Tip 1: What does the snake biting itself by the tail symbolize?

Tip 1: What does the snake biting itself by the tail symbolize?



Image of a snake biting its tail(uroboros), is one of the most ancient symbols known to mankind. The image of uroboros is familiar to many, but very few people know what this symbol stands for. The exact date and place of origin of uroboros can not be established, but it is possible to compare a number of historical treatises and describe the significance of this ancient symbol.





What does the snake biting itself by the tail symbolize?

















The snake biting itself by the tail (uroboros) is an ancient symbol of the cyclic nature of natural phenomena, the cycle of death and birth, infinity of time and the universe.

Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt uroboros was considered a guardbeyond the world, so his image could be found on the walls of the tombs. The image was associated with infinity, death, rebirth and symbolized the daily return of the sun to the point of sunset, from which it went into the afterlife.

Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece uroboros personified a cyclenatural phenomena, the unity of opposites, destruction and creation, life and death. From the legends and myths of Ancient Greece, it follows that uroboros was also associated with the afterlife. The body of uroboros was associated with the infinity of the universe, but the space that the snakes entwine with the Cosmic Egg.

Ancient China

In ancient China, a snake biting its tail,They nicknamed Zhulong. The animal was portrayed as a cross between a snake, a dragon and a pig and linked it to the afterlife. The first figure of Zhulong was found in 4700-2900 BC, it was on the chest of the deceased. The space around which Zhulong's body is swirling is associated with the "dao" - through man, the highest state of being.

Scandinavian Mythology

In the Scandinavian mythology, the snake biting itself fortail, is called Yermungand. This serpent was born to the giantess Angroboda and the god Locke. According to legend, the serpent had to destroy the world, so he was thrown into the ocean, where he grew to a gigantic size and girded the earth, biting his tail. The serpent was considered a symbol of darkness and destruction.

Christianity

In the Bible, snakes are regarded as dangerous andunclean beings, servants of the devil. The pagan uroboros of Christians is associated with the serpent tempter, who persuaded Eve to taste the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Christians symbolized uroboros with finiteness of the material world, believing that the body of the snake delineates its boundaries.

Buddhism

In Buddhism uroboros personified the flow of life(Bhavacakra), the wheel of being. In this context, the uroboros was endowed with an extremely positive sense, it was an embodiment of the completeness, completeness of the life cycle. Curled in a ring, the snake held back the chaos. The serpent with the twin body personified the unity of spirituality and impermanence of being.

Gnosticism

In Gnosticism, uroboros was a symbol of the infiniteA cycle of metamorphosis, combining good and evil. In one of the Gnostic treatises it was stated that the body of the serpent consists of twelve parts, symbolizing the months of the year and the astrological cycles of life. The serpent was associated with the infinity of time and the cyclical nature of being. Some of the sects of Often worshiped Uroboros, believing that he gave man knowledge.

Alchemy

Alchemists considered Uroboros a symbol of the cyclicA process in which the heating, evaporation, cooling and condensation of a liquid facilitate the process of purifying the elements and transforming them into a philosopher's stone. For the alchemists, uroboros was a symbol of transformation, reincarnation, transformation of the four elements.
























Tip 2: What does the snake symbolize?



Snakes in the symbolism of different countries denote completely different concepts - from death to resurrection. In the Eastern countries, symbolism does not make a difference between these creatures.





What does the snake symbolize?







Such a complex snake symbolism

The snake can be both female and male. It is noteworthy that, on the one hand, the snake denotes death, annihilation and fear, and on the other, as a creature dropping an old, unnecessary hide, resurrection and life. A curled snake means a cycle of events and phenomena. Usually such a snake holds its own tail. This symbol is very common. It can mean the duality of the lunar and solar principle, the duality of darkness and light, death and life, poison and healing, wisdom and stupidity.

Chthonic and other meanings

Since ancient times, the snake was considered to be bisexual, beingA symbol of self-generating deities, above all a fertile land. This is a fairly simple chthonic, sunny and sexy symbol, talking about the manifestation of physical and spiritual strength. The snake in some primitive religions is seen as the beginning of everything.
A snake eating from the tail is an uroboros, that is, a symbol of the cyclical nature of any manifestation and absorption.
Since the snake lives underground, people oftenattributed to her the ability to communicate with the dead and access to the underworld. The chthonic snake is a symbol and manifestation of the aggressive gods of darkness and the underworld. In its original dark essence, the snake confronts the Sun, the search and the spiritual forces, symbolizing this with everything that is dark in people. A snake can symbolize instincts, irrational tides of vital forces, potential latent energy. The snake in many traditions acts as an intermediary between the Earth and Heaven, associating with the Cosmic tree. At a more detailed level, the snake is a symbol of refinement, cunning, deceit, darkness and evil. The most often attributed snake role is the role of the tempter.
It is believed that in the brain of the snake is a gem that will bring wisdom to the one who receives it.
In cosmology, the original ocean canA huge snake that serves as the beginning and the end of everything. That is, the snake or snakes in this case act as primitive chaos. In the eastern tradition, snakes and dragons serve as guardians of temples, treasures, places of power and knowledge. Dragons and snakes can produce storms, control the forces of the elements of water. Initially, they are neutral to the person, that is, their sympathy can be earned, but you can also set them against yourself. Snakes often act as guardians of banal material treasures, but they are not inclined to share them.









Tip 3: Where the snake has the beginning of the tail



There is a curious misconception that snakes consist exclusively of heads and tails. In reality, the snake's tail is only twenty percent of its entire length.





Where the snake has the beginning of the tail







Beginning of the tail

People normally have thirty-three vertebrae, whichForm bones in the neck and spine. Snakes can have ten times as many vertebrae. And most of the vertebrae grow ribs. In the place where the ribs end, and the tail begins. The snake's tail begins immediately behind the cloaca. It is found in amphibians, birds and reptiles. Its name was given in honor of the ancient canalization of ancient Rome. In the case of a snake, the cloaca is a small outflow hole located on the underside of the body. Cloaca, in fact, is a snake's back, so, like most animals, the snake's tail begins precisely from this part of the body.
If the snake is placed in a narrow and tight space, it can find its own tail by the enemy, attack it and swallow it. In some cases, snakes can die to death.
The cloak in the snake is very multifunctional. First, it serves to excrete urine and feces, and snakes do not have separate ducts or passages for each type of these biological waste. Secondly, the cloaca is used during mating and laying eggs. In males, it is in the cloaca that there are "half-penis", during mating, the males rotate them in such a way that they protrude directly from the cloaca. Such "half-lenses" differ significantly in different types of snakes, as well as "receiving holes" in females, so that different types of mating can not.
In Southeast Asia there is a kind of planning snakes. Such snakes curl up in a spring, push away from the tree and, in a jump, flatten out, doubling the area of ​​their body.

Different snakes - different tails

Different species of snake tails can be quiteDifferent. Blindfolders, for example, have tails that are fifty times shorter than their torsos. At the end of their tails are dense thorns, with which blindfolds rest against the surface and bury the heads of underground passages. The American rattlesnake, in the course of evolution, acquired a rattle at the end of the tail. This rattle vibrates when the snake wants to declare his presence. This sound scares away many animals. The rattle can make up to fifty oscillations per second. The Indians considered this sound to be one of the most frightening "natural" sounds of nature. In the recently discovered false-horned viper, there is a spider-like growth on the tip of the tail. This decoration serves as a bait for birds, with which a false-horned adder eats with pleasure.








Tip 4: What the dragon symbolizes in China



The figure of the dragon personifies all power andthe unsurpassed power of the Chinese state: from ancient centuries to the present. The dragon is one of the oldest symbols of the country's culture, where it appears to be the most revered animal of all.





What the dragon symbolizes in China







In no country in the world do they bow sothis mythical creature - the Dragon, as it is done in China. The dragon here was perceived as the conqueror of all elements. This sacred animal is the real calling card of the whole state for thousands of years.

Appearance

According to Chinese legends, the dragon has a snake body,a frog's belly, eyes like a hare, and tiger's legs. In general, the figure of the dragon in the Chinese tradition consists of numerous animals with whom a primitive man was well acquainted. We see that the figure of the dragon is a collective image, which is created on the basis of a diverse fauna. Many historians are inclined to believe that the image of the dragon originated from really existing dinosaurs, because visually they are very similar.

Mythology

It should be noted that the dragon in Chinese mythologyalready more than four thousand years. The first images of it are fixed on the bony bones, as well as on the tortoise shells. The image of the dragon is surrounded by a halo of mystery and contains many mysteries that the Chinese still can not solve. In ancient times, the dragon symbolized the recalcitrant forces of nature, as well as the sky itself and the imperial power. It is no accident that a large number of dragons, which can not be counted with the naked eye, is decorated with the winter residence of the emperors of the Celestial Empire in Beijing. Only on the imperial throne can see 590 different dragons, and in the imperial hall are more than 12 thousand species of these mythical animals.

"Dragon" traditions

In the capital of China you can visita landmark named "The Wall of the Nine Dragons." This architectural structure was erected two centuries ago and still impresses with its majesty, as it depicts amazing dragons, symbolizing the great power of China. There is a celebration of the Dragon's feast in the Chinese state. At this festive event it is customary to beautifully decorate boats and swim in them on the water. This festive ritual is a kind of sacrifice to the water deities. In addition, every year, in the New Year period, dances are arranged here. People at this time dress up in colorful dragon costumes, have fun and dance. If China has already bowed before the sacred figure of the dragon for many centuries, then the western states are afraid of it. For them, the image of the dragon is a symbol of mortal danger and insuperable horror. China reveres the dragon, for him it is the personification of all the kindest and brightest in this world








Tip 5: What does snake tattoo mean?



One of the most important secrets of popularitytattoo of a snake is that it is very easy to combine with other images and allows you to create truly fascinating images. However, many people are also attracted by the importance of this tattoo.





What does snake tattoo mean?







What does a tattoo in the form of a snake

Very often the image of a snake symbolizestemptation, which is associated with the fall of Adam and Eve. However, the tattoo becomes more important in this case: it hints at sexuality, body power, the ability to subjugate people with beauty and grace. By the way, for this reason, this image is popular among women.
To emphasize this value of tattooing,masters often "twist" the drawing of a man's arms or legs, emphasize the natural lines of the body and even make them more attractive with a properly selected image.
The snake wrapped around the bowl is associated asWith healing, and with poisoning. This option can be chosen by people who tied their lives with curing diseases, you just need to make sure that the image evokes positive emotions. Philosophers choose for themselves the sign of Uroboros - a snake biting its own tail. Additional values ​​of images of this reptile can be emphasized with the help of a correctly selected scene. For example, the caster, hypnotizing the snake and making it dance, symbolizes victory over both one's own and others' vices, as well as protection from deadly danger. Of course, one should not forget that the snake means wisdom. Her image can symbolize knowledge, poise, calmness and even composure, the ability to correctly calculate situations and act without allowing excessive movements and gross mistakes.

Negative Snake Tattoo Meanings

It should be noted that snake images on the bodythere are also negative signs. First of all, it is a question of what a snake can symbolize treachery, betrayal, murder, unprincipledness. This value is chosen for people who seek to emphasize their danger or even possible aggression towards others.
Since the snake symbolizes power and power, it is chosen for oneself by those who want to emphasize their authority or prefer to subordinate other people to their will.
Underlined symbol of mortal danger andaggression is the most realistic image of the snake. In such cases, people choose the most dangerous members of this tribe, including the black viper. The snake is depicted either ready to jump, or threatening hissing, or even stabbing the teeth in the body of the victim.