When you think of snakes, what kinds of images float to your mind? There are conflicting cultural messages around snakes as well as personal experiences that may conflict with or reinforce those messages.
From the renaissance until the present, the Western Eurocentric perspective has largely been to view snakes and serpents, most reptiles as “hateful”, “creeping”, “sly”, “seductive”, and even “unlucky.” In modern popular culture they are often portrayed as edgy and dangerous, no doubt stemming from these unsavory associations.
So why is the mascot of Eve & Fae a snake? In nearly every region of the world, snakes have been symbolized, revered, even worshiped. Why?
Snakes are powerful. The flipside of the cunning and sly is wisdom. The snake is often a symbol of wisdom. The Maya goddess of fertility Ix Chel is portrayed in her maiden and crone forms as wearing a serpent on her head like a crown, showing her wisdom and connection to divine power. In India, Manasa, is a snake goddess connected with fertility, protector of children. Also the Naga, a race of mythical semi-diving snake beings commanded by the creator-god Brahma to bite the truly evil and protect the people. The Cherokee people reverence the snake as being closely associated with the thunder gods.
Snakes are healing. Snakes shed their skin. This unmistakable symbol of renewal is often associated with healing. The rod of Asclepius is still used as the pharmacological symbol today. The rod of Moses bore a serpent which the children of Israel had only to gaze up at to live, healed. The snake also appears as a symbol of Jesus Christ in the illuminations of The Book of Kells emphasizing his immortality and eternal nature. The Ojibwa and Pueblo tribes associate snakes with new life and fertility. From a scientific standpoint, snakes eat vermin and thereby also bring about healthier ecosystems with stable food chains. The most ubiquitous symbol throughout the world is of the snake as healer.
Snakes are good fortune. In ancient China the snake was celebrated as auspicious, being close to the earth, and it was often invoked for good harvests. In Japan as well a white snake is considered a symbol of longevity. Their energy is often calming too which makes them a helpful companion to soothe the nervous system. They invite us to overcome our fears and make new discoveries.
Snakes are beautiful. With their sinuous movements, and their sleek bodies, cool to the touch, they inspire both reverence and respect for their powerful brand of beauty. At Eve & Fae, we believe in connection. The ampersand in our logo is a snake because we have not found another creature that shows how the beliefs of the world can overlap and merge so harmoniously. Magic comes when we overcome fear and embrace the mystical as our own strength.
Be Blessed, Blessed Be,
Rachel Joy