Cobra 1
The Snake: Transformation and healing.
There is no animal with as many contradictory symbolic meanings as the snake.
Because, does it stands for positive forces such as fertility, rebirth and health, or for "evil" ?
For example, a swinging snake around a staff, the escula monkey, is a symbol of healing power and energy.
Snakes also stand for sexuality, and then for both the male and the female. When a Cobra rises, it becomes a phallus symbol, and at the same time there is the sensual, mobile and earthy side of the snake that emphasizes femininity.
In Eastern traditions the snake is the symbol for sexual, creative life force: kundalini. This "snake fire" is rolled up at the bottom of the spine. This "primordial energy" is released during our development.
The snake symbolizes transformation and rebirth. Just like the snake sheds its old skin and a new one takes its place.
Young snakes shed more often because they develop faster. Young children evolve quickly and outgrow certain situations. If a snake is bored, its protective skin has become too tight and the animal literally grows out of its skin until it sheds. Are you willing to discard and let go of things that no longer have a place in your life, or make you unhappy?