Working With Dragons: What My Practice Looks Like
When I'm not being worked to death (or at least extreme exhaustion), I do like to poke and prod at my spiritual life. It changes and evolves naturally over time, but I figured I'd do my best to share what my draconic work generally looks like.
Firstly, my interactions with dragons tend to be mostly telepathic: it might be conversations I have mentally and have to note down, or random images that I later doodle out. I also sometimes just sense a presence that some part of my intuition says “yeah that's a dragon”, which I then greet. Sometimes I get dragony ‘signs/synchronicities’, usually these reinforce a previous conversation I had with a dragon within the week. Of course, not all of this is taken at face value on my part. Not that I'm doubting my experiences, but it's good to practice discernment of “is this an actual dragon experience, or is this just coincidence/something that should be normal or expected in this particular situation?” That's why I tend to keep notes when I can: I used to use spiral notebooks for this when I was younger, now I usually use a word app on my phone, though I still need paper and pencil for drawing, a little harder to keep at hand (I do not have a fancy enough phone for decent stylus drawings).
Next, the dragons I interact with tend to vary a bit. Many I would describe as ‘spiritual locals’, they sometimes pop in out of curiosity, and one or two might become regular visitors. These are residents of the area I'm living in, and it's generally polite to at some point introduce yourself to them. I usually just do a little outside ceremony where I mentally open up and broadcast out a little “hi, I live here now, I don't mean any harm and don't mind anyone friendly or curious dropping by. Here's an offering,” which is usually some charged water, some other ecologically-friendly offering, or a gemstone left at a place I plan to use as a working space. It doesn't *have* to be outside, I can also just do it at whatever working space I have set up inside, I just *like* doing my introductions outside whenever possible. (At the moment, I uh, don't really have any altars set up because I don't have any real surface space. Rip.)
The other dragons I usually work with are what some might call dragons from the ‘astral’: they're not local spirits, they pop in from other places not from Earth. These usually have some sort of connection to me, as either guides or because of past life shenanigans.
Neither of these groups really fall into mythological categories, which is why I don't tend to give or follow lists of types of dragons that are based on such. They might share physical traits ie: body styles, and it's useful to refer to for such descriptions, but past that, there are very few similarities with the dragons I work with. Same with types given in modern dragon magic books: not all dragons I work with are elemental or are typical of what most practitioners are familiar with.
I don't worship any dragons, for two reasons: most of the dragons I interact with are more peers, teachers, and friends than anything, and also I have a “no thank you” relationship towards worshiping anything.
Next, while I no longer follow Wicca, I do try to keep some sort of annual/seasonal observances a la WotY: I note the equinoxes and solstices, full moons, and Halloween. I don't really *do* much with them these days, unfortunately, but I do feel better and more spiritually connected by actively partaking in seasonal changes when I can. One of the biggest ways is harvesting/foraging. What does this have to do with dragons? Not a lot, but I do use things that I grow in my witchcraft, and some of the dragons like a nice witchy garden, and more than that, an example of being able to follow through and maintain something. It does feel like when I'm able to ‘be witchy’, it also strengthens my connection with dragons in some way, and just helps improve subtle senses in general.
I generally don't do circle castings, and don't really work with elements in spells unless I feel like it's something that's necessary in that case. If I do feel I need a protected space, I'll set a boundary/shield with my own energy and sometimes ask a dragon to help keep unwanted stuff out. I don't really have a set elemental system, but when I do use them, I admit I default to earth/air/fire/water(/spirit). Sometimes I contemplate including metal as an element for reasons, but I've not finished sorting my thoughts on that yet.
What does it look like when I actually work with dragons? Well, generally, I get to know them, find out what they are willing to help with, and call on them for help with what they've agreed to help with. But my interactions do tend to be more just communication than any actual workings. What they have helped with in the past is varied, but is usually things like protection, courage, luck, and lending energy to boost my own spellwork. And occasionally they just bring me comfort and support.
For my personal path, there's no real taboos, restrictions, or things I'm not allowed to do per se. It pretty much boils down to “don't treat those helping you like garbage” and “be kind to strangers”, and basically try to be a decent person. That doesn't mean, however, that I'm to be a doormat, it just means that I shouldn't be unnecessarily cruel to those who haven't been cruel to me (or my loved ones). If someone's being a dick and I don't like it, well, dragons have fangs and claws for a reason.
The dragons in my life aren't here to judge my moral character or be any sort of cosmic council, they're just here for their own reasons, like the rest of us, even if that reason is simply "I'm here because I'm here."
As always, this is just my experience and UPG. It's nothing glamorous or super special, but it's what I've kept coming back to all my life. In my teens and twenties, when I was struggling to find my identity, doing some serious questioning and putting a lot of my spiritual life on hiatus for some periods, dragons were always there when I was ready to come back, sometimes even getting poked as a reminder when I didn't think I was ready to come back to it, but found that the timing was perfect.
