I've always been fascinated by dragonflies, and thought them the messengers of Faerie. Their wings of diaphanous, iridescent, prismatic light told me they were not native to the world, but from a realm in between and far away and quite around the bend. Their slender, segmented bodies spoke to me of grace and clarity and the wisdom of recognising an end, and a beginning. All-seeing, multifaceted eyes see all the worlds, without and within, and their inhabitants and their stories and their times. Dragonfly reminds me of Purpose more than any other of my totems. Let's get to know him better together.
Dragonfly symbolises the power of pure light. He inhabits three realms: air and water and Faerie, and the influences of these three elements are felt by Dragonfly people like myself. I was very emotional and passionate during my earlier years because of the influence of water, but now, I find myself more balanced with greater mental clarity as I mature because of the influence of air. Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment, and the communication from the elemental world. He beckons me to seek out the parts of myself that need changing. I call on him to guide me through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation.
The number two is important to Dragonfly. In our Correllian Nativist Wicca Tradition two is symbolic of assistance, partnership and peace. Dragonfly brings the light and colour of balance, transformation and serenity into my life.
Dragonfly babies are called nymphs. This is beautiful to me, for nymphs are the daughters of water. These nymphs live nearly two years at the bottom of ponds and streams. When they become adults they transform into dragonflies and ascend to the air. They travel on wings that sparkle and shimmer with spectacular colours, reflecting and refracting light. No insect can maneuver like Dragonfly on his wings. He can twist, turn, move up and then down, fly backwards and change directions instantaneously, and still spot movement from great distances away with his eyes of many facets.
The power of Dragonfly lies in his ability to see around things by looking at them from different angles. His ability to transform colours and light by reflecting and refracting them, shows me that life, like light, can bend and shift and transform in myriad ways, making life's appearance, never what it appears to be. Dragonfly magick helps me to see through life's illusions, and find my very own true vision. It calls me, just like Baba Yaga, to transform within my life, and reminds me to feel deeply so that I may have the compassion to help others and myself.
As a creature of the wind, Dragonfly represents change. His iridescent wings are incredibly sensitive to the slightest breeze, and tells me to heed where the wind blows. As a creature of the water, he symbolises the subconscious and dreaming, mind and thoughts. Meditate on his meaning for you. For the Asians and the Native Americans, Dragonfly represents prosperity, good luck, strength, peace, harmony and purity. For me he means "think deeper", for he carries messages of deeper thought, and ask that I pay attention to mine, and to my desires. As Dragonfly skitters across the surface of waters, he tells me that my deeper thoughts are surfacing, and that I must be mindful of the outcome I wish to have.
Dragonfly reminds me that when my deeper thoughts rise to the surface I must pay attention, for there are lessons to be learned. I am also reminded that what I think is a reflection of what I "see" on the surface; that my thoughts are responsible for what I see manifest in my life and my surroundings; physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and magickally. Above all because of his short life span, Dragonfly reminds me to live life to the fullest with what I have!
Dragonfly is one of nature's shape shifters. As my magickal totemic guide, he signifies my ability to transform myself as I travel onward on my path of self-knowing, towards enlightenment, which his wings represent. His iridescent and shifting colours lift me into dreamtime, where I understand that "reality" is but an illusion. My inner visions are channeled through my unconscious mind, ever connected to The Great Mystery that is life - Goddess. Dragonfly remind me to celebrate Spirit in all living beings, to dig deeper, to lift the illusion of suffering and to believe in our own boundless Divinity.
It is said that Dragonfly was once Dragon, covered with beautiful, shimmering scales, and wielding great inner strength. He could change form at will and light the darkness with the fires of his breath. But he was tricked into changing form and believing himself a tiny dragonfly. Dragon got caught in his own illusion, just as we are forever accepting our facade as our true selves. We have forgotten that we too can change form at will, wield great inner powers, and can light our darkness with the fires of our faith and will, resolve and knowing. Dragonfly teaches me to take the time to develop properly and pierce my self-made illusions.
In flight, Dragonfly mates, hunts, feeds and lays eggs on the wing. Because of this he is associated with nature spirits, devas and faeries. His wings, like theirs, are clear but can appeared coloured in different light. Likewise, our emotions colour our reality. Dragonfly is one of the animal spirit guides to the Goddess Freya, and just like with her, he teaches me refinement and relentlessness and creativity. He never gives up, never rests for more than a few moments, and neither do I. He is relentless, as I am. It is how I've always developed my life - relentlessly, unwavering, in constant motion, but with clear vision.
One of the most magickal sights on a summer evening is that of the dragonfly. With his shimmering wings and graceful form, he seems a creature from the land of Faerie, and indeed he is. He is a powerful animal, who aids me in communing with nature spirits. His magick breaks illusions, especially those illusions that prevent growth and maturity. Dragonfly is the bringer of visions of power. Flighty and carefree, he symbolises whirlwind swiftness and action. He is of the dreamtime and the illusory facade we accept as physical reality. His iridescent wings remind me of colours not found in our everyday experience. Dragonfly's shifting of colour and energy, form and movement explodes into my mind, bringing back memories and musings reminiscent of a time and place where magick reigns - ... Faerie ...
The elemental world is composed of the tiny spirits of plants, air, fire, water and earth. It is a world full of nature spirits. It is my home, a Faerie place, and it is Dragonfly's home. Part of his magick is his ability to play amongst the air currents here, dazzling others with his light. He warns me not to fool myself as he had, and to break down the illusions that have restricted my actions and ideas. Dragonfly inspires me spend time outdoors with him, in the sunlight with him, soaking up the streaming rays of its warmth and light and love.
Dragonfly incites me to question the illusion which I can call reality, particularly the part of that reality which limits my ability to grow and create transformation in my life. He speaks of greater, deeper dimensions of reality and helps me to travel to a realm of light and colour in which spiritual evolution and expansion are possible. His rainbow, prismatic wings encourage me to live in a world of magick. I am a dreamer, absorbing light and energy, flitting from new creation to new creation, new story to new story, new beginning to new beginning. I never forget to ground and earth, for Earth is my very essence, as Capricorn and as Faerie, but I also never forget to fly, all because of Dragonfly ... totemic guide of my spirit.
Whimsically yours,
Rev. Faemore Lorei.
