Curious to discover what the snake symbolizes, we dedicate this simple and complete guide to you. The many fascinating meanings attributed to our brand’s favorite animal will no longer hold any secrets for you!
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Most people are frightened by this creature, so much so that they are unaware of the deep meanings of the snake and its spiritual symbolism. 🤔
It was the first animal to be given a meaning by Man: the Bible mentions a living snake in the Garden of Eden, in the Old Testament. It is because of this evil ophidian present in the Christian imagination, that snakes have a bad reputation today in the West.
Each culture having developed its own symbolism of the snake 🐍, there are an enormous number of diverse symbols attached to this animal. However, certain meanings are common to a large number of peoples, living (or having lived) sometimes very far from each other.
1) The Snake and its Spiritual Symbolism
Among the many spiritual symbolism of the snake we find:
Knowledge 📚
Cunning and/or perfidy
Wisdom
Change
Rebirth
Transformation and transmutation
This animal changes regularly during its existence, losing its old skin and rebuilding a new one. It symbolizes the cycle of life.
This meaning is embodied by the Ouroboros, the famous snake that bites its tail 🔄. The latter symbolizes balance, the eternity of creation, the cyclical aspect of the universe, and immortality. The symbol of the snake eating its own tail can therefore be compared to the Chinese symbol of Yin-Yang.
The snake is linked to the earth because it crawls on the ground. It is an allegory of the primordial force animating all life. By its fine phallic form, it also represents the “umbilical cord” linking men to Mother Earth.
Finally, the snake very often symbolizes the connection between two opposing forces: good and evil, the moon and the sun, water and fire 💧/🔥. This animal is therefore the embodiment of duality and the search for balance.
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2) Symbolism of the Snake in Psychoanalysis
The symbol of the snake in psychoanalysis is positive. As a spiritual animal, the snake slithers into your life to make significant changes. It wants you to let go of the past, your guilt, and focus on the present ⌚. When the snake sheds its skin, it invites you to let go of your old perceptions of things so that a new “you” can be reborn.
Since it also wants your spirituality to grow, the snake will watch over your journey to a better tomorrow ☀️. Expect the snake to warn you when you are going too fast, and to guide you in the right direction when you are lost.
According to Sigmund Freud, a renowned psychoanalyst, the snake is a phallic symbol representing the male sex. It therefore embodies desire and sexual drive. 💘
In the thesis of a second famous psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the snake is rather this representation of the couple of opposites described above (night/day, shadow/light, good/evil, …).
3) The Symbol of the Intertwined Serpents
The image of two snakes coiled together in a spiral is common to many cultures. This union can symbolize several things:
The connection between the primary forces
The duality of opposites ✅❌
The spiritual communication
The union with the divine
The magical or organic joining of what was once fragmented
Medicine and the medical sciences (see caduceus below)
The two coiled snakes may also recall the formation of DNA in double helix 🧬. In this they symbolize the connection of the mind to the body, and thus a form of wisdom. Understanding the meaning a culture gives to this symbol with entangled snakes, tells us a lot about it.
4) The Snake as a Totem Animal
A) Meaning of the Snake Totem
The Snake as a totem animal represents the duality of good 😇 and evil 😈. People with the Snake as their totem tend to be able to do both. They are usually dynamic and impulsive. For this reason, they need to be wary of their decisions. For example, an unexpected trip can be disastrous, but it can also be a lot of fun. As long as you plan for the unexpected, you are safe from danger.
Your friends and family feel your presence as pleasant and protective. People born under the Snake totem pole are cunning and very flexible. They can adapt quickly to any situation, and turn it to their advantage.
These people are born with the ability to get rid of guilt, and may be attracted to occult knowledge as with Witchcraft 🧙🏼, or Shamanism. But they can also make excellent healers due to their natural ability to balance energies, and their great life energy.
B) The Different Snake Totems
There are two main types of Snake totems, relating to the two hunting methods used by these reptiles.
Constrictor Snake Totem: people with a constrictor type snake totem are powerful and intimidating 💪. However, they can also be gentle. They are also able to take action to achieve their goals. People with the constrictor snake totem are focused, trust their instincts and can sense other worlds. However, they sometimes tend to “bite off more than they can chew,” but they always seem to land on their feet. People with the constrictor snake totem should be careful not to overprotect their friends and loved ones, or they may suffocate them.
Venomous Snake Totem: People with a poisonous snake totem are magnetically charismatic. They communicate very well and warn others before they strike. People with this type of spirit animal move quickly through transformations and stages of life. They will also defend their position when a situation becomes difficult ⚔️. However, they know when it is appropriate to retreat. People with this snake totem heal quickly and effectively from past traumas. They also spend time detoxing from outside forces that pollute their energy body.
The snake totem, like all the other totem animals, is closely linked to Astrology. If you wish to deepen your knowledge in this fascinating field, our team advises you this Astrology Site. It was created 14 years ago by a professional astrologer. This site is the reference in the field to bring answers to your questions 👍.
5) Symbolism of the Snake in the Civilizations
A) Symbolism of the Snake in the Bible
Snakes are mentioned several times in the Bible. The best known appearance of a Snake in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 3. Nahash (Hebrew term) the serpent in the Garden of Eden, convinces Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge 🌳 (not to be confused with the Tree of Life). But the Bible also mentions the serpent in Exodus chapters 4 and 7, and in Numbers.
In the Exodus passages, God transforms Moses’ staff, his attribute, into a serpent to show him his power. This, by the way, also impresses Pharaoh 😮! While in Numbers, Moses hangs a bronze snake from a staff to heal the plagues of the Hebrews, especially snakebites.
In all these passages, snakes are associated with the supernatural, although they can be benevolent or dangerous. Most people associate the serpent in Genesis with Satan 😈. But the Devil is not identified as the snake, or as having possessed the snake in the ancient texts. The snake simply displays cunning, and plays the role of a trickster who brings temptation. The role of the serpent in Genesis is to introduce free will into the mind of Man, teaching him about Good and Evil via the famous Original Sin.
B) Symbolism of the Snake in Egypt
The Snake in Egypt was worshipped as a benevolent goddess. This deity is personified in the Uraeus, a sacred object in the shape of a cobra, symbol of the Egyptian deity Wadjet. She was one of the first Egyptian goddesses, often depicted as a cobra. She was worshipped as the goddess of the Nile Delta, and the protector of all Lower Egypt. Her image (the Uraeus) was worn by pharaohs as an ornament atop the crown surrounding the heads of Egyptian kings 👑. The pharaoh was recognized only by wearing the uraeus, which gave him legitimacy.
Generally speaking Egyptians often adorned themselves with jewelry featuring a snake like this Egyptian Style Snake Bracelet, in order to gain the favor of the Nile Delta goddess.
C) Native American Symbolism of the Snake
Snakes are revered in the mythology of some California Native American Cultures. In the Anishinaabe tribes, it was believed that the venom of the snake could cure diseases, so it became the Symbol of Healing. Some Indian tribes associate the snake with fertility because of its phallic form.
D) Celtic Symbolism of the Snake
The viper 🐍 can withstand the cold, making it the only species of snake that the ancient Celts could observe at the time. These snakes burrow deep into the belly of the earth, so the Celts saw in them the Symbol of Human Fertilization and therefore the balance between male and female power, complementary to give life.
The horned deity Celtic Cernunnos, holds a snake, which indicates that he is the master of creation, fertility and cosmic balance. Creature of mystical origin, the Celts consider the snake as the guardian of the beyond.
E) Pre-Columbian Symbolism of the Snake
The snake is the most venerated creature in Mayan symbolism. Its ability to swallow all of its prey is considered magical and is a representation of Metamorphosis. What we see as food, the Maya see as transformation. In addition, the mouth of the snake is seen as a symbol of the gaping void that connects the snake to the mystical.
Although Ixchel is the Mayan goddess of the jaguar, the snake in her hair signifies the complete transformation of the mind, soul and body. It is said to encourage people to enter the unknown (the mouth of the snake), to be consumed 🔥, and to emerge deeply transformed.
F) Meaning of the Snake in Buddhism
In the Buddhist religion the snake as such is seen as a creature of mystery and darkness. It embodies the hidden part of the soul, the subconscious mind that generates unconscious thoughts and feelings.
But there are also in Buddhism beings half-man, half-serpent: the nagas. These beings are venerated as protectors of the mother of snakes and companions of the god Vishnu. It is moreover Ananta, a serpent with multiple heads, who watches over this sleeping god by protecting him from the primordial waters.
If you are interested in the Buddhist culture and adept at this spirituality, we can only advise you to have a look at the Buddha Power store. There you will find the ideal companions for relaxation or meditation sessions 🙏.
6) Symbolism of the Snake in Dreams
A) Omens in Snake Dreams
The meaning of a Snake Dream is explained by the colors, nature and actions of the creature that appeared to us 💭. There are a huge number of interpretations of omens related to Snakes.
When the Snake visits your dream, he is signaling you to get rid of your habits. It invites you to seek to improve yourself, to get rid of your “old skin” and bad emotions, in order to transform them into something bigger and better. The animal wants you to understand that these changes are good for you.
Dreaming of a snake can symbolize your fear and anxiety about sex. You may be inexperienced in this area, which makes you nervous and anxious. If you are afraid of the snake, it may mean that you fear sex, intimacy or commitment 💍.
In yoga symbolism, the snake can open the Chakras. It represents the energy coiled on the bottom of your spine: the Kundalini. This is where creativity and emotions sit. Thus, snake dreams speak to your deepest desires and motivations. Seeing a Snake in your dream can be an omen to stay connected to yourself, so that you can connect to your environment in order to grow spiritually. Only in this way can you then free yourself from the chains of your past ⛓️.
B) Meaning of Snake Dream
Some snake dreams are more pleasant than others. But all of them have a hidden meaning that you need to know if you want to understand your dreams. Usually snake dreams do not allow you to identify the snake in question. In this case, here is a short list of possible meanings:
Dream of snake without head or eyes: warns you that a danger is near and you ignore it ⚠️.
Dream of a snake eating its own tail: reminds you that there is life after death, hope after failure.
Being bitten by a snake in dream: your hidden fears and worries resurface.
Dream of snake skin: you are protected from diseases.
Dream of intertwined snakes: reveals an inner turmoil and confusion in you.
Dream of coiled snake: reveals the need to quickly seize an opportunity that presents itself to you.
Dream of an ascending snake: a dream of a White Snake that seems to drift upward is positive. This vision indicates a renewal of self, positive change and spiritual enlightenment.
Wounded or dead snake dream: this is a warning that you need to make an effort to move in a positive direction in your life, before it is too late ⌚.
If you can identify the snake in your vision, it is not by chance. In this case, here are the possible meanings:
Viper Dream: warns you that there is someone in your inner circle of friends and family, whom you cannot trust. Watch for signs of hypocrisy.
Anaconda Dream: You can’t control everything, sometimes you have to let things happen on their own.
Boa Dream: you hold on too tightly to those you love, to the point of suffocating them.
Cobra Dream: Stay alert and ready to seize unexpected opportunities quickly. You’ll only succeed if you’re sharp 💨.
Dream of Python: you are a powerful person, but you have to maintain this power until the right moment so that nothing resists you.
Dream of rattlesnake: reminds you that you must be attentive to the warnings of others, be respectful of their limits ⛔.
7) The Symbol of the Snake in Medicine
Present in many myths, the symbol of the snake has not disappeared today. In many countries, especially in Europe, the emblem of Medicine is represented by a Snake of Aesculapius entangled around the Staff of Asclepius ⚕️ (or “Medical Caduceus”). Son of Apollo, Asclepius is the god of medicine in Greek mythology. Today his name is mentioned in the Hippocratic Oath, which all Western physicians must take before practicing.
The Staff of Asclepius is different from the Cup of Hygeia (or “Pharmaceutical Caduceus”), the symbol of Pharmacy. The Cup of Hygeia takes the form of a wine glass with a snake wrapped around it. The snake represents the patient who chooses to rely on medicine to heal himself.
These two artifacts should not be confused with the Caduceus of the Greek god Hermes. It is a stick around which two snakes are intertwined. The Caduceus of Hermes symbolizes commerce 💲 and eloquence (Hermes being the god of commerce), as well as medicine in America.
8) What does the snake symbolize today?
Since time immemorial, people have worn jewellery with the image of snakes. And even today the jewelry representing snakes is very trendy! Their success comes as much from their symbolism as from their unique and original style.
At Snake Spirit™, we want to contribute to perpetuate this timeless style through our Snake Jewelry! If you are looking for different jewelry with a thousand year old symbolism, then you are at the right place! Our wide range of jewelry will delight you: like this precious Snake Ring, this Snake Skin Bracelet or this highly symbolic Snake Necklace!
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Present in many cultures around the world, the symbolism of the snake has always fascinated people. This animal has the richest symbolism of all animals. It is therefore not surprising that the mythology of the snake is also one of the richest.