For some people, the presence of snakes in a dream is all it takes to become a nightmare!
But are snakes always a bad omen or do they just have a bad reputation?
Often snakes represent fear, knowledge, change, or danger, but the personal meaning of these scaly creatures depends on a number of things including the snake’s actions and your response to the animal.
Table of Contents
Snake Characteristics
Color
Colors are incredibly important in dreams and in waking life.
Advertisements and notices use color to suggest moods or warn of danger because as a culture we associate colors with particular feelings.
Red, for instance, is usually associated with danger or passion. Green is often used to represent new life and health. Black usually represents death and sadness.
In your dream, the color of the snake can work the same way. It will often give you a clearer understanding of the deeper associations of the animal.
Black snakes might suggest that there is something equally dark and depressing looming in your life. It could be a hint that something dangerous is headed your way, or it could be a representation of some sadness that is already present in your dream.
Red snakes can be a symbol of passion. Look at your life and try to think about what makes you feel passionate. The snake could be suggesting that you need to find something to reignite your passions or perhaps drawing your attention to the object of your passions.
Danger is also commonly associated with the color red. A red snake could symbolize an approaching hazard. If you do dream of a red snake be on alert in our waking life for things that could harm you or your dreams.
Yellow snakes are symbols of your inner self, that guiding light within you. If you dream of a yellow snake it could be a sign that you need to listen more closely to your intuition.
Behavior
What the serpent does in your dream will give you an idea of the problem or opportunity it is representing.
Being chased by a snake is a sign that you are avoiding something pressing in your waking life. It could be a person, a responsibility, or a confrontation that you are dodging but the presence of the chasing serpent suggests that you need to stop and face it.
While you were being chased in your dream, you probably felt panicked and anxious. This is an indication that those feelings are also present in your waking life even if you haven’t acknowledged them.
Take the presence of a chasing snake as a call to action. Deal with the person or thing that you are avoiding or it will continue to slither along behind you.
Being bitten by a snake is an interesting symbol. You might assume that it means that you are going to be hurt or taken ill, but it is actually the opposite!
Snake fangs are reminiscent of needles used for shots or jabs. The bite in your dream could be suggesting that your health or wellbeing is getting better thanks to some form of intervention.
If the bite hurt in your dream, some people argue that it suggests you are the victim of a sly, snake like person’s ire. Take a close look at your relationships when you wake to sus out who may cause you harm.
A snake eating its own tail is uncommon, but it generally symbolizes unity or eternity. This could be a positive sign that aspects of your waking life are settling into place beside each other. It could also suggest that a relationship is going to last.
Location
If the snake is in your home or bed it suggests that someone close to you is or may betray you.
The home in your dream could litterally represent the bricks and motar which surround you. So the snake could be suggesting that it’s time to move and get out of your current place.
The house could also represent your family or friends. The people who make a place a home.
In most cultures snakes are seen as sly and evil. Having such a creature in your home or bed is dangerous! Your dream could be letting you know that there is a toxic person in your family or friendship group who poses a threat.
If the snake is outside you want to look at your extended relationships, perhaps your colleagues or acquaintances.
An outdoor snake could also suggest that you want or need to get your problem out in the open. This could mean confronting a toxic person in your life or changing your job perhaps.
Breed
Everything you dream of has significance, so the breed of the snake you see is as important as what it is doing.
Constrictor breeds like a boa or a python, squeeze their prey to death. If you see one of these while you sleep, it could suggest that someone or something is making you feel smothered or claustrophobic.
Venomous breeds like cobras or mambas are dangerous. If you dream of a venomous snake you can be sure that the danger or fear in your life is a pressing concern and you need to deal with it.
Rattlesnakes are famous for their warning rattles. A dream involving a rattle snake is trying to warn you of danger that might not yet be pressing but should be noticed.
Non-venomous snakes are perhaps the best kind to dream about. These symbolise the fact that someone or something that once posed a danger is now harmless.
You might dream of a non-venomous snake after getting to know somebody better and realising they are not a toxic influence.
Your Response to the Dream
It is really important to think about how you felt during and after the dream.
If you were scared, you can assume that the snake represents something frightening or dangerous.
If you were unfazed or disinterested in the snake then its presence might represent something peripheral in your life.
Being excited about a snake in your dream suggests that the changes coming your way are positive and something to embrace. You should lean towards the more positive interpretations of snakes if you were happy to see them in your dream.