I had a dream that I was a Jaguar and there was this cobra that had cornered me. I was trapped. We were fighting to the death and the cobra bit me and said don’t worry you won’t feel anything. I remember feeling so scared and panicing after getting bit. Then I woke up.

I think it may have to do with the fact that I am struggling with a decision. At the time of the dream my boyfriend and I were discussing whether or not he should move out of the appartment. We have been together for a few years and I’m starting to resent the fact that we have no marriage plans. I don’t want to live with him anymore if we aren’t getting married so we talked about it and were deciding what to do. I know from American Indian thought that both the Jaguar and the snake are feminine in nature. My American Indian “sign” is the black jaguar. That is why I identified myself with the jaguar.

- Meredith, Age 24, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Hi Meredith -

In ancient Greece - in the temples of the healing god Aesclepius - snakes were revered in dreams as symbols of healing, transformation, growth, and re-birth. To this day you can see this link between the symbol of the snake and the healing arts recorded in the logo of the medical profession. Next time you go to a doctor’s office or browse through a medical magazine or web site - take a closer look at the pervasive symbol of medicine. You have seen this symbol a thousand times, but its significance may not have dawned upon you. If you look closely, you will see a snake crawling up the traditional “physician’s staff.” Historically the symbol of the snake has always been intimately intertwined with the medical profession - yet this association today largely is lost.

Had you been spending the night in a Grecian temple, incubating your dream while you sought a solution to your problem, your dream would have been interpreted by the resident dream diviner (usually a woman) as boding exceptionally well for your future. You would have been told that a time of transition is upon you - and that - although you were frightened of this new development - that you should proceed apace. The fact that the snake itself spoke to you and offered its reassurance would have made the dream especially powerful.

Given the context of your recent discussions with your boyfriend, your dream makes a great deal of sense. The dream is showing that you feel cornered or boxed in in your relationship, and that you also aren’t sure of “the way out.” You have stated your feeling that if the relationship isn’t moving forward to an ever-increasing level of committment, then you want to move on. This is a completely healthy orientation to a relationship. On the other hand, anyone who has been through a break-up of a serious relationship - and your’s qualifies - knows how difficult and painful it really is to do - which naturally explains your hesitation.

It takes a lot of courage to speak up and declare what you want for yourself in this world, and I applaud your recent actions. I think you already know the answer to your upcoming decision - and though you are frightened at the prospect of change and being on your own again - I think you also know that it will be for the best. A time of decision and transition is upon you, and a voice inside you, represented by the snake, is encouraging you to grow - telling you not to be afraid of change.

Meredith Replies:
Maybe that is where the rebirth of the snake comes in. I’m shedding my skin and starting new.

DreamDoctor Replies:
Go Girl!