Returning to the Ancient Sacred

Shamanic Roots and the Rise of Dragon Shamanism®

Imagine a time thousands of years ago, when humanity’s nights were lit only by stars and fire. A circle of people gathers around a flickering hearth. The village shaman begins a steady drumbeat that echoes the heartbeat of the earth. In that primordial stillness, everyone feels connected to the soil beneath them, the sky above, and the unseen spirits in the wind. Our ancestors lived in communion with the Earth’s frequencies, sensing guidance in the rustling of leaves and hearing wisdom in animal calls. They knew, instinctively, that the world was alive and enchanted, brimming with allies just beyond ordinary sight. Have we really lost that connection, or is it quietly stirring within us, waiting to be remembered?

Ancient Shamanic Roots: Attuned to Earth and Spirit

Shamanism is not a new fad or trend; it’s among the oldest spiritual practices known to humanity. Long before organised religions or modern science, shamans were the healers, seers, and guides of their people. They emerged in the Palaeolithic era, tens of thousands of years ago, acting as bridges between the human world and the spirit world. Every ancient culture, from the Siberian tundras to the African savannas, had its medicine men and women who could enter altered states of consciousness to seek guidance and healing for their community. Central to these shamanic traditions was a profound belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings and nature. The shamans of old recognised that everything had a spirit, the animals, the plants, the rivers, the very earth itself. By attuning to the rhythms of nature, they lived in harmony with the land and seasons, often naturally “tuning in” to the Earth’s subtle frequencies and energies that many of us have forgotten today.

In those days, there was no clear divide between the physical and spiritual. A sudden breeze might be perceived as a message from a wind spirit; an eagle circling overhead could be an omen or ally. Human beings walked with mystical allies, animal guides, ancestor spirits, and elemental beings as part of daily life. This reverence for nature’s spirits defined the essence of shamanic practice. It wasn’t mysticism in the sense of escaping reality; it was a grounded way of life. Being “attuned” meant listening deeply: to the body, to intuition, to the land. In a very real way, ancient people felt the Earth’s heartbeat in their bones. They celebrated solstices and equinoxes, drummed and danced in trance, and healed wounds of the soul by calling on spirit helpers.

Fast forward to our modern era of concrete and smartphones, and many of us feel a painful disconnection. Yet, interest in these ancient ways is rising again. Have you noticed it? Perhaps you find yourself drawn to meditation, energy healing, or spending more time in nature, craving a profound reconnection. It’s as if an old memory in our DNA is stirring. We’re beginning to remember that the sacred has been here all along, in the whisper of the trees, the glow of the moon, and the quiet guidance of spirit.

New Energetic Modalities or Ancient Remembrance?

In recent years, there’s been a surge of curiosity about paths like Dragon Reiki and Dragon Shamanism®. At first glance, these might sound like flashy New Age inventions; after all, dragons and Reiki were seldom mentioned in the same breath until recently. But take a closer look, and you’ll find these modalities are not so much new as they are reawakenings of something timeless. In the realm of spiritual practice, what appears novel often turns out to be ancient wisdom returning in a new form.

Dragon Reiki, for example, is a powerful energy healing system that blends traditional Reiki techniques with the primal energy of Dragons. Practitioners of Dragon Reiki report connecting with dragon guardians of the elements (earth, air, fire, water) to enhance healing sessions. Why dragons? Because in countless mythologies, from European legends to Asian folklore, dragons have always symbolised power, wisdom, and transformation. As one Reiki Master explains in the Spirit of Dragon Reiki manual, “dragons have been with humanity since the dawn of consciousness, guiding us through challenges, offering protection, and igniting the flames of our evolution”. In other words, the dragon energies being worked with today are ancient beings making themselves known again. They are choosing to return during this pivotal time in humanity’s spiritual awakening, offering assistance as we navigate great shifts in consciousness. Dragon Reiki is born from this timeless connection, merging the ancient power of dragons with the gentle healing energy of Reiki. When viewed this way, it’s clear that this “new” modality is rooted in the collective soul memory of an age when dragons were revered and worked with by wise healers.

The same is true for Dragon Shamanism®, the path I founded and walk today. It might sound unique, combining shamanic journeying with dragon guides, but to me it feels like a homecoming. Many people across the world are suddenly drawn to shamanic practices, energy medicine, and spirit guide communication, as if awakening from a long slumber. I often ask, are we discovering something novel, or finally remembering what our souls have always known? Every drum circle, every Reiki attunement, every intuitive nudge to talk to a tree or a “mythical” creature, all point to ancient knowledge resurfacing. In truth, humanity isn’t ascending into an unknown new realm; we are returning to an ancient, sacred state of being that we once lived naturally. The rising fascination with dragons in healing work is a perfect example. It’s not that dragons suddenly decided to exist; they have been quietly waiting in the wings of our collective consciousness. Now, as the veils thin and our hearts open, they step forward, responding to our unspoken call for help and remembrance.

Think of Dragon Shamanism as a modern bridge to a very old landscape. It’s built upon the foundation of classic shamanism, deep nature connection, spirit journeying, ritual, but it features Dragons as key allies and teachers. Why now? Perhaps because these times of great change call for great allies. The Dragons bring a fierce yet compassionate energy that humanity needs in order to heal and reclaim our power. And importantly, working with dragon energy feels less like learning something from scratch and more like recognising an old friend. Many who embark on this path say it’s as if their soul “remembers” the dragon’s presence from lifetimes past, or from the stories whispered by ancestors. What if, in embracing these emerging modalities, we are simply honouring a soul-level memory?

The Healer Dragons, Powerful Allies for Our Time

One extraordinary gift of Dragon Shamanism has been the introduction of the Healer Dragons, a company of wise and powerful dragon beings who have come forth to help us heal in this era. In my book The Healer Dragons of Dragon Shamanism®, I share encounters with 101 healer dragons, each a unique ally with specific gifts for humanity. These dragons are described as “a diverse and magnificent group of celestial beings, each with a unique personality, purpose, and gift for supporting your spiritual journey”. They are compassionate guides, not monsters of legend, and they have stepped forward to share their wisdom and energy with anyone who asks.

Each Healer Dragon in this circle specialises in a particular aspect of healing, from emotional release and physical restoration to spiritual alignment and energetic cleansing. Whatever you seek on your path, be it guidance, courage, clarity, or renewal, there is a dragon ally ready to assist. Far from being mere fantasy, these dragons have proven to be profoundly real in their impacts. People working with them often report sudden insights, warm supportive energy, and shifts in longstanding blocks. It’s as if these mythical beings are saying, “We see what you’re going through, and we’re here to help you overcome it.”

Let me introduce a few of these healer dragons to give you a flavour of how they can assist us. Each name carries a bit of their essence, and each dragon’s presence can be felt when you tune in with an open heart:

Aquariel, a gentle water dragon who offers emotional soothing in times of turmoil. Aquariel helps in healing deep grief, washing away sorrow like a cleansing rain. If you carry sadness or old heartache, Aquariel’s energy envelopes you like a calm sea, helping you release your tears and find peace.

Ignisara, a fiery dragon of courage. Ignisara literally ignites courage within you, fanning the flames of bravery in your belly. She helps transmute fear into action, burning away the paralysis of doubt. When you feel small or afraid, calling on Ignisara is like lighting a bonfire in your soul, suddenly you find the strength to face what you were running from.

Emberain, a warm, earthy dragon who restores vitality and life-force. Emberain is known for restoring vitality after illness or exhaustion, rekindling your inner spark when it’s guttering low. This dragon’s grounding energy can help re-energise a fatigued spirit and bring you back into your body with renewed strength and stability.

Auralith, a radiant dragon of light, devoted to energetic sovereignty. Auralith helps you by strengthening your energetic shields and clearing attachments or negative influences from your auric field. In an age where we are bombarded by others’ energy and information, Auralith’s presence is like a protective halo, restoring spiritual harmony and reminding you that your energy is your own.

These are just a few examples among a hundred-plus Dragon allies. Some assist with very specific healing themes; there are dragons for abundance, dragons for ancestral healing, dragons for creativity and more. But all of them share a common purpose: to empower humanity to heal itself and ascend back to full sovereignty and wholeness. They come not to do the work for us, but to stand beside us as powerful friends and guides. The message that comes through again and again is one of encouragement: “You are more powerful than you remember. You are never alone. We are here, shall we do this together?”

Working with the Healer Dragons has been one of the most uplifting and awe-inspiring experiences of my journey. It feels mythic yet wonderfully natural at the same time. There is a sense of reunion, as though these wise Dragon beings have been waiting for this moment to reconnect with humans who are ready. Indeed, “the 101 healer dragons are your allies in light and transformation” and they await our invitation to help. How beautiful is it that, just as the world seems more chaotic than ever, these ancient allies have arrived (or rather, reintroduced themselves) to help us navigate and heal?

Bridging Worlds, A Personal Journey of Remembrance

If all this talk of dragons and ancient shamanism feels a bit otherworldly, let me assure you, I’m a pretty grounded person. In fact, I spent 40 years working in the corporate world of information technology before I ever called myself a mystic. I know what it’s like to live with logic and spreadsheets, deadlines and office meetings. For a long time, I kept my spiritual experiences mostly to myself, worried they wouldn’t fit into my “normal” life. I pushed aside the intuition and empathic sensitivity I’d felt since childhood, trying to fit in with societal expectations. But Spirit has a way of getting our attention when the time is right.

My awakening was not a thunderbolt but a series of gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) nudges. As a child, I had seen and sensed things that defied ordinary explanation. I remember seeing lions in my bedroom and shoes walking by themselves across the landing, much to my young astonishment! I would feel presences around me: wise, loving beings that my rational mind couldn’t name. In my twenties and thirties, I went about building a career, yet somewhere deep inside I felt a nagging emptiness, which I later recognised as the soul’s yearning. I went through a few “Dark Nights of the Soul”, where depression and despair forced me to question everything. Is this really all life is: work, consume, repeat? Where is the magic I believed in as a boy? Those existential crises became the cracks through which light could finally reach me.

Guided (with hindsight) by unseen helping hands, I “coincidentally” met a Reiki Master teacher, and not long after, a Shamanic teacher. Through them, I began remembering the energy healing gifts I had long buried. I learned to channel Reiki, feeling that familiar warmth of energy that I somehow knew how to work with. I was introduced to shamanic journeying, drumming, meeting spirit guides, and travelling in meditation to other realms, and it felt like coming home. It’s no surprise, then, that eventually I merged these modalities of Reiki and Shamanism in my practice. For me, there was no contradiction in doing so. Reiki provided a gentle, structured framework to focus healing energy, while shamanism opened the intuitive, expansive, earth-connected side of the work. By combining them, I found a balance between system and spirit. I often think of it as bridging the seen and unseen worlds, the logical and the mystical, in a way that is both grounded and magical.

In February 2021, after four decades of balancing two lives, I finally stepped fully into my role as “Kev the EnglishMystic”. I left the corporate job and made my lifelong passion my full-time service. It was both thrilling and daunting, a real trade of the well-mapped road for the wilderness path. But as soon as I did, it was as if an old pact with Spirit kicked in. My intuitive gifts amplified, and those “wondrous allies” I had sensed circling me for years suddenly drew in closer. Dragons of power, Lions of courage, Whales of wisdom, all the guides I once glimpsed through the veil came flooding back into my life. I realised that none of it had been imagination at all; it was remembrance. I had been on this path long before, in other lives or realms, and now I was simply picking up the thread again.

Walking between worlds, the modern and the mystical, has become my daily reality. One foot on the earth, one hand in the spirit sky, so to speak. I share this because you might be reading and wondering if you, too, are straddling worlds. Perhaps you work a day job as a teacher, a nurse, an engineer, a parent, and by night you feel the stars calling, or your dreams are vivid with symbolism. I want you to know that bridging these worlds is not only possible, it may be your sacred calling. We are meant to be integrated, whole beings, technology and mythology, science and magic, head and heart. In truth, the divide was always artificial. My journey taught me that the mystical is actually very practical and present; it’s in how we heal our relationships, find our purpose, and serve our community. And the practical, material world? It’s absolutely infused with wonder when you have the eyes to see.

Sometimes I joke that I speak both “boardroom” and “dragon”. This has helped me guide others who are awakening. I can relate to the scepticism of someone who needs evidence and explanation, and I can equally hold space for the inexplicable miracles that occur when spirit moves. In fact, being a bridge between systems and spirit has shown me a profound truth: there is no real separation. The ancient and the new are intimately connected. The mystical allies of old, whether we call them spirit animals, angels, or dragons, have never left us. They’ve been quietly working behind the scenes, waiting for us to remember. And now so many of us are remembering!

Coming Home to the Sacred Heart

Now, as we stand collectively on what feels like the brink of a new chapter for humanity, I see a beautiful pattern emerging. People from all walks of life are seeking a more heart-led, soul-centred way of living. We are yearning for authenticity, community, and a connection to something greater. In this seeking, many are discovering that the answers aren’t in some brand new invention or external technology; they’re in ancient, sacred practices and relationships that bring us back to our true nature. We are, in essence, coming home to our ancestral wisdom.

It bears repeating: humanity is not ascending into something new, but returning to something ancient and sacred, a state of full energetic sovereignty, of living from the heart, and of deep communion with Spirit (and with each other). This is not a regression; it’s an evolution by way of remembrance. We carry the seeds of the wise ones who came before us. Their drumbeats echo in our chest. Their herbal remedies flow in our blood. And yes, their dragon allies still hover in our night skies, waiting for us to acknowledge them again.

So if you feel drawn to these ideas, know that you’re in good company. There’s a growing community of us, modern shamans, mystics, healers, and everyday folks, who are rekindling this ancient flame together. We are learning to stand in our energetic sovereignty, clearing old fears and external expectations, much like a dragon shaking off chains. We are choosing to live heart-led lives, guided by intuition and compassion over ego and division. And we are opening once more to deep communion with spirit, trusting that the seen and unseen worlds are interconnected and equally real.

What might change in your life if you fully embraced this remembrance? Perhaps you’d find a well of courage you didn’t know you had, or heal an emotional wound that’s been weighing you down. Perhaps you’d simply feel less alone, realising that loving helpers surround you both in human form and beyond. The invitation I extend, from my heart to yours, is to explore this path for yourself. It’s a path of wonder and empowerment, and it’s open to anyone with a sincere curiosity and an open heart.

Thank you for reading my story and reflections. I hope they spark something in you, a memory, a curiosity, a hope. You are a luminous being of light, gracing Mother Earth with your presence (as I often remind my readers). The fact that you’re here now means some part of you is already awakening to this ancient call. Honour that. Nurture it. And if you feel so inclined, I would love for you to continue this journey with me and our dragon friends. After all, your adventure begins here.

With warm dragon blessings,

Kev 🐉💛

EnglishMystic

Ready to explore further?

You’re warmly invited to take the next steps on this journey:

• Dragon Shamanism overview: englishmystic.com/Dragonshamanism
• Dragon Shamanism self-study: https://www.englishmystic.com/offers/R7boMe8W
• The Healer Dragons of Dragon Shamanism® on Amazon: Amazon listing
• Free Dragon Healing Zoom Call registration: Zoom registration
• Events for 2026: https://www.englishmystic.com/events
• Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dragonthunder
• Free Meet Your Dragons Course: meetyourdragons.com
• Listen to other Dragon Mystics: dragontalks.info
• Listen to the Podcast: https://www.englishmystic.com/podcasts/englishmystic-podcast
• Watch Dragon speakers, healings on YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3wUOTJtcYRPhZVd6n1QtHg

Come take your place by the sacred fire.

The dragons and I look forward to meeting you!