The nickname for a dream-dragon who's appeared as a (sometimes caustic, Gandalfian) guide for decades in my dreams. Wise and well aware of it, she's impatient with trivia and self-delusion. She usually seems associated with water, not fire. Not so much Asian as Hawaiian: the children's song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" is based on the folklore of Kauai, where a spouting blowhole on the northeast shore is supposed to be the dragon breathing. "The land called Hanna-Lee" is in fact the country around Hanalei.
My point? Just that these dreams, too, have unexpected roots; don't mistake them for idle fantasy. I learned the hard way that Puff's messages weren't dream-nonsense that evaporates in sunlight, but solid warnings to be heeded. And if your messengers and guardians come dressed in gorgeous (or hideous) otherworldly shapes, don't assume they're childish mind-toys. You may find out as I did that you are childish. You are their toy.
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AMERICAN TANKA: by Wayan; 290K, eight images, 1995; acrylic on 30" disk, telling a 1989/7/26 dream.
I dreamed I circumnavigated the entire Buddhist wheel of existence in a single night... |
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DIANE DUANE'S DRAGON: by Wayan; 380 x 400. Sketch of a psychic dream, 1994/2/27.
A quiet, mysterious dream image that turned out to refer to the future, not the past... |
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DRAGON BANNERS: by Wayan; 125K, 1987/3/19, a dream on the hollow inside.
A dragon's daughter seeking her inheritance defies a sneaky dragon-realtor out to own the world... |
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DRESSER GUARDIAN: DRAGON: by Wayan; 1999. Dream-figure portrait, acrylic, 6x5"
A guardian figure who recurs in my dreams, painted on my dresser to guard my sleep-journeys... |
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FEVER DREAMS: by Wayan; 1993/9/8, a set of wild feverdreams.
While my body expels a kidney stone, weird scenes happen on the astral plane. At least I get to dip the pope.
CAUTION: PAIN, PEE, POPE |
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LEARNING SCALES: by Wayan; 1985/6/26, an epic dream of Chinese dragons.
I find myself in astral China. The Empress is banished, the Jester rules. Wisdom is lost. We need a Dragon... |
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IN THE MERMAID'S DRESSING ROOM: by Wayan; 100K, 1993/12/18; an evolutionary dream.
At Sea-Dragon State Park, I climbed down to the sea serpent's dressing room after the show, and found...
CAUTION: MERMAID BREASTS |
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PUFF TIDE: by Wayan; 150K, 1993/5/1, a nightmare on indulging rage and tears; 8 illus.
I'm swept off sea-rocks, as my scaly guardian watches calmly--letting me drown in the tears I shed...
CAUTION: DROWNING |
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RING OF WHITE WATER: by Wayan; 350K total, 14 illustrations, 1983/1/30, a major dreamtale.
I'm a raft guide on a circular river that may just be reincarnation. One of my tour group jumps ship: she's scared of the white water of rocky relationships ahead...
CAUTION: METAPHYSICS, SEX, WEAK SOULS... |
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SCALES: by Wayan; 640 x 400, 1992. Digital sketch of a dream scene.
I was on a terrace overlooking a waterfall, where a giant rabbit and a musical dragon told me... |
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SEA OF TIME: by Wayan; 100K, 1989/7/26. Digital sketch of astral dream.
I dreamed I was drowning in the Sea of Time, where dragons asked me questions. PAINFUL questions... |
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SOUL-WORK GOES ON: by Wayan; 1994/11/3, a journal extract on dreamwork.
As I reread decades of my dreams, I see Jung was right: even in times of chaos, soul-work goes calmly on... |
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A STAGE FRIGHT: by Wayan; 1993/11/17, a revealing daydream
I froze in dance class when I followed anyone else's script. Was it fear? A dragon inside said no... |
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THE TORTURER: by Wayan; 1997/7/13, a predictive nightmare
A traveling torturer chooses me for his victim. He has the right. I bluster, but when at last I have to sleep...
CAUTION: NO PAIN, BUT GORE |
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WYVERN: by Wayan; 1997, 22" ceramic sculpture; recurring dream figure.
I dreamed of a dragon-woman on a reef. She was my guardian, but she let me drown! She had her reasons...
CAUTION: SCALY NUDITY |