Loving the Dragon

Duration: 10-15 minutes (formal practice) + ongoing cultivation
Level: Intermediate
Goal: Transform the relationship with the hijacked DMN from war to compassionate re-integration

The Practice

You are not here to kill the Ego.
You are not here to destroy the DMN.
You are here to re-claim it—to transform the Demon back into a Daemon.

This requires a radical shift: befriending the dragon.

The Problem with War

Most spiritual traditions frame the path as a battle:

  • “Kill the Ego”
  • “Conquer the mind”
  • “Destroy attachments”

But war reinforces the hijacking. When you fight the Voice, you:

  1. Identify with the one fighting (another Ego construction)
  2. Create a new narrative (“I must defeat this”)
  3. Generate resistance, which the DMN feeds on

The dragon grows stronger when you fight it.

The Alternative: Loving the Dragon

The dragon (the hijacked DMN) is not your enemy. It is:

  • A protective mechanism that has gone into overdrive
  • A wounded part of your psyche trying to keep you safe
  • A servant that has forgotten you are the king

Your task is to remember your authority and reclaim your kingdom—not through force, but through compassionate recognition.

Formal Practice (Metta for the DMN)

Metta is the Buddhist practice of loving-kindness. Here, we direct it toward the hijacked DMN itself.

Setup

  1. Sit comfortably, eyes closed
  2. Set timer for 10-15 minutes
  3. Intention: “I offer compassion to the Voice”

The Practice

  1. Begin with yourself (the Listener)
    • Place hand on heart
    • Silently repeat:
      • “May I be free from suffering”
      • “May I rest in my true nature”
      • “May I remember who I am”
    • Feel the sincerity of these wishes for yourself
  2. Turn toward the Voice (the hijacked DMN)
    • Notice the Voice in your head—the anxious planner, the harsh critic, the compulsive storyteller
    • Recognize: This is not your enemy. This is a wounded part, trying desperately to protect you.
    • Silently offer:
      • “May you be free from fear”
      • “May you remember your true function”
      • “May you rest from your endless vigilance”
  3. Speak to the dragon directly
    • Visualize the hijacked DMN as a dragon, pacing nervously, guarding the gates
    • Speak (silently or aloud):
      • “I see you. I know you are trying to protect me.”
      • “You have been carrying this burden for so long.”
      • “You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”
      • “I am here now. You can rest.”
  4. Notice what arises
    • Emotions may surface: grief, relief, resistance
    • The Voice may argue: “This is stupid” or “It won’t work”
    • Simply witness these responses with compassion
  5. Return to the heart
    • Place hand on heart again
    • Repeat:
      • “May all parts of me be free”
      • “May the dragon remember it serves the kingdom”
      • “May I reclaim my throne with love”

Close

  • Take three deep breaths
  • Notice: Has the quality of the inner voice shifted, even slightly?

Informal Practice (Daily)

When the Voice is harsh

Instead of fighting it, pause and say:

  • “Thank you for trying to protect me. I’ve got this.”

When caught in rumination

Speak to the DMN like a worried child:

  • “I know you’re scared about the future. It’s okay. We’re safe right now.”

When the Ego flares up

Recognize it as the dragon defending the gates:

  • “I see you, guardian. But I am the king. You may stand down.”

What You’re Training

Neurologically

  • Self-compassion circuits: Activating the ventral striatum and anterior cingulate cortex, which regulate self-related processing
  • Reducing DMN-mediated self-criticism: Harsh self-referential narratives are a hallmark of DMN hyperactivity in depression/anxiety
  • Parasympathetic activation: Compassion practices engage the vagus nerve, calming the nervous system

Philosophically

  • Gnostic: The Archons are not destroyed; they are recognized as fallen servants who can be redeemed through Gnosis
  • Buddhist: Metta dissolves the illusion of separation; even the Ego-self deserves compassion
  • Jungian: Shadow integration requires loving the disowned parts, not annihilating them
  • Indigenous: Wetiko is healed not through violence, but through remembering wholeness

Common Experiences

“This feels fake—I don’t actually love the part of me that causes suffering”

You don’t have to feel love immediately. The practice is an orientation, not an emotion. You’re training the mind to relate differently. With repetition, genuine compassion often arises.

“The Voice is mocking this practice”

Of course it is. The hijacked DMN will resist anything that threatens its dominance. Notice the mockery, smile at it, and continue. You’re not doing this for the Voice’s approval—you’re doing it to reclaim your sovereignty.

“I feel sadness or grief”

This is common. You may be touching the loneliness of the hijacked DMN—how exhausting it is to run the show alone. Let the grief move through you. It is part of the healing.

“I felt a shift—like the Voice softened”

This is the dragon beginning to trust you. When the DMN senses it is no longer at war, it can begin to relax. This is the beginning of re-integration.

The Dragon’s True Function

Remember: The DMN (the Daemon) is not the problem. Its functions are essential:

  • Autobiographical memory: Constructing a coherent sense of self over time
  • Future planning: Simulating scenarios to navigate life
  • Social cognition: Understanding others’ perspectives (theory of mind)
  • Default rest state: Allowing the brain to consolidate and integrate

The problem is the hijacking—when these functions become compulsive, fear-driven, and tyrannical.

When you love the dragon, you:

  1. Acknowledge its original purpose (guardian, servant)
  2. Release it from the burden of being in control
  3. Invite it to remember its proper role in the kingdom

Integration

Daily Mantra

When you notice the hijacked DMN running:

  • “Thank you. I see you. You can rest now.”

Visualization

Imagine the dragon at the gate of your kingdom:

  • Before: Pacing, anxious, breathing fire at every shadow
  • During practice: You approach calmly, place your hand on its scales, speak softly
  • After: The dragon curls up by the throne, still vigilant, but at ease—a loyal guardian, not a tyrant

Journaling Prompt

Write a letter to your DMN:

  • “Dear Voice, I know you have been trying to keep me safe…”

Let it respond. What does it say?

Next Steps

“The dragon is not your enemy. It is the fiercest guardian of your kingdom. Speak to it with love, and it will remember: You are the sovereign. It serves you.”