The Fourfold Mind, or The Philosophy Of The Four Dragons - A Philosophical Concept
I’ve been developing this theory on and off for the past four years but now I’m finally ready to share it with everyone bc it’s genuinely helped me manage my mental health so much better and I hope someone else can benefit from it too.
So this theory I have is that the human mind (and the human spirit) are comprised of four different components which tie everything together, these being metaphorical dragons, each of which has a different role in how we interact with the world throughout our lives. These four dragons are Peace, Passion, Defence and Desolation. I’ll explain what each of them does in further detail.
Peace is responsible not just for happiness and joy, but general feelings of calm, serenity and knowing that everything is under control. It’s a golden dragon resembling one from Chinese mythology and moves slowly and gracefully, like a winding river. There’s no need to rush and everything is alright.
Passion represents everything we care about in life, whether that be the love we feel for others, a cause we believe in, talents and hobbies, or anything else that really ‘drives’ us, in a manner of speaking. It is a lilac wyvern, standing tall and spreading its massive wings. It knows what it wants and needs, cares deeply about it and strives to reach it goals; a very confident dragon.
Defence is the darker counterpart to Passion, as it encompasses emotions such as anger, fear and basically survival instincts. It’s willing to do anything to protect itself when it knows a threat is present. When we are angry at the unfairness and hardship present in many aspects of life, Defence is what drives us to retaliate against it in any way we can, whether that be spreading awareness of a societal injustice or outright leading a revolution, or simply protecting ourselves from those who wish us harm. It is a huge, bulky, red dragon, as ready to rush into the fray as it is to become a living fortress and stand its ground no matter what.
Desolation is the counterpart to Peace and is essentially its polar opposite, as it is entirely cantered around feelings of sadness, anxiety, depression, paranoia and so forth. Many have encountered this dragon during burnout, after a loss or during a traumatic time of their lives. In this point in time, many are more in touch with this dragons than the other three. Desolation is at its best tearful and in need of a friendly hug and at its worst, gloomy, pessimistic and devoid of any will to keep going. It is a murky green drake built like an ankylosaurus that shuffles slowly along, keeping its head down, consumed by misery.
In spite of their differences, each dragon has one component that links them to one another: empathy. The ability to care for one another (and for ourselves) is what makes us human. A peaceful experience can sometimes be even more so when there’s someone to share it with. When you connect with someone else who has the same cares and passions as you, valuable bonds are formed. One can overthrow tyrannies out of care and love for the oppressed. When you’re sad, commiserating with others in the same boat (or those who can offer support) often helps to ease the burden.
I’ve spent a long time trying to figure out the meaning of life. In connection to this philosophy, I think the meaning is to not only become aware that the dragons are there, but also learn to find a good healthy balance of all four of them. For some, the balance changes over time depending on where life takes them. For others, they can find a balance that works best for them and stick with it.
Each dragon needs the chance to carry out its duties at one point or another. Repressing them will weaken them and make it harder to connect with one’s own mind. But at the same time, the dragons shouldn’t overstay their welcome either. For example, you may need Peace to calm you down during a stressful time, but hiding from your struggles rather than facing them can lead to a state of denial that’s hard to snap out of. The balance and patterns of these dragons can be different for everyone, but this is the general idea.
Since completing this theory, I’ve been able to take care of myself much more effectively. My emotional struggles have diminished significantly, even during times of crisis. For that reason I recommend reading this and seeing if you can discover your own inner dragons, figure out which ones are the most dominant and find a good balance for them. You might learn new and incredible things about yourself.
Wishing you all love and healing during this time ❤️
