Lessons from the Snake

I love snakes - always have. They are uniquely beautiful and misunderstood creatures to whom I have always sympathized. Above is a picture of a northern water snake (nerodia sipedon) who, much like myself, was taking advantage of a warm, sunny spring day. People often conceptualize snakes as these slimy 'danger noodles' but nothing could be further from the truth about my little friend pictured above. This little creature has a great deal to teach those who will place their biases aside.

When taking a close look, the northern water snake's stunning brown, gray and black markings are apparent along the body. All snakes shed their skin as they grow, which has long been associated with death and rebirth, a cycle often symbolized by the ouroborus (the image of the snake swallowing its own tail). Just prior to shedding their skin, a snake's eyes will cloud over, giving it a trance-like appearance. Once they have shed their ocular scales (scales covering their eyes - snakes have no eyelids), their eyes become clear again, as if moving from the realm of the dead to that of the living. Judging by the clear eyes and nice green-brown colour on the head of my little friend above, it had just had a recent shed. This may suggest that a new perspective is at the beginning stages in some area of life.

Snakes have a keen sense of smell, which they assess with their tongues rather than nostrils. For this reason, those who find snakes showing up in their lives may find themselves sensitive to smells and fragrances. Adding some essential oils to your 'toolbox', like lavender or sage, may prove helpful in managing one's relationship to their environment. Because snakes are coldblooded, they seek out environments that help them survive. For this reason, snakes indicate a great sensitivity to one's environment, which greatly impacts mood. The snake teaches us to be selective about what we expose ourselves to.

Most snakes in the southwestern area of Ontario, Canada tend to have a stronger propensity toward the flight response but the northern watersnake tends to be more aggressive than other species. In general, snakes are built to attack quickly, striking hard and true to their mark. This can symbolize that, if tempers are lost, those with snake totems can quickly become sharp and direct. Scales are a key characteristic of the snake (and reptiles in general). The water snake has keeled scales (ridges down the center of each scale), which can both help in its defense and facilitate ease of movement. The water snake's ability to move with ease on land and in water suggests an ability to adapt to the environment in which one finds themselves.

There are many more lessons that the snake has to teach but those above seem enough to meditate on for now. My hope is that next time you see a snake, rather than judging it for simply knowing how to be what it is, ask what it is teaching you. Open yourself up to the language and lessons of nature.