Snakes have been a part of religious symbolism and cultures for thousands of years.

Ancient peoples have revered snakes and many ancient artifacts and drawings depict imagery of snakes.

What can we learn from snakes in the 21st century?

What do snakes have to teach us that the ancient civilizations knew?

What role in spirituality, religion and culture do snakes have in ancient and modern times?

How is our health, wealth and overall success determined by snakes?

Let’s delve into the mysticism, spiritual, religious and cultural significance of snakes.

Snakes in Cultures and Religions

Aboriginal / Australia

A major mythological being for Aboriginal peoples across Australia is the Rainbow Serpent (or Rainbow Snake) viewed as a creator deity and a giver of life, yet may be destructive when angry.

The Rainbow Serpent is connected to rain and water as well as rainbows.

It’s believed by some that when a rainbow is seen in the sky, it’s said that the Rainbow Serpent is moving from one waterhole to another.

This belief is said to be the reason why some waterhole don’t dry up despite drought in the region.

There are different names for the Rainbow Serpent across the territory and Aboriginal peoples of Australia.

Africa

In parts of Africa, there’s diversity in the beliefs and symbolism about snakes.

Snakes may symbolism evil, good or fertility.
Traditionally before the rise of Christianity, snakes have generally been viewed positively as a symbol of divinity, power, sexuality, and fertility in many parts of the world.

In South African cultures, the killing of snakes may bring shame because they are believed to be messengers of the ancestors.

This blog post on Bokanydier covers more about snakes in African culture and has some more articles about snakes in general.

Aztec / Inca / South America

In regard to the Aztecs, there was Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent – a vegetation god of earth and water.

As early as the Teotihuacán civilization (3rd to 8th century CE) on the central plateau are representations found of Quetzalcóatl.
Britannica offers more information about the Feathered Serpent.

To the Inca and the ancient peoples of the Andes, there was the mythical deity Amaru or Katari, depicted as “multiple heads consisting of either a puma’s, a condor’s, or a llama’s head with a fox’s muzzle, condor wings, snake’s body, fish’s tail, and coated in crocodilian or lizard scales.” (Source: Wikipedia)

To the Inca and ancient peoples of the Andes, snakes were associated with the Underworld which symbolized new life to emerge.

This Serpent Ornament is located at The Met Museum and has more information about the symbolism of snakes according to the Inca.

Christianity

Many people are familiar with the story of Adam, Eve & the Serpent. There have been a variety of different interpretations of this story from philosophers, theologians, religious teachers, study groups, feminists, Satanists / Left Hand Path (LHP) practitioners, witches, pagans, just to name a few.

Christianity is known for the teaching that snakes are evil for tempting Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

As the story goes, the punishment for Adam and Eve for eating the fruit, man must endure a lifetime of hard labour followed by death; woman to endure childbirth pain and subordination to her husband, and the serpent to crawl on its belly and be hated by man and woman.

Fear of snakes or phobias of snakes (called “ophidiophobia”) is a very common fear for some people.

According to a survey done by Gallup in 2001, 51% of Americans are afraid of snakes which is more than the 40% of Americans afraid of public speaking.

However, this percentage of Americans afraid of snakes is slightly less than the amount in the survey done in 1998.

It’s interesting to note that The Simpsons Season 4, Episode 20 “Whacking Day” aired in 1993, an episode all about an annual tradition to “whack” snakes in the town of Springfield in which Bart and Lisa Simpson (together with singer Barry White) save all the snakes from being unalived by the local residents.

It seems the fears of snakes had somewhat diminished in 2001 according to the Gallup survey, that is maybe (hypothetically?) until the 2006 horror/action movie “Snakes on a Plane” featuring Samuel L. Jackson!

We could theorize why snakes have become feared by many people meanwhile in ancient cultures of Asia and South Asia, as well as South America, snakes had and still continue to be revered in many of these regions.

Perhaps a turning point to diminish the power of the snake, associated with feminine power (shakti) was to be debased and degraded to uphold patriarchal views?

What do you think about the story of Adam, Eve and the Serpent?

If this topic interests you, definitely explore, research or journal what the symbolism of the serpent in the Garden of Eden may mean to you.

Egypt / Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt, snakes represented royalty and divinity. It was also a symbol of protection and closely connected to the Pharaoh.

The Uraeus or Ouraeus is known as the upright form of the Egyptian cobra, often seen in ancient statues from Egypt and most commonly in Egyptian-styled jewellery and costume jewellery.

Greece / Ancient Greece

• Snakes In Greek mythology were associated with the Underworld, medicine and healing.
• It’s interesting to note that modern medicine is exploring how snake venom can be used to heal diseases. These life-saving drugs are made from deadly venom and more research is being done by scientists to create synthetic venom to treat illnesses.
• Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine is associated with snakes.
• The Asclepius Rod, a symbol for scientific medicine, is an image of one snake intertwined around a rod.
• The Caduceus of Hermes is the well-known symbol for medicine which is two snakes intertwined around a rod with wings at the top of the rod.
• The snake is associated with pharmacology and antisepsis as snakes possess an anti-venom against their own venom.
• Medusa, a once beautiful Gorgon maiden who was violated by Poseidon in the temple of Athena, is known for Her hair being transformed into snakes by the punishment of Athena.
• According to Hesiod and Aschylus, Medusa lived and died on Sarpedon Island somehwhere near Cisthene (Wikipedia).

The word “sarp” or “sarpa” in Sanskrit means “snake” in English.

It’s interesting to note that Greek belongs to the Indo-European language family, that which Sanskrit is the mother language of all Indo-European languages.

This may simply be a coincidence or a perhaps a deeper connection in the mythology of Medusa and snakes.

Hoodoo

• In Hoodoo, snakes represent spiritual power.
• Snake skin may be used for love, gambling, good luck, jinxing or “goofer” spells.
• It’s important to remember that snakes and snake skin may potentially have bacteria such as salmonella or other diseases, so it’s always advisable to wash your hands if handling snakes or snake skin.

Note:

It’s also necessary to say that workings or interactions with live snakes is not advisable in any circumstance, ritual, spell or magick unless properly trained or skilled with handling snakes.

That being said, if you come across a snake on your property or in your home (and it’s not your pet!), contact your local animal control to safely remove and relocate or rehabilitate the snake.

India / Hinduism

Snakes have been an important aspect of Indic culture for thousands of years.
Two of the three major/main deities of Hinduism are associated with snakes in their stories and [sanskrit] “leelas” (past times).

The Hindu god Vishnu reclines on a giant serpent called Shesha (also called Ananta).

Krishna (the 8th avatar of Vishnu) defeated the snake Kaliya in the River Yamuna.

The Hindu god Shiva has a snake which is named Vasuki who is wrapped around Shiva’s neck. Vasuki is considered the king of Nagas (snake deities.)

There are serpent deities called Naga which means “snake” in Sanskrit.

• For more about snakes in Hinduism, check out this video with Sadhguru, the Indian mystic guru.

There is a holy day for Naga devata (deities) called Naga Panchami which takes places in the Hindu month of Shravana (date varies within the months of July and August as the Hindu calendar is a lunar calendar)

Manasa Devi: a goddess associated with snakes, protection from snake bites. She is known for giving wealth and prosperity to Her devotees. Manasa is also a goddess of fertility. Most commonly worshipped in Bengal, Northeastern India, and Uttarakhand.

Manasa is the sister of Sesha and Vasuki, the snakes of Vishnu and Shiva respectively.
She is worshipped also for protection from and cure skin diseases, such as smallpox and chicken pox.

Manasa is especially worshipped on Nag Panchami, the festival of snake worship in the Hindu month of Shravana (between July and August).

Read this article to know more about Manasa Devi.

Kundalini:

In yoga / yogic culture, kundalini is believed to be divine feminine energy (called “shakti”) which resides at the base of the spine.

This energy is depicted as a coiled snake and when the proper yogic practices are done, the shakti / divine feminine energy rises up through the seven (7) main chakras (energy wheels/centres) of the body towards the crown chakra (top of the head.)

Kundalini Yoga isn’t for everyone, especially if the proper preparations haven’t been done to prepare one’s mental, physical and spiritual health for the power and essence of kundalini.
If kundalini is activated without proper yoga practices, it may result in mental and/or physical instability and negative effects.

Ireland / Scotland / Celtic

Saint Patrick is famously known for “driving out the snakes from Ireland”. But were there really any serpents in Ireland at all?

Accordingly, Ireland is one of the few countries that has no snakes and has been that was since the last Ice Age. If we look at a scientific point of view, we may suspect that there were never any snakes to begin with in Ireland. So what or who were the “snakes”?

While some stories say that the snakes represented druids and pagans, other sources state that Christianity already had a foothold in Ireland by the time St. Patrick was there.

The Celtic goddess Brigid is said to be associated with serpents and the awakening of spring on Imbolc (February 1-2 in the northern hemisphere) which is the serpent arising from its lair from a mound underneath the soil.

North America / Indigenous

There are different tribes all across Turtle Island and while snakes are found in North America, they are more predominantly located in certain regions more so than other parts of the continent.

In the traditions and customs of the Hopi (a Native American tribe primarily living in northeastern Arizona, U.S.A), snakes represented fertility and the umbilical cord that connected all humans to Mother Earth.

An annual snake dance with live snakes were performed to celebrate the union between Snake Youth (a Sky spirit) and Snake Girl (an Underworld spirit).

After the dance was performed, the live snakes were released into the fields to ensure good crops. (Source: Wikipedia)

Snakes & Symbolism

In spirituality, paganism, witchcraft as well as many ancient cultures, snakes have been associated with power, transformation, mysticism, the occult, shakti/feminine power, magic, psychic abilities, intuition, sixth sense and protection.

While the overall meaning of snakes may be unique to certain traditions or cultures, there may also be different symbolism and meanings associated with different types of snakes.

Certain snakes may be indigenous to specific regions of a continent or country, and others may only be found in specific countries.

Ouroboros

The imagery of a snake eating its own tail has been found in different cultures.

The earliest imagery of the ouroboros was found in the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld, an ancient Egypt funerary text from the 14th century BCE in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The ancient Roman’s later adopted the imagery of the ouroboros as a talisman.

The ancient Egyptians had different snake deities and the ouroboros may represent formless disorder that surrounds a orderly world and its periodic renewal.

The name “ouroboros” derives from Ancient Greek οὐροβόρος from οὐρά oura meaning ‘tail’ and -βορός -boros meaning “eating”.

The symbolism of the ouroboros represents the renewal, the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
The shedding of a snake’s skin symbolizes the transmigration of souls.

Special Important Note about Spiritual Work regarding Snakes:

Due to the nature of snakes being dangerous, unpredictable, poisonous or venomous, it is strongly not advisable and not recommended to work directly with a snake for the purpose of spiritual practice – especially if wild.

While some people may have snakes as pets, the relationship with the snake is developed over time through trust and familiarity which is a different situation.

If handling a pet snake or a snake at a pet shop or a reptile zoo, be sure to wash those hands afterwards!

However, to err on the side of caution, a spiritual practice to connect with snake energy may be done by proxy such as:

• an image
• a picture
• a statue
• a figurine
• a snake-shaped crystal
• a piece of snake shaped jewellery.

Any of these may be used as a safe alternative to connect with the spiritual energy of snakes.

Vedic Astrology & Snakes

In Vedic astrology, there’s afflictions seen in some natal charts which are called “dosha”.

A dosha can manifest as difficulties, adversity, challenges, illness, disease and other hardships to the person who has the affliction in their chart.
Kala sarpa dosha or sarpa dosha is associated with snakes, categorized as “Naga Dosha” or “snake affliction”.

This dosha involves Rahu (north node) and Ketu (south node) which are described as the head and tail of a serpent.

Kala sarpa dosha or sarpa dosha happen when all natal planets (which may or may not include the natal moon) are sandwiched between Rahu and Ketu.

The reason that a person may have Kala sarpa dosha or sarpa dosha in their natal chart is due to a sin committed by the person or their ancestor in a past life.

This past life sin may include:

• Killing or harming a snake
• Destroying the habitat of a snake

For more about kala sarpa dosha or sarpa dosha, check out this explanation and remedies by Astroved.

For more specifics about your own natal chart, be sure to consult a Vedic astrologer.

To find out if you have kala sarpa dosha or sarpa dosha, have a look at this online calculator which indicates if you have of this dosha.

Shingles and Snakes

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a virus that’s a result from the chicken pox virus (varicella zoster).

Adults over the age of 50 who have previously had the chicken pox virus in their lifetime are at risk to develop the painful shingles rash.

A vaccine has been developed and on the market for chicken pox and shingles, although the shingles vaccine is intended and reserved for adults who are 50 years old or older. This is just for informational purposes only.

But, don’t take our word for it – be sure to speak with your physician if you would like more info about ANY health matter or vaccine. If you have questions about a vaccine or have health concerns, consult your physician.

Although it’s scientifically known that shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus, it’s called “the snake bite” in Nepal and believed by some locals there to be caused by the astrological snake affliction due to Rahu and Ketu.

This brief article in the Kathmandu Post explains how folks in Nepal seek ancient remedies to treat shingles.

In Chinese folk medicine, shingles is described as “the creeping (or growing) snake” and in Chinese Traditional Medicine (CTM), snake skin is used for various treatment such as psoriasis, skin itchiness and wound healing although there are no scientific studies that support the claims that snake skin is an effective treatment for skin ailments.

Tarot & Snakes

In the Rider Waite Smith Tarot, there are three cards which have images of snakes:

• The Lovers
• Wheel of Fortune
• 2 of Cups

The Lovers card is the well-known story of the snake, Adam and Eve.

The Wheel of Fortune shows a snake on the side of the wheel, which is said to depict the Egyptian god Set.

The 2 of Cups depicts the Caduceus of Hermes above two people.

In general, tarot has standardized interpretations and meanings as a “rule of thumb”, however imagery and symbolism in the cards may often point to other meanings that may not be in typical texts or guidebooks.

If you’re performing a tarot reading and see the image of a snake in your card or cards, have a closer look and see if more interpretations can be derived from the presence of the snake on the card.

Looking for another tarot deck that includes snake and serpent imagery?

Have a closer look at these tarot decks:

1. The Wild Unknown Tarot by Kim Krans

This tarot deck includes a few cards that include serpents such as the Mother of Wands and the Father of Wands cards (that are the Queen of Wands and King of Wands, respectively.)

2. Snake MINOR ARCANA Tarot Deck
   This ready to print / print yourself – downloadable images is available on Etsy.

Note: The above link is for a shop that sells downloadable images of the minor arcana cards only. You will need to have the images printed yourself to create a physical copy of the tarot deck.

Unfortunately, all other searches online turn up empty to find a snake tarot deck already in print for sale – this is as close as it gets for now (as of the publishing of this post in February 2024.)

Snake Jewellery & Crystals

Jewellery that includes snake imagery can be a powerful statement to the symbolism and energy of the snake.

Ancient Egyptians were known to have snake jewellery and in modern times, a snake bracelet, necklace or arm cuff is always part of a Cleopatra costume on Halloween.

Snake-shaped crystals can be a beautiful addition to any crystal collection in a variety such as labradorite, lepidolite, agate, rose quartz, fluorite and many more.

A search on Etsy will reveal a wide array of snake jewellery and snake-shaped crystals to fit any style or budget.

Snakes & Spirituality

Whether you’re into snakes, have a pet snake, are curious about snakes or have a bit of apprehension, it’s without a doubt that humans have developed a good and sometimes not-so-good relationship with snakes over the millenia and especially those who cohabitate with snakes in the environment.

Despite snakes being demonized and feared by some, they are an integral part of many ecosystems and human consciousness can learn a great deal from them.

We hope this brief introduction to snakes, the spiritual aspects and the beliefs around them helps to raise awareness and interest.

Images designed in Canva