Snake Dream – Interpretations, Meanings & Symbolism

Snake Dream Interpretation

Are you wondering how to interpret your snake dream, how to stop yourself from having it again, or if there is something you should do as a result of having this dream about snakes? Here we explore the hidden meaning in snake dreams.

Snake Dream Summary

Snake Symbolism

The symbolism of snakes can vary from signifying evil and deceitful creatures to embodying a spirit of rebirth and progression. What a snake symbolizes in your dream will largely be impacted by the context of the dream and your own personal history, thoughts, and feelings about snakes.

Common Snake Dreams

If you have been having dreams about snakes, then you’re certainly not alone, as this is a fairly common theme of dream for many people. To uncover what specific snake dreams mean, we delve into the interpretations of some of the most commonly experienced snake dreams, including:

  1. Dreams About Venomous Snakes
  2. Dreams About White Snakes
  3. Dreams About Black Snakes
  4. Dreams About Yellow Snakes
  5. Dreams About Being Eaten by a Snake
  6. Dreams About a Talking Snake
  7. Dreams About Playing with Snakes
  8. Dreams About Eating a Snake
  9. Dreams About a Dead Snake
  10. Dreams About Being Attacked by a Snake
  11. Dreams About Killing a Snake
  12. Dreams About Being Bitten by a Snake

What Does the Symbolism of Snakes Mean?

Snake Symbolism

Deception

If we think about modern culture, then snakes are typically depicted as sneaky, devious creatures. They are rarely, if ever, used as a hero figure in films, books, or TV shows and instead usually represent a force of evil or a ‘baddie.’

The snake in ‘The Jungle Book’ was regarded as an untrustworthy creature who should be avoided, while snakes were used in the ‘Harry Potter’ stories as the companions of the deadly Lord Voldemort, Harry’s evil arch-nemesis. In fact, the symbolism of snakes cropped up throughout the Harry Potter series, as a symbol of the house of Slytherin, who were known to be deceitful and less than admirable. Some people in these books could speak to snakes, which was seen to be a worrying feature. The fictional monster ‘Mara’ in the Doctor Who TV series is also regarded as an evil creature who is based on a snake.

It’s easy to see why many people today regard snakes as evil and dangerous, based on how they are represented in popular culture. The symbolism of snakes in your dreams may be referencing this theme of lies, deceit, and a lack of trust.

Healing

In Greek and Roman times, snakes were used as a symbol of healing. This is most likely based on the fact that the antidote for a snake’s venom is contained within itself and is, therefore, able to heal any wound it inflicts.

Temptation

One of the biblical meaning of a snake symbol is temptation. This is because Satan took on the guise of a serpent in order to trick Eve into disobeying God’s command. From this, we can see that snakes have long been regarded as untrustworthy and deceptive creatures who use their powers of persuasion to lure other people into temptation and ultimately into trouble.

Rebirth

The snake can also be used as a symbol of rebirth and transformation. This is because snakes are able to shed their skin, and therefore can represent change or starting a new chapter. If your snake dream leaves you feeling positive and refreshed, or maybe feeling motivated to take on a new challenge, then it’s likely the snakes in your dream represented transformation and growth.

However, it can also be that the snake in your dream represents change, even if it is in a bad dream, for example, if you are fighting a snake or being chased by a snake. These dreams might represent your unwillingness to face up to a change in your life.

Sex

Snakes, according to Freud, represent sexual energy or sexual temptation. Freud regarded a snake as a phallic symbol due to the shape of a snake and therefore believed snakes appear as a symbol of repressed sexual feelings or forbidden sexuality. The way a snake appears in the dream will affect how you should interpret it, but Freud had some specific beliefs on this.

His thoughts were that a snake on your bed in a dream was representative of your fear of sex, whether that be that you are having intimacy issues or that you are worried about your own performance. He also wrote that the act of eating a snake in a dream indicated that the dreamer was sexually unfulfilled.

Poison

Snakes can be symbolic of poison, as some of them have toxic venom, which can inflict great harm on people and animals, and even death in some cases. The symbolism of a snake as a poison doesn’t translate literally to a type of poison, but instead to poisonous traits in people; for example, the snake in your dream may be representative of a poisonous person in your life who is spreading rumors about you or trying to ruin your reputation. As always, the way the dream leaves you feeling and what context the snake appeared in will help you to identify what the snake represents and how your dream interpretation should be.

Specific Snake Dream Interpretations

Dreams About Venomous Snakes

Dreams About Venomous Snakes

A venomous snake in your dream almost certainly represents a toxic or poisonous situation in your life. This could be a person who has been causing problems for you, or it may even be symbolic of toxic thoughts you are having about yourself.

If the venomous and poisonous snake bites you in your dream, then this points to a troublesome event happening to you in the near future; this snake bite serves as a warning that something bad is waiting for you around the corner. Venomous snakes can also represent poisonous decisions you are making for yourself, such as engaging in addictive behaviors such as gambling, or it could be indicative of you making unhealthy choices.

Dreams About White Snakes

Dreams About White Snakes

White snakes are considered to be good omens in dreams. They represent a fresh start and confidence in your abilities. If you see a white snake on land, then this is a sign that you are ready and able to take on the next challenge in your life. You feel as though your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and you have belief in yourself and the decisions you will make. A white snake in water is usually a reference to positive changes in your life. This type of dream can point to rebirth and transformation. It may be a signal that you are ready to accept a new job or begin a new relationship. Dreams about white snakes will usually leave you feeling calm, powerful, and motivated to achieve your goals.

Dreams About Black Snakes

Dreams About Black Snakes

As you might expect, if white snakes symbolize good fortune, then black snakes are most certainly a bad omen. If you have a dream about a black snake, then this means bad news is coming your way, or you are about to come up against a difficult obstacle. As a result of this dream, you should take extra care in your waking life. Avoid situations that might make you vulnerable or put you in danger, and avoid making any big decisions as this is not a good time for you to be making changes.

Dreams About Yellow Snakes

Dreams About Yellow Snakes

Yellow snakes signify a fear of the unknown. Dreams about yellow snakes will often happen when you are at a crossroads in life, and you are tempted to take the easy road for fear of what might happen if you choose the road less traveled. This dream is telling you that staying in your comfort zone might feel safe, but it will also keep you from achieving what you really want.

The yellow snake is symbolic of something you are passionate about but are too afraid to go after. This could be a job you are afraid of taking or a relationship you want to embark on, but fear is holding you back. This dream should make you think about what is really important to you, and whether you favor safety and the comfort of your life remaining the same, or whether you need to take a leap of faith and overcome your fears in order to experience greater things.

Dreams About Being Eaten by a Snake

If you are eaten by a snake in your dream, this is a sign that you have not been treating people well in your waking life. It might be that this is something you’re aware of, or it might be that you need to take a good look at yourself and consider how your recent behavior may have impacted other people. Being eaten by a snake is your subconscious telling you that you need to seek out some space and take some time out to get back to yourself and have a moment away from people so you can reflect on and change your negative behaviors.

Dreams About a Talking Snake

A dream about a talking snake usually points to feelings of anxiety and negative thoughts. If the snake speaks words you can understand, then this can be representative of inner wisdom. This dream is telling you that you can overcome your anxiety, but it might take some work to get there. You need to recognize the negative forces in your life and take action to prevent them from having access to you. This might mean cutting certain people out of your life, or it might mean putting all of your efforts into stopping your own self-destructive behaviors.

Dreams About Playing with Snakes

Dreams About Playing with Snakes

Whether you are the one playing with snakes in your dream, or you witness children playing with snakes, this is an indication that you have a good judgment of other people, and you should rely on your instincts to work out who can be trusted and who cannot. Playing with snakes is a sign that you know who the good people are in your life and who you should stay away from. This dream might serve to remind you to trust yourself and take the necessary action to remove certain people from your life. If you have recently been suspicious of a person in your life, then this dream is telling you that you are right to be suspicious and that you shouldn’t trust this person. If you are handling the snake in your dream rather than playing with it, then this is a sign that you have a good plan for overcoming the obstacles in your life. Your ability to calmly handle a snake in your dream is indicative that you have the resources to deal with any hurdles that lay ahead of you.

Dreams About Eating a Snake

Dreams About Eating a Snake

Dreams about eating a snake can point to sexual desires, specifically repressed desires, or the desire to have a new sexual partner. If you have eaten a snake in your dream, then your subconscious is telling you to seek out new sexual experiences in order to find fulfillment.

Dreams About a Dead Snake

Dreams About a Dead Snake

If you dream about a dead snake, then this is a good sign that a problematic period of your life is over. It may be that a toxic relationship in your life is coming to an end, or you are moving on from a job you were unhappy in.

Dreams About Being Attacked by a Snake

Dreams About Being Attacked by a Snake

Being attacked by a snake in your dream signifies that you feel mentally vulnerable at the moment. It points to you feeling stressed out or anxious in your waking life or suggests that you are especially worried about a specific situation.

While being attacked in your dream is not pleasant, and feeling worried is also a concern, the fact that it was a snake attack indicates that everything is going to work out well. Your worries and anxieties over an issue will soon be resolved, and you will emerge from the situation feeling stronger.

If multiple snakes attack you in your dream, then this is a sign that you are about to embark on a relationship with somebody who isn’t going to be good for you. This could be a romantic relationship, a new friendship, or even a working relationship with a colleague. Be extra aware of new people in your life at this time, and focus on keeping yourself mentally strong. Again, the significance of snakes attacking you suggests that you will come out of this bad relationship as a stronger person.

Dreams About Killing a Snake

Dreams About Killing a Snake

If you have killed a snake in your dream, then it has probably left you feeling quite victorious. This is symbolic of you being able to overcome challenges in your own life and may give you the confidence you need to face obstacles head-on.

Dreams About Being Bitten by a Snake

Dreams About Being Bitten by a Snake

Snake bites in dreams can represent several different things, depending on the specifics of the bite. Generally, a bite will represent anxieties or distress over a situation. A snake bite in your dream can be a sign that you should not take a certain path you were considering or a sign that you should reconsider your recent decisions. A snake bite on the leg indicates that you should reassess the priorities in your life and that it might be a good time for you to have a spiritual re-evaluation.

If you see somebody else being bitten by a snake, then this is a reminder of difficult times in your past that you have overcome, but that still haunts you. If you do not witness the snake bite in your dream, but you find snake bite prints on your skin, then this points to your lack of confidence in yourself and suggests you should focus on self-growth and improvement before judging others. Snake bites on your hands can often have very specific meanings. Being bitten by a snake on your left hand is a sign that you feel fragile or weak, whether that be mentally or physically. You are feeling threatened by someone else in your life and lack confidence in your own abilities. This dream should urge you to work on improving your self-confidence and self-esteem in order to bring the dreams to an end and live up to your own potential.

A snake bite on your right hand, by comparison, suggests that trouble lies around the corner. This troublesome situation is unavoidable, but you will be able to overcome it. The depth of the bite can also be important, as deep snake bites point to a pattern of unhealthy behaviors, either your own or those of people who are close to you.

Conclusion

Snake dreams can be empowering, but more commonly, they will leave the dreamer feeling disturbed and anxious. You may be tempted to ignore these dreams and try to block them from your memory, but learning how to interpret your dreams about snakes will help you to reduce your fears and may also enable you to tackle issues in your life more effectively.

Snake Dream - Interpretations, Meanings & Symbolism