Of tattoos and tribes: Dreaming of Snake
The lore of the snake. What is it about this creature that’s both attractive and yet so terrifying? And, even more importantly, why do we dream of snake?
Our relationship to snakes is as old as we are and just as rich and complex as the myths that revere them. But those myths have long disappeared and lay dormant in our daily subconsciousness.
Yet snake uncoils when we least expect it, coming out to play in our nightly adventures.
Perhaps the answer lies somewhere buried in what Jung calls our collective unconscious.
That Snake is calling her tribe!
Are you from my tribe?
In June, I gave a talk on dreams of the bereaved at the annual IASD conference in Berkeley. Little did I realize Snake would be joining me there. The conference started with a reunion with JFKU dream students gathering together. I greeted one woman and fellow DTer Judith McEnroe who had a most fascinating tattoo on her wrist…it was a snake.
I was dumbstruck because only a week before I had dreamed of snakes, and Judith’s snake tattoo and my dream snakes had the exact intricate pattern!
I begged her to share the meaning of her tattoo which I later learned came from a dream.
This was Judith’s dream:
I was sitting across the table from an elderly Native American man. A fairly large snake was curled up on my lap. As I pushed away from the table to give the snake more room it began to slowly unfold and wrap itself around my body. Is it dangerous?, I ask the man. No, he says and tells me to raise my left arm above my head.
The snake coils itself around my arm and rests it’s head on the back of my hand. It has a wide red band around its neck that is at the level of my wrist. The snake has wide black and yellow bands on the rest of its body. I wake up hearing a voice (my own voice) telling me that I must get a tattoo of the snake so that my tribe will recognize me. ….I now have a tattoo of snake around my wrist.
I smiled, shook her hand and said. “I believe I am member of your tribe.”
Snake is awakening
Dreaming of snakes is a regular occurrence, but what made this encounter special was not only the shared dream with Judith but the continued snake encounters throughout the conference of people who were also asking…why am I dreaming of Snake?
It seemed my shared dream with Judith was shedding light on the mystery of these encounters.
I am walking in a forest and come across a natural enclosure. I suddenly see one very long snake resting in a tree, at first camouflaged. I see the body, the markings and head-it rises up becoming “awake.”
Then all the tree branches come alive with snakes, awakening! It’s like now that I “see” one, I can see them all. It’s also understood that the seasons were turning (weather warming) so the snakes were more animated, more visible.
I am then startled by a giant snakeskin dropped at my feet from a high branch. I look up and notice a Leopard in the trees. We lock eyes. I realize she has dropped it there and is a mother with two cubs. In the dream, I am telling this story to someone—it is liked I’ve walked this path many times-now the animals have awakened…were always here but now were becoming visible.
Like the snakes in my dreams, I was beginning to find others who were ‘snake people,’ too, at least drawn to its essence.
The snakes were becoming more visible. It was like finding my tribe.
Snake as Divine Feminine
During my presentation titled “When Orpheus Looked Back: Dreams of the Bereaved” I used the myth of Orpheus as a template for the stages of initiation for those who experience the death of a loved one. Orpheus who mourned the death of Eurydice, (who was bitten by a snake!) grieved her so profoundly that he followed her into the Underworld to get her back.
Because of his music and clear dedication to Eurydice, he was able to tame the three headed Cerberus and melt the heart of Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. Orpheus’ only task was to lead Eurydice out of the Underworld and not look back.
But Orpheus looked back.
One woman in the audience asked “Why isn’t there much information on Eurydice? And why was she bitten by a snake?”
Why indeed.
Talking with Jungian oriented psychoanalyst and professor, Lynne Ehlers after the presentation (who also happened to give her presentation on the archetype of Snake!), we both agreed that Snake’s connection to the Divine Feminine (Eurydice bitten by a snake) ‘went underground’ or “into the Underworld” as more patriarchal religions and politics took over and Snake has lay dormant ever since…until now.
I see the snake as very ancient and wise with its power held closely to the Great Mother. Perhaps the reemergence of Snake in our dreams is this energy awakening within us and leaving her mark so we may recognize our tribe.
The mark of Snake
Also like Judith, I have had dreams of being marked by snake, namely from a bite or tattoo.
In one dream I was sitting with a mysterious elder woman who was tattooing a Giant Snake that wrapped around my entire body. The intention of this ceremony was for my initiation and a healing for a woman who was raped. After the ritual, I looked at my reflection and was both terrified and in awe…I had completely transformed and somehow knew there was no turning back to ‘the old ways.’
I explored this dream over the years and found snake symbols associated with ancient mystery cults like the Orphic Egg and the Mithraic figure: That of a half human half lion with a snake wrapped around its body.
And Like Judith, other DT’ers in the article “Snake Dreams and Initiation” have shared similar snake dreams of being marked in some way that felt both initiatory and healing.
What might Snake mean as dream medicine?
- Snakes and healing have been considered synonymous since ancient times, especially in exploring the caduceus, Pythian priestesses of Delphi and its connection to Aesculapian temples. Perhaps those who are drawn to Snake are natural healers.
- Another characteristic is intuition. Many snake people sense things that others might not. They are literally tuned into the subtle worlds and energies around them.
- Snake may be calling those who are drawn to the mysteries and secret knowledge as illustrated in many esoteric teachings and symbolism. Repelled by the injustices and inconsistencies in the world and being drawn to inner wisdom that can be found in dreams.
- I also see Snake as consciousness and mindfulness of the Now. The snake’s steady gaze reminds me of being fully in the present moment and grounded in the earth. This awareness means carrying incredible focus and passion and when the moment is right, you strike!
What can Snake tell us of our true Natures?
Is she something to fear like we learned from western biblical teachings or should we look deeper beyond our limited view of what she represents for us?
Considering the history of the many deaths and persecutions of those who are on the Snake path, it is understanding that there is fear tied to these practices. From witch burnings to ethnic cleansing of indigenous cultures to our own politics today that control certain populations, namely women’s bodies: Snake has a lot to be afraid of.
But paradoxically, those who try to control or repress Snake are the ones who are truly afraid.
Snake is not only divine she is the divine power in us all. This is what is feared the most. Snake is the gateway to healing and awakening ourselves to possibilities if we can face it with courage.
Let’s continue sharing Snake together, let’s find our tribe!
Wow, Linda, excellent article. Thank you so much for telling our story. I really connect with the part about dream medicine. Having snake on my wrist has brought about many wonderful conversations; some, because of a fear of snakes and others, like ours, where I have found members of my tribe.
Thank you so much for contributing your dream, Judith! Since our shared experience at the conference I too have had continued meetings with people who keep asking me about snake dreams! I hope these articles will open up more dialogue and –like your tattoo– act as a beacon for other snake tribe members!
a clan can be calling you too. to me snake tribe makes less sense than snake clan.
I like it!
I had to laugh when I saw the title of your post on my emails on my phone yesterday. Snakes started appearing regularly in my dreamtime and real life about 5 years ago; the year I turned 49 and did my first vision quest. I’ve been tracking my dreams since I was a kid and had perhaps one or two snake dreams prior in all that time.
I was laughing when I saw your post because I’d had a double douzy of a snake dream just that night (Wed. night) and have been puzzling over it quite a bit.
In the first dream, I am out on the land, which seems familiar. There are other people around. An older man has a large snake and I immediately am drawn over to see. I lay down on the ground and ask him to place the snake on my body. As he moves towards me, the snake’s head morphs and looks like a rattler, and I say to myself, oh it’s rattler. I want the snake to touch my third eye. It morphs back and I realize it is a bull snake, not a rattler.
In the second dream, I am again out on the land but then go inside a large familiar house. I swallow a very large burmese python, effortlessly; but am surprised when the snake just turns around and comes effortlessly back out of my mouth. I feel it coming out, from my belly through my throat; it doesn’t hurt. I am mildly stunned in the dream from this occurence; then I wake up.
Yesterday I was traveling up to the mountains for a long weekend, and didn’t have time to process and have a conversation with Snake; today I will have the time.
I’m definitely snake tribe, and do fit the profile you described; I’ve been working in the healing arts full time for decades; am an intuitive and empath; lifelong dreamer; etc. The snake described in your post above appeared to me several weeks ago. I don’t have my dream journal with me or I could tell you the exact date.
Amazon just released a Kindle version of a classic book: Snakes in the Grass by Linda Foubister; it’s a compendium of worldwide snake mythology and symbolism and worth getting ahold of.
Looking forward to connecting more with my snake clan people.
What an incrediblely juicy and potent dream share, River! I can relate to the laughter part—since my “snake encounter” with Judith there have been so many synchronsistic meetings involving Snake, including one of my students who came up to me exasperated and demanded “Why do I always dream of snake!” I laughed out loud and said “welcome to the tribe!” He also fits the profile of Snake.
It’s incredible how eerily similar the first dream is to our dreams in the article…we have a wise elder, snake wrapped around the body in some form of ritual….then there’s the third eye! Speaking of books (by the way…thank you for the suggestion) have you read the Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge? It might ‘shed’ some light on that. I am also intrigued by the second dream with you being the one to swallow snake…Snake clan indeed!
Thank you so much for sharing and please keep us posted on your conversation with Snake in the mountains!
Hello Linda, I was searching google for “Wrist Snake Tattoos” and came across your blog. I have so much to tell you so I will start in the beginning. 5 years ago, I met a creature/angel/spirit/ancestor in my room. I am not sure if it was a dream or really happening in this dimension. Either way, this is what happened.
I was 19 years old and one day completely exhausted from a long day of school and work. I got to my room and fell into my bed like a ton of bricks. As I was feeling the sweetness of sleep, I felt the covers of my bed being pulled off my body slowly& gently. When I looked at who was pulling the sheets, I saw a very tall (around 7.5 feet tall or taller), lean, muscular, thin, man with red tribal paint on his face & body. He had horns coming out of his head like an bull elk & a giant beautiful snake tattoo around his neck. This spirit/ancestor sat on top of me and just stared into my eyes. His hands were so soft and gentle as he touched my body. He weighed so much as he sat on top of my waist. He touched my lips & told me to not be afraid. I listened and just watched him stare at me. He kissed me on the lips, said “I am Sa.. ma.. el…”, he got up and disappeared right before my eyes. I knew this was a very important event and wrote everything in my journal. I researched Samael in esoteric’s and his name translates to ” he who sees God”.
The very next day, I met up with an amazing person I had just met named Julian. The funny thing is that I had just met Julian a day before the incident with Sa… ma…el… When I saw Julian the day after meeting Samael, Julian told me that he was in an old thrift store and he passed by a red statue and psychically heard the statue say” give me to Mariano” Julian had never experience such a psychic event & knew it was important. He gave me the Statue the very next day. When he handed it over to me, I felt something happening like something bigger than us was bringing us together.
I brought the statue home, placed it in my room and knew this is exactly where it needs to be. I sat in front of the statue, got into a meditative state and just stared into the eyes of the red statue. Something about this statue, Julian and Samael felt just right. I continued meditating with the statue as my relationship with Julian grew.
4 years later, my relationship with the red statue had grown immensely and I saw the spirit of the statue as a protector or angel. I even felt the spirit of the red statue come out and touch me just like Samael did 4 years ago. My relationship with Julian had also grown. Julian & I had become meditative friends and lovers. I have never known a love like that of Julian. 2 years later, Julian began becoming sick. His family history of psychosis & bipolar began taking its toll on him. I tried to console Julian but his mental state deteriorated so quickly & his mother who suffered from a severe degree of bipolar & psychosis only agitated his mental condition.
8 months ago, Julian committed suicide and my heart was destroyed. I was lost.. utterly lost. One day shortly after his suicide, I sat in front of the red statue and went into a deep meditative state with my eyes closed and traveled into the astral realm. Here in the astral plane, I came across a hall way whose floor was covered by the most beautiful snakes I have ever seen in my life. I’m talking about every inch of floor was covered in snakes. With each step I took all the snakes moved aside to make space for my feet and the snakes looked at me as I walked down the hall way.
At the end of the hall way, I came across an ancient throne which had beautiful flowers growing at its feet. All the sudden the flowers started growing up the throne and slowly the flowers covered the throne and out of the flowers manifested Samael. Since my relationship with Samael had grown so intense over the years I asked him his name he answered “my name to many is Samael and to those I accept into my clan my name is Pan”. So I asked Pan what do you want from me?
Pan looked deep into my eyes and asked me “Do you accept ?” I said yes and I looked straight into his eyes. At that moment, the giant snake tattoo around his neck morphed into a real live snake and the beautiful snake slithered around his neck down his right shoulder onto his right arm and I presented my left arm & the snake slithered onto my left hand. Here, the snake slithered up my arm to my neck and bit me on my neck. As the snake bit me, I became incapacitated and images of the cosmos flashed through my psyche. Images of solar systems, the big bang, alien civilizations, deep space travel and the ancient history of the Earth flooded my consciousness. When the turbulence of these images persisted the snake slithered down to my left arm and wrapped around my left wrist and morphed into a snake tattoo on my left wrist. i looked at Pan and He said “you are now a part of my ancient eternal clan & we shall forever be together. Now, You I & Julian will forever be together throughout all eternity.” I asked him why he took Julian away & he responded “Julian chose to leave his physical body behind and joined me forever now that we are all together in this clan, we shall always eternally be in love. Nothing can ever come between us.”
I have been saving money since this beautiful experience so that I may have the exact tattoo I have in the astral plane of the snake on my left wrist in this physical dimension so that I will always remember and anyone who sees me will know I belong to the Tribe of the Great Cosmic Snake.
Thank you for being a part of our tribe.
Namaste my dear friend.
What a powerful share, Mariano and I am so sorry for the loss of your partner. I have just written a piece on connecting with dreams of the deceased that you might be interested in. In regards to snake tribes/clans, I see a lot of resonances with other’s experiences with this energy here on the DT and my own dreams and research, especially around snake clan wisdom (i.e hopi prophecy) and inititaion practices (being bitten, swallowed, marked by Snake). Please keep us posted…you are clearly on a powerful journey…welcome to the tribe!
I only just rediscovered this snake dream in my journal. I’d forgotten it
…So, the night after the energy sensations in the spine I dream of a giant boa constrictor or anaconda. Its girth is like that of a thin human and I’m holding it and someone – I don’t know who – is helping me because it’s heavy, It passes through a window and then another. I know the freudians out there will have their own interpretations but to me it symbolises the passing of kundalini through two chakras. At some point I become Harry Potter (the Magician) and then I transform myself into the snake itself.
The very next morning my former yoga teacher rings while I’m still recording the dream in my journal (yoga types like to start their day at ungodly hours so he’s been up and about for hours no doubt). He has been promising me a book on yoga sutras* and he wants to ride around on his bike and deliver it. Of course I agree and don’t waste any time reading it.
*At the time he was encouraging me into yoga teaching and I did eventually do the course, which resulted in some unusual kundalini type experiences too.
Thank you for sharing this, Donna. I love the synchronicity between waking and dreaming experiences with Snake energy and your yoga teacher and your action with it. I also appreciate the Magician energy coming through via Harry Potter and yes, say true to your own intuitions on this one. Please keep us posted and welcome to the Tribe!
The article was awesome but I’m wondering if you could help me understand .. I dreamed of waking up lying on my bed and I couldn’t move. I saw that I have two snake bites. One on my left arm and one on the right and I didn’t see the snake that bit me. Thanks
Thanks for the share, Honeylee. It sounds like you experienced sleep paralysis…you can check out more about this phenomena from our DT’s Ryan Hurd here: http://dreamstudies.org/. What an amazing discovery! I often associate animal, particularly snake bites with initiation. I also imagine bites on both hands might signify other things left,/ right brain, (consciousness) masculine/feminine; Jung speaks of left as ‘internal and right as more external experiences. Please keep us posted!
Im connected to the snake tribe, lots to share. Can you forward to me these blogs.
Thankyou