An extremely potent magical material, dragon's blood is the bright red resin that is obtained from different species of four distinct plant genera: Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, and Pterocarpus. Thered resin was used in ancient times as varnish, medicine, incense, and dye. It continues to be utilized for similar purposes by some, down to the present time.

DRAGON'S BLOOD BATH

This bath can be taken in preparation for rituals and spellwork. It's purpose is to remove accumulated psychic debris and negative energy that block the full expression of personal power. It can also be used for spiritual cleansing following incidences of violence, humiliation, or violation.

Instructions: Blend dragon's blood powder with crushed frankincense and sea salt. Add the powder to your bath water.

Pictured is the Dracaena draco tree from which dragon's blood resin is procured. This picture is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dracaena_draco.jpg.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon's_blood

The name ouroboros means "tail-devourer" in Greek. It is an ancient and important mythical and religious symbol depicting a dragon or serpent with its tail in its mouth which forms a circle. This image has represented numerous things throughout time including the concepts of cyclicality, primordial unity, and the vicious circle. It has also been frequently used in alchemical illustrations. More recently, it has been interpreted by psychologists, such as Carl Jung, as having an archetypal significance to the human psyche.

In alchemy, the ouroboros is a purifying sigil.

1478 drawing by Theodoros Pelecanos, in alchemical tract titled Synosius.This picture is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros

St. George was a Roman soldier who was venerated as a Christian martyr. According to the story, a dragon makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of Cyrene in Libya or the city of Lydda, depending on the source. Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, in order to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon a human sacrifice. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happened to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life with no result. She is offered to the dragon, but there appears the saint on his travels. He faces the dragon, slays it and rescues the princess. The grateful citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_George#George_and_the_Dragon

St. George and the Dragon
Raphael, 1505-1506
Oil on wood
28,5 × 21,5 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Loa of new life, transformation, and fertility. Damballah Wedo is one of the most revered of the African gods, the loa of peace and purity, of platinum and silver, and the one who grants riches and sustains the world. Optimism emanates from his presence and it is he who is the original servant to the Creator.

Some of the chief attributes of Damballah Wedo is his lack of human speech and an affinity for water. He has many aspects, one of which Damballah la Flambeau (pictured), where he appears in fire form and pure active energy. In this form he melds with the attributes of the Dragon, and represents the outward manifestation of Kundalini of the East rising.

Damballah Wedo can be purchased as a Voodoo doll from the Mystic Voodoo (http://www.mysticvoodoo.com). Voodoo doll is made in the traditional manner out of Spanish moss and grapevine that I hand pick. Size will vary depending on the sticks available and time of year.

Purpose: To bring wealth, happiness, optimism, and purity of thought to his possessor.

Use: To use this Voodoo Doll, light a white candle and tell Damballah Wedo your wishes in a sacred place. Appropriate offerings for Damballah Wedo include white eggs, white wine, cabbage, and white flowers. His color is white and his day is Sunday.

The most important concept in Voodoo is reverence to ancestors. Always be sure to remember those who have gone on before you. It is the single most important thing you can do to insure success in your ritualistic endeavors.

Picture is of Damballah La Flambeau from the New Orlenas Voodoo Tarot by Sallie Ann Glassman and Louis Martine.

Check out this story I found from the Brookefield Zoo in Chicago about this cute smiling dragon:

"In parts of the Philippines they are considered a nuisance because they disinter human corpses (Taylor 1963) and feed from coffins placed in trees (Gadow 1901), but in other parts of their range this necrophagious behaviour is actually encouraged. In 1889 Anderson wrote of the Selung tribe of the Mergui Archipelago, who did not bury their dead but left them on platforms in the forest where they were devoured by the monitor lizards "one man reports that he has seen as many as 15 lizards engaged on a ghastly meal of this kind". Auffenberg (1982) reports that some tribes on Bali disposed of corpses in a similar way, putting them in baskets which prevent monkeys entering but allow access to monitor lizards."

If this isn't enough to freak you out, did you know that some of these big guys have been found in Arizona and Florida?!!

http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/0.asp?nSection=2&pageid=111&nLinkID=2

Scientific Name: Varanus salvator
Family Varanidae

Size: up to over 200 cm

The Malayan water monitor has a forked tongue like a snake's, and it uses this as an olfactory organ to track down carrion and small animals. This lizard is not just a scavenger for it actively hunts and eats insects, crabs and fish.

Although it is most often encountered on the ground, it is adept at climbing trees and is also an expert swimmer. When startled, it often dives into the water to escape.

It is often mistaken for a crocodile or otter! The Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus, Family Crocodilidae) has a much longer snout and raised ridges on the back, and is rarely seen in Singapore. The water monitor is usually an inoffensive creature unless cornered, when it will try to bite or lash out with its powerful tail. It is often captured for its hide and meat.

From "A Guide to Mangroves of Singapore", Peter K. L. Ng and N. Sivasothi (editors)
Volume 1: The Ecosystem and Plant Diversity and Volume 2: Animal Diversity
Authors: Kelvin K. P. Lim, Dennis H. Murphy, T. Morgany, N. Sivasothi, Peter K. L. Ng,
B. C. Soong, Hugh T. W. Tan, K. S. Tan & T. K. Tan