There are many groups and individuals who have intricately defined what the term “dragon lineage” means, in various ways. For the purpose of this website and its contents, we feel it’s important to present our own perspective on the subject of dragon emergence, which is idealistically distinct from discussions on lineage, along with its necessary and purposeful application.
While we do feel it’s important (and often enlightening) for individuals to research their lineage, tracing bloodlines and ancestors in order to gain a more complete and appropriate perspective on what comprises them, this is not what we consider a primary indicative quality of a dragon. That is to say, it is not the beginning and the end of all things to have an impressive piece of paper containing one’s lineage, while personally possessing none of the qualities and attributes which should be considered foremost; they are an obligation, a higher aim, and what defines a dragon both in theory and in practice.
In our description of serpent and grail duality, we touched upon the fundamental basis of those symbiotic attributes that comprise two halves of the whole. In a complete dragon, one who consistently strives toward a balance between the shadow and light, there are undeniable markers; qualities by which one can know who is and who is not.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is defined as one’s ability to not only identify and understand his or her own emotions, but manage them efficiently. Individuals adept in this sense will display undeniable characteristics, and possess qualities that not only benefit themselves but everyone around them. They will be capable of managing stress, and be largely – if not wholly – free of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. As an extension of their own emotional knowledge, they will have an understanding of the emotions and emotional reactions of others. Emotionally intelligent people are natural leaders, microscopically and macroscopically aware of individuals and society as a whole, and prepared for the challenges leaders invariably face.
As it is our belief that a dragon fully emerged is an individual well-prepared for leadership and widespread change, emotional intelligence is not only a marker, but a necessity. Individuals who suffer from a lack of this not only become victims of their own fear, or the pawns of their own anxiety, but will suffer an ego-sickness of the soul that will always serve as a barrier between abstract desires and realized potential.
Ego Awareness and Ego Revulsion
Ideally, and in ideal practices, a dragon would not only be aware of his own ego, but continuously seek to make its role as inconsequential as possible. Because to understand the ego, first, is to be endowed with the ability to usurp it; like a poor, emotion-driven king who never deserved the crown, and would hold it forever with sighs and tears, overthrown unapologetically and systematically by a warrior who is fit to rule. This is reason over ego; logic over unchecked emotion; knowledge over confusion. Some psychologists have described this awareness as the ability to literally hear the running narrative in your own head; chatter that often has no purpose, and is all too frequently irrational and paranoid.
A dragon who is self-aware, and has learned to put ego aside, will become acutely sensitive to those who have not. This awareness is the seed of ego revulsion: a visceral reaction to the actions and reactions in others that are blatantly dictated by their own egos, accompanied by an unawareness of the ego’s role in what they do. Dragons have often described this recognition as something that feels like it exists on the brink of irrationality, for its immediacy and disproportionate strength. But, in reality, this instinct is born of rationality itself. And, if understood, can become a powerful tool — not only in understanding the motivations and tendencies of others, but as a constant reminder to be mindful of one’s own ego and ego-based reactions.
It is a constant aim to understand the nature, desire, and perversions of the ego; something which dragons understand we are perpetually both succeeding to do and failing to do, all at once. Gustav Jung described our limitations, and our weaknesses, even as we recognize the core of who we are, which has been described by Jung and others as the recognition of God within man:
“…even the enlightened person remains what he is, and is never more than his own limited ego before the One who dwells within him, whose form has no knowable boundaries, who encompasses him on all sides, fathomless as the abysms of the earth and vast as the sky.”
For our purposes, what is perceived as the existence of the “third Divine Person” is what we interpret to be the existence of our purest selves. Whether or not one attributes this presence to divinity or not, it is undeniably the most potent and powerful force we can ever discover within ourselves, or wield outside ourselves. To access it, we must force the ego aside. And there is no struggle that is more constant, or more worthwhile.
On Genetic Limitations
Finally, as mentioned before, our philosophy does encourage the research of lineage as a point of self-discovery; a connection to one’s ancestry, if fueled by the proper motivating factors, can empower, enlighten, and propel an individual further along the path of realization and growth. What we do not agree with are the limitations imposed by the perceived superiority of specific lineage, or any one race or culture, with respect to emerged and emerging dragons.
A dragon is an individual with a broad range of potential woven into the fabric of who they are, combined with a series of emerged qualities and verifiable attributes which make them an undeniable force of nature. A piece of paper will not endow you with an understanding of your own ego, the ability to moderate your emotions, or the skills and intelligence required to lead, and to manifest change.
Therefore, we discover what we believe are true dragons by the motto facta non verba. Deeds, not words.
Randy Julien May 18, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Great article.