What Does It Mean When You Dream About Snakes?

Last Updated on March 9, 2021 by Cassandra Nostredame

Are you struggling to find the answer to, "What does it mean when you dream about snakes?" Unfortunately, the meaning of a dream about snakes isn't always straightforward. It depends on what happens in your dream, how it connects to your real life and the types of snakes involved. According to the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, a dream about snakes is a phallic symbol that represents a male in your life. Freud thought that it meant that you found a man in your life-threatening or sexually attractive. Meanwhile, Carl Jung thought that snake dreams were a sign of a phoenix-like transformation since a snake sheds its skin.

(Hey--want to learn more? Learn more about your secret dream meaning by checking out our article on how to interpret the hidden meanings of common dream themes.)

What Does It Mean When You Dream About Snakes?

The meaning of your dream about snakes depends entirely on what happens in the dream. For some, the dream could indicate the Kundalini energy that rises up from your root chakra. To other people, it could represent an increase in creativity, innovation and turning your thoughts into a reality. We will cover some of the most common meanings of dreams about snakes below.

• A Snake Biting You: If the snake chases you or bites you in the dream, it may indicate that you recently experience painful or abusive remarks from someone else. If you die in your dream, you can also check out this article on dreaming about death to figure out a more detailed interpretation of the dream.
• Threats: A snake in your dream could indicate that you feel like there is a threat in your waking life. The snake may represent someone that you are afraid of talking to or handling in the real world.
• Running Away From the Snake:If you are running away from the snake in your dream, it could indicate that you are figuratively (or literally) fleeing from someone in real life that you are afraid to face.
• Temptation: Depending on your upbringing, your subconscious may already associate snakes with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. If so, your dream may represent that you feel tempted by something or someone.
• Needing Reassurance: If the snake in your dream is friendly, then it indicates that you have fears in your life and are in need of reassurance. It may even show that your healing is already starting to take place.
• Resisting Change: If you are in a fight with the snake, then it means that you are trying to resist a change in your life. You may have a power struggle in one of your personal or workplace relationships.
• Understanding of a Higher Spirituality: When you are talking to the snake in the dream, it could indicate that you are in the process of gaining a better knowledge of your spiritual nature, the world or a higher power. An ongoing dialog with the snake indicates that you are realizing your potential and opening your mind to new possibilities.
• Negative Influences: If the snake in your dream spits at you, it indicates that there may be a negative influence in your life. It is essentially a poisonous relationship that is difficult for you to handle and hard to quit.

What Do Different Types of Snakes Mean in Your Dreams? 

Are you struggling to figure out the answer to, "What does it mean when you dream about snakes?" Never fear! Here are a few interpretations of what different varieties of snakes mean in your dreams. 

• Wild Snakes: A wild snake tends to carry negative connotations. It may represent things like your fears or worries. You may be afraid that aspects of your life are out of your control.
• Pet Snakes: A dream about a pet snake is often positive. It demonstrates a potential for healing or positive changes in your life.
• Rattlesnake, Viper, Cobra or Adder: These snakes are known for being extremely venomous. When one of these snakes appears in your dreams, it demonstrates something evil, poisonous or unhealthy.
• Garter Snake: A garden or garter snake shows that whatever you are facing in life is actually harmless, despite all of your fears.
• Boa Constrictor: This type of snake is known for constricting around its victims. It may demonstrate that you feel like something is restricting or strangling your movements. You may feel like this is making it impossible for you to move or take action in real life.
• Cobra: A cobra in your dream represents that you feel captivated by someone or something. It is almost like they have hypnotized you through their charms and actions.
• Green Snakes: A green snake is a sign that your fears aren't necessary, and it is time to move ahead with your plans.
• Red Snakes: Red snakes are a warning that you should be cautious or stop what you are doing.
• Yellow Snakes: Yellow snakes indicate that you can still move forward with your goals, but you must be extremely cautious.

What Do Snakes Symbolize in Dreams? 

If you see a snake in your dream, it often shows a process is going on within your subconscious mind. This could be a positive and healing change or a dangerous one, so take some time to analyze everything that's happening in your life. In positive interpretations, the snake in your dream could mean rebirth or transformation. During negative dreams, it might represent running away from a problem or toxic thoughts.

Other than generalized meanings, there are also more specific interpretations. These interpretations can depend on the type of snake or the color of the snake in the dream.

Are Snakes a Sign of Good Luck? 

In ancient times, people understood that snake venom could heal, poison or alter your consciousness. Unsurprisingly, this meant that some cultures decided that snakes were a sign of good luck. Because they shed their skins, snakes often represent rebirth, transformation or renewal.

What Is the Biblical Meaning of Snakes in a Dream? 

When you dream about snakes, it could mean there is someone around you who shouldn't be trusted. Keep your eyes open, and don't place too much trust in anyone you aren't completely sure about!

What Does a Snake Represent Spiritually? 

Snakes represent different things in dreams based on the spiritual tradition you were raised in. For example, the Viking Jormungand was a sea snake that eventually grew so large that it could encircle the world. Other than transformation and rebirth, many spiritual traditions believe snakes represent eternity, creative life force and fertility. 

Do Snakes Dreams Mean Pregnancy? 

Because of their phallic nature and symbolism for transformation, snakes are a common image in the dreams of women who are pregnant and women who wish to become pregnant. Among pregnant women, hormones can lead to especially vivid, realistic dreams. However, dreaming about snakes doesn't mean you're going to become pregnant--although there's no harm in trying to conceive anyway!

So, What Does It Mean When You Dream About Snakes?

To figure out what it means when you dream about snakes, you have to think about the type of snake and what it is doing. Then, you have to see how your dream relates to the thoughts, fears, goals and desires in your current life.

Often, a dream about snakes shows that you are facing a difficult situation and are worried about what will happen. In a more positive note, a dream about snakes can also mean that you are in the process of healing and transforming your life. Other situations in your dream like seeing the same person over and over again could also shed some light on your dream meaning. 

Snakes are unpredictable, wild creatures that tend to be viewed with fear by humans. Because of this, they often represent the same types of feelings when they appear in your dreams. You may feel like something negative is about to happen or there is a threat near you. You may also be uncertain about how the situation will work out because you feel like it is beyond your control.

Dreaming about snakes could be a sign of a transformation in your life. They slither along the ground, which makes them especially well-grounded and connected to the earth. When they shed their skin, they start a new life. In addition, the snake has the antidote to its own venom.

These factors may mean that you have the potential to transform your life, and the problem ahead of you (like the venom) already contains its own solution (the antidote). While a dream about snakes can be terrifying, it only represents what is going on in your subconscious mind and the things you are facing in your real life.