Dragonfly wrestling web of modernity

Posterized photo of Dragonfly grappling with tomato cage in our garden
CC Jean Stimmell: 8/6/13

In retrospect, I can see that meeting Dragonfly was not an accident but synchronicity: Dragonfly summoned me while I was mindlessly picking vegetables on the other side of our garden. Rather than constantly darting here and there, she patiently waited for me to get my camera and stood still while I photographed her.

Her image continued to resonate with me. I posted her on my blog with the title: Dragonfly Wrestling Web of Modernity. By that, I meant that Dragonfly, by her very presence, totally demolishes the credibility of the modernist worldview: As a stunningly beautiful and mysterious representative of Nature, she absolutely refutes the modern credo that the only Truth is the Holy Trinity of scientific fact, rampant materialism and the capitalistic greed.

After posting my original blog entry, I decided to google “Dragonfly” to find out what symbolic importance, if any, dragonflies have for others in the world at large.  And I found out they have profound importance. For example, in shamanic lore according to Ina Woolcott, dragonflies are power animals, a symbol of change, and have the ability to pierce illusions.

Dragonfly’s shamanic abilities are in areas where I have already shown at least some small promise or, more important, areas where I aspire to have those qualities.

“Just as light can bend and shift and be adapted in a different ways, so can the archetypal forces associated with dragonfly. Dragonfly yields the message that life is never what it appears to be. This is a power animal which can help to put us in touch with nature spirits.”

“Dragonfly is one of nature's shape shifters. The dragonfly inhabits two realms, air and water.  As water represents the emotional body and air represents the mental, those with this power animal will frequently find themselves trying to maintain balance between their thoughts and emotions.”

“Children with dragonfly power animal are often very emotional, feeling things deeply and responding to situations with great passion. Generally, as they reach adulthood, through experience, they learn how to balance their emotions with greater mental clarity and control. This gives them the compassion required for any type of work relating to healing or counselling.” 


“Dragonfly medicine teaches us to pierce our self-made illusions. Dragonfly can cause us to question the illusion which we call reality, particularly that part of our realities which hinders our ability to grow and create transformation/change in our lives.”

“Dragonflies can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour when flying. They can spot movement forty feet away. Flying around and into things from different angles, they challenge rigid awareness and prompt the energy of change. This power animal is especially helpful for those who feel stuck, or are unable to grow spiritually and for those who feel blocked in their creativity. Dragonfly helps us remember that 'ordinary, every day' physical reality isn't all that is available to us. Its rainbow wings remind us we live in a world of magic.”

Thank you, Dragonfly and thank you, Ina Woolcott, for bringing me back home to that world of magic we are immersed in at every moment of our lives, but, which we have such difficulties tuning into – in the hubbub of the crazy world we find ourselves living in.