What magical powers do these mysterious creatures possess that was so important that we can find tales including rituals of sacrifice to the mighty dragons?
To invoke such reverence from the Celts, who were one of the most fierce and rugged ethnic groups in ancient times, they must have been much more than just fire-breathing beasts.
According to Trevor Mendham of Dragonorama, "Dragons were an important part of Celtic lore. The Celts were highly attuned to the land and dragons were believed to influence the land.... Areas frequented by dragons were believed to possess special power."
Dragons have always been associated with the Power of the Land. Even today, in many esoteric rituals, people believe that invoking the "Eye of the Dragon" will increase their personal power.
The ancient Druids believed the Earth itself was like the body of a dragon, and they built their sacred stone circles upon the "Power Nodes" of this body. They believed dragons connected us with the Earth's magnetism and healing waters.
Many of us have heard the mysteries of the "ley lines", especially in relation to the location of mystical sites such as Stonehenge and the site of many mysterious crop circles. What you may not know is that another way of saying "ley lines" is "Dragon lines".
In ancient Celtic Ireland, the "ley of the land" was not about the geographical, physical nature of one's surroundings. It had a much more powerful meaning than that.
To the ancient Celts, the "ley of the land" was a term describing how the Cosmic forces flowed through and influenced the area, as well as how the area itself affected those Cosmic forces. Celtic dragons were thought to have a tremendous influence on the "ley of the land", hence the term "Dragon lines".
But far from the terrifying creatures we see in films, Celtic dragons were more than fire-breathing beasts with the power to destroy.
The Anglo-Saxon word "dragon" is derived from the Greek word meaning "to see clearly". They believed dragons had the gift of vision, wisdom, and prophecy. Dragons were considered the guardians of all knowledge and wisdom.
As Celtic artist Cari Buziak's design demonstrates, Celtic art often depicts Celtic dragons swallowing their tails in a never ending circle, symbolizing eternal life, much like the symbolism of knotwork and triskeles.
The Celtic dragons were revered like gods, believed to bring Earthly and Heavenly forces together. Celts believed dragons guarded the gate to both the Heavens and the Underworld.
As guardian spirits who protect the Earth and all living things, Celtic dragons are arguably the most powerful of all the Celtic symbols.
I don't believe they were the cause of their own power as much as they were simply more attuned to the same sources we may draw power from. I believe if we practice and study hard enough, then with enough help from the dragons we may achieve the same level of enlightenment that I believe every dragon reached just before they moved to the Astral.
