What Does It Mean If You’re Having Dreams About Snakes?

As one of the oldest and richest mythological symbols across cultures, snakes can represent, well, a lot. Because serpents regularly shed their skin, many traditions associate the reptiles with upward growth, such as transformation or rebirth. But in other cultures, snakes can be a more menacing symbol, representing evil or even death. So what does it mean when a snake appears in a dream? Should you start considering what intentions you want to manifest, or brace yourself for your untimely demise?

According to professional dream analyst and author Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, snakes — a common dream archetype — typically represent a person in the dreamer’s life who exhibits low, dirty, toxic, or poisonous behavior. However, they can also represent something related to health or healing. Regardless of what you imagine the snake might represent, though, if a snake appears in your dream, Loewenberg says you shouldn’t ignore it.

Of course there’s no single way to interpret snake symbolism in a dream. How you personally feel about snakes, as well as the cultural context you’re coming out of, will have a huge influence on what the dream might mean to you. Any specific meaning should be looked at as a starting point for explanation; the most important piece of information is whether the interpretation actually resonates with you. “There’s so many cultural associations to snakes,” says Athena Laz, a spiritual dream teacher and psychologist. “And so I always say to the person, ‘You have to think about, when I say snake, what is the first thing that comes up for you?’ That’s generally the feeling or tone of what you’re working with in the dream.”

Justina Lasley, dream teacher and founding director of the Institute for Dream Studies, agrees. “People immediately think when they have a snake dream, ‘Oh, no, I had a snake dream!’ and I’m just like, ‘How did that make you feel?’ When they start talking about it, they might say, ‘Actually, it was pretty nice.’ Or somebody else says, ‘I was scared to death,’” she says. “But I find that often, the snake has come into the dream not as a fearful subject, but the dreamer approaches the snake with fear. Dreams can go in many directions, depending on the dreamer and the emotions felt by the dreamer, the dreamer’s experience with snakes.”

For Amanda Takuapu, a Guarani spiritual practitioner and apprentice to the Tupi-Guarani traditions, dreams are an opportunity to dialogue with the universe. Within that, the cultural connection to the snake spirit is an incredibly sacred one. Sharing the words of one of her teachers, Txembo’ea Luã Apyká of the Tupi-Guarani people, Takuapu says, “For us, the mboí (snake) is a goddess. The mboí tatá, the fire snake, is a sacred being. And also the jiboia, or the boa constrictor. Snakes are beings that bring wisdom and the connection to infinity, the circular worlds.”

In that sense, Takuapu says, snakes represent connection, flow, and endless movement. “In our spirituality, when we dream of snakes, we have two different paths: one of attention, as a warning for self-care, and the other of healing,” she explains. “Dreaming of snakes means that this goddess has come to bring healing in our dreams. It is a great privilege to receive and feel the goddess of snakes as she brings healing, medicine, transformation, transmutation, and connects us to the pluriverse of our bodies.”

Cultural context is an essential consideration when working with your dreams, says dream analyst Jane Teresa Anderson. In ancient Greek society, she explains, snakes were actually a primary symbol of dream interpreters and healers. “You go back to about 300 years BC, in ancient Greece you had healing temples. The idea was that if you needed healing — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually — you would go along, and you would sleep with other people in a room full of harmless snakes.” Then, she says, in the morning, you would go to the dream interpreters, tell them about your dream, and be given guidance on how to move forward. In fact, Hippocrates — widely known as the father of modern medicine — was also a dream interpreter. “He practiced medicine, ancient-Greek-style, but also practiced his medicine through helping people understand themselves through their dreams and used the symbol of the snake, which is why the snake is on the medical caduceus,” says Anderson.

Lasley, too, makes the connection between snake-related dreams and health. She says it’s common for a snake dream to be in some way related to your health, because snakes themselves hold medical symbolism we might have. “Throughout history, they’re symbols of health and well-being; that’s why the medical shield for The American Medical Association is the snakes on the rod. Snake dreams can be medicinal,” she says. “Snakes come for a lot of purposes. They’re used in different ways, in spiritual ways and things like that in different cultures. So it depends on what culture somebody’s in when they have a snake dream.” Anderson agrees. “Your culture — either the culture that you’re in or a culture that you are aware of in your dreaming mind,” will help you interpret the dream, she says. “What are dreams about? They’re about showing us our beliefs and our perspectives about life. That includes our cultures.”

Samantha Fey, author of The Awake Dreamer: Lucid Dreaming, Astral Travel and Mastering the Dreamscape, says that since we all might have different feelings about snakes that can affect how we should interpret a dream about them, it’s helpful to look at what’s universal about them: the fact that they shed their skin. “Snake dreams are usually about renewal and death — not physical death, but something that naturally needs to end in your life,” she says. “The snake sheds its skin all the time. It’s your subconscious telling you that you need to let something go.”

“Just as you would not ignore coming across a snake in real life, neither should you ignore your snake dreams,” she told the Cut. “There is either a poisonous element in your life that you need to get rid of, or there is healing you need to recognize. Either way, acting upon the message or warning is a very good thing to do.”

Autumn Fourkiller, Indigenous mystic and writer behind the Dream Interpretation for Dummies newsletter, agrees. “One should never, ever ignore a snake dream. A snake dream, in my culture, definitely functions as a warning, and is one of those things I don’t have trouble applying cross-culturally/universally. This warning generally revolves around a traitorous or treacherous person or a dangerous situation, both things that can totally wreak havoc in your life!” But she also says they’re some of the most fun dreams to think about and interpret. “This is one of my favorite topics, actually, which is freaky, because I am afraid of snakes. Snakes have so much semiotic yum. They mean so many things. They’re one of the oldest and richest mythological symbols.” She says she thinks of them in the same primordial, visceral category as alligators and crocodiles — ancient beings that can serve as messages from your deepest self. “They’re this ancient thing that has really not changed much in the course of — well, longer than humans have been here.”

While dream interpretation doesn’t need to be a spiritual practice, Fourkiller says it’s really special when she can take into account cultural and spiritual connections. “There’s a really beautiful dichotomy there. The way I grew up, there’s no part of me that feels the need to proselytize about the spiritual nature of dreams,” she says. “If I’m talking to a client and they have no inclination for that, that’s fine. But if someone is open, there is real beauty in getting into the bedrock and opening up their spiritual sense of themselves and of their dreams.”

Here’s what it might mean if you’re dreaming about snakes.

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If the dream is terror-inducing …

Start with how the dream made you feel; that will tell you how urgently you want to identify the potential stressor in your life and address it. “A snake within a nightmare is a very good indication that your subconscious feels there is a toxic person in your life that is an immediate threat, meaning their toxic behavior has reached a point where your subconscious has had it and needs to slap you into attention,” Loewenberg says.

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If the dream is more pleasant …

Well, then you don’t have to panic … yet. “A snake in a dream that is not terrifying will either mean the snake represents a health or healing issue or a toxic person or situation that isn’t in the red-alert stage yet,” she continues.

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If you dream of a boa constrictor …

According to Loewenberg, nothing in a dream is ever random, meaning that the species of snake that appears in your dream is significant. (And remember, snakes tend to represent people in your life.) Think about the snake closely — and in particular, consider the way it threatens its prey or predators. “A boa constrictor is known for squeezing its prey to death. So a boa constrictor in your dream may be connected to someone in your life who is causing you to feel crowded or constricted, or someone who may be squeezing you financially.”

Lasley agrees. “What does it do to kill its victim? Constriction. If I am feeling constricted in a situation, I might dream of a boa constrictor,” she says. If the snake is around your neck specifically, that might indicate something about your ability to express yourself in waking life. “Being constricted in my voice, not being able to say what I want to say, can be a constriction.” She also believes that dreaming about a boa constrictor could indicate a real physical constriction: “For health issues with a boa constrictor, it could be chest tightness, heart attack. A lot of times, dreams do predict all of these things.”

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If you dream of a rattlesnake …

When a predator or even unaware passerby gets close to a rattlesnake, the venomous serpent will rattle its tail to warn the perceived threat away. Therefore, if a rattlesnake appears in your dream, it may be “warning you about a toxic person in your life or telling you to start paying attention to warning signs a certain person may be displaying,” Loewenberg says.

A rattlesnake doesn’t always have to relate to your personal relationships. Laz says she once had a client who came to her with a dream about a rattlesnake. “They opened a jar, and the snake came out and rattled at them,” she recounts. “It really was a rattling warning, and they woke up and they were like, ‘What is this feeling of being rattled?’ Something is trying to shake the dreamer awake. They recognized there was something in their business life that wasn’t going so well, but they weren’t really paying attention to it. They wanted it to be different, but it wasn’t, and so the dream alerted them.”

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If you dream of a poisonous snake …

Lasley says that a dream about a poisonous snake can be quite literal. “It can represent things in my life that are poisonous — ‘This is going to kill me if I keep doing the same thing,’” she explains. “Especially if they say it was a recurring snake dream and it’s a poisonous snake, what in my life is poisonous to me? I should be very aware and alert.”

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If you dream of a harmless species, like a garter snake …

In this case, you may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. “A garter snake is harmless, so it may represent someone you were originally cautious about but are now realizing is not a threat to you,” Loewenberg says.

Lasley feels similarly, and says a dream about a harmless snake might be an opportunity for introspection. “The good, safe green snake or garden snake that really serves a good purpose in the world and helps us — maybe we still have a fear of it, but is that legitimate fear? Is this snake harmless or harmful to me?” she says. But like with all of these dreams, what the snake represents will differ depending on the individual and the wider context of the dream. “A lot of snakes will take on a personified aspect in the dream. I would want to know what characteristics that snake has.” Based on those characteristics, you might be able to draw some parallels to your waking life. “It’s in exploring the symbol. The symbol can’t be taken by itself. It’s not just a snake. It’s a particular snake, doing a particular thing in a particular place to a particular person. And every one of those things helps determine the meaning.”

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If multiple snakes appear in your dream …

Just like the breed of snake, the number of snakes that appear in your dream can hold meaning. “Multiple snakes can represent multiple toxic people or a toxic situation that has many facets to it,” Loewenberg says. Alternatively, “multiple snakes could represent multiple health issues or one health issue that has many elements to it.”

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If you dream the snake is in your house …

If you come across a snake in your house, well, look for potentially toxic people — or stressors — under your roof. (Sorry!) Or, think of it more figuratively. Perhaps, Loewenberg suggests, the menacing individual’s “toxicity is to the point that you are bringing that negativity home with you.”

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If you dream the snake is outside …

Conversely, if the snake in your dream is outside, Loewenberg says it “can be a message that it’s time to get things ‘out in the open’ with this toxic person.” She adds: “Toxic people continue to poison our lives because we don’t speak up about it.”

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If the snake bites you …

In this case, the snake likely has less to do with others in your life, and more to do with you — specifically, your health. The meaning of a snake bite in a dream can be counterintuitive: “The bite is similar to a shot being administered,” Loewenberg says. “So if a snake bites you in a dream, ask yourself if there are any health issues that are beginning to get better or an emotional wound that seems to be healing.” Or, “the snake bite could signify that you are the victim of someone’s critical or ‘biting’ remarks.”

In this instance, Fourkiller adds, “You’ll have to, well, suck out the poison, figuratively speaking. Whether that means setting a boundary, cutting a toxic person out of your life, or finding the roots to your own toxicity, do not let the wound fester. Your subconscious has warned you, given you a gift even if it doesn’t feel like it. Now take it and run.” She believes it’s ultimately going to help you. “As I always remind people, boundaries preserve relationships.”

A bite can also be a powerful communication from your subconscious; Laz says animal symbolism in your dreams is usually coming from a primal, instinctual place. “A snake biting you may seem like a negative thing on the surface, but it’s actually very helpful because it might be saying that you’re actually taking ownership of your instincts, or you’re close to the instinctual part of the psyche that is untamed,” she explains. “The dream comes up in that way to show the dreamer that actually they’re on the right track, especially if they’ve been denying their instincts for a very long time.”

Lasley says you should also consider how the bite actually made you feel in the dream; she’s spoken to clients who found themselves energized after a snake bite, which she says could indicate a fresh start or ignition of some kind. “It’s a new idea, a new way of understanding a situation, an activity,” she explains. “It could be an urge or a desire to do something.” But if the bite is more harmful or painful, she says it could have to do with communication. “Somebody is biting me and hurting me. Their language is biting, or my language is biting. Is what I said really harmful to somebody else? Because that’s what it’s gonna show us — our behavior,” she says. Because our dreams are always going to be about us and our lives, Lasley also recommends looking inward. “Maybe I’m the snake in the grass. I would ask, ‘How do I feel as a snake? What do I fear as the snake? What are these aspects of me like a snake? I’m the snake. Because dreams are never about other people. Your dreams are about you, and my dreams are about me.”

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If the snake bites a loved one …

If a snake attacks a loved one in a dream, then that person could be the one dealing with a health or emotional issue. Or, if you don’t believe the snake has anything to do with health, Loewenberg suggests looking internally and asking yourself if you might be the snake. Ask yourself, “have you been spewing venomous words at this person?”

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If the snake bites an enemy …

In this scenario, you might be the snake. “To dream someone you dislike gets bitten by snake could reflect your desire to take them down with your own ‘biting’ remarks and ‘wounding’ words,” Loewenberg says.

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If a snake appears in a sensual dream …

Snakes can also symbolize male sexual energy — vis-à-vis “their shape,” Loewenberg says. So, if you find yourself sexually interested in a man, snakes may begin to appear in your dreams in a non-threatening manner.

Fourkiller concurs. “Snakes are sexy — the movement, the sinuousness. People don’t want to talk about that,” she says. “I would say for non-men, there is a restrictor inherent in our culture put on our sexuality. If you’re dreaming of snakes, especially in a sensuous way or a sexual way, or there’s a snake present, it might be time to explore if there is something repressed, even if it’s just between you and your own body — delineating it as something that’s not sinful or or dangerous.”

The takeaway:

According to Fourkiller, “Snake dreams so rarely have anything to do with actual snakes and everything to do with metaphorical ones.”

And they must be dealt with immediately. “Are you worried someone is spreading rumors or talking shit behind your back? Are you about to take a risk you otherwise wouldn’t? Do you feel targeted in some way?” Fourkiller asks. “All of these situations could breed a snake dream. And, again, this dream should not be ignored! Your subconscious is trying to tell you something. Heed the warning.”

So, uh, how does one go about heeding such a warning? Fourkiller comes bearing suggestions. First and foremost, she recommends “recording the dreams, always, even if it’s just in a voice memo to your friends. Something that my best and most beloved call ‘Autumn’s morning podcast.’”

From there, it’s time to take action. “A snake dream requires some kind of action, some kind of movement,” she says. “I’m not saying go on a full-blown witch hunt, but examine your life closely. Are there any fences that need mending? Any places you feel are dark, shadowy? What can you do, if anything, to bring light to them?”

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