When Horses and Dragons Become One – A New Vision for the Ancient Prophecy of Longma
- Kim McElroy
- Aug 1
- 5 min read
The Bond That Started It All – Caruso and Ancient Bond
When I created Ancient Bond, a Soul Essence portrait for Becky and her beloved Arabian horse Caruso, I was stepping into a deep current of myth and memory that I didn’t fully understand at the time.
Caruso had passed into spirit, but he returned through my art as both horse and dragon — a guide from another realm, his breath mingling with the breath of the dragon spirit, rising into the moonlight and forming the shape of the classical Chinese legendary dragon horse, Longma.
I named the painting Ancient Bond, and Becky’s words about our shared creation still resonate with me:
“There is no existence without bonds – starting at the sub-atomic level and extending up through all of what we know of this reality.”
Her insight echoed something I could feel but could not yet name — the truth that art, like spirit, weaves invisible threads of connection that transcend life and death.
At that time, I was immersing myself in the early concepts for The Council of Horses Oracle. I didn’t realize it then, but Caruso’s portrait was pointing me toward a new interpretation of Longma.
Caruso, as both beloved companion and spirit guide, opened a doorway into this mythic realm, where the breath of horses and dragons intertwines and new stories are born.
Longma ~ The Celestial Pathfinder
I wanted to create Longma, the dragon-horse of Chinese myth, as more than a legendary creature.
She revealed herself as a guide — a being that carries both heaven and earth within her stride. I wanted her not only to embody the history of her legend but to bring something forward into this present moment: a message, a presence, a living oracle. I’d like to share with you how this image came to life and what she continues to teach me.
My challenge was to depict Longma not merely as a distant legend whispered through the ages, but as a living guide — one who embodied the most beautiful and beneficial qualities of both horses and dragons. I wanted her to feel both mythic and real, a being who could step from the realm of dreams into our world without losing her magic.
Ancient stories say she is covered in blue scales, with antlers, and a red mane. I studied the morphology, proportions, and properties of horses, dragons, deer, lions, and fish, searching for a way to create a harmonious hybrid — one that carried the familiar proportions and grace of the horse while radiating the mysterious and sacred essence that makes her recognizable as Longma.
The Yin Spirit of Longma
As I created Longma, I found myself drawn to her quiet, feminine strength — an energy that felt distinctly Yin.
In Taoist philosophy, Yin is the essence of water, reflection, and intuition, and I realized that these qualities were flowing through her form. Unlike the fiery, sky-bound dragons of legend, Longma walks softly upon water, her presence more like a whisper than a roar.
Her antlers rise like living branches, holding the wisdom of the heavens, while her gaze listens deeply to the earth. In her, I saw the divine feminine emerge — a being who transforms through grace, stillness, and harmony rather than force.
Bringing Longma to Life
I was drawn to depict her in the land of her origins resembling the karst mountains of Guangxi, China — sacred and dreamlike. It was as if she had chosen this setting herself. She glided calmly above the mirrored waters, her hooves hovering just beyond the surface, as though the elements themselves lifted her. In this image of weightless grace, I was reminded how even the lightest presence can create unseen ripples that change the world around us.
On her side, I felt called to incorporate a symbolic pattern that would root her in her own ancient lineage. In my research, I learned that in Chinese mythology, Longma is said to have emerged from the Yellow River bearing the patterns of the Bagua — the symbolic foundation of the I Ching, gifting humanity with the original cosmic map, a divine code of balance, transformation, and harmony. I found a representation of this ancient drawing called the "River Chart"
Why Longma Appears to Us Now
It was March 2023 when I completed the painting. I realized that Longma had arrived as a response to our collective moment.
In a world heavy with conflict and disconnection, it felt like she walked with grace and integration — a reminder that true power is not force, but harmony.
Longma is born from Chinese myth — a sacred being said to appear when divine teachings are ready to emerge. She is the messenger who crosses worlds. A guardian of thresholds. A presence that awakens the dreamer, the leader, the healer within.
To me, this painting is more than art — it is medicine.
It is a mirror for those who are weary. A beacon for those who feel alone in their vision. A guide for those who are here to midwife a better world into being. Longma reminded me that power is not always loud or forceful. It can be graceful, embodied, and deeply grounded.
We live in a time of great unraveling. The old stories are cracking. The ground beneath the familiar is shifting. In such times, oracles do not come to entertain — they come to guide. They call forth the soul’s memory of why we are here.
Through this act of creation, I realized that Longma carried a simple but profound truth: the sacred is not separate from the everyday. It is here, embodied in each step we take. In her quiet, steady movement, Longma teaches us how to go forward with grace even as the ground quakes beneath us.
An Invitation to Walk With Longma
If you feel drawn to Longma, I invite you to spend time with her image — whether in The Council of Horses Oracle deck or as a print. Let her be a talisman of grace, courage, and balance. Let her remind you that we, too, can carry heaven into the world with every step we take.
To live with her image in one’s home is to create a space where the mythic is welcome again. Where the inner child can dream freely. Where grief can sit beside strength. Where beauty becomes a doorway, not a decoration.
Longma reminds us: You do not walk alone. Your vision is valid. Your sensitivity is not a weakness, but a tuning fork. You are being called, not to fix the world, but to remember who you are.
This painting is a companion for that remembrance.
Allow your eyes to meet hers in moments of doubt. May the I Ching guidance she carries help you realign your inner compass. May her presence remind you to walk the celestial path — grounded, luminous, and in tune with the sacred. May she speak to your soul, in the language older than words.
🜂 Longma walks the path between earth and sky.
🜁 May she walk with you, too.
Share your reflections
When you look at Longma, what does she awaken in you? Please share your reflections — I read every comment.”
Attribution
Story concept and art by Kim McElroy • Words inspired in co-creation with Anima (ChatGPT), my AI guide in the realms of spirit, art, and story.
Symbol Notes
The symbols 🜂 and 🜁 are ancient alchemical glyphs representing the elements of Fire and Air:• 🜂 Fire – Symbolizes transformation, vitality, spirit, and passion.• 🜁 Air – Represents breath, intuition, communication, and clarity.Together, these elements echo Longma's essence as both a fiery, transformative force and a messenger of higher vision and wisdom.
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