I was traveling down stream on a boat, I believe, with a large family. I am not sure how I knew them. We both had our destinations and motives for this trip. The family, with about 10 children of all ages, were planning a stop at a place for a photo opportunity. It was the eiffel tower but a fake one, only for the purpose of taking photos, although it did not resemble the Eiffel Tower in the least. It was more like a large hill with steps. As I recall my motive for the trip was to find a particular snake for a reason I am unsure. It was a poisonous snake. At some point I did come across the snake which caused some fear and panic, I am a bit hazy about the details, I do remember a green snake that had a red chin.
On arrival at the family's destination, they climb the hill and pose on top with the parents in the middle and children on either side from tallest to shortest. It is quite a site. They are facing away from the camera, I coax them to turn around to face the camera although there is no camera to be seen. I have a cup full of raw eggs that I am supposed to throw at the group as they have there picture taken. I count to three and throw the contents of the cup in their direction, the contents landing short of them. They all start laughing a very happy and joyous laugh. This is where we go our separate paths...
Seeing a snake or be bitten by one in your dream means hidden fears and worries that are threatening you. Your dream may be alerting you to something in your waking life that you are not aware of or that has not yet surfaced. The snake may also be seen as phallic and thus symbolize dangerous and forbidden sexuality. The snake may also refer to a person around you who is callous, ruthless, and can't be trusted. As a positive symbol, snakes represent transformation, knowledge and wisdom. It is indicative of self-renewal and positive changes.
In some cultures snakes are highly regarded and symbolise the ability to transcend into higher levels of consciousness or into areas of knowledge that exist outside perceived time and space. In the pre-Christian days, snakes were considered symbols of fertility, healing, and nurturing (the healing serpent representing a god). Post Eden, snakes are often considered symbols of temptation and evil, anger, and envy. Snakes emerging out of the ground may represent your unconscious or repressed materials coming to your conscious mind. Most snake dreams seem to be disturbing and they leave the dreamer feeling anxious and afraid. There are no simple interpretations to the snake dreams. Sometimes snakes may be phallic symbols and other times they represent negativity in our lives that hampers our progress and constantly threatens us. In the long run the snake may be a positive symbol; it may represent difficulties that lead us to the centre of personality and result in feelings of completeness.
Snake symbolic meaning, overwhelmingly and in various cultures, deals with primordial life force and usually turns our attention to gender supremacy (both male and female).
Consequently, snakes span the symbolic bridge between lunar and solar associations as well as aspects between water and fire.
Coiled within this polarity, we clearly see symbolism of duality and the search for balance. Other snake symbolic meaning includes:
Cycles
Rebirth
Patience
Fertility
Eternity
Balance
Cunning
Intuition
Awareness
Healing
Intellect
Protection
Solemnity
Rejuvenation
Transformation
Occult (hidden) Knowledge
Male/Female, Yin-Yang, Duality
As a Native American Indian symbol (depending on the nation/tribe) the snake can be a masculine symbol, associated with the phallus of lightning which is considered a medicine staff of tremendous assertive power. Other tribes lean in the direction of feminine attribution for the snake and pair it with mothering (creation), and lunar (moon) symbolism.
Whether raising itself in masculine authority, or encircling the Earth in a motherly fashion – the snake symbol of the Native American’s was highly regarded; utilized in ritual to invoke an element of pointed focus and weighty influence.
The ancient Celts were extremely nature-wise too, and approached snake symbolism from the behavior and life cycle of this magnificent creature. From the Celtic perspective, the snake was a symbol of secret knowledge, cunning and transformation.
Further, the snake Celtic symbol comes from observations of the European viper (also known as the adder) which is the only (along with the common grass snake) species able to tolerate the colder climate of the ancient Celts.
In the keen Celtic mind, snake symbolic meaning of transformation came from the shedding of its skin. Physical evidence of leaving its form behind (casting off the old self), and emerging a sleeker, newer version made the snake a powerful symbol of rebirth and renewal.
As far as the occult (hidden) symbolic meaning in Celtic and other cultures, this can be connected to the sleuth-like ways of the snake.
Disappearing in colder months and summoned by the sun marks the snake’s connection to the shadow worlds with its successful ability to live within the dark realms for extended periods of time. Alternatively, the snake softly moves into the embrace of the sun, and so it encapsulates the ancient magician's creed of moving in perfect rhythm of natural forces.
In Eastern Indian myth the Sanskrit word for snake is naga and these are associated with the element of water. Picking up water’s symbolism of emotion, love and motion, nagas in this light are considered a feminine aspect and embody nurturing, benevolent, wise qualities.
To wit, the practice of nagayuna in Eastern Indian alchemy seeks to achieve loving harmony between the physical and ethereal. Simply put, all of us striving to better ourselves by calmly easing into places of personal balance within the cosmic balance of the whole are practicing this ancient technique.
Snake tattoo symbolism varies according to the bearer of the mark. For example, I have a back piece depicting two serpents (nagas) wrapped around the seven prime chakras down the length of my spine. This (to me) incorporates the kundalini power available to all humans.
Additionally, this entwined snake imagery hearkens to the caduceus, in which the staves of Asclepius are made of two polar (and copulating) serpents which symbolizes balance, equanimity, union and regeneration.
Double snakes are common in almost all cultural symbolic languages. Ultimately the double snake is an icon representing:
Connection between primal forces
Integration of opposites
Advanced communication
Joining together on a divine level
Making whole what was once fragmented and doing so in a magical, organic way.
Snake Double HelixCarrying this dual snake imagery a step further, we could look to the language of science. Observe the formation of DNA and how it forms a perfect, serpentine double helix (shown left). This prompts us to consider how the energetic mind is connected to the grander whole, and how it so effortlessly makes graceful connections between the basic building blocks of data with the manifestations of the natural world.
There is no doubt, the snake is a unifying force embodying infinite messages to those who are energetically available to perceive them. Alchemists understood this, and thus incorporated the philosophy of snakes in their grimoires, practices, and even their daily life.
Indeed, alchemy literature is rife with the image of the uroboros which is symbolic of conceptualizing totality – embracing the whole of consciousness and devouring it with unquenchable passion.
As an animal totem, the snake surfaces into our awareness with all the power of the symbolic attributes listed on this page (and more). Those who are drawn to the snake (and vice versa) are gifted at perceiving life through an uncommon lens. Other characteristics of those who are connected to snake energy include:
A natural ability to balance energies (you’re likely a gifted healer)
Diplomatic and eloquent in areas of speech and writing
Dynamically intuitive (often knowing other’s thoughts and emotional states without trying)
Impulsive, but not without careful consideration – this may sound paradoxical, but those with the snake totem know what I mean here.
I invite you to step into the calming energy of the snake, and see what this noble creature offers you in the form of messages, growth, and enlightenment.
Further, it should be understood this page is but a miniscule sampling of the diverse snake symbolic meaning s available to us. Therefore, I encourage you to slither into your own personal ruminations, research and meditation of the snake.
You will find your investment to be infinitely rewarding.
By shedding its skin, the snake symbolizes change in the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It counts among its strengths the power of creation, of se xuality, of the soul, as well as of transformation and immortality. Snake-people are higher cast, because as part of their experiences they have had to come into contact with poison (physical or mental) and have been able to transform the poison in their bodies into something harmless. The snake belongs to the element of fire, which causes desire and passion in the physical realm and, in the spiritual realm, creates a connection with the Great Spirit and leads to all-encompassing wisdom. Whenever the snake appears in your dreams, it is a sign of change as you come ever closer to perfection.
This animal gives you the ability to let go of things that are worn out and no longer useful - just like the snake sheds it skin when it is no longer needed.
Rebirth, wisdom, fluidity, wholeness, transmutations, sexuality, look for transitions, changes and new opportunities. Creative forces are awakening with heightened intuition. Snake can teach about shedding what is not needed; perceptions, attitudes, ideals. Snake shows how to access vitality, ambitions and dreams along with intellect and personal power. What things are surfacing that you need to strike out and take advantage of? Perhaps a time to rest and reflect? Listen to your intuition and visions at this time. Contemplate the colors, striking ability and activity of the snake type to further understand what snake is saying.
To see a camera in your dream, signifies your desires to cling on and/or live in the past. Alternatively, it may indicate that you need to focus on a particular situation. Perhaps you need to get a clearer picture or idea.
To dream that the camera is broken, indicates that you are ignoring an issue or refusing to see the big picture.
To see or dream that you are on a hidden camera, indicates that you feel that you are being scrutinized. All eyes are on you.
To dream of a camera, signifies that changes will bring undeserved environments. For a young woman to dream that she is taking pictures with a camera, foretells that her immediate future will have much that is displeasing and that a friend will subject her to acute disappointment.
Seeing a camera in your dream means your desires to cling on and/or live in the past. Alternatively, it may represent you need to focus on a particular situation. Perhaps you need to get a clearer picture or idea.
An instrument used to make visual representations of people, places or things. [From the Latin: “Camera Obscura” literally meaning “darkened room“]
To see your own family in your dream, represents security, warmth and love. It could also symbolize bitterness, jealousy, or rivalry, depending on your relationship with your family. Alternatively, it could mean that you are overly dependent on your family, especially if the family members are in your recurring dreams .Consider also the significance of a particular family member or the relationship you have with them.
To dream of one's family as harmonious and happy, is significant of health and easy circumstances; but if there is sickness or contentions, it forebodes gloom and disappointment.
Seeing your own family in high spirits in your dream, symbolizes harmony and happiness. Seeing them gloomy, foretells of disappointment and sadness.
The first people in your life with whom you have any social interaction are the members of your family. Therefore, a dream about a family member can represent any waking life social situation. For example, if you are arguing with your mother or father in a dream, you may be having a problem with another authority figure, such as an employer, in your waking life. If you dream that an older sibling is teaching you how to do something, you may be hoping that you will receive assistance with something from someone else in your waking life.
A family can also represent security and community.
The meaning of a dream about family will largely depend upon your personal experiences with your own family members.
To see children in your dream, signify an aspect of yourself and your childlike qualities. You may be retreating back to a childlike state and longing for the past. You are trying to still satisfy repressed desires and unfulfilled hopes. Perhaps there is something that you need to see grow and nurture. Take some time off and cater to the inner child within. Alternatively, the dream may be highlighting your innocence, purity, simplicity, and carefree attitude. If you are fighting with children, then it implies that you are repressing your inner child. The children could represent someone in your waking life (coworker, mate, sibling, etc.) who is acting like a child. If you see children fighting in your dream, then it means that your sense of morality and character are in conflict.
To forget about your child or children, suggests that you are feeling overwhelmed by your waking responsibilities. The dream is telling you that you are overly fixating on minor details and overlooking the important things on your life. You need to re-prioritize your time and focus on what matters. To dream that your own grown children are still very young, indicates that you still see them as young and dependent. You want to feel needed and significant.
To dream that you are watching children but they do not know you are there, is a metaphor for some hidden knowledge or some latent talent which you have failed to recognize.
To save a child in your dream, signifies your attempts to save a part of yourself from being destroyed. If you dream that you are separated from your children, then it symbolizes failure in some personal endeavor or a setback in some ideal you had.
``Dream of children sweet and fair,
To you will come suave debonair,
Fortune robed in shining dress,
Bearing wealth and happiness.''
To dream of seeing many beautiful children is portentous of great prosperity and blessings.
For a mother to dream of seeing her child sick from slight cause, she may see it enjoying robust health, but trifles of another nature may harass her.
To see children working or studying, denotes peaceful times and general prosperity.
To dream of seeing your child desperately ill or dead, you have much to fear, for its welfare is sadly threatened.
To dream of your dead child, denotes worry and disappointment in the near future.
To dream of seeing disappointed children, denotes trouble from enemies, and anxious forebodings from underhanded work of seemingly friendly people.
To romp and play with children, denotes that all your speculating and love enterprises will prevail.
Seeing children in your dream means your own childlike qualities or a retreat back to a childlike state. It is an extension of your inner child during a time of innocence, purity, simplicity, and a carefree attitude. You may be longing for the past and the chance to satisfy repressed desires and unfulfilled hopes. Take some time off and cater to the inner child within. Perhaps there is something that you need to see grow and nurtured. Dreaming that your own grown children are still very young indicates that you still see them as young and dependent. You want to feel needed and significant. Dreaming that you are watching children but they do not know you are there, is a metaphor for some hidden knowledge or some latent talent which you have failed to recognize. To save a child means your attempts to save a part of yourself from being destroyed.
To dream that you trip on something, indicates that something is out of order in your life. Things are not going as smoothly as you want, especially when you are faced with obstacles. The dream may forewarn that you are about to make a mistake in some waking decision.
To dream that you are going on a trip, suggests that you are in need of a change of scenery. You are feeling overworked and need to take time out for yourself for some fun and relaxation. Alternatively, the dream means that you are looking to explore a different aspect of yourself.
To dream that you are on a business trip, suggests that you are having a difficult time trying to relax and being at ease. You may be feeling overwhelmed.
In the Egyptian system of hieroglyphs, the tower is a determinative
sign denoting height or the act of rising above the common level in life or society
(19). Basically, then, the tower is symbolic of ascent. During the Middle Ages,
towers and belfries held the significance of watch-towers, but also, by the simple
application of the symbolism of level (whereby material height implies spiritual
elevation), they expressed the same symbolism as the ladder—linking earth and
heaven. The tower-symbol, given that it is enclosed and walled-in, is emblematic of the Virgin Mary, as can be seen in a great many allegorical designs and litanies
(14). Since the idea of elevation or ascent, implicit in the tower, connotes transformation and evolution, the athanor (the alchemists’ furnace) was given the
shape of a tower to signify inversely that the metamorphosis of matter implied a
process of ascension. Another symbol usually mentioned in this connexion is the
bronze tower in which Danae, the mother of Perseus, was imprisoned (48).
Finally we would point to the analogy between the tower and man: for just as the
tree is closer to the human figure than are the horizontal forms of animals, so, too,
is the tower the only structural form distinguished by vertically: windows at the
topmost level, almost always large in size, correspond to the eyes and the mind
of man. It is in this sense that the Tower of Babel acquired special symbolic point
as a wild enterprise bringing disaster and mental disorder (31). And, for the same
reason, the sixteenth enigma of the Tarot denotes catastrophe by the image of a
tower struck by lightning. However, it is possible to discover a dual tendency in
the symbolism of the tower. Its upward impulse may be accompanied by a
deepening movement; the greater the height, the deeper the foundations. Nietzsche
talked of descent during ascent. Nerval (in Aurélia, to be precise) refers to the
symbolism of the tower and says: ‘I found myself in a tower, whose foundations
were sunk so deep into the earth and whose top was so lofty, reaching up like a
spire into the sky, that my whole existence already seemed bound to be consumed
in climbing up and down it.’
To dream of seeing a tower, denotes that you will aspire to high elevations. If you climb one, you will succeed in your wishes, but if the tower crumbles as you descend, you will be disappointed in your hopes.
To see a tower in your dream, signifies high hopes and aspirations. If you are looking down from a tower, then it indicates that you have a perceived superiority over others. Your ego is inflated. Alternatively, a tower symbolizes the phallus.
To see a water tower in your dream, suggests that you are keeping your emotions inside. You may be unable to express your true feelings, especially feelings of love. Alternatively, a water tower indicates a false sense of security.
To dream that you are climbing a tower, denotes your quest for spirituality and unconscious ideas that may be surfacing.
To dream that a tower is falling or crumbling, heralds a drastic change ahead.
Seeing a tower in your dream means high hopes and aspirations. If you are looking down from a tower, then it suggests your perceived superiority over others. Your ego may also be inflated. Seeing a water tower in your dream, suggests that you are keeping your emotions inside. You may be unable to express your feelings, especially feelings of love. Alternatively, it indicates a false sense of security. Dreaming that you are climbing a tower indicates you quest for spirituality and unconscious ideas that may be surfacing.
Planet: Mars.
Positive associations with this tarot card:
re-evaluation, necessary change, a blessing in disguise.
Negative associations with this tarot card:
sudden change, downfall, disruption, disaster.
After the Death card and the Devil, The Tower is likely to be the card that causes most fear and constenation. It's hard to find a positive side to this card, however, it tells you that the unexpected shock and upheaval of events will create new opportunities and make you a stronger and wiser person.
The Tower represents sudden and sometimes shocking changes in events and can often represent problems or delays relating to your home or the purchasing of home.
Whether material or emotional upset, this card encourages you to see that such upheavals can force new directions that can be more beneficial.
Negatively The Tower represents unecessary suffering. You may be falsely accused of something and suffer some form of imprisonment or isolation, or you may be the one causing the shock and change with a rebellious attitude.
The main thing to remember with this rather unpleasant card is that this phase will pass and that a new direction or new opportunities can be created from it.
To dream that you are climbing a hill, signifies your struggles in achieving a goal. You need to focus your energies on the prize. To dream that you are standing on top of a hill, suggests that you have succeeded in your endeavors. You have the necessary resources to complete the task at hand.
Dreaming that you are climbing a hill means your struggles in achieving a goal. Dreaming that you are standing on top of a hill means that you have succeeded in your endeavors or that you have now have the resources to complete a task at hand.
To see a cup in your dream, represents love, nurturance and the womb. The cup may also signify rejuvenation and healing. Alternatively, it indicates a transcendence into a realm of higher consciousness. Is the cup half-full or half-empty? Do you see life from an optimistic or pessimistic point of view.
To see a cup with a broken handle, indicates your feelings of inadequacy and anxieties of being unable to handle a particular situation.
To see a broken cup in your dream, denotes feelings of powerlessness, guilt and/or low self-esteem. Perhaps you feel unqualified or inadequate in dealing with a situation.
Seeing a cup in your dream, represents nurturance and the womb. The cup may also signify healing, rejuvenation, and healing. Alternatively, it indicates a transcendence into a realm of higher consciousness. Is the cup half-full or half-empty? Do you see life from an optimistic or pessimistic point of view. Seeing a cup with a broken handle indicates your feelings of inadequacy and anxieties of being unable to handle a particular situation. Seeing a broken cup in your dream means feelings of powerlessness, guilt and/or low self-esteem. Perhaps you feel unqualified or inadequate in dealing with a situation.
The cup is an ancient symbol of female sexuality; the cup also represents truth and love. Is the cup full or empty? What does it contain? If it is empty the dreamer is thirsty, suggesting that something is missing, perhaps from the dreamer’s emotional life.
To dream that you are throwing something, indicates that there is someone or something that you need to rid yourself of from your life. Consider the object that you are throwing. Alternatively, the dream may be a pun that you are "throwing" or fixing a game or situation. Are you working against the objective?
To see or eat eggs in your dream, symbolize fertility, birth and your creative potential. Something new is about to happen. If the eggs are scrambled, then the dream represents your commitment on a set coarse. It may also mean that you need to accept the consequences of your actions.
To find a nest filled with eggs in your dream, signify some financial gain; the more abundant and bigger the eggs, the more significant the gain.
To see cracked or broken eggs in your dream, represent feelings of vulnerability or a fragile state in your life. Consider the phrase, walking on eggshells. Alternatively, you may be breaking out of your shell and being comfortable with who you are.
To see bright colored eggs in your dream, symbolizes celebration of a happy event.
To dream of rotten eggs, signify loss. You may have allowed some situation to take a turn for the worse. Alternatively, the dream is telling you that something may look fine on the outside, but as you delve deeper, you find that it is not what it appears to be. Perhaps, something is too good to be true.
To see fish eggs in your dream, represent an idea that has emerged from your unconscious.
To dream of finding a nest of eggs, denotes wealth of a substantial character, happiness among the married and many children. This dream signifies many and varied love affairs to women.
To eat eggs, denotes that unusual disturbances threaten you in your home.
To see broken eggs and they are fresh, fortune is ready to shower upon you her richest gifts. A lofty spirit and high regard for justice will make you beloved by the world.
To dream of rotten eggs, denotes loss of property and degradation.
To see a crate of eggs, denotes that you will engage in profitable speculations.
To dream of being spattered with eggs, denotes that you will sport riches of doubtful origin.
To see bird eggs, signifies legacies from distant relations, or gain from an unexpected rise in staple products.
Eggs are symbolic of something new and fragile. They represent life and development in its earliest forms and, as such, the possibilities are without limits. At times eggs can represent captivity or entrapment. Therefore, the egg in your dream may very well represent you in the deepest sense. Were you trapped inside the egg or did you break out of it and fly free?