Have you ever wanted your own dragon? Great news: you may already have one! Dragonwork involves connecting with yourself through the construction of a mental dragon projected into reality. Through dragonwork, you connect with and care for yourself as you associate with a dragon of your own.
It's essentially me putting a name to a practice I've done all my life, that being working with mental dragons as a way of entertaining myself and encouraging self-care.
If it sounds interesting, I encourage you to read more or reach out to me with questions!!!
Dragonwork is a practice inspired by daemonism and imagimancy. A being, the dragonworker, interacts with a mental manifestation of a dragon through projection and daydreaming.
What is my dragon?
Your dragon is a source of regulation and grounding, a voice outside of your own meant to aid in maneuvering through life. Similar to a daemon, they are meant to be a manifestation of your inner voice, particularly the self talk during moments of distress. Your dragon is a companion. An equal. It is you as much as you are you.
How do I practice?
Genuinely, there are no solid rules! Maybe your dragon is the voice of reason, speaking to you during distress. Maybe your dragon is simply a silent presence, comforting you as it wraps itself around you. The only standard is that your dragon is a mental construct that you can project outwards into the world.
Where do I get my dragon?
Every being receives an egg at some point in their lifetime, whether they're aware of it or not. This egg hatches, and over time grows and develops into a great dragon. Eggs often appear at crucial moments of one's life, such as big transitions, major goal acquisitions, moments of trauma, etc. Maybe you've just received your egg today. Maybe your dragon has been around for some time, just unfocused and disconnected. Regardless, your dragon is with you and may have been for some time. Take time to get to know it and learn how long it's been around! It may surprise you with what it's been watching.
How does my dragon grow?
Your dragon goes through four lifestages: egg, hatchling, drake, and dragon. As mentioned, the egg appears during a significant moment of your life, and as you move through life, so does your dragon. Each stage will be hit when another significant moment occurs in your life. Maybe you start college, and your dragon becomes a drake to represent that. Maybe you start your first job, and your dragon is full-grown at last. Growth also isn't linear; it has to do with where you are mentally. A great setback may mean your dragon reverts back to a hatchling, encouraging you to be more careful and attentive to your needs. Knowing what stage your dragon is at is a discussion between you and your dragon, and a puzzle depending on when its egg appeared in your life. Talk through it with your dragon! It will be the best guide in knowing what stage it's at.
How do I care for my dragon?
Your body is also your dragon's, and thus care for your dragon is reliant on care for yourself. Simple self-care actions benefit both you and your dragon's well-being. Your dragon is not a pet, though, and is capable of caring for itself. Missing a shower for a few days doesn't neglect your dragon, but you'll both feel better when you finally get clean.
What can my dragon look like?
Anything! Definitions of dragons have become very loose and extensive, meaning your dragon can ideally look like anything! Work together with your dragon to determine its projected form. Take time to discuss body type, size, scales or feathers, numbers of limbs. Ideally, determining appearance is a collaborative effort. The two of you will settle on something that feels right in time.
It's also completely acceptable for your dragon to be a species from established media! There really aren't strict rules; it's dependent on what works best for you and your dragon.
What can my dragon do?
Your dragon's body is intangible, which means it's not limited by the standards of reality. Your dragon can do anything the two of you will it to do! Flight, speech, magic, whatever you believe, it can be true.
How is this different from daemonism?
It's not too different, especially as you consider that daemons can be dragons. The biggest differences are the language and words used, as well as the ideas about your dragon's functions. If you'd prefer to take these concepts and apply them to daemonism, feel free! These are just the words I'm sharing.
How is this different from imagimancy?
It's not! I'm considering a cousin of imaginancy, or maybe even a subsection of it. Ultimately, your dragon is just a fancy imaginary friend haha.
What about sentience?
Sentience is entirely possible based on my experiences in daemon circles, but isn't required. Your dragon is you and is as sentient as you are. As you practice projection and communication, you may find your dragon taking on a personality of its own and making its own choices, and if so I highly recommend looking into tulpamancy/willogenic circles for resources on sentient thoughtforms.
Is it psychological or spiritual?
Either or! For me, personally, it is psychological. My dragon is a mental construct I'm projecting outwards. For many, though, much like daemonism, I see room for it to be spiritual. I see no reason why spiritual beliefs can't play a role in dragonwork.
Can I have more than one dragon?
Yes! Especially considering dragons appear during significant moments of one's life. It's completely possible for someone with a mature dragon to suddenly finding they have another egg as they restart an important portion of their life.
Dragonwork: Dragonwork is the practice of connecting with a pre-existing aspect of yourself and forming it into a dragon, creating through it a being to serve as your equal and companion through life.
Dragonworker: Someone who perceives and cares for a dragon.
Dragon: A mental construct which can take a fantastical form in support of a dragonworker.
Projection: The act of imagining your dragon interacting with reality.
Flight: A group of dragons attached to one dragonworker.
Mental construct: An imagined and built upon being sourced from the mind.
Forming: The process of building up a dragon through the life stages, creating a more autonomous and solidified being as you progress.
Solidity: The level to which a dragon is present and consistent in your consciousness. An older dragon is more solid.
Lifestages: The maturity form a dragon takes in association with their dragonworker's mental state.
Puppetting: Choosing what your dragon does as opposed to letting it move naturally.
Parroting: Choosing what your dragon says as opposed to letting it speak itself.
Sat down with Emi and this dragon builder to recall what she looks like, and it was absolutely an amazing experience. Emi was around years ago, back when I was a preteen, so to see her come to life and for the two of us to work together to remember what she's looked like, it's really cool
We switched the forelegs to wings and it just struck us both that this is it! This is her! Isn't that so cool?
