The meaning of snakes in dreams varies with how they show up, how you feel about them, and your personal associations of the symbol.  Regardless of interpretation, snakes are an extremely potent dream symbol.  If you are dreaming of snakes and are seeking out their meaning, then discovering their meaning for you will lead to potent effects in your life.

Snakes are symbols of transformation

Snakes shed their skin and are reborn.  Their skin no longer fits their body and needs to be shed.  Where in your life do you need to shed your skin?  Where do you need to be reborn or transformed?

Skin represents the boundary between the body and the world.  A snake is known by the patterns of its skin and scales.  Their skins tell you if they are poisonous or not.  Where in your life do you need to shed your skin?  Consider where in your life your boundaries between yourself and others no longer serve you.  Or consider where in your life your messaging about yourself is no longer serving you.  Perhaps you’re letting people know you’re poisonous or not.

In any case, you are invited to open to the journey of transformation.  When a snake presents itself to you through your dreams, you are connecting with the symbology of the snake.

Poison as Medicine

Snakes are scary in part because of their venom.  Even though the presence of a venomous snake in your dreams may be scary, you are invited to understand poison as medicine.  In Ancient Greek, the word for poison and medicine is the same.  There’s a long history of using venom as medicine.

What would it feel like if the poison or venom in your life turned to medicine?  Perhaps there’s a situation or a person in your life that in some way venomous to you.  Perhaps you are poisonous to yourself in negative self-thought or addictive behaviors or some other such challenge.  

How can poison in your life become medicine?  One of the best ways to transmute poison into medicine is by taking personal responsibility for your life and situations.  Even though there may be other causes for why you are exactly where you are, just imagine what it’d be like to take responsibility for it.  What would it feel like to stop your negative thought patterns about this venom in your life and just imagine how it could help you on your journey.

Snakes are a symbol of healing

Both Moses and Asclepius used snakes wrapped around staves as a symbol for their healing and miraculous power.  Asclepius is the ancient Greek god of dreams and medicine.  He is often associated with the symbol of medicine, the snakes wrapping around a staff.  

Asclepius would often appear in the dreams of his followers as a snake.  If they were sleeping in his temples, the resident snakes would often slither over and around their bodies.  In the morning, it is reported that many of the supplicants would experience miraculous healing.

Where in your life would you benefit from miraculous healing?  How would it feel to imagine that the snake you are dreaming of is an invitation for miraculous healing?  You are invited to open up to the possibility that wherever you are stuck or hurt, you can be healed and made whole.

Snakes as Kundalini energy

Snakes are often associated with Kundalini awakening experiences.  Kundalini is an energy that lives in the base of the spine and naturally rises and falls throughout the course of the day and our lives.  

The images associated with Kundalini energy rising in your body are similar to the caduceus, or the twin snakes wrapped around the staff, which is a symbol of medicine.  These two snakes represent the subtle energy channels next to the spine, with the staff representing the spine.

Kundalini energies may spontaneously arise in your body or else may arise because of some spiritual practice.  These energies may feel potent or even foreign, depending on the swiftness and cause of the awakening.  You may be experiencing such an awakening if the snakes in your dreams are accompanied by energetic sensations in your body. 

When a snake appears in your dreams as a symbol for your energetic body or Kundalini, you are invited to shift, grow, or in some way open to the raising of energy in your body.  It is often helpful to get support in your life when Kundalini or energy suddenly arises in your body because it is an experience of death and rebirth, of which the snake is also a symbol.  Consider how you can support your energetic growth and transformation.

Snakes as the devil

In the Bible, a serpent appeared to Eve to tempt her with the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.  Snakes have often been seen as evil because of their association with Lucifer or the Devil.  You are invited to pause a moment and set aside any panic or fear you may have because you may have associated snakes with evil in the past.  Consider that the snake may bring you a message or gift for healing.

Of course, if you understand snakes as evil, then a snake appearing in your dreams may mean that evil is entering your life.  Where in your life is evil, deception, and temptation slithering into your life?

The snake is particularly scary because it is deceptive, lies close to the ground, and may be difficult to identify.  Perhaps there’s a secret area of your life through which evil may come.  Consider that you always commit evil first in your heart, then second through action.  Where in your life are you being a hypocrite and still committing the evil deed in your heart?

The serpent tempts Eve with the knowledge of good and evil.  This knowledge is half of what made God unique.  He casts Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden because he was afraid that they’d eat of the fruit of life, to live forever, and thus become like him.  Where in your life are you afraid of becoming divine?  

Snakes appearing in your dream may be an invitation to become like god.  You may be invited to divine knowledge.  What would it be like if you were free to grow in knowledge, if you allowed yourself to cross over boundaries people in your past set for you?

On the other hand, you may be tempted to commit evil.  Are you being tempted to commit a deep that you know is wrong and goes against your values?  Where in your life are you being tempted?  

Conclusion

Dreaming of snakes can mean many things.  They often symbolize transformation and rebirth.  The symbol of the snake is associated with evil and deception.  It also symbolizes healing and potent spiritual energy.

What interpretations of snakes in dreams work for you?