) will give you a nice breakdown of dragons of specific ethnicities.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Western dragon tends toward malevolence. You know the story line \u2013 the white knight in shining armor rescues the damsel in distress from the awesomely ugly dragon in the cave. Lots of \u201cmessages\u201d there, no?<\/p>\n
The Eastern dragon tends toward benevolence. The Chinese emperors claim to have been descended from dragons. For common people, dragons brought rain.<\/p>\n
In Zen parlance, a dragon represents transformation. It is said the dragons not only change their skin like other reptiles but even change their bones. I imagine that myth got going from farmers finding those really big dinosaur bones in their fields.<\/p>\n
Finally, there is the true dragon. Here\u2019s D-z from the Universal Recommendations: \u201cPlease, honored followers of Zen, long accustomed to groping for the elephant, do not be suspicious of the true dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Setting elephants aside for this post (lordy, there be lots of animals in these parts!), the above dragon reference is to a Chinese story about an artist who liked to paint dragons. A dragon heard about it and was honored so went to visit the artist. When the dragon stuck his head in the artist\u2019s window, the guy freaked.<\/p>\n
Whatever we think \u2013 malevolent or benevolent \u2013 when confronted with the raw power of the real thing it is an awesome, scary happening.<\/p>\n
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