The Golden Snake

Michael Parkes - Golden Serpent

I have had dreams about snakes for as long as I can remember.  I tend to have them more when I am not taking care of my Whole Self properly and/or am in a state of transition in my life.  I have a few that are similar and are recurring and I have some that (seemingly) have nothing to do with the others and I never have again.  Last night I had a new one that was fairly simple but I thought also very beautiful.  I wrote what I could remember of it down upon waking and am going to write it here so that I can refer back to it.  I have my own ideas about what what it means for me (and the world) but comments are always welcome.  

I was in a cavern made up of smooth stones stacked on one another.  The cavern wasn't pitch black but it was dark.  I was with two men.  We were looking at a golden snake that had entwined itself through the smooth rocks and was looking down at us.  Its color was amazing and it actually illuminated the cavern.  Breathtakingly beautiful and somehow otherworldly, it regarded us serenely and somewhat curiously from its place in the space of the rocks. 

No words were exchanged in the dream, but I knew the intentions of the two men who were with me.  None of us had ever seen such a beautifully-colored snake before and we were all mesmerized, each in our own way.  The man on the left of me wanted to capture the snake an sell it, dead (for the skin) or alive (as a specimen or exotic pet) to whoever would give him the most money for it.  I felt his intention as he looked at it of grabbing it with one hand and pulling it forcefully from the rocks.  I couldn't shake this vision and I felt a knot in my stomach and knew I had to protect the snake at all costs, even my life.  It was not to be disturbed. 

The man to the right of me wanted to classify it and name it.  He was a researcher and couldn't wait to return to his colleagues so that they could all come to the cavern and look for themselves.  The snake didn't fit the description of any he had in his books and yet for some reason I felt him have this NEED to identify it and to name it.  His intentions felt less overtly cruel than the man on my left but from his consciousness I felt ignorance and I knew the snake was to be left alone and not to be observed by the throng of researchers the man wanted to gather there. 

As I felt the intentions of the men beside me I also was open to the consciousness of the snake and we communicated.  I wanted nothing more than to assure the snake that if it chose to do so it was the right time to make itself known and come out of the rocks.  In some ways it WAS the right time for the snake to emerge but I also felt the knot in my stomach and a deep sadness from the intentions of the others who stood before the snake.  I knew if I talked gently to the snake and reassured it, it would come to me out of the rocks.  But I didn't know if I would be able to protect it.  So I just sent it love but didn't try to coax it out of its perch in the rocks.  Until the people regarding the snake have enough collective Wisdom the snake will live in the rocks, waiting.  Patiently, lovingly and curiously regarding us but waiting until the time is right.