70. ~ Snake ~

There are actually about twenty-five hundred species of snakes in the world. Too many to choose from to speak specifically about. However, when a boa constrictor is threatened it will hiss so loudly they can be heard up to one hundred feet away. When snakes wake up for a few hours in the middle of the day, they uncoil their body by first lifting up their head which rests on its coils. A snake has no eyelids, so they sleep with their eyes open, unable to ever close them. This is why they always seem to be looking right at you. The have average eyesight, but some species see very well at night. They have no ear openings. Their body picks up vibrations from the ground and this serves as its ears. Each side of the snake's lower jaw moves separately enabling it to swallow prey which is larger than its own mouth size. Their teeth are small and hooked. The snake's forked tongue is harmless. It serves as a feeler and a smeller. The tongue itself can't smell. However, it is used to draw odorous objects into its mouth to make contact with smell-sensitive organs found there. Snakes eat insects, worms, frogs, mice, rats, birds, and rabbits. They will only dine on live meals. They shed their skins' one to several times a year. Depending on the species, they will birth twelve to ninety-nine babies at one time. These are cold-blooded creatures.

Medicine:

Snake medicine teaches us to let go of the old and move onto the new! They tell us we need to 'quietly' push our minds and bodies out of the past and into the future. They teach us that sometimes we need to shake things up, even if it makes us feel extremely uncomfortable. This is a necessary action in order for us to become comfortable in our own skin again. Snakes can deliver a direct message from Spirit. They can bring the message of healing. They remind us to be forgiving. They represent a time of inner insight. Snake medicine reminds us of resurrection and widsom. They tell us to move quickly and silently. The medicine of the snake teaches us to control our temper. Snake medicine also conveys that certain conditions around us are going to be 'growing' through some uncomfortable but necessary changes in the near future. They tells us by having patience during this process will make this much easier.