The serpent and the witch share a lot in common. Often misunderstood, yet eerily beautiful, they both face the world in defiance of those who fear them. Slithering their way into enchanted folklore from Europe to South Carolina, snakes undulate with magical allure. Serpents tap into the deepest parts of us—the things we fear yet cannot look away from.
Where to get snakeskins for spell work.
Naturally shed snakeskins are a powerful item for use in spell work. Of course, the best snakeskins to use in your Craft are the ones you find yourself, either in your garden or on your nature walks.
The rare experience of finding a snakeskin yourself charges the item with magical energy and leaves the impression of your experience on it, making it intrinsically connected to you.
Collecting snakeskins from a friend who keeps a snake is also an excellent option. However, if neither of these opportunities presents themselves. you can also find high-quality, responsibly collected snakeskins on Etsy.
Power
Our strong reaction to snakes provokes major energy shifts. The serpent is a symbol of power in witchcraft and the occult.
Including snake skins in spells (especially those the witch finds herself) to enhance their potency.
Grace
The smooth, ethereal movements of the snake evoke the image of ancient dance rituals and feminine movement.
Use images of the serpent in charms to enhance the grace and dark beauty.
In Divination
The appearance of a snake during vision work or divination, particularly during the dark moon, suggests deception.
If the snake appears to you in an altered state of consciousness, pay careful attention to your intuition.
Are you suspicious of a seemingly friendly newcomer in your life? Your gut is more reliable than you think.
Protection
Serpents are powerful symbols in protection magic.
If you don’t have a snakeskin or charm shaped like a snake, try including white snakeroot in spell bags or charms for protection to add extra punch.
Trance & Meditation
The slow-moving, entrancing motion of snakes is dangerously, but powerfully hypnotic.
Use the imagery of the snake in meditation to enhance your trance state.
Serpents are an ideal meditation focal image for conquering fear, moving through difficult feelings, and regaining your power.
As a symbol of transformation
The constant shedding and regrowth of the snake’s skin naturally represent transformative states and experiences.
Snakeskins are sometimes used in spells to bring about change in the witch’s life, especially after a period of stagnation.
As a symbol of eternity
The image of a snake eating its tail, called the ouroboros, appears in both ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian imagery.
These ancient peoples considered the snake a perfect representation of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
In this way, the serpent symbolizes the intrinsic integration of everything in the universe and the infinite cycles of destruction and recreation.
In magical gardening.
A snake in the garden (especially your magical garden) is both a blessing and a warning.
The appearance of a snake in your garden represents the transient nature of gifts from the universe and a reminder that sometimes they bite!
So, be careful what you wish for.