I want to first start by saying that I understand many have a fear of snakes. I did too. And I certainly don’t mean to cause anyone any angst. While my story of an encounter with a snake is included in my friend Dawn’s book, that experience truly changed my life for the better. Along with the depth of research and history included, plus other personal stories, I believe this book is so important to where we are now as a society and the chaotic times we find ourselves in and the potential this book has to help us heal and evolve.
I hope you will consider reading my review and also reading Dawn’s book. xo, Barbara
MY BOOK REVIEW OF “AWAKENING THE ANCIENT POWER OF SNAKE”
What I respect and admire about Dawn as a friend, writer, and mentor is what I’ve learned from her— and that is— the value and importance of stepping back and taking time to give serious contemplation to the ‘why’ of our fears as a way in which can lead us to a larger perspective.
And this book, Awakening the Ancient Power of Snake invites us to do exactly that.
Throughout my review, I’ve sprinkled a few passages from the book that spoke to me (they are in italics). Though, honestly, it was hard to choose as there were many.
So – full disclosure – my story and my encounter with a snake are included in the book. But here’s the thing—I almost backed out. It was too much at the time— on many different levels— to bear the judgment I feared by sharing it.
I can’t say I ever hated snakes, but like many, I did have a fear of them. It was hard for me to even look at a photo of one. But one day I came across a mama snake and her four babies who were all perished. I still recall how I was moved to tears because it all felt so tragic.
This is when I learned how to dance with the wisdom of Snake and was thoughtfully and compassionately guided by Dawn.
“Learning from snakes isn’t necessarily about becoming friends, but rather about seeing them for who they are.”
Would I have been drawn to read this book had I not encountered a snake or knew of Dawn, or my willingness to explore what snake had to teach me? Perhaps not.
But like my personal experience with a snake, which changed my life in profound ways, so too has this book elicited another shift and awakened another level of understanding for having read it.
“Snake: protector of our psyche and champion of our eventual awakening.”
I was blown away by the in-depth research and rich history Dawn shares about Snake – something that as a young person I was easily bored by or didn’t understand. But as I’ve grown older and wiser, I’ve come to realize the utmost importance of understanding our history and even more vital, the relation to it as to where we are today as a society.
Reading about the ancient wisdom of snake and goddess— and how that part of our history has been pushed down and even looked at as evil at times, had me vacillating between angry and sad. But it also had my respect for snake deepening even more and how they can guide us to not only evolve individually but as a planet if we open our hearts to these teachings.
“The challenge is to see snake as it really is. By accepting the challenge we may discover far more about both snakes and ourselves than we might ever imagine.”
There have been times in my life where I thought I was nuts because of how I see things in a way that perhaps others don’t understand—and then even more so when I was challenged to go deeper into my psyche because of my encounter with a snake.
But I’m grateful to snake for initiating me, for the other stories in Dawns’ book that were even more confirmation of the healing powers of snake, for the abundant wisdom Dawn has personally gained and so generously shared, and the wide array of research Dawn has included to help us understand snake through myths, history, dreams, science, and so much more.
“I think everything the ancients and alchemists knew about Snake is true and needed now—today, more than ever. Snake’s wisdom is vital to us during this time of planetary upheaval and profound paradigm shifts. As noted in the introduction, “Snake appears in the collective dream when change is most desperately needed.” And that is where we are.
The global transformation we are currently experiencing (which feels like a madness and destruction to so much of the world) is part of an immense shift, a move from rigid patriarchal rule to a more balanced consciousness that reunites nature with spirit, sacred masculine with sacred feminine, and more. Snake’s expertise in bringing together that which is separated and disjointed—something that is essential right now to our survival as a species.”
Lastly, though I initially had great fear around my story being included in this book, I’m now honored to be a part of it. Over the years I’ve come to deepen in respect for all animals (not just the cute and cuddly ones). I believe at the core of my heart, animals are some of our greatest teachers and are here to help us heal and evolve. It’s when we can look at those we consider scary, even repulsive, that I’ve personally gained some of my most profound teachings, and for that, I consider it a great honor to not only be a part of this book but to also share it with others.
Thank you to Inner Traditions Bear & Company for an advanced reading copy.
Here is a wonderful video from Dawn talking about why she wrote the book. Also for more information about the book and Dawn’s other books and her work visit her website, Animal Voices.
Snake Goddess Intuition Doll pictured above is by artist Maria Wulf.