Air Dragon ~ Druid Animal Oracle Part III

Note ~ The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gromm is a tarot that works with the sacred animals of the Druid tradition. The Druids were very early psychologists whom used animal behavior to try and understand the human psyche. By understanding and making a connection with our animal brothers and sisters, we can use these animals as guides, and by doing so we can better understand ourselves.

I have broken the four Druid Dragons (which represent the elements of earth, fire, air, and water) into four blogs. It is much easier to digest these four elemental dragons one at a time. Although dragons can be divided into four elements, most partake in all four elements – originating from water, circling and living around the hills, flying through the air, and/or breathing fire.

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The gaunt wolf and winged serpent held
Dominion o’er the vale ~ Polwhele

Air Dragon (Gaelic name ~ Draig–athar)

Air dragons have been sighted throughout the different regions of the United Kingdom. Some believe that the sightings were nothing more than the bright heads and dark forked tails of comets passing close to the earth. With enough imagination these comets might look like a flying dragon, breathing fire. Stories of dragons may have also arisen from misfits wanting to keep the locals away from their stolen and hidden treasures. Some stories may have even been created when exotic lizards from foreign regions escaped their owner and entered the city. I agree with the authors of the book, Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, there aren’t enough explanations that can ‘account for the universality of the dragon in the mythic and folkloric life of cultures all over the world’. At some point in time, as with all myths, one has to sit back and wander how so many cultures came up with a particular mythological creature or story. There has to be some basic truths in the myth somewhere that may not be able to be explained through science. As a science lover, even I have to succumb. In the Tradition of the Air Dragon, I will go into more detail on certain regions of the United Kingdom where dragons dwell.

The Tradition of the Air Dragon

Snowdonia, Whales is home to the ancient city of Emrys, also known as, Dinas Affaron to the locals, which translates as “City of the Higher Powers”. In this city lived the dragons of Beli. Beli Mawr (Beli the Great) is the Cymric and Gaulish God of Death, also known as, “Lord of the Kill” and “Lord of (battle) Death”. Beli Mawr, whom is celebrated at Beltane, is often depicted riding a horse drawn chariot across the sky. He is also worshipped on Dragon Hill, below the Uffington Horse. After reading the Earth Dragon mythology and understanding the link/controversy between the horse and dragon, one must wonder if the horse leading Beli Mawr across the sky was not meant to be a dragon instead. In any case, Taliesin a Welsh speaking bard or poet/scholar, described one of Beli's dragons in a poem called Protection of the Honey Isle in which he said, "A deep cavern opens before me, shadowed by great rocks. The dragon comes out and crawls toward the cups of song." Taliesin’s own mythological birth is interesting in its own.

There are stories of the Goddess Ceridwen riding across the skies with her chariot drawn by flying dragons. But most air dragons exist on their own and are seen flying across the countryside encumbered by no one. In Devon, England a dragon is said to fly every night across the Exe Valley between the hill-forts of Cadbury and Dolbury Hill, souly to guard his treasure. At Henham in Essex, England, a small dragon - eight or nine feet long with large eyes, fierce teeth and small wings was “sighted” several times before he finally flew into nearby woods. In Somerset a fire-breathing dragon flew from Curry Rivell to Aller regularly, scaring the villagers’ with “the hiss of its wing-beat”.

The flight patterns of the Air Dragon were thought to be much more than just the guarding of treasure. In fact, some believe that these regular patterns represented the “dragon-lines” or earth currents from sacred spot to sacred spot; that were referred to in the Earth Dragon blog. The Druids believed that they could control negative earth currents through geomantic art. Iron stakes were driven in the ground to divert the negative energy. Much like Chinese Feng-shui or Earth acupuncture.

Draig-Athar as Servant of the Sky God

The Air Dragon in Druid tradition is a sacred animal of the Sky God. The Air Dragon may have been born from the constellation Draco. As I noted above, Druids were early psychologist whom linked the sacred animals to the human psyche. The Air Dragon represents the descent of the spirit, a visitation from another world, and an invitation to soar to higher levels of consciousness. The Air Dragon can be fierce, striking all at once with thunder and lightning into the human psyche and intellect. One must learn to respect and work with the Air Dragon and all its ferocity; opening one’s mind to the “sudden flashes of illumination”. Befriending the Air Dragon, instead of closing your mind to him, can bring insight and clarity to thoughts and imagination. The Air Dragon’s arrival is a gift from the Sky God, one that should be embraced and not shunned. If the mind is closed to new ideas then it becomes in danger of adopting dogmatic practices. Only hatred and prejudice can be born from dogmatic ideals. But one must also stay steadfast and constantly be reality-checking. There is such a thing as too much faith in messages from the Otherworld. Remember, just because their dead – doesn’t mean they are right. Wisdom is born from many sources. As with all things balance is the key.