(The
following is from Ted Andrew’s book, Animal-Speak)
Of
all the reptiles – and maybe even all animals – the snake has been the subject
of great controversy and paradox.
Religious sources argue over whether it is the symbol of the higher or
the lower. Sometimes seen as devil and
sometimes seen as healer, it is an animal that truly has earned the mythical
reputation.
In
the Americas,
the snake served as a prominent symbol in art and lore. To the Native Americans, the snake is a
symbol of transformation and healing.
Snake ceremonies involved learning to transmute the poisons within the
body after being bitten multiple times.
Survival of this would then enable the individual to transmute all
poisons – physical or otherwise. It
activated the energy to kill or cure, ultimately leading to dramatic healings.
In
Meso-American societies, the serpent or snake was depicted as feathered and
flying. It was a symbol of their
greatest god and hero, Quetzalcoatl.
Quetzalcoatl’s story is the myth of a dying god who would someday
return. In many ways he was the patron
god of the Toltecs, and it was said that the heavens and stars and all the
motions of the universe were under his dominion. “He was the master of the winds and of the
clouds and the protecting genius of his people.”
In
Greece
the snake was also a symbol of alchemy and healing. The god Hermes carried a staff upon which
were entwined two snakes. This caduceus
symbol is the primary symbol of modern medicine and doctors. It is a symbol of wisdom expressed through
healing.
In
India
the goddess Vinata was the mother of snakes and a symbol of water and the
underworld. Also in India there
were demigods, Nagas and their beautiful wives, Naginis, who were usually
depicted as half cobra and half deity.
The god Vishnu is often depicted sleeping on the serpent of eternity
called Anata. Shiva wears snakes for
bracelets and necklaces, representing sexuality.
The
serpent and the snake has long been a symbol of the sexual/creative life force
within humans as is taught in Eastern traditions. The kundalini or serpent fire lies coiled at
the base of the spine. As we grow and
develop, the primal energy is released, rising up the spine. This in turn activates energy centers in the
body and mind, opening new dimensions and levels of awareness, health, and
creativity.
In
Chinese astrology one of the every twelve years is named for the snake. Those born with that year are believed to
have the qualities of compassion, clairvoyance and charm. They usually need to learn lessons associated
with forgiveness, superstitiousness and possessiveness as well. A study of Chinese astrology will help you
with this.
In
Egypt
the snake has also had mystical significance.
The uraeus is a head band in the shape of the snake. The head of the snake rests and sticks out at
the brow area. It was believed to
represent a state of inner sight and control of the universe. It was a symbol worn by those who were
initiated. Some believe it to be a
variation of the eye of Horus, while others see it as the sacred eye of
Ra. It represented a certain degree of
wisdom and understanding.
Because
it sheds its skin, the snake has long been a symbol of death and rebirth. It sheds its skin as it outgrows the old. This death and rebirth cycle is part of what
snake represents. It has ties and
significance to the ancient alchemists and their symbolic transmutation of lead
into gold. This associated with higher
wisdom that comes with the passing of time.
This cycle of death and rebirth is often symbolized by the ouroborus,
the ancient image of a snake swallowing its own tail. It is a symbol of eternity.
Before
the snake begins to shed its skin, its eyes will begin to cloud over. It gives the snake a trancelike appearance. To many mystics and shamans this indicated
the ability of the snake to move between the realms of the living and the dead,
of crossing over from life to death and then back to life again. As the skin begins to shed, the eyes begin to
clear as if they will see the world anew.
For this reason, alchemists often believed that wisdom and new knowledge
would lead to death and rebirth, enabling the individual to see the world from
an entirely new perspective.
The
snake has often been depicted, along with its relatives, the serpent and
dragon, as a guardian. It is found in
myth and lore guarding treasures, the springs of life, or sacred places. The snake/serpent guarded the tree on which
the Golden Fleece hung in the Greek tale of Jason and the Argonauts.
The
snake is sinuous and fast. Although many
people think of them as slimy, their skin is very dry. In fact, humans are slimier than snakes. If a human runs his or her hand on the floor,
it will pick up dirt. A snake’s skin
will not which is why it is able to slide and move in the manner it does.
A
snake attacks quickly. It raises itself
up and strikes quick, hard and true to its mark. It is not unusual to find that those with
this totem can respond the same way if need be.
It is best not to anger snake people.
Although slow to lose their tempers, once lost, their bite is quick,
sharp and direct. They almost always hit
their mark. They may end up swallowing
you whole or just poisoning you in some way.
Anytime
a snake shows up as a totem, you can expect death and rebirth to occur in some
area of your life. This rarely reflects
an actual death but rather a transition.
Look for a change in conditions and a movement to new life. Examine what is going on around you. Are you needing to make changes but aren’t
for some reason? Are you trying to force
change too quickly? Are you striking out
at people and shouldn’t? Are you not
striking and should? Remember that a
snake not only uses it venom and bite to overcome prey, but also for defense. What is needing to be healed? What new opportunities are surfacing that you
need to strake out for and take advantage of?
It
can also reflect that your own creative forces are awakening. The stimulation of the kundalini usually has
physiological as well s spiritual consequences.
Physiologically it can activate the sexual drive, bring more energy,
etc. Spiritually it can stimulate
greater perception of how to apply your insight and intuition. Your own vision and intuition will become
more accurate.
To
understand the specific role your snake totem will play within your life, first
begin by examining the form it takes.
This alone will tell you much.
Every snake has a head, body and tail, and there are a wide variety of
snakes. Some are poisonous, almost all
can bite, and some squeeze and strangle their prey by coiling around it. Examine your snake’s marking, and the
patterns of its scales. A diamond-back
rattler is named for its pattern of scales.
Examine the significance of geometric shapes. This will help you to define the role the
snake will have in your life.
The
rattlesnake, for example, moves around only during the cool hours of the
night. Extreme heat is deadly to
it. You may find for yourself that
becoming more nocturnal would be of benefit.
It has a side-winding motion to its movement. It also has a special sense organ, a small
pit in the head that reacts to heat put out by other creatures. This is how it senses its prey. On a symbolic level this indicates for those
with this totem an increasing sensitivity to the auras of others. You may start seeing them soon, but you will
definitely start sensing them. Trust
what you feel around others, no matter how strange it may seem.
Always
examine some of the qualities and characteristics of the snake in general. Snakes are carnivorous. They swallow their prey whole. To be able to do this, their jaws will
unhinge. The mouth is where we take in
nutrition in the form of food. This
unhinging ability of the snake reflects the increased ability for those with
this totem to swallow and absorb greater amounts of nutrition for the head,
i.e., knowledge. Learning opportunities,
formal and informal, will surface frequently.
Usually with a snake totem, there is a little chance of overloading the
brain circuits. You will be able to
swallow and digest whatever you take in.
Some
people have been associated hypnotic qualities with the snake because of its
stare. The unblinking stare occurs
because the snake has no eyelids.
Learning to use the eyes to mesmerize and look into the hearts and souls
of others directly is part of what traditional snake medicine can teach. It may even indicate a need to look more
closely into your own heart and soul.
Snakes
have a keen sense of smell. They
actually smell with their tongue, which is why it flicks in and out so
much. Inside the mouth of the snake in
the roof is an organ called the Jacobson’s organ. This organ enables the snake to assimilate
the air around them. This organ helps
them to taste the air and its odors, helping them locate food sources.
The
sense of smell is linked to higher forms of discrimination and spiritual
idealism. Individuals with the snake
totem will find themselves extremely sensitive to smell and fragrances. Aromatherapy may be a form of healing that is
beneficial to explore. They should pay
attention to what is going on around them.
Do things really smell right around you?
Make sure that you are very discriminating about what you say and to
whom – and with what you involve yourself?
Snakes
are symbols of change and healing. They
have speed and agility, so those who have snakes come into their life will
usually find the changes and shifts will occur quickly and are soon recognized
and defined. When snake comes into your
life you can look for a rebirth into new powers of creativity and wisdom.
