conquer
the dragon. In numerous masterpieces of hagiography, the patron saints of knighthood—St. George and St. Michael the Archangel—are depicted in the very act of
slaying the monster; there is no need to recall others than the St. George of
Carpaccio, or of Raphael, or the St. Michael of Tous by Bermejo. For Dontenville
(16), who tends to favour an historicist and sociological approach to the symbolism of legends, dragons signify plagues which beset the country (or the individual
if the symbol takes on a psychological implication). The worm, the snake and the
crocodile are all closely linked with the concept of the dragon in their own particular way. In France, the dragon is also related to the ogre as well as to Gargantua
and giants in general. In Schneider’s view, the dragon is a symbol of sickness (51).
But before going further into its meaning, let us quote some examples to show
how widespread are the references to this monster. The classics and the Bible
very frequently allude to it, providing us with detailed information about its
appearance, its nature and habits. But their descriptions point to not one but
several kinds of dragon, as Pinedo has noted: ‘Some give it the form of a winged
serpent; it lives in the air and the water, its jaws are immense, it swallows men and
animals having first killed them with its enormous tail. Conversely, others make
it a terrestrial animal, its jaws are quite small, its huge and powerful tail is an
instrument of destruction, and it also flies and feeds upon the blood of the animals
it kills; there are writers who consider it to be amphibious, in which case its head
becomes that of a beautiful woman with long flowing hair and it is even more
terrible than the previous versions.’ In the Bible, there are the following references to the dragon: Daniel xiv, 22, 27; Micah i, 8; Jeremiah xiv, 6; Revelation xii,
3, 7; Isaiah xxxiv, 13, and xliii, 20. There are further mentions by Rabanus Maurus (Opera, III), Pliny (VIII, 12), Galen, Pascal (De Coronis, IX), and among other
characteristics which these writers ascribe to the dragon are the following particularly interesting points: that it is strong and vigilant, it has exceptionally keen
eyesight, and it seems that its name comes from the Greek word derkein (‘seeing’). Hence it was given the function, in clear opposition to its terrible implications, of guarding temples and treasures (like the griffin), as well as being turned
into an allegory of prophecy and wisdom. In the Bible, it is the negative side of
the symbol which receives emphasis; it is interesting to note that the anagram of
Herod in Syrian—ierud and es—means ‘flaming dragon’ (46). Sometimes the
dragon is depicted with a number of heads and its symbolism then becomes
correspondingly unfavourable, given the regressive and involutive sense of all
numerical increase. ‘And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven crowns upon his heads
(’)
, in the words of Revelation (xii, 3). On
other occasions, the dragon is used in emblems, in which case it is the symbolism
of the form or shape which takes precedence over that of the animal, as for
example, the dragon biting its tail—the Gnostic Ouroboros, a symbol of all cyclic
processes and of time in particular. The dragon figured quite frequently in alchemy; for the alchemists, a number of dragons fighting with each other illustrated the state of putrefactio (separating out the Elements, or psychic disintegration). And the winged dragon represented the volatile element, while the wingless
creature stood for the fixed element (according to Albert Poison). It is perhaps in
China that this monster has been most utilized and has achieved its greatest
degree of transfiguration. Here it becomes an emblem of imperial power. Whereas
the Emperor numbered the five-clawed dragon among his ornaments, the officials
of his court had the right to keep only the four-clawed (5). According to Diel, the
generic dragon of China symbolizes the mastering and sublimation of wickedness
(15), because the implication is that of a ‘dragon conquered’, like that which
obeys St. George once he has overcome it. Frazer tells how the Chinese, when
they wish for rain, make a huge dragon out of wood and paper and carry it in
procession; but if it does not rain, then they destroy the dragon (21). Chuang-tzu
maintains that this arises from the fact that the dragon and the serpent, invested
with the most profound and all-embracing cosmic significance, are symbols for
‘rhythmic life’. The association of dragon/lightning/rain/fecundity is very common in archaic Chinese texts (17), for which reason the fabulous animal becomes
the connecting-link between the Upper Waters and earth. However, it is impossible to generalize about the dragon of Chinese mythology, for there are subterranean, aerial and aquatic dragons. ‘The earth joins up with the dragon’ means that
it is raining. It plays an important part as an intermediary, then, between the two extremes of the cosmic forces associated with the essential characteristics of the
three-level symbolism, that is: the highest level of spirituality; the intermediary
plane of the phenomenal life; and the lower level of inferior and telluric forces. A
related and powerful part of its meaning is that of strength and speed. The oldest
Chinese images of the dragon are very similar to those of the horse (13). In
esoteric Chinese thought, there are dragons which are linked with colour-symbolism: the red dragon is the guardian of higher science, the white dragon is a lunar
dragon. These colours derive from the planets and the signs of the Zodiac. In the
Middle Ages in the Western world, dragons make their appearance with the throat
and legs of an eagle, the body of a huge serpent, the wings of a bat and with a tail
culminating in an arrow twisted back upon itself. This, according to Count Pierre
Vincenti Piobb, signifies the fusion and confusion of the respective potentialities
of the component parts: the eagle standing for its celestial potential, the serpent
for its secret and subterranean characteristic, the wings for intellectual elevation,
and the tail (because the form is that of the zodiacal sign for Leo) for submission
to reason (48). But, broadly speaking, present-day psychology defines the dragonsymbol as ‘something terrible to overcome’, for only he who conquers the dragon
becomes a hero (56). Jung goes as far as to say that the dragon is a mother-image
(that is, a mirror of the maternal principle or of the unconscious) and that it
expresses the individual’s repugnance towards incest and the fear of committing
it (31), although he also suggests that it quite simply represents evil (32). Esoteric
Hebrew tradition insists that the deepest meaning of the mystery of the dragon
must remain inviolate (according to the rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, quoted by
Blavatsky) (9). The universal dragon (Katholikos ophis) of the Gnostics is the
‘way through all things’. It is related to the concept of chaos (‘our Chaos or Spirit
is a fiery dragon which conquers all things’—Philaletha, Introitus) and of dissolution (The dragon is the dissolution of bodies’). (The quotations are taken from the
Pseudo-Democritus.) Regarding symbols of dissolution, Hermetic doctrine uses
the following terms: Poison, viper, universal solvent, philosophical vinegar=the
potential of the undifferentiated (or the Solve), according to Evola. He adds that
dragons and bulls are the animals fought by sun-heroes (such as Mithras, Siegfried,
Hercules, Jason, Horus, or Apollo) and—bearing in mind the equations
woman=dragon, mercury and water; and green=’what is undigested’—that ‘if the
dragon reappears in the centre of the “Citadel of Philosophers” of Khunrath, it is
still a dragon which has to be conquered and slain: it is that which everlastingly
devours its own self, it is Mercury as an image of burning thirst or hunger or the
blind impulse towards gratification’, or, in other words, Nature enthralled and
conquered by Nature, or the mystery of the lunar world of change and becoming as opposed to the world of immutable being governed by Uranus. Böhme, in De
Signatura rerum, defines a will which desires and yet has nothing capable of
satisfying it except its own self, as ‘the ability of hunger to feed itself’ (Plate VI).

To see a dragon in your dream, represents your strong will and fiery personality. You tend to get carried away by your passion, which may lead you into trouble. You need to exercise some self-control.

In the eastern cultures, dragons are seen as spiritual creatures symbolizing good luck and fortune.

To dream that you are a dragon and breathing fire, suggests that you are using your anger to get your own way.

To dream of a dragon, denotes that you allow yourself to be governed by your passions, and that you are likely to place yourself in the power of your enemies through those outbursts of sardonic tendencies. You should be warned by this dream to cultivate self-control.

This large, mystical creature may represent large and mystical forces inside of you. In the Far East it is believed that the dragons are spiritual creatures that navigate through the air and through the sky. In the West, dragons are considered to be dangerous creatures that need to be destroyed. As far as dream symbols go, the dragon may represent the enormous power in your unconscious. It could symbolize repressed unconscious material, including fear. However, the dragon in our dreams is generally a positive symbol. It may represent a period of time when the dreamer will confront his fears and empower himself to effectively cope with negative emotions, extreme materialism, and be able to obtain greater inner and outer freedom.

A Dragon totem is one of the most powerful totems, representing a huge range of qualities, emotions, and traits. When Dragons come to us, it could mean many things.

The most common message a Dragon totem carry to us is a need for strength, courage, and fortitude. Dragons are also messengers of balance, and magic - encouraging us to tap into our psychic nature and see the world through the eyes of mystery and wonder.

More specifically, Dragons are the embodiment of primordial power - the ultimate ruler of all the elements. This is because the Dragon is the master of all the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.

As a totem, the Dragon serves as a powerful guardian and guide. Encourage communication with your Dragon, and acknowledge your Dragon's presence as often as possible.

In Chinese culture, the season of the Dragon is mid-spring, its direction is east-southeast, and its fixed element is wood. See Chinese Dragon page for more inforamation on the Dragons within the Asian culture.

There are many ways to strengthen your bond with your Dragon totem. Here are a few suggestions:

Meditation upon your Dragon totem.
Begin collecting Dragon images that resonate with you. Keep these images close, and easily available to you. Look upon these images whenever you wish to communicate with your Dragon totem.
Better yet, begin drawing while communicating with your Dragon. Ask your Dragon to reveal itself to you through your drawing. Check out my friend Barbara's webpage offering free tips on how to draw dragons here!
Begin a Dragon totem journal
Read everything you can on Dragons. This will broaden your horizons, and expand your imagination. A warning though: By all means, never be limited by the scope of what you read. Ultimately, it is you and your Dragon that will create the perfect understanding. There is never a limit in matters of spirit - that includes matters concerning our totems (especially strong totems like the Dragon!).

A Dragon totem can be a powerful ally in our daily effort to live our lives. When we call upon the amazing restorative and potent qualities of the Dragon, we are able to effectively live our lives with the honestly, courage, and strength of a peaceful warrior.

Utilizing the symbolic power of the dragon totem is an internal process cultivated by contemplating the attributes of the dragon we admire and meditating upon these.

We can also honor the dragon totem externally by little actions like including dragon imagery in our lives. It solidifies my connection with the magic the dragon offers.

Whether you are an artist who looks to dragons for inspiration, or a business mogul identifying with a solid symbol of strength or luck - it's clear dragons speak to those special places within us, stoking the fires of our hearts.

The Dragon represents prosperity. This may be of spiritual (intuition) rather than materiaal riches, because the dragon was regarded as the guaridian of treasure that lay hidden deep within the unconscious and was hard to obtain.

(Ancient, most world culture) A legendary reptilian monster similar in form to a crocodile but with wings, huge claws, and fiery breath. In the Mesopotamian creation myth (Enuma Elish), dating from about 2000 BC, a dragon was considered a symbol for destruction and evil. So it was also considered in the writings of the ancient Hebrews. The Bible (Revelation) also so considers it. Dragons became more benign in later mythologies. The Greeks and Romans believed that they had the ability to understand and to teach mortals the secrets of the earth. Because of this duality, destruction and positive influence, it was often adopted as a military emblem; the Roman legions used it thusly as early as the first century AD. The folklore of northern Europe contains a similar interpretation of the dragon. Norsemen carved the prows of their ships with likenesses of the dragon. The ancient Celtic considered the dragon a symbol of sovereignty. The Teutonic invaders of Britain had dragons depicted on their shields. The dragon also figures in the folklore of Japan.
In China it is traditionally considered as a symbol of good fortune, and was the national emblem of the Chinese Empire. Unlike Middle Eastern or Western dragons, the Lungs (Chinese appelation for "dragons") were benevolent and brought rain, guarded sacred dwellings and such tasks.
There were four types:
1.The T'ien Lung, or Celestial Dragon
2.The Fu Tsang Lung or Treasure Dragon
3.The Ti Lung, or Earth Dragon
4.The Shen Lung, or Rain Dragon (also called Kung Kung)
The latter two Lungs are together known as the Wang Lung, and are propitiated as water deities, dwelling in the Seas. (This information is derived from the 17th century Ming classic San-ts`ai t`ui-hui or Threefold Picture Book. This was an illustrated encyclopedia.)

To see a line in your dream, symbolizes duality, limits, boundaries and rules. It also relates to movement or non-movement. To dream that you are crossing a line, suggests that you are overstepping your boundaries or that you are moving beyond the limits in some area of your life.

To see a line of people or objects, indicates that you need to be more aware of some situation or relationship.

To dream that you are standing in line, represents your need for patience. You need to learn to wait for something and not always have it right away.

Seeing a line in your dream, symbolizes duality. It also relates to movement or non-movement. A line also represents limits and boundaries. And thus to dream that you are crossing a line, suggest that you are overstepping your boundaries or that you are moving beyond any limits. Seeing a line of people or objects indicates that you need to be more aware of some situation or relationship. Dreaming that you are standing in line indicates your need for patience. You should be prepared to wait for something and not have it right away.

To see plastic objects in your dream, suggests that you are being fake, artificial and/or insensitive in some way. You are not being genuine and true to yourself. Alternatively, it signifies flexibility in your way of thinking.

Seeing plastic objects in your dream, suggests that you are being fake and artificial. You are not being genuine and true to yourself.

To see a neat and well-kept yard, reflects your ability to maintain and organize aspects of your outside life, such as work and your social activities.

To see a messy and unkempt yard, denotes that aspects of your life are out of your control.

Seeing a neat and well-kept yard, reflects your ability to maintain and organize aspects of your outside life, such as work and your social activities. Seeing a messy and un-kept yard indicates that aspects of your life are out of your control.

To dream that you escape from jail or some place of confinement, signifies your need to escape from a restrictive situation or attitude. Alternatively, it suggests that you are refusing to face your problems. You are avoiding the situation, instead of confronting them.

To dream that you escape from injury, from an animal, or from any situation, signifies your good health and prosperity. You will experience a favorable turn of events.

To dream of escape from injury or accidents, is usually favorable.

If you escape from some place of confinement, it signifies your rise in the world from close application to business.

To escape from any contagion, denotes your good health and prosperity. If you try to escape and fail, you will suffer from the design of enemies, who will slander and defraud you.

Dreaming that you escape from jail or some place of confinement means your need to escape from a restrictive situation or attitude. On the other hand, it may mean that you are taking an escapist attitude and are refusing to face up to problems that are not going away. Dreaming that you escape from injury, from an animal, or from any situation means your good health and prosperity. You will experience a favorable turn of events.

If you dream that you escape from jail or a cage, or break free from shackles or ropes, you my wish to be free from a stressful situation. You may wish to express talents that you have been repressing. If you dream that are being pursued and escape by waking up before you are caught, ask yourself what you are missing or avoiding in your waking life. Dreaming that someone else escapes can mean that you are feeling responsible for a situation that has gone wrong.

Seeing a girl in your dream, represents your playful, innocent, and childlike nature. Perhaps you have been behaving prematurely. Dreaming about a girl that you just met, represents your anxieties and thoughts of whether you had made a good impression on her and what she thought of you. If she told you that she disliked you in the dream, then it may be an excuse for you to dismiss her and not pursue a relationship that is beyond friendship. For a man to dream that he is a girl means that he aspires to be an actor and play female parts.

The Chinese, in their solar rites, utilize a tablet of red jade, which they
call Chang; it symbolizes the Element of fire (39). In Egyptian hieroglyphics, fire
is also related to the solar-symbolism of the flame, and associated in particular
with the concepts of life and health (deriving from the idea of body-heat). It is
also allied with the concept of superiority and control (19), showing that the
symbol had by this time developed into an expression of spiritual energy. The
alchemists retained in particular the Heraclitean notion of fire as ‘the agent of
transmutation’, since all things derive from, and return to, fire. It is the seed which
is reproduced in each successive life (and is thereby linked with the libido and
fecundity) (57). In this sense as a mediator between forms which vanish and
forms in creation, fire is, like water, a symbol of transformation and regeneration.
For most primitives, fire was a demiurge emanating from the sun, whose earthly
representative it was; hence it is related on the one hand with the ray of light and
the lightning (35), and, on the other, with gold. Frazer lists many rites in which
torches, bonfires, burning embers and even ashes are considered capable of stimulating the growth of the cornfields and the well-being of man and of animals.
However, anthropological research has furnished two explanations of the firefestival (as it persists today in the Valencian bonfires on the night of St. John,
fireworks and the illuminated Christmas tree): on the one hand, there is the
opinion of Wilhelm Mannhardt, to the effect that it is imitative magic purporting
to assure the supply of light and heat from the sun, and, on the other, the view of
Eugene Mogk and Edward Westermarck that it has as its aim the purification or
destruction of the forces of evil (21); however, these two hypotheses are not opposing but complementary. The triumphant power and the vitality of the
sun—by analogy, the spirit of the shining Origin—is tantamount to victory over
the power of evil (the forces of darkness); purification is the necessary sacrificial
means of achieving the sun’s triumph. Marius Schneider, however, distinguishes
between two kinds of fire, depending upon their direction (or their function): fire
as in the axis fire-earth (representing eroticism, solar heat and physical energy),
and fire of the axis fire-air (linked with mysticism, purification or sublimation,
and spiritual energy). There is an exact parallel here with the ambivalent symbolism of the sword (denoting both physical destruction and determination of spirit)
(50). Fire, in consequence, is an image of energy which may be found at the level
of animal passion as well as on the plane of spiritual strength (56). The Heraclitean
idea of fire as the agent of destruction and regeneration is reproduced in the Indian
Puranas and in the Apocalypse (27). Gaston Bachelard recalls the alchemists’
concept of fire as ‘an Element which operates in the centre of all things’, as a
unifying and stabilizing factor. Paracelsus demonstrated the parallel between fire
and life, pointing out that both must feed upon other lives in order to keep alive.
To steal fire like Prometheus, or to give oneself up to fire like Empedocles, are
two concepts which point to the basic dualism of the human predicament. The
middle way lies in the comfortable solution of simply making material use of the
benefits of fire. But fire is ultra-life. It embraces both good (vital heat) and bad
(destruction and conflagration). It implies the desire to annihilate time and to
bring all things to their end. Fire is the archetypal image of phenomena in themselves (1). To pass through fire is symbolic of transcending the human condition,
according to Eliade in Myths, Dreams and Mysteries (London, 1960).

Depending on the context of your dream, to see fire in your dream can symbolize destruction, passion, desire, illumination, purification, transformation, enlightenment, or anger. It may suggest that something old is passing and something new is entering into your life. Your thoughts and views are changing. In particular, if the fire is under control or contained in one area, then it is a metaphor of your own internal fire and inner transformation. The dream may be a metaphor for someone who is "fiery". It represents your drive, motivation, and creative energy. Alternatively, the dream may be warning you of your dangerous or risky activities. You are literally "playing with fire".

To dream that you are being burned by fire, indicates that your temper is getting out of control. Some issue or situation is burning you up inside.

To dream that a house is on fire, indicates that you need to undergo some transformation. If you have recurring dreams of your family house on fire, then it suggests that you are still not ready for the change or that you are fighting against the change. Alternatively, it highlights passion and the love of those around you.

To dream that you put out a fire, signifies that you will overcome your obstacles in your life through much work and effort. If you are setting a fire to something or even to yourself, then it indicates that you are undergoing some great distress. You are at the brink of desperation and want to destroy something or some aspect of yourself.

Fire is favorable to the dreamer if he does not get burned. It brings continued prosperity to seamen and voyagers, as well as to those on land.

To dream of seeing your home burning, denotes a loving companion, obedient children, and careful servants.

For a business man to dream that his store is burning, and he is looking on, foretells a great rush in business and profitable results.

To dream that he is fighting fire and does not get burned, denotes that he will be much worked and worried as to the conduct of his business. To see the ruins of his store after a fire, forebodes ill luck. He will be almost ready to give up the effort of amassing a handsome fortune and a brilliant business record as useless, but some unforeseen good fortune will bear him up again.

If you dream of kindling a fire, you may expect many pleasant surprises.
You will have distant friends to visit.
To see a large conflagration, denotes to sailors a profitable and safe voyage. To men of literary affairs, advancement and honors; to business people, unlimited success.

Health and great happiness, kind relations and warm friends.

Depending on the context of your dream, to see fire in your dream can symbolizes destruction, passion, desire, illumination, transformation, enlightenment, or anger. It may suggest that something old is passing and something new is entering your life. Your thoughts and views are changing. In particular, if the fire is under control or contained in one area, it is a metaphor of your own internal fire and inner transformation. It also represents your drive and motivation. Dreaming of that you are being burned by fire indicates that your temper is getting out of control. Some issue or situation is burning you up inside. Dreaming that a house is on fire means passion and loving companions. Dreaming that you put out a fire means that you will overcome your obstacles in your life through much work and effort.

This is a very complex symbol that can have both negative and positive connotations. When interpreting this dream, you need to consider all of its details and your emotional responses in the dream. Fire can be a deeply spiritual symbol representing transformation and enlightenment. On the other hand, it could represent danger, anger, passion, pain or fear. A warm fireplace can symbolize happiness and security. Is the fire in your dream destroying something or simply warming you? Are you currently engaging in negative behaviors, or are you knowingly making wrong (or destructive) choices? Are you putting out fires in your dream? Your unconscious mind may be warning you and at the same time encouraging you to alter those things in your life that may be hurtful and dangerous.

To dream that you are hot, signifies passion and heated emotions. It may reflect a situation that is potentially dangerous or a relationship where you are getting burned. Alternatively, the dream may represent a person who is great looking or perhaps you are lusting after someone. On the other hand, you may be feeling beautiful.

Dreaming that you are hot means passion and emotion. You are lusting after someone. It may also reflect a situation that is potentially dangerous. The dream may also represent a person who is great looking. Perhaps you are feeling beautiful.

To dream that it is morning, suggests that fortune and pleasure are within near reach. It also denotes new beginnings, renewal, an awakening or starting over. Alternatively, the dream may also be a pun on "mourning". Are you grieving over something or someone? In particular, if the morning is cloudy, then it signifies an important situation that will burden you for a while.

To see the morning dawn clear in your dreams, prognosticates a near approach of fortune and pleasure.

A cloudy morning, portends weighty affairs will overwhelm you.

Dreaming that it is morning indicates that fortune and pleasure are within near reach. It may also indicates new beginnings, renewal, an awakening or starting over. Dreaming that the morning is cloudy means that an important situation will burden you for a while.

All things that flow and grow were regarded in early religions as a symbol
of life: fire represented the vital craving for nourishment, water was chosen for its
fertilizing powers, plants because of their verdure in spring-time. Now, all—or
very nearly all—symbols of life are also symbolic of death. Media vita in morte
sumus, observed the mediaeval monk, to which modern science has replied La vie
c’est la mort (Claude Bernard). Thus, fire is the destroyer, while water in its
various forms signifies dissolution, as suggested in the Psalms. In legend and
folklore, the Origin of life—or the source of the renewal of the life forces—takes
the form of caves and caverns where wondrous torrents and springs well up (38).