I was born with snake medicine.

As long as I can remember this has been my soul expression, the way I have experienced myself, my process. Prior to finding myself in a shamanic consciousness I did not understand what was “wrong with me”, and viewed the snake medicine as an unwanted and unhealthy experience.

For me snake is more than a Spirit guide. It is like a totem, a signature way of expression that binds those of us in the Snake Clan together as a soul family. I didn’t choose it. And I didn’t experience it in the Spirit world as a distinct Spirit. It just is my essence, my way of being.

Every shaman, I believe, has a totem. A totem is different than a Spirit guide. A totem is a signature, the essence of the imprint.

Once I came to understand that snake medicine was with me, I began to accept myself and then could turn my energies towards self-mastery and integration rather than on resisting it and self-denial. That process has helped release the snake energy that bound me for decades. While the energy is shifting, I will always hold a special place in my heart for snake. It was my first clan, the way I came to know myself.

Snake has a bad reputation in some cultures. In Christianity it’s equated with Satan, the devil, the tempter, the serpent. It’s evil, vile, and deceptive. In many indigenous cultures snake is the creator, the ancient one, holy and revered. But generally people hold an unconscious fear of snakes and this gets projected onto snake through disdain. This is unfortunate because snake offers powerful lessons and wisdom.