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Dream Symbol:

Snakes

Carl Jung's Interpretation:

In the lens of Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, a snake in a dream is a paradoxical symbol that works as an aspect of the 'shadow self', a part of our unconscious mind holding everything we deny about ourselves. Like many archetypes, the snake can represent either life or death, healing or poison, depending on its context in the dream. The snake can also represent transformation, as it discards its old skin to reveal a new one underneath. This implies the process of individuation, the journey to wholeness and the discovery of the 'True Self'. Furthermore, due to historical and cultural connotations of serpents typically being masculine, a snake could stand for the 'animus', or the masculine element in female individuals.

James Hillman's Interpretation:

Contemplating this symbol through the framework of James Hillman, the father of archetypal psychology, we see that he views symbols not as definitive interpretations which can be universally applied, but as unique personal images that reflect an individual's soul and pathos. Thus, the snake is a response from the psyche to the dreamer's personal situation, filled with his personal emotions, perceptions, memories, and moral dilemmas. The snake could, for example, embody repressed desires, knowledge, or aspects of himself that he has denied or neglected.

Classical Interpretation:

Classically, snakes in dreams predominantly represent change and transformation due to their ability to shed their skin. They often symbolize rebirth, renewal or development of new insights. Snakes are also associated with healing, wisdom, fertility, and hidden knowledge.

Ancient Greek Interpretation:

In ancient Greek mythology, snakes are connected to deities associated with healing and medicine, like Asclepius, the god of healing and medicine who carries a staff with a snake entwined. Yet, the serpentine image also links to the sinister Gorgon Medusa. Therefore, in the Greek context, a dream about snakes could suggest either therapeutic elements or dangerous, darker undercurrents within oneself.

Morphology:

The morphology of a snake in a dream can represent the dreamer's perception of threat or transformation. A large snake might suggest substantial changes or threats while a small one can indicate minor ones. The appearance, behavior, and the context in which the snake appears are all crucial to understanding its meaning.

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