Serpentine Symbolism in the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
Symbols rarely have fixed meanings. They evolve across cultures, eras and spiritual frameworks. What is sacred in one context may be feared in another. And as explored in this article, what is banished in myth may be reclaimed in mysticism.
Saint Patrick was a 5th-century missionary and bishop credited with introducing Christianity to Ireland. Legend credits Saint Patrick with ridding Ireland of snakes by chasing them into the sea. As there were no snakes in Ireland, modern thought ties this myth to pagan spiritual traditions. In converting Ireland to Christianity, paganism was effectively chased out of Ireland — like a serpent out of Eden.
Snake symbolism appears in the Tarot in different ways. The Magician card features a serpent appearing to devour its own tail around the waist of the youth. Here, the snake reinforces the infinity sign above the magician’s head. It is a symbol of eternity, with Waite noting that “it indicates more especially the eternity of attainment in the spirit.”
The Lovers depicts two figures suggestive of Adam and Eve. Behind the male, the Tree of Life bears twelve fruits. The female stands before the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which has a serpent wrapped around it. The feminine archetype is linked to the serpent and the Fall of Man. Interestingly, Waite writes that rather than a willing and conscious temptress, she is the working of a Secret Law of Providence.
The serpent of the Wheel of Fortune is a representation of Typhon. One of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology, Typhon wanted to rule the cosmos. Defeated by Zeus, he was thrown into a deep abyss (Tartarus) or buried beneath an island. Here, the serpent represents the descent of spirit into the material as part of the cycle of change, chance and fate.
The Tarot reminds us that symbolism is an invitation to go deeper. It is not shorthand for a static definition. The serpent adorns The Magician as a symbol of eternity and spiritual attainment. It entwines knowledge and choice within the garden of The Lovers. In The Wheel of Fortune, it signifies descent into material experience. Perhaps most importantly, you will bring your own unique perspectives, connotations and intuitions to your serpentine encounters with these cards.
In short, symbols are not moral absolutes. They are mirrors, prompts, illuminators, challengers and more, depending on where they appear and how openly we choose to engage with them.
By Leela J. Williams
Award-winning psychic, writer and editor.
https://linktr.ee/leelajwilliams