This is a reading from the first half of this page, all about what I call our “energy dragons”—the fears, habits, defenses, and old patterns that quietly shape how we respond to life. I hope you enjoy it, and I’d love to hear if these readings and ideas resonate with you.

Let’s try something on for size. You may hear a lot about the importance of staying in the present moment—at home, at work, at play—but it isn’t always as simple as it sounds. Being here, fully awake to this very moment, often asks more of us than just wanting it; it asks us to meet the inner “energy dragons” that pull us away.

What, then, takes us away from the present moment and hands the steering wheel to those energy dragons?

I propose it is often fear. Fear can be a kind of inner security guard who won’t let us relax into our own presence without first passing some impossible bravery test. And fear rarely travels alone. I also propose fear’s co-guard, guilt, who whispers about our supposed lack in endless ways, tightening the grip of these energy dragons on our thoughts and choices.

Why I’m writing about energy dragons

When we were children, we had simple, joyful conversations with ourselves. We were delighted by the little bug we saw and the clouds that looked like a bunny. We loved to say, I love you, Mommy. I love you, Daddy. Our hearts were open, our energy light, and our inner dragons often slept peacefully.

Something happened as we grew up. Consciousness started to feel painful, and many of us quietly flipped on emotional autopilot. We tried to numb ourselves back into comfy, cozy unconsciousness—until life’s situations shook us awake. Then we began to believe that the situations we find ourselves in must prove something about our greatness or our weakness, rather than seeing them as moments on a rich, unfolding journey.

Yet situations, by themselves, are neither good nor bad. They are invitations. They shine light on which energy dragons are at work—our fears, habits, defenses, and unconscious patterns—so we can choose how to respond, instead of being pushed around by old stories.

I’ve been thinking. And yes, that can be a little problematic right there! Thinking is not necessarily a sign of consciousness. The thought process can keep looping along, even when we’re not really present. I’m pretty sure some thinking continues on and on, like a looping video, without us even knowing about it. How else could we lose countless hours in what we call social media, or sink into worry without remembering how we got there?

If these looping episodes are not recognized and gently redirected, we may drift through our days outside the present moment, living inside a pseudo-world of yesterday and tomorrow. That is a gloomy picture to start your day with—but it is also where our opportunity for awakening begins.

As you awaken to your current situation, you may find yourself wondering why you can feel so happy at some times and then, suddenly, sad, hopeless, or anxious. Are you aware that little inner tapes may be running on loop right now—old fears, defenses, and judgments that quietly stir up your energy dragons?

You might consider that there has been a whole series of episodes from previous life experiences playing in the background, actively dialoguing with your whole body—your breath, your heartbeat, your muscles, your posture—often without your conscious permission.

Every cell seems to be affected by these messages.
They influence how we stand, how we speak, how quickly we react, and whether we move toward love or away from it in any given moment.

It seems to me that life is a delicious adventure, full of awakenings to new ways of thinking about ourselves and the world around us. As I have gone through my lifetime as Barbara, dealing with symbolic angels and dragons within my very being has become a very real inner landscape for me—angels of comfort, dragons of fear, and yes, even majestic fire dragons of passion and transformation.

As I have awakened to new levels of awareness, I see more clearly what I now know. This constant adventuring and changing, learning from each experience, gives me great hope for myself, my family, my friends, my country, and all humans with whom I may disagree. It is in our nature to learn by living, and our energy dragons are part of that learning—not proof that we are broken, but invitations to grow.

The idea of slaying your dragons does not seem to work, at least not for me. When I try to ignore or overpower them, they come back with more intensity. My fears get louder; my defenses dig in deeper. The more I fight, the more energy I give them.

Fight or flight doesn’t seem to bring true peace. One war does not stop all future wars. There appears to be a gentler, more hopeful truth. Perhaps, with great respect, we can begin to tame our dragons with love, joy, and openness to all humans. What if we allow in more kindness and less judgment, fewer accusations and defensive arguments? Explaining to others how wrong they are has only led to rudeness, anger, and social discord in my experience. Taming our dragons asks for a different kind of courage.

Compassion, harmonized with beautiful strength, seems to be where my life adventure is unfolding. I am learning to challenge fears with respect for my inner dragons. When I ignore them, they become louder; when I listen with curiosity, they soften. It appears that this may be a built-in safeguard I have created—a way my soul insists on getting my attention.

Again, fighting or closing out those who don’t agree with me does not promote growth. My energy dragons actually calm down when I choose to listen, stay present, and remember that every person—including me—is more than their fear or their latest reaction.

Joy, love, understanding, and fear all travel together in this human journey. Fear itself is not a sign I should run or fight. More and more, I suspect my fears are signs that I am about to enter a grand new adventure. Each fearful surprise—a broken-down house, a hurting body, the fear of losing loved ones—can become a powerful training ground when I pause, breathe, and ask, “What is this dragon trying to show me right now?”

In other words, my dragons guard the treasures of life. Through myths, stories, and dramas, we are taught how to live rich, brave lives. Whether we are aware of it or not, we may be walking through magnificent opportunities every day. We just need to remember to go where fools fear to tread, be not afraid. We can do this when we are prepared with love, hope, belief, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, inclusiveness, laughter, gentleness, and understanding. We will make mistakes—of course we will—for adventures always teach us more. And each time we awaken, even a little, we discover that the fire of our dragons can light the way forward, instead of burning us down.