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Pagan Portals – Dragon Magic, by Rachel Patterson

Pagan Portals – Dragon Magic, by Rachel Patterson
Moon Books, 1803414448, 128 pages, June 2024

In the ancient realms where myths intertwine with reality, dragon magic remains a force of unparalleled power, shimmering with the wisdom of ages and the mystique of untamed fire. Could these potent beings truly become one’s spiritual ally? Pagan Portals – Dragon Magic by Rachel Patterson, a fascinating exploration into the world of dragons, is a portal for those seeking to discover this realm for themselves.

As part of the Pagan Portals series, this book is designed to be an accessible introduction for those new to the concept of dragon magic, as well as a practical guide for seasoned practitioners seeking to deepen their connection with these ancient and powerful entities.

Patterson, a well-respected author and experienced witch, brings a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to the subject. She presents dragons not just as a mythological curiosity, but as ancient beings who can become our guardians in good time, assisting us on our path and looking out for us; connecting with dragons becomes a tangible and transformative practice.

The book is divided into four parts and also includes a prologue with information about what to know before beginning to connect with dragons along with Patterson’s personal relationship to dragons. All throughout Patterson’s writing is both engaging and informative, making complex concepts approachable without diluting their essence. Her emphasis on personal experience and intuition encourages readers to trust their instincts and develop their unique relationship with dragon energy.

“You cannot force a dragon to come to you, you cannot make one work for you. If a dragon feels you are worthy and can be trusted, then and only then will they even consider making a first introduction.”1

In “Part 1: Dragon Beginnings”, Patterson delves into the origins of dragons and then gives readers the basics of dragon 101, describing their habitat, feeding patterns, and offspring. She also covers topics such as the dragon constellation, Draco, in the stars and dragon lines, more commonly known as ley lines, on the Earth.

“Part 2: Myths, Legends and Stories” lays out for readers dragons well known in fiction and mythology. Fictional dragons include Smaug from The Hobbit, Jabberwocky from Through the Looking Glass, and the ones that appear in Harry Potter, along with a few others. Meanwhile, the mythology section is nearly triple in length and covers dragons from all over the globe: Mayan Quetzalcoatl, Hindu Vritra, St Michael and the Dragon, the Chinese Long Dragon, Old Norse Sigurd and Fáfnir, plus more. This section demonstrates how dragons are universal to cultures worldwide.

Next, Patterson moves into “Part 3: Dragonology”, teaching readers the many types of dragons. I appreciate how she candidly notes this topic could be a book on its own and shares her process of reading the myths and legends to “look at the stories and what the main themes are”2 within them. She says, “I look at the landscapes, the habitat and appear of each dragon”3 to get a feel for the “characteristics and magical energies of each one”4

While I plan on doing my own research, as Patterson suggests, I am amply grateful for the way she describes all she has learned about each dragon type. I had absolutely no idea there were so many kinds! To name a few, there’s serpent dragons with wings, Gwiber, whose magical characteristics are wisdom and transformation; the Nāga in India who is known for “Underworld connection, water magic, prosperity, Otherworld portals, protection”6 All of them are so awesome! I had a great time looking each one up online to see artistic renderings of them.

But my favorite part of this book is Patterson’s magic guidance in “Part IV: Dragon Magic”. Here Patterson shares with readers her work with dragons as a starting point for their own journey.  She writes:

“My experience with dragons and dragon magic is one of power, strength and hard work. Dragons are ancient, they are primordial and do not tolerate being summoned nor do they appreciate any half-hearted lack of commitment.”7

She really emphasizes the need for respect and manners when forming a relationship with dragons, as noted in the above quote. I appreciate her honesty, as it honors the sanctity of the bonds between human and dragon, if the dragon so deems us worthy.

To first establish contact, Patterson offers meditations to bring readers into the realm of dragons. Then she goes into setting up an altar, creating a dragon candle and oil blend, and offerings to provide. Depending on the elemental nature of the dragon one is working with, Patterson goes into more detail about their qualities, color of candle one might use, and specific incense blends.

The remaining chapter covers dragon sigils, spells, rituals, energetic techniques (grounding, protecting, cleansing), crystals, herbs, and other miscellaneous wisdom Patterson has picked up over the years. I really enjoyed how she mentions readers can connect with a different dragon for each season or sabbat, noting dragons “do seem to recognise the changing of the seasons and the flow of energy that comes with the sabbats.”8 My plan is to do one of the meditations for Lammas coming up soon to see if there’s any dragons that are interested in connecting with me until Mabon.

Overall, Pagan Portals – Dragon Magic is a valuable resource for anyone interested in strengthening their connection with dragons. Whether you’re seeking to incorporate dragon magic into your daily life or seeking to perform more elaborate rituals, Patterson provides a sturdy framework to get started, structuring the guidance to accommodate different levels of magical experience levels. Soon enough you’ll be able to tell legendary tales as someone who has dared to seek the counsel of dragons.

Pagan Portals – Gods & Goddesses of England, by Rachel Patterson

Pagan Portals –  Gods & Goddesses of England, by Rachael Patterson
Moon Books, 1789046629, 128 pages, July 2023

I was drawn to Pagan Portals – God & Goddesses of England by Rachel Patterson because as the wife of an Englishman, I’ve traveled there quite a bit. What I love about my travels is that we don’t visit as tourists, we settle in as family and then branch out and explore the countryside. It’s a place that shares its land with small villages, larger cities such as York and Bath, and also ancient markers, all of which cohabitate beautifully. Thanks to Patterson, my knowledge of the deities of England has greatly expanded. I’m looking forward to seeing the sights with the lens of the gods and goddesses next time we visit!

Pattern is the perfect guide for this trip through the landscape of England’s deities. Her website titles her an “English kitchen witch and author” 1 Her list of other published works is impressive, including Pagan Portals – Kitchen Witchcraft, Pagan Portals – Moon Magic, and A Witch for Every Season. She is listed as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People in Watkins Mind Body Spirit magazine.

Now, diving in, this book is divided into two broad sections: “Part I, The History of Humans” and “Part II, Gods & Goddesses”. To start the book, Patterson presents what she describes as a “very brief outline” of Britain’s timeline from Paleolithic Britain (700,000 B.C.) through the Noman conquest of 1066 A.D. She also introduces the reader to the various invading forces who settled in Britain and put their stamps on the people and the land – from the Romans to the Germanic tribes, to the Vikings. This laid the foundation for delving into the deities of England in this book. 

In Part II, before recommending how to connect with the deities, Rachel profiles numerous deities, referencing whether they were a god or a goddess, and the location where reference to these deities was found. For some she is able to share a lot of information, while for others all that remains is a reference to their name on an inscription or relic or reference in a manuscript. She covers the whole of England, though, in a concise manner. 

Of course, Britannia shows up. This time inscribed on a statue base in York. Britannia eventually became the symbol of Britain and of the resiliency of its people. She provides a lot of information on Sulis, a goddess found in Bath. As she writes, “a great number of altars, dedications and curse tablets have been found in Bath along with a large temple dedicated to her.”2 While worshiped during the Roman times as a goddess with whom they equated their goddess Minerva, Sulis seems to have been a local goddess long before the Romans invaded.

I was intrigued by the curse tablets that had been thrown into a spring. Each was made of metal and mostly all rolled up before being thrown into the spring. “All of them seem to be requesting return of stolen items, asking for revenge, or the righting of wrongs. Most of them involved what would seem to be today small items such as a stolen towel.”3 In all fairness, though, one needs their towel in Bath.

She offers ways to engage with the deities, whether one is local to you or whether you were drawn to one in the book. Ways include researching the deity, setting up an altar, connecting with the land, and, one of her favorite ways, researching food local to the area. She feels that these local recipes help her “align with the energies of the area”4 while also providing good food. 

Rachel also writes extensively as to how she connects with specific deities, Belisama, the Three Mothers/Matres, and Sabrina.  For each, she writes on myths and origins, invocations, rituals, meditations, and of course, recipes including chorley cakes (Belisama), Gloucester pancakes (The Three Mothers/Matres) and shearing cake (Sabrina). She concludes with offering further readings, if interested. 

I highly recommend Pagan Portals – Gods and Goddesses of England. It encourages one to connect with the deities rather than just providing copious amounts of information on each, helping readers to create their own relationship with these gods and goddesses. Realizing that all might not be able to visit England to connect with these deities, Patternson offers ways to do so if one feels drawn to a particular deity. I loved her final recommendation as she sent me on my way:

“What I would recommend you do is to connect with the energy of the land you live on. Research the history for your own area and get to know the land beneath your feet.”5