The Serpent

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The Serpent or Snake serpent.JPG (41194 bytes)

The Serpent was a symbol of many things for different cultures or people, but it was mainly a symbol of energy, strength, eternity and wisdom.

In Indian religions it is known as Ananta and it is a symbol of eternity. The Alchemists thought that it illustrated "the feminine in man".

The Aztecs draw the serpent with its tail in his mouth, symbolising the sun, signifying unending time, ever being, ever creating, and ever destroying. They also thought that it had great protective and enduring virtues. In Yoga the snake is drawn coiled up upon itself, it is the symbol of the "Kundalini". As a talisman it signifies longevity, health and vitality.

The symbol of the serpent was important to the Gnostics, and to the Egyptians, they would wear it in the form of Uraus, around the head as a mark of royalty, every tomb of the Egyptian Kings yet opened have a sculpture of the serpent on each side of the doorway - for protection to the body; it was also drawn on temples and other buildings. It is also mentioned in the legend of Buddha. It can be seen as the guardian of the springs of life and immortality. It is connected to the feminine and the wheel of life. The snake is considered as the most spiritual animal.

There are also the sea-serpents, generally seven or three-headed, because seven is a multiplication often used in the cosmos - seven sacred directions (north, south, east, west, above, below and within), seven days in a week, the seven deadly sins...); and three symbolises things such as - the active, passive and neutral, the three kingdoms of nature (animal, vegetable and mineral), the three dimensions of space (height, length and breadth).

The serpent was sometimes thought to be a form of evil, but generally it was regarded as a protecting influence.

Kat - Cosmic Red Earth

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