The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

the history of dragons....pg2
19:34 Feb 05 2006
Times Read: 552

History of Eastern Dragons

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It has been often said that the finding of dinosaur bones by ancient Chinese was the original basis for their "dragon" stories and myths. In reality there is no definitive proof that this is so. It does seem to make sense as large bones from an unknown large creature (i.e. dinosaurs) would cause a superstitious people to believe in large mythical beast such as dragons.



But this story actually appears to belong to the category of “folklore”, rather than anthropology. The Chinese were a highly civilized peoples and had definite ideas on Dragons which were studied, written about, and philosophized on as if they were rather common creatures to these peoples. This is an attribute that often pervades dragons stories worldwide; offhanded casual acceptance of their presence but debate on what it meant.



The reality in ancient China actually appears to be that Dragons were believed in for far longer than peasants were finding large petrified bones. Some of the earliest writings from the Far East mention Dragons, long before it was reported that bones from this creature were found.



In many early mythologies from Asia we find Dragons as either God's or messengers to the God's. Again like in earlier Mideast stories the Dragons are most often associated with water and wisdom. But unlike the Mideast and later European stories we find little to no fighting and killing of or between Dragons & Gods or normal people and Dragons.



Instead of fear and loathing or even outright worship, here we find Dragons as being desirable to an area and good luck rather than ill falls to those areas where dragons abide. They are often prayed to for deliverance from bad fortune, bad weather, and even bad men. In fact, very early in China's history the emperors are said to be communing with the Dragons to get the advice of the Gods on how to govern their peoples. But somewhere along the way things changed.

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One very widespread story is of the Dragon Kings. They were known as the Four Brothers when they traveled together. All were water dragons and served the August Personage Jade who commanded them when, where and how much rain to deliver to the earth.



Each lived in a Crystal palace and ruled one of the Four Seas via an army of crabs and fish, watchman, and ministers. Their names were Ao Ch’in, Ao Jun, Ao Kuang, and Ao Shun. There is no indication that these kings directly communicated with mundane humans. But their ministers, who are presumably all dragons, apparently did.



In Chinese society individualism was strongly discouraged for most of their history. Instead, one was to subjugate ones will to the gods or their representatives including the authorities in power. And that power usually started with the emperor. The emperor himself was to have received his authority and blessings from the heavens and used it for the betterment of all the peoples. But how often in our human histories was this arraignment going to last?



Originally it was believed that the dragons were the ones who talked directly to the Gods. The Emperor was given the God's will for his people and he in turned passed on this message to the people through his growing bureaucracy. In this way the Emperor was seen to be sitting on the throne by the will of the Gods and thus divine himself as long as he passed on the god's will as spoken to him.



As time went on the Emperors apparently decided to cut the Imperial Dragons out of the deal and claimed to be able to communicate directly with the God's. Of course to protect this monopoly no one but the Emperor was allowed to try and communicate with the Dragons.

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This is a subtle but definite indication of the strength of the belief that dragons did exist and needed to be communicated with. Otherwise there would have been no reason to give the “no communication” decree and the harsh follow up with strict enforcement.



At this point the Imperial Dragons were said to have 5 claws and other lessor Dragon's 4 or even 3 claws. It was now death to try and "communicate with an imperial Dragon." But there were still those who did not believe that the emperor was the only one who should be allowed to gain wisdom by talking to the wisest of the God's messengers, the Dragons.



There are more than a few stories from the Far East about various men who sought out this draconic source of wisdom. But to try and discredit them the Imperial court called them "four-men" or those who talked to less than Imperial Dragons. The implication was that only the Emperor could talk to a real messenger from the God's.



Later on these same individuals who learned and used dragon wisdom became derided as Foemen. But all of these outlawed individuals seeking out Dragons were supposed to prove their worth to talk to these wise creatures by helping out villagers against bandits or oppressive bureaucrats and such.

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The tales told of these dragon inspired warriors were very much like the quests and deeds done by the much later heros and the Knights of the Round Table

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the history of dragons....pg1
19:29 Feb 05 2006
Times Read: 555

History of Mesopotamian Dragons

Let's first look some of the earlier stories about Dragons. The very first "written" stories (that we have uncovered so far) on the creation of the world is from the Sumerian civilization generally in the area we call Mesopotania. This area which later became Persia and then part of various Middle East civilization is generally found between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now Iraq and Iran.

The actual word "dragon" comes from the Greek language much later than this time so any mundane interpretation of creatures by this name before the Greeks must be by descriptions and attributes and not by name. They were generally considered "monsters" even if they had divine attributes.

The very origins and foundations of the entire Mesopotamian culture comes from the stories, culture, and ethics of these Sumerians. The later civilizations of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and then Grecians all got much of their philosophy, cosmology, and religion from the earlier stories/ myths of the Sumerians so it behooves us to first look at these early very early stories and pay particular attention to them.

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In fact so many of the stories sprout the same type of general story line that we can actually divide them into two categories; Gods versus monsters (dragons) before creation and heros versus monsters after creation. Later versions of the stories often change the names of the parties about but maintain the basic story line. Is it possible that all these stories came from a single source and was later simply adapted, adopted, and some elements changed to suit the civilization telling it? This is a possibility to be considered about these first stories. Many later dragon stories will also be changed in the same manner by different areas or countries but with the same original tale.



The earlier myths often have a god, usually a storm god or a god armed with thunder and lightning bolts, chasing a dragon that has something to do with water. Examples are almost all of the Mesopotamian stories, the Indian god Indra, both Chinese and Japanese myths, the Mayan Rain Gods, the Egyptian sea dragon/serpent Apophis and pursuer Re, and even many early Semitic stories.



From the very start Dragons were seen as guarding treasures, holding back the floods, and dispensing knowledge. They also are battled by gods or heros from the very beginning. In many cases stories from the Sumerians were borrowed and slightly changed by the preceding civilizations. These same stories were very similar in content but with the actual names of the participants changed.

The first written commentary, found on clay tablets, uses the names of Asag, a monster/dragon (sometimes named as Kur) and Ninurta, a god/hero. Later we are introduced to this same god/hero as Marduk by the Babylonians and the dragons name has been changed to Tiamet. There is some confusion here as the preserved evidence is not in good shape or complete.

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In the Babylonian version called the "Enuma elish" Tiamet is one of the original pair of god and goddess at the founding of the universe. From these two all later creatures, good or bad, came into creation. This Goddess is in effect the "mother of all."



In the beginning of the tale Tiamet defends her offspring and all of creation from all the minions and forces of evil. But later, when her husband Apsu is killed, she apparently goes mad and decides to end all creation in her grief. This irrational action pits her against all the other Gods and one of her offspring, named Marduk, is talked into opposing her.



In the fight that ensues Marduk finally kills her by shooting an arrow into her mouth as she tries to swallow him. She is a shape shifter as most or all early Dragons are assumed to be so fought him in different guises. Even time seems to be effect which will come up again in the dragons versions. After the battle he uses her dragon body to form the earth and from death we have life and substance.

The first epic of the hero or human and dragon encounter is the "Epic of Gilgamesh." This we know of by clay tablets from Semitic origin. But these tablets are telling about much earlier versions of the story. Here the hero is pitted against a Dragon named Humbaba who also has shape shifting abilities. Gilgamesh with the aid of the god Shamash finally kills the Dragon but gets in trouble with those other gods who were friends with or supported the Dragon and so has a pyrrhic victory and some penalties for his action are imposed.



Not much later we find the Egyptians with a similar story of either Re the sun god or Seth the hero destroying the snake or Dragon named Apophis. Again there is much confusion and contradictions. In this story both the side of good and the side of evil have attributes of the dragon. So once again we see the idea that the winner of the contest with the dragon take on the attributes of the dragon.

The Hittites have a story of the battle of a storm god with the Dragon named Illuyankas which also has contradictions and different versions but also follows the earlier stories in general details.

Later on we get several versions from the Grecian civilization. There is the story of Zeus fighting Typhon. Typhon is described as "Up from his shoulders there grew a hundred snake heads, those of a dreaded dragon." We will deal with the relationship between snakes and dragons a little latter. But suffice for now to say they are essentially the same. And again this monster/dragon is slain by a mighty thunderbolt from Zeus.

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Very similar to this is the story of Apollo and Python. Python is alternately described in different versions of the story as a giant snake or a female dragon with many coils. In any case in some versions she is killed by Apollo when the young god shoots an arrow down her throat. But in other version she is taken into his service and becomes a protected oracular serpent at Delphi. It is interesting to note that both Grecian and Romans had serpents or dragons that were kept at various temples including Delphi that were considered to have great knowledge.

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It is also interesting that Hercules himself consulted the Oracle of Delphi and was directed on his "12 labors" by the advice he got their. Included in his labors were the destroying of the dragons Ladon and Hydra of the Seven heads.



A good example of another Greek hero is Perseus who instead of fighting for good versus evil killed a dragon that was about to devour the princess Andromeda in order to marry her and gain a kingdom. The dragon was sent by the god Poseidon or Neptune to avenge an insult.



Another hero dragonslayer was Jason who along with his companions the Argonauts had to overcome the unsleeping "dragon of a thousand coils" who guarded the golden fleece. In one version the dragon is ensorcelled into sleeping and they stole away unharmed with the treasure. In another Jason fought the dragon who was a sea dragon and lost the fight and so was swallowed. it was only by intersession of the god Athene that the dragon gave up her prey.



An interesting story related to Jason is that of Cadmus who later went on to be the King of Thebes. He was also given advice by the Oracle of Delphi (who was herself a dragon) that eventually led him to fight and kill a golden crested dragon at the spring of Ares. For killing this dragon Cadmus was forced to serve the god Ares for a year but was then allowed to found his city from the children of the dragons teeth.

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"The Immortals Kiss"
11:05 Feb 05 2006
Times Read: 556

I shifted in my chair as his gaze fell upon me at the party that night. I knew at once that he was different. His stare induced fear into my body, and I trembled. My hands trembled, as I held my drink on that night. My heart raced as I saw him stand from his seat across the room and slowly make his way through the crowd. His body moved with such grace and determination, I could not help but gasp as he stepped in front of me. His hand reached down and pushed my drink gently to the table. I gazed up at him, captivated by his beautiful eyes. He took my hand in his, smiling.



"May I have the honor, my lady, of a simple dance?"



His voice was deep and smooth, unfaltering. I stared at him in awe, the most magnificent creature in the world, standing in front of me. I smiled and nodded slowly. He led me by the hand out onto the floor. He slid his hands to my waist slowly; I wrapped my arms around his neck. As we swayed there, my mind raced, asking me questions I knew the answers to. What I am doing here? What was I getting myself into? I didn’t want to answer them. The song seemed to last for hours, as it ended he took my hands in his. He led me out onto the balcony, where the moon shone brightly on his pale face. His Brown eyes gazed penetratingly into mine, as if he could see inside of me. He brought his hand to my face and traced my lips with his thumb. I trembled, wanting him badly.



"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked softly, his voice a passionate song to my heart.



I nodded.



We walked along the street, in the moonlight, his hand wrapped gently around mine. We had walked for nearly two hours, when we stopped. He looked, once again, into my eyes, seemingly looking for something. He looked down quickly, almost ashamed. I pushed his head up again with a finger.



"What?" I asked. "Is there something wrong with me?"



"No…never, it’s just that…" he looked away again, "oh nothing."



"Please, tell me?" I asked gently.



He looked at me again, this time sadly.



"You are so perfect, and I, so wretched." He looked into my eyes as he spoke the word ‘perfect’.



I laughed. "Perfect! Not hardly kind Sir."



He looked deeper into my eyes. "More perfect than you shall ever know. So pure, so good…so beautiful. Perfect."



"Why did we stop?" I asked half to myself.



He pointed to a tall mansion on the hill where we stood.



"My home, sweet Lady." He bowed gracefully.



He led me up the walk, my eyes wandering back and forth upon his nightly garden. He opened the massive door slowly, beckoning me inside. I entered the huge ballroom slowly, in awe and wonderment. He led me again, to a smaller room, the library as I remember it. The walls were lined with books, many older than this room. He motioned to a small, crimson cushioned couch. I sat. He walked out of the room, re-entering quickly with two small glasses of red wine. He handed one to me; I smiled and thanked him. He sat next to me on the couch, smiling at me. His face was beautiful, in this shallow light, his dark hair shining lightly. I returned the smile. He introduced himself as John, and nothing more. He hushed my lips as I attempted to tell him mine.



"I shall know, when the time is right." He said, releasing my lips from under his finger.



I nodded and sipped my wine. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it quickly, but not quickly enough. I saw them, four small fangs, jutting from his jaw. Two on the top, and two on the bottom. He covered his mouth and looked away slowly, seeing that I knew. I slipped my hand to his shoulder, telling him, without words, that I would not hate him for it. He turned back to me, on his face was a look of pain and suffering. I wanted to know, wanted to know everything. He told me. He talked for hours; I listed for the same hours. We drank wine, he cried, I cried, we held each other. It was the most intimate night of my life. He told me of his life, of his loneliness, of his fears, of his desires and dreams. I listened, wanting him badly. I was getting tired, but didn’t want it to end. Once, as I held him, I told him I wanted it. He had looked up at me, and smiled slightly, then laid his head on my shoulder again and continued telling his story. I was captivated, by his voice, his words, his entire being.



"You are tired my Lady." He said once.



I shook my head and he shrugged. A while later I yawned slightly.



"You are tired, I shall end here, and let you sleep."



He took my hand and led me up a huge and winding staircase. I stumbled from weariness, and dazedness from his story. He lifted me up and carried me into a large elegant room. He laid me gently on the bed, smiling. I smiled back, barely believing that this was real. He pulled my dress over my head when I sat up, noticing that I was clearly too tired to do it myself. He laid me back on the big canopy bed and smiled at me. He leaned down slowly, as I reached up to touch his face, and kissed me so gently and passionately I felt as if a thousand birds were singing in my heart. I returned the kissed and pulled him closer to me. I lay on the bed, kissing the most wonderful man in the world, and thought about my earlier request. As if reading my thoughts, he lifted his face from mine, and looked into my eyes.



"Take from me, please." I nearly begged him.



"I can’t," he shook his head, "I can’t do that."



I begged him; I could see the hunger in his eyes, the need for it. I needed it too. And then, he kissed my lips, as I have never been kissed before. I knew then, that I wanted him, that I needed him, that we needed each other. I wrapped my arms around him; he touched my face tenderly. He kissed my chin, my throat, my neck. I trembled with fear and excitement. His kisses got softer as each passed. Then, I felt his body tremble, he could fight the urge no longer. I sighed dreamily as I felt his tongue on my neck. His fangs grew slightly sharper, and he slid them softly into my flesh. My body tensed with the pain that shot through it, but soon, the pain subsided and turned to a beautiful feeling. If I were you find the words to describe that feeling, I would be the poet, which had accomplished all unreachable tasks. He drew the blood softly from my body, as I faded in and out of consciousness. He pulled away from me, breathing heavily, and put his hand on my face. His thumb traced my lips and I smiled. I closed my eyes and opened them slowly. When I had opened them again, I saw blood dripping from a wound on his wrist.



"Drink of me, and we shall be immortal together."



I pressed my lips to his wound, swallowing slowly, and sucking lightly. He pulled away, and kissed me. My head felt light and airy, and I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. I woke to darkness; I could hear him breathing heavily, somewhere in the room. I sat up slowly as the room began to materialize before me. I saw him now, his head leaned on the edge of the bed, he was sitting on the floor near where I sat. He was where he had been when I fell asleep. I looked around, then stood, careful not to wake him. I dressed, and went downstairs. I made myself coffee, I didn’t drink it. I looked out the window; the moon was out already. I heard him stir in the room above me. I walked up the stairs and into the room silently, to see him standing at the bed, looking down at it sadly. I knocked on the door lightly, he spun around quickly. A bright smile crossed his face at the sight of me. I smiled back. He walked to me quickly and lifted me in the air.



"And now ends my stories of loneliness and sorrow, and so begins a tale of love and joy." He kissed me.



He took me to see the world, everywhere I always dreamed of. Which is where I leave you now. I shall always be with my love, John, and he will always be with me. And so ends this tale, of love and joy.

10:59 Feb 05 2006
Times Read: 558








Adapted from folklore by:

Evelyn McCray and Craig Dominey



Now, I know y'all think the Devil is a little red man with horns growing out of his head with a red tail and a pitchfork. Well, the folks down in south Alabama say that just ain't so. They say the Devil is nothin' but an ol' trixster, just like Brer Rabbit. And you all know how Brer Rabbit's always going around trickin' folks, especially Brer Fox and Brer Bear.



Well, that ol' Devil was travelin' back and forth all over Alabama trickin' folks. What he liked to do most of all was to get loving couples to start fightin' with one another. He had husbands and wives and boyfriends and girlfriends fightin' all over the place. Once the Devil came a-callin', it wasn't long before somebody said the wrong thing to their mate, or somebody forgot an anniversary, or one person cheated on the other. Pretty soon, the loving couple would fight and split up, and the Devil would strut down the road toward the next house, laughin' all the way!



Well, the Devil was doing a pretty good job until he came across a couple of newlyweds down in the valley. They were so lovey-dovey that the Devil couldn't get them to part, no matter how hard he tried. After several days, the Devil got real frustrated and just gave up on those two lovebirds.



The Devil was walkin' down the road all discouraged when he ran across a strange woman who was as barefoot as an ol' possum. The Barefoot Woman looked at the Devil and said, "What's wrong with you, Mister Devil? You sick or somethin'?"







"Nah," said the Devil, "I've just been tryin' to break up that couple down in the valley. But they're so lovey-dovey, I can't get 'em to part."



"Shoot, is that all?" said the Barefoot Woman. "Listen, I'll make you a deal. I ain't ever had a new pair of shoes before. If you'll get me a brand new pair of fancy red shoes, I'll part that couple for you."



"If you can get 'em to part, I'll get you the most expensive shoes in town," said the Devil. "But you don't get 'em 'til after you do the job."



"No problem," said the Barefoot Woman. "You just meet me down at the crossroads tomorrow evenin' with my shoes."





-1-

The next morning, the Barefoot Woman baked a mouth-watering apple pie and went up to the newlyweds' home in the valley. The Husband was in the field chopping cotton, his shirt soaked with sweat. The Barefoot Woman asked if she could visit with his Wife, for she had just moved into the valley, and she wanted to get to know her new neighbors. The Husband smiled and pointed the Barefoot Woman toward the house.







The Wife invited the Barefoot Woman in and they began to chatter away. The Barefoot Woman took a seat and began to praise everything in the house as the "prettiest thing she ever saw" - the kitchen, the dishes, the furniture, even the ol' rooster outside! The Wife thanked her for all her kind words and gave her a bucket of freshly-picked blackberries.



"Yessir, everything in this house is pretty," said the Barefoot Woman. "But you know what the prettiest thing of all is? You are."



The Wife blushed and said, "Oh, no, I'm not the prettiest. My husband is prettier than I am."



"Yeah, yeah, he's pretty alright," said the Barefoot Woman. "But he'd be even prettier if he didn't have that big ol' flesh-mole on his neck with those ugly black hairs stickin' out."



The smile briefly faded on the Wife's face, and she said, "Yeah, I know. He's pretty embarrassed 'bout it. But I'm used to it by now."



"You don't have to get used to it," said the Barefoot Woman. "Why don't you just cut it off?"



The Wife's jaw dropped. "I couldn't do that!" she exclaimed. "He'd bleed to death!"



"Naw, he wouldn't," said the Barefoot Woman. "Here's what you do: take a razor with you to bed tonight. When he's fast asleep, reach over and whack that thing off real fast. Then dab his neck with some spider webs to stop the bleeding. He won't even know you did it 'til the next morning. And I'm sure he'll thank you for it!"



The Wife finally agreed to do it, thanking the Barefoot Woman over and over again. After telling the Wife good-bye, the Barefoot Woman went outside and visited with the Husband, who was still working in the field.



***********************************

"Boy, you sure is a hard worker," said the Barefoot Woman.



"Yes, ma'am," said the Husband. "But I don't mind it at all, 'cause the harder I work, the more I can give to my beautiful wife. She means the world to me."



The Barefoot Woman chuckled and said, "Yeah, I'm sure she does. But from what I hear, she means the world to somebody else, too."



The Husband stopped working and glared at her. "What you mean by that?" he asked.



"Well, from what I hear, she's seein' another man in town. And one of these nights, if you're not careful, she's gonna do away with you."



The Husband clenched his fists in rage. "Get offa my property, you lyin' ol' hag! Nobody talks 'bout my wife like that!"



The Barefoot Woman shrugged her shoulders and turned away. "Alls I'm sayin' is watch out," she said over her shoulder as she walked back down the road.



Later that evening, the Barefoot Woman snuck back toward the newlyweds' home, hid outside in the smokehouse, and watched the couple through the window as they prepared for bed. Even though he loved his Wife, the Husband had been thinking all day about what the Barefoot Woman had said. He barely spoke a word to his Wife all night, and pretended he was asleep when she crawled into bed beside him.



After midnight, the Wife awoke, saw that her Husband was sleeping, then reached under the bed for the razor. She slowly moved toward her Husband and positioned the razor by the big mole on his neck, ready to cut away.







Suddenly, the Husband opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist with a vise-like grip. "I knew it!" he screamed. "That ol' Barefoot Woman said you's gonna try and kill me so's you could be with your new man!"



"But" protested the Wife.



"I don't want to hear it," screamed the Husband. "Get outta my house, you hear? Get out! And don't you ever come back!"



The Wife cried, packed her things and moved away, her heart broken. And the newlyweds never saw each other again.





************************************







-4-



The next evening, the Barefoot Woman went down to the crossroads to meet the Devil, just as they had arranged. When she got there, she found the Devil holding out a brand new pair of red shoes to her on the end of a long stick.



"What's goin' on here?" she asked. "Why you holdin' those shoes out like that? I did what you asked."







"Yeah, you sure did" answered the Devil. "But anybody that can cause that much disturbance, I don't want no part of. Here, take your shoes."



The Barefoot Woman then smiled and said, "Why, Mister Devil, don't you know who I am?"



Suddenly, the Barefoot Woman's skin started smoking like it was on fire. It melted right off her body, and there in the bright moonlight stood the Devil's own wife - Mrs. Devil!



"Mrs. Devil!" exclaimed the Devil. "Why'd you go and trick me like that?"



"Mister Devil, I've been tryin' to get you to buy me a brand new pair of shoes for years, and you been too stingy to do it!"



The Devil stared at the ground and shook his head. "Husband of mine," she said, "don't you ever underestimate the power of a woman - especially your own wife!"



And that's the story of The Barefoot Woman.





- THE END -





What did you think of this story?......MXT!



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a true vampire
01:31 Feb 04 2006
Times Read: 561

"Real Vampires"-how can this be anything but a contradiction in terms? We all know about vampires. Stock characters of fiction, guaranteed box-office draws, the media vampire has been familiar to us since childhood. Generally speaking, our blood-suckers appear with a tongue planted firmly in one toothy cheek-from Bela Lugosi hamming it up in the 1950's, to last summer's teenage "vamp" movies, to Count Chocula breakfast cereal, the media seldom treat the vampire as truly fearsome. The stereotyped vampire traits are familiar to any child: vampires have big fangs, sleep in coffins, are instantly incinerated by sunlight, and are best dispatched by a stake through the heart. But the most important "fact" that we all know of course is that there are no such things.



Of course, in terms of the mythical, literary and cinematic conventions, we are correct: there are no "legions of the undead" stalking the unwary. We have explained the folklore with politics, misunderstood diseases, and hysteria, the literary and cinematic images with psychology, history, and sociology. We of the 20th century are confident that vampires could not really exist. But then, most of us are never forced to think otherwise. For a number of people, the concept of vampires becomes a critical and often lifelong concern. To live with, love, or befriend a real vampire is to encounter a set of problems which may demand expanding the boundaries of one's accepted reality. To come to terms with being a real vampire oneself is to face a lifetime's karmic challenge.



Some people reading this article already know this. The rest are probably thinking, "Real Vampires, give me a break! Sure, there are some pretty weird people out there, but all they need is a good therapist." Yes, there are people who take on all the trappings of a gothic novel: dressing in black, claiming or pretending to be "vampires" in the supernatural sense, wearing capes, sleeping in boxes, even getting their teeth capped. There are more frightening people who seek to torture or kill animals or human beings in order to gain power, emotional release or sexual thrill, and who sometimes call themselves (or are called) "vampires". But most of these individuals are troubled people who have been attracted by the cultural myths about the vampire: supernatural powers (because they feel powerless), overwhelming sexuality (because most of them have sexual issues and no true relationships), immortality (because they fear aging and death). Individuals like these are the most recent "explanation" for humanity's persistent belief in vampires. But beyond and behind all the folklore, the psychological theories, the role playing, even the traditional spiritual assumptions, lies the real truth about vampires.





The field of vampirology is complex and mysterious. There are many aspects to the vampire phenomenon, and they would require several books to fully explore. One aspect of vampirism which frequently troubles magickal, spiritual and other small groups, the most common form of vampire, is found among living people who share with us the benefits and disadvantages of physical existence on this plane, yet are not quite human. These people appear on the surface to be somewhat eccentric members of society, yet their outward idiosyncrasies only hint at how different they are from those around them.



Each of us incarnates for a lifetime with a certain way of relating to the physical world through the vehicle of our physical body. A vampire is a person born with an extraordinary capacity to absorb, channel, transform, and manipulate "pranic energy" or life force. She also has a critical energy imbalance which reels wildly from deficit to overload and back again. This capacity for handling energy is a gift, but the constant imbalance of her own system is the cause of the negative behavior patterns and characteristics which may be notable about a vampiric person.





Real vampires do not necessarily drink blood-in fact, most of them do not. Blood-drinking and vampirism have been confused to the extent that for the average person, a vampire is defined as something that drinks blood (such as a "vampire bat"). But when we look beyond casual assumptions to the details of common beliefs, we find something quite different. Throughout both folklore and literature, there is an understanding that vampires require energy or life force. Many old folktales accept that vampires suck blood, yet never describe this actually happening. The victims slowly decline and waste away, and the survivors assume that some evil fiend is draining them of blood. They know that the Bible says, "the blood is the life", and anyone who was losing their life force must be losing blood. Yet, in many instances the vampire's "attack" does not even involve physical contact. In others, it is clearly sexual energy which is exchanged.1





Fresh blood is the highest known source of pranic energy (life force).2 Human beings have practiced blood-drinking for many reasons throughout history, but drinking blood alone does not indicate that a person is a vampire. Only real vampires can directly absorb the pranic energy in fresh blood, and for this reason some real vampires are attracted to blood and find different means of obtaining it.3 However, it is a rare vampire who cannot absorb energy in much more subtle ways. This is the mechanism that causes real vampires to inflict harm on others and themselves if they fail to recognize what is happening and do conscious work on transforming their inner natures. Vampires are no more likely to be either malicious or spiritually aware than the general population, but without awareness, they can spend their lives making themselves and others unhappy, and will continue to incarnate in this pattern until they take action to change it.



There are a number of external symptoms of vampirism, but it is important to realize that some of them are found in ordinary human behavior. Real vampires are identifiable partly because they have a majority of the symptoms, not just one or two. But more significantly, real vampires are distinguished by a certain quality to the energy. While anyone reading a description of the symptoms and behavior patterns might find a few that apply to people he knows, or even to himself, real vampires have a way of standing out vividly to everyone who interacts with them. There are few people who do not know at least one vampire.



Physically, vampires are usually "night people"" on a biochemical level. They have inverted circadian rhythms, with body cycles such as temperature peaks, menstrual onset, and the production of sleep hormones in the brain occurring at the opposite time of day from most people. They have difficulty adjusting to daytime schedules and frequently work nights. They tend to be photosensitive, avoiding sunlight, sunburning easily, and having excellent night vision. Their vitality ranges widely, and they can be vigorous and active one day, depressed and languorous the next.



They frequently have digestive trouble. Even those with cast-iron stomachs have many issues with food that are rooted in their constant hunger for energy. Contrary to the image of the vampire as thin, many real vampires are troubled by obesity because of a hunger that makes them food addicts, and a system that is sluggish in processing physical food. They are also sometimes troubled by other substance addictions for the same reasons, but since their systems are tuned to pranic energy more than to processing physical substance, they may not be as sensitive to drugs and alcohol as an ordinary person would be.



Emotionally and physically, vampires are unpredictable, moody, temperamental and overwhelming. The major distinguishing characteristic of real vampires as opposed to ordinary people who share those qualities is the vampire's intensity. Vampires are extremely intense people. They are frequently given nicknames such as "the black hole." When others talk about them (usually to complain about them), vampires are often described by such terms as "needy," "attention-seeking," "grandstanding," "manipulative," "exhausting," "draining," "monopolizes the conversation," "jealous," "huge ego," and so on. A vampire's emotions are deep, fervent, and powerful, and she usually displays great psychic ability and has uncontrolled magickal and psychic experiences. Vampires are also empaths, and while they remain unconscious of their natures, they are frequently "psychic sponges" who simply absorb vibrations from everywhere, with the expected emotional instability resulting.





A "hungry" vampire -- one whose energy level is imbalanced to the deficit side -- becomes an involuntary psychic vortex, drawing all pranic energy in the area towards her. When the energy does not flow in fast enough -- and it is typical of vampires that the energy never flows fast enough for them -- she will begin manifesting behavior patterns to increase the amount of conscious attention she gets from others. For this reason, some vampires develop a pattern of being aggressively confrontational, or of constantly antagonizing people with whom they have relationships. Nearly all vampires, whatever ploys they use, have a talent for attracting (or distracting) the attention of everyone present.



Once a vampire overloads on energy, she reverses her behavior patterns. She may become morose, silent, withdrawn and introverted. Some vampires become maniacally cheerful when they are satiated, but even their good moods seem to annoy others, and it is more typical for vampires to be infamous as wet blankets. "Hungry" and "overload" phases can occur within a few minutes or last for days at a time. Vampires are commonly loners, in part because they feel so different from those around them, but also because they have a need to control the degree of contact they have with sources of energy.





Real vampires are not the demonic fiends of Christianized folklore, but as long as they refuse to accept their inner nature, their bad reputation is not undeserved. Unconscious vampires have a tendency to reach adulthood with less than the average level of social skill and general finesse, and tend to be selfish and self-centered. The demands of their own energy systems are so distracting to them that it is difficult for them to pay attention to the needs of others. Their relationships tend to be disasters. Different vampires develop different patterns according to what works best for them in their life situation, but several patterns are common. The "femme fatale" or "lady-killer" vampire forms a continuous series of sexual connections with one partner at a time, dropping each unfortunate lover as they become too exhausted (or defensive) to support the vampire's energy needs. Other vampires form a long-term relationship with a single person: either another vampire whose energy cycle complements their own, or a person who derives satisfaction from being a psychic servant or martyr. A common pattern, especially in young adults, is to continuously join social, religious, political and magickal groups and either blow them apart or end up being thrown out. Vampires may go through roommates, housing situations, magickal groups, jobs and lovers like so much Kleenex.



Many people find that they feel "creepy" or "weird" around a vampire. This is usually due to the effects of one's own life force being drawn towards the vampire's vortex. Most people feel uncomfortable and distracted when their energy is pulled away from themselves. In addition to this, a common result of such an energy drain is for the aura to pull in tightly towards the body, and this causes a prickling sensation on the skin -- the "creepy-crawlies."



It is no more common for vampires to be psychopaths or killers than it is for any random person on the street. However, a prolonged, or very involved, relationship with a vampire can put a severe strain on the emotional and psychic energy systems of an ordinary person. Folklore suggests that victims of a vampire become vampires themselves. In reality, people who have been seriously "drained" -- that is, have had their own energy pulled off balance into a deficit -- also become psychic vortices which pull life force away from other living things. However, they are never as powerful as a true vampire, and unlike vampires, quickly recover and stabilize. True vampires are born the way they are -- no one can be "turned into a vampire." However, years of energy depletion can lead to health problems ranging from depression and malaise to a suppressed immune system and susceptibility to serious illnesses. Most people will break off the relationship before it gets that far.





Many vampires are attracted to magickal paths. In a magickal working group, their ability to wreak havoc is increased because of the psychic openness and trust that exist there. But there can be a benefit, as well. Some vampires become aware of their true natures and choose to undertake serious work to transform themselves. As soon as they begin doing so, they become more acceptable working partners and companions. Once in control of their capacity for handling energy, they become extraordinary magicians and healers. Their ability to hold the attention of others gives them the potential to be fine leaders and teachers. Ultimately, the purpose of vampires is not to plague the universe but to facilitate its healing. Vampirism is the dark, or unfocused, side of a certain kind of psychic talent, one which has been developing for many lifetimes. It is destructive only when a vampire either refuses to face the truth about herself and work with her abilities, or when she chooses to play out a sinister role because of the illusion of power it gives her.



Because of this, many of the vampire characteristics described above are far less evident in the most powerful vampires, the ones who have done considerable work on their inner selves. Many of these are poised, pleasant, competent individuals, with great personal power. They have come to terms with who and what they are, and no longer exhibit the negative qualities associated with "psychic vampirism." 4 Unfortunately, unconscious vampires are far more common than evolved ones, and it is these troubled souls who more usually appear in magickal groups.



There is no "generic advice" to give those who believe they may be dealing with a real vampire. Those who are so inclined might try to help a friend or fellow group member explore their inner nature and come to terms with their destructive behaviors. Those who feel victimized can choose to end the relationship. Each case is different, and can only be judged by the individuals concerned. But it is important for anyone involved in magickal or psychic work to understand that vampires are a real phenomenon, and that, like all perils, they should not be greeted with fear or anger. Nothing is evil by nature -- only by choice. Terror of discovery (followed by ridicule or rejection) inhibits the self-development of many real vampires. When they reach out for friendship, they are often reaching out for help.





A person who believes she may be a real vampire herself has a long and difficult process ahead of her. The most important step on her path is complete self-awareness: of her relationships, patterns, energy levels, and all other personal qualities. The most challenging work may often be summarized in the simplest of terms. Knowledge, awareness, and control are the lessons real vampires must learn in order to harness their abilities. If real vampires are not the immortals of fiction, they can at least be confident of one thing: for better or worse, they will keep the qualities they develop for many lives to come.



(The author welcomes inquiries from readers with a personal interest in the subject of vampirism. She is available at vyrdolak@net1plus.com. Readers wishing for more information about vampire lore in general are referred to the Bibliography.)