Back in its time, this painting was a notable achievement. At the time of writing, it has been 50 years since I graduated from St George Girls High School in 1974, marking significant changes world-wide over the years. The painting, still hanging in the auditorium/stage, was a collaborative effort back in 1973 when we were in 5th Form, now known as Year 11. My part included painting the sky, flame background, hind leg, and tail, but it was a joint endeavour between Tania Nieminen and myself (aka Karen Williams). It is surprising to have endured all these years. Our year group was large at approximately 160 girls and was dubbed 'The Creative Year', reflecting our collective artistic and creative spirit. School life then was quite different, providing a safe and creative environment for many, including myself. Teachers nurtured our talents across various disciplines, from Art (Mrs Elva Hespe) and Music, to English and Drama. It was a time of the prevalence of the hippie era, with amazing music including The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and so on. Young people had a shared commitment with teachers and adults to advocate for peace amid the time of the Vietnam War.
The dragon depicted in the painting holds deeper significance beyond its artistic representation.
Taming the dragon
We can look at ourselves and ask - are we taming the dragon within us? In history it is told that St George conquered (rather than killed) the dragon with great courage, saving the children in a village from being sacrificed and leading by example. The Crusaders claimed the story and St George became the patron saint of England; but St George's story and sainthood is shared in other countries as well. Courage and chivalry is what is normally associated with St George. Chivalry being for a knight to swear to be brave, fair, true to their word, and to protect the weak and the poor.
The difference between killing and taming the dragon
When you tame a dragon, you demonstrate that you have the inner strength to not only control the dragon, but to also channel all the power and fire within towards a positive outcome. To use that power and fire for good. We all have choices.
An example of giving into the inner dragon/s is in the story of Star Wars. The young Anakin Skywalker succumbs to his inner dragon and becomes the evil Darth Vader. He made a choice which had many repercussions.
We all have inner dragons. We can choose to feed the dragon - feed the anger within us increasing our emotional and physical pain - or we can choose to become more self aware and channel the energy into something good. By increasing our self-awareness, we will help make the dragon within us become more visible to ourselves in order to make choices. As the dragons within us come to light, we then choose to learn to tame and dance with our dragons in order to develop and tame our ego. But, dear reader, this will not happen overnight. It is a learning process that will take place over a lifetime. And there are many teachers along the way.
Our goal is to fully accept that the dragon is a part of who we are - it is part of our shadow. When we understand more of the ways of the dragon or dragons within us, we can then tame them and embody kindness and compassion, including self compassion and self forgiveness.
Carl Jung shares his description of the psyche as the realm of where the dragon stands as guardian of the 'treasure' - the treasure being our innermost self mirroring the intensity and complexity of our unconscious feeling such as grief, fears, anger and joy. The hero/heroine is to overcome the monsters within.
Known for his work in comparative mythology, (and consulted by George Lucas regarding the story of Star Wars), Joseph Campbell explains 'the hero's journey' in various ways. The Western dragon represents our ego, and our attachment to it. He explains that the ego has to die in order for resurrection to a life that is free from the shackles of self-centredness. Hence the prevalence of many stories that have an underlying thread of 'The Hero's Journey'.
So, next time you feel the dragons of rage and anger or overwhelming grief, pause and be curious. What is it that the dragons want you to know about yourself - to address for your own sake? And how can you tame them, find a way through and redirect those energies into courage and positive action?
How does taming the dragon become your hero or heroine's journey? May you be encouraged.