Snakes

What does it mean to dream about snakes?

A dream about flying, snakes and family…

Dream: My husband shared with me a dream he had about flying, snakes and family. He was going camping with his family, his mom (who died several years ago), his dad, his grandfather (who also has passed away) and his three sisters. They each live in different states so were driving to the camp site. He parked his truck and his body was flying. There was also a waterfall and bridge over the waterfall. He came to a river and followed it until it forked where he went to the left. When he got to the camp ground there were 300 dead snakes laid out. He thought the people before him had killed the snakes. There were still snakes in the camp ground. He told his parents that his sisters would not be happy about the snakes. He was alarmed and didn’t understand why his parents were not alarmed. His mom said it was ok because you could see any snake that tried to come into a zipped up tent. My husband flew back and got his truck to drive to the camp ground. One of his sisters was asleep in the camper that he and his sisters were supposed to sleep in. The other sisters arrived but didn’t seem overly concerned. My husband carried his gun around with him but became less concerned as the dream continued.

DreamsMaster: I’m going to project myself into this dream, and offer some ideas of what may be going on. Only your husband will know for sure, but as he reads through my impressions, hopefully it will help direct him toward a fitting interpretation of his own…

Family reunion camping: Was there a time in his life when his family went on camping trips together? If so, were these good times or tense? If not, a family reunion camping trip could be symbolic of seeing the clan out in the open, metaphorically speaking – seeing one another as they really are.

Flying: The ability to rise above conflict. Also, the ability to see things from a higher perspective.

Waterfall and river: Water often symbolizes one’s emotional or spiritual state. In this case, both water sources are moving, not sitting stagnant. This says to me something is stirring inside.

300 dead snakes killed by people before: Snakes sometimes symbolize evil, or something not to be trusted. It’s striking that there’s such a large number of them killed – in the past – laid out in clear view. And still more are present. Past and present. Could these represent family secrets?

He’s alarmed but not his parents: His eyes are open, he has a broader perspective; his parents are more oblivious to the danger, perhaps not aware of things as he is, not seeing things from the same perspective.

Mom feels safe in zipped up tent: Mom is protected or shielded now, perhaps a reference to her having passed on, or could also be the sense that she protected herself from the family secrets or falsehoods in her living form as well.

One sister asleep, other sisters not concerned: Sisters are similar to Mom, unphased by the sinister surroundings, or unconscious about it all. Another reference to past and present?

Your husband carried gun for protection, but became less concerned: Lowering defenses, perhaps doesn’t need to be so guarded around his family anymore… past, or present.

Go get the bananas…

Dream: I dreamed my fiancé and I met in the African village and then went to the farm and saw the bananas on the other side and my fiancé said to me “Go get the bananas on the other side of the river and bring them back” and then I refused and told my fiancé to go get the bananas. My fiancé refused and told me to go get the bananas. Then we saw a snake in the water and my fiancé bought me a piece of wood and told me to go and kill the snake. Then I refused and told her to go kill the snake. Then she refused. Then all of a sudden, we are in a tree and my fiancé is singing in the wrong notes to me. Then I saw my granddad and he asked “What are you doing in the tree”, then I woke up.

DreamsMaster: This dream appears to be illustrating conflict between your fiancé and you, specifically around issues of power and control. I see two examples of this in the dream, one in regards to fetching bananas (may symbolize sustenance) and the other in regards to killing a snake (may symbolize protection). Your fiancé expects you to address these basic needs, but you deflect back to her, and she deflects back to you, with no apparent resolution. Is this a pattern between the two of you in your waking life? In other words, do the two of you get stuck when it comes to negotiation and conflict resolution?

All of a sudden you’re in a tree. This could represent trying to rise above or escape from the conflict. To no avail, as the “disharmony” (singing wrong notes) is present even there. Perhaps your granddad represents your inner wisdom, recognizing the futility of your current mode of trying to escape the conflict. If so, consider this: What would your granddad advise in your current situation?

Big black snake draining me…

Dream: Someone handed me an alligator in one hand and a big black snake in the other. I pushed both away because I didn’t want either but the snake jumped on my right hand and bit me between my thumb and pointing finger and wrapped itself around my hand and wouldn’t budge. I was screaming for help from my mum I couldn’t get it off until my sister (whom I’m not speaking to) came and cut it off with a knife. When I looked at my arm, it was visible that it had drained me. I was so hurt and crying uncontrollably that my mum didn’t help me when I needed her.

DreamsMaster: This dream has very strong symbolism. Dreams are personal to the dreamer and only the dreamer can truly determine their meaning, but here are my impressions, see what fits for you.

Intense feelings are evoked in the dream: Fear, powerlessness, pain, abandonment. Can you associate these feelings to what has been going on in your life recently?

The two people in the dream are your sister and your mum (interesting that the dream starts with you being handed an alligator and a snake). Although it’s your sister you’re not speaking to in the waking world, the dream suggests she is in fact an ally, and that your mum may actually be contributing to this distressful situation. In the dream she’s unavailable to you, abandoning you in your time of need. Is there some truth to this in the waking world, which you’ve been trying to deny?

Alligators and snakes are both cold-blooded reptiles. Cold-blooded is often a metaphor for lacking sensitivity. Snakes in particular often represent betrayal, and this one is black, sinister. In your dream it’s the snake that’s the aggressor, the object that drains you physically. Perhaps in the waking world your sister has been that aggressor to you, draining you emotionally, yet your inner eye still sees her as a source of strength and support. In the dream your mum is the one causing you the most grief, being distant and unsupportive.

Is this dynamic playing out for you in your waking life? In other words, do you sense that your mum in some covert way is contributing to the problem between you and your sister? If what I’m saying seems to fit for you, perhaps it’s time to bring this family conflict out in the open to find resolution. If that’s not possible at this time, find something else in your life to replenish the life energy that the conflict is draining.

See more dreams about Snakes…

What does a snake mean…

Dream: What does it mean when you dream about snakes?

DreamsMaster: A snake often represents one not to be trusted, as depicted by the expression “a snake in the grass” when describing someone slithering about ready to strike. Is there someone in your life you feel threatened by in this way?

A snake may also be a symbol of transformation, as in the shedding of one’s skin.

What a snake means in any given dream depends upon the dreamer’s personal association to snakes, combined with the events and feelings in the dream and in the dreamer’s waking world.

For example, let’s say a person likes snakes and even has one as a pet. A snake in that person’s dream may mean something quite different from a snake in another person’s dream, who is never around snakes and very much fears them.

If you’d like help interpreting a specific dream about snakes, here are some ideas on how to get started (read more about this on the Dream Interpretation pages):

1) Write out the dream in detail, then look for the general dream theme (for example, someone is doing something to someone else).

2) In regards to the snake itself, write down some adjectives that come to mind when you think of a snake.

3) Try this: role-play being the snake and interview yourself! Ask questions such as, “Who are you?” and “What is your purpose here?” Some very interesting aha! moments can come out of role-playing your symbols!

A change is taking place, some painful growth, as in a snake during the shedding of its skin. It is difficult to adjust because I do not know who is adjusting; I am no longer that old person and not yet the new.
– Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard

Submit a dream of your own to the DreamsMaster…

Bit by a snake…

Dream: I had a dream that I was at a friend’s house. She left this snake in a large see through cylinder and it managed to get out. I ran to the back door. It was coming towards me. I was afraid. But something told me not to be afraid. I peeked around the corner and it bit me in the forearm.

DreamsMaster: A number of interesting possibilities with this dream. Some things to consider…

Is the friend in the dream someone you know and trust in your waking world? A snake in a dream often represents something or someone not to be trusted.

In this dream, you were aware of the danger (see-through cylinder), you started to run away from it, you chose not to be afraid, and you then got bit.

Looking at this sequence of events, do you recognize a common thread in your waking life currently? In other words, is there an obvious danger or untrustworthy individual in your environment that you’re choosing to ignore, but may be putting yourself at risk by doing so?

It’s a positive sign that you were able to face the fear and take a peek at the unknown. Keep your eyes open.

Submit a dream of your own to the DreamsMaster…