Although the Dragon typically has nothing to do with modern Wicca, it is a powerful symbol of spiritual strength. As such, it has made its way into many Pagan practices. Its current marketing popularity is a more recent addition brought in from fantasy fiction and role-playing games... which, needless to say, is not typically part of the religion of Wicca. According to several different cultural traditions, Dragons are beings of great spiritual power. They often represent the Life Force, personified. When one calls upon the powers of Dragon, they are calling upon the very forces of life itself. This is the same universal life force that is inherent in us all.
However, in recent decades, there has been a large number of people who claim to actually be dragons. Real, actual, honest-to-goodness Dragons, somehow manifesting in the physical world to do great deeds, etc, etc, etc. I'm a rather practical, down to earth person, and although I consider myself a practicing witch and embrace the concept of magick, I've seen too many delusional people who want me to seriously believe that, despite their very human appearance, they are in fact a dragon. I've never yet met one who could convince me of this and keep a straight face. (Some will admit, when pressed, that they just have the spirit of a dragon, but they'll still insist that it makes them more than merely human like the rest of us.)
I once met a highly intelligent, very articulate woman, who gradually revealed that she was the reincarnated spirit of a royal dragon family, who had returned to earth to do battle with the forces of evil. She told me quite earnestly that her dragon nature frequently went beyond a symbolic spiritual connection, and she actually transformed into a genuine, physical dragon. She explained, in great detail, her royal lineage, and told me of battles that her family had fought over the millennia.
Although most people would agree that she displayed many of the classic hallmarks of a delusional personality, surprisingly, there were many people who were willing to support her story. She found several others who also proclaimed their “dragon nature” and avidly followed her tale. Sadly, this prevented the woman from getting the support and care she needed, and ended up having a total break from reality which required hospitalization.
With the rise in popularity of such games as "Dungeons & Dragons" and other fantasy role-playing scenarios, this "dragon persona" phenomenon is becoming more and more popular. Since Dragons supposedly represent the most spiritually advanced state (depending on your tradition), then insecure individuals, hoping to make themselves feel or sound important, are adopting the dragon as their personal identity. It's sad really, since the dragon's power comes from being completely self-aware, and this delusional tendency simply pushes the individual away from the true power they are seeking.
However, there is another type of "dragon person" who is much more emotionally stable and approachable. A member of my Circle considers himself "Dragon kindred", without claiming to actually be one. Within his spiritual practice, he recognizes the Dragon as a supreme manifestation of spiritual strength, and he uses this concept of Dragon to help empower his spirituality. Dragon reminds him of his spiritual goals, and helps him find his core of spiritual strength in difficult times. If you caught him in the right mood, or in the right context, you might hear him identify himself as a Dragon... but he's not meaning it literally. He's speaking metaphorically.
Wicca is a flexible, evolving tradition that has room to incorporate a variety of empowering spiritual beliefs. However, caution must be taken that the spiritual expression remain grounded in some semblance of reality. Although Pagans, in general, are known for being open-minded, that does not mean that we should support all claims automatically, especially those made by individuals who proclaim a fantastic story for themselves.
~Flame RavenHawk
July 10, 2003