Dragons are mystical creatures that have been an important part of cultures of many nations around the world. Their importance doesn’t have to be proven because their images can be found everywhere, from art to literature.
Dragon symbolism is probably the strongest in Asia but dragon culture is also widely present in Europe as well.
These snake-like creatures were probably created in one myth or story, but from it the dragon culture got spread to the entire planet. They are the center of many myths, legends and stories that lived on until today. To many religions dragons had an important meaning in religious sense.
They were worshipped as representations of natural forces and were considered much smarter than humans. According to legends they were either immortal or could live for hundreds of years, which made them much wiser and powerful than the human kind.
Even though dragons don’t exist and probably never did exist, their symbolic value is priceless and ever growing. In popular culture, they are still relevant and powerful symbols, and it will continue to be so for many of years to come.
Spirit Animal and Totem
Spirit animals and totems have been worshipped for hundreds of years and they still play an important part in our lives.
We learn and gather power from our spirit animals and totems, and rely on their spiritual power to guide us.
Spirit animal
As a spirit animal, dragon is best described by these words:
- Vitality
- Leadership
- Longevity
- Infinity
- Majesty
- Beauty
- Protection
- Insight
- Supernatural
- Inspiration
- Wisdom
- Change
People guided by the dragon spirit animal are masters of transformation and adaptability. They are constantly changing and evolving into something better and progressive. Just when you think that a person guided by this spirit animal is settled down, they figure out something new and start all over again. The feeling they get when they re-invent themselves is valuable and essential for their existence.
People guided by this spirit animal are also wise beyond measures. Their advice is very valuable and they rarely share it. It is reserved for people who are their close friends and family members and they don’t like throwing their wisdom to waste.
These people also see life as an opportunity to succeed and do something amazing with it. They are rarely depressed or down, and their desire to survive and fight is hard to defeat. They are natural born leaders and the amount of respect others have for them is enormous.
Even though they are highly respected by others, people guided by the dragon spirit animal are still very simple people who are not hard to satisfy. They rely mostly on themselves so they don’t require a lot from other people.
Totem
People who are born under the dragon totem are often egomaniacs who only trust themselves. They only trust themselves and their own thoughts. If they learn how to direct their focus away from themselves and onto something more admirable, they can achieve great things. If you are born under the dragon totem, then you love fame and success. You live for the moment when everybody is going to respect you and call your name when they are in need for advice.
You want others to respect your opinion and to worship your friendship as something very valuable to have. Confidence is something you have in abundance and you let others see it in any occasion. Another thing you care about is honor. You will never allow someone to step on your honor or make you feel disgraced in any way. For you, this person will be dead and you will make sure that the get what they deserve for trying to spill filth on your name.
Dragon is a very powerful totem to have and you are bound for success, if you are born under its power. When you learn how to control the powerful energy of this totem, you won’t have any boundaries in front of you, keeping you away from success.
Symbolism and Meaning
Dragons might be imaginary and mythical creatures, but their symbolic value is undoubtedly relevant even today. The closest thing we have in nature that resembles a dragon is the Dragon Snake that lives in Thailand and Southern Asia. So what do dragons symbolize?
In the past, people were afraid of everything that was unknown to them and this made them feel scared and afraid for their lives. Dragons have man symbolic meanings in many cultures around the world. It is interesting to see how people on different sides of the planet, almost shared identical views of monsters and animals they were afraid of. China and some European countries are far away, but both of them created dragons as imaginary animals in their minds. This makes us wonder if dragons really did exist in one point of time.
Chinese dragon is often seen as a symbol of happiness and success. These animals are one of the most powerful symbols in Eastern culture and they kept this position until today. Dragons represented great endurance, power, elegance and creativity for the cultures of the East and in Chinese mythology, dragons are celestial beings. To them, dragons also represent male energy and power. They are symbols of the essential Yang energy.
Vigilance, safety, productive power of nature, as well as the spirit of revival, and any positive change are the main characteristics that belong to the Dragon. They also bring good business opportunities; bring back the necessary balance where there is mess, in which we can find the necessary motivation and strength to achieve greatness. They are associated with the East, after the birth of the Sun and the coming of spring; they are symbols of the wind and progress. The hide inside the combination of a deer, monkey, lion, fish, horse, tiger, ox, snake and eagle, so it is no wonder that they are able not only to fly but also to walk on dry land, and swim in the sea when necessary.
Even though many other cultures associate the dragon with fire, in China, the dragon is linked to the water. These serpent dragons or oriental dragons are symbols of rain, thunderstorms and are able to direct rainfalls to dry areas. Because of this, many agricultural parts of China highly respect the dragon symbolism.
Even though the dragon seems to be a symbol of virtue, this mystical creature is also a symbol of destructive nature and danger. Emperors are usually linked or associated with red dragons because they exude the same amount of respect, power and greatness, but also the same amount of fear and intimidation.
There is no doubt that the dragon’s list of positive attributes is very long, and therefore the Chinese people consider themselves to be descendants of dragons. Dragon dance is a traditional dance that is usually a part of New Year’s celebration and other festivities. Chinese symbol for dragon is another proof how much they actually care about this powerful creature.
Even one mountain over Hong Kong carries the name of dragon. The mountain is called Kaulin, which actually means Nine Dragons. Many sculptures, works of art and even traditional clothing pieces have dragons on them. Great ceramic wall in Beijing is highlighted with these creatures and it is used as protection and to invite happiness. Each dragon on the setting has its own attributes, and they are: P’u-lao (he warns a man at risk, serves as a defense and protector, and most often he encounters a bell or gong), Ch’iu-ni (combined with music creating and encouraging Yang energy), Pi-he (the government with knowledge and education), Pa-hsia (giving support and strength if we address him in difficult moments), Chao-feng (ruler and protector of sacred places and temples), Chih wen (symbolizing the victory of water over fire), Suan-ni (powerful protector and popular talisman that protects against thieves, losses and betrayals), Yai-tzu (guardian and protector of all bodily injuries), and Pi-kau (a powerful protector when we meet with false allegations, insults or litigation).
Dragon also belongs to the Chinese Zodiac as one of the most important signs. People born under the rule of dragon are quick witted, charming and very passionate about life. Japanese dragon is also an important symbol and it is often portrayed in art and literature as a symbol of power and leadership.
Dragon is not only a popular mythical creature in China, they are also symbols of great importance in Europe. European dragons are important parts of European folklore and mythology. They are usually depicted as animals that live in rivers and in caves. In ancient Greece, the name dragon was derived from the word Iliad which means snake. In Slavic cultures, dragons usually have more than one head and they are vicious creatures that threatened the human kind. Killing a dragon in ancient myths represented great power and courage by whoever managed to do it. Jewish dragon was first mentioned in the Biblical works of Job and Isaiah. The animal that is described to resemble a dragon is called the Nachash Bare’ach or the Pole Serpent. Celtic dragon meaning is also very important and it signifies prophecy, wisdom and great power.
Dragons in popular culture are still relevant and important symbols. In China, during the celebration of Chinese New Year and other ritual and religious ceremonies, dragons are still depicted on clothing and in decorations. The expansion of dragon symbolism is probably at its highest today. With many TV series and movies, that depict dragons as powerful and vicious creatures, people are now more obsessed with them than ever before. HBO series Game of Thrones and the movie trilogy Lord of the Rings are just some examples of dragon portrayals in modern culture. Dragon tattoos meanings are popular and send a powerful message to the world, and that is the message of power, strength, wisdom, greatness and eternity.
Dreams about Dragons
Dragons in our dreams can be both positive and negative symbols. They sometimes warn us about the dangers that are ahead, and other times they are carriers of good news and positive expectations.
Dragon in general – Dragon in general, in your dream, is a symbol of aggression and bad temper you have. Sometimes you have a very hard time controlling your behavior and this makes you very unpleasant for the people around you. This dream can be interpreted as a warning sign that you need to pay more attention to your behavior and actions, because you hurt others when you let the worst of you take over.
Seeing a dragon – When you saw a dragon in your dream, this is an auspicious sign. You can expect a lot of positive things to happen to you in the upcoming period, especially money wise. Try finding an opportunity for investment or start a project that can bring you a lot of profit and success. Luck will follow you in your personal life as well, so sail into new adventures without fear.
Angry dragon – If the dragon in your dream was angry, then you need to pay attention to the people around you. Someone has a really bad temper, and this person might be influencing your behavior in a way. Stay away from this person, if it makes you unhappy and full of negativity, and devote your time to more optimistic people.
Dragon spitting fire – When a dragon in your dream was spitting fire, this means you need to take some time off to relax. Perhaps you are too overwhelmed by everything that is going on in your life and you need to take some time off to think about your life.
Three-headed dragon – This dream is a symbol of problems you are experiencing in your life. These problems are not unsolvable but you keep running away from them instead of solving them. Make sure you don’t spend your life running away from your problems, because they can only get bigger.
Sleeping dragon – Seeing a sleeping dragon in your dream is a symbol of your unused potential. You keep wasting your talent and spending your life on things that are not important. If you would only invest a bit more time into doing something more productive.
Conclusion
Dragon symbolism is without question one of the most important symbols in the world. The power that this symbol carries inside can be witnessed in many works of art, literature, stories, myths and legends that have represented the importance of dragon symbolism.
Even though today we are aware of the fact that dragons are mythological creatures that probably never existed, we are still deeply in love with the idea of their existence. Dragons will remain to be one of the most beloved mythological creatures ever created by the human mind, and their symbolism will surely continue to grow.
