Protector
Empowerment
Fear
Aries Energy

This snake doesn’t have legs but it can stand up straight! Let’s take a look at this magnificent creature and the power of its symbolism as well as how it’s related to Aries energy in Astrology and its archetype and how we can use it. We all have Aries somewhere in our birth chart and within us!

I just realized that I actually do a yoga Cobra pose, among a couple other poses, every morning. To share a personal aspect, when I do the Cobra I say to myself “I face forward. I live with the wisdom of natural cycles. I accept endings and beginnings in my life and in others. I hiss.” I feel it important to say affirmations connected with the poses.
The Cobra kept slithering into my mind recently. When I first looked into the Cobra on-line I was on my couch with the hood of my sweatshirt over my head. The first thing that came up on my search engine was a description that said the Cobra was a “hooded snake!” HA! The synchronicity moved me forward to investigate and wonder what Cobra energy meant and how we can learn from it. What is the gift that Cobra can teach us? (for the record this piece was actually written by me and not a search engine Artificial Intelligence spit out heheee! Oh gosh…) To the Cobra!
Protection
The Cobra is a symbol of protection. It’s seen in all sorts of art, from India and Egypt especially, as an image worn or to have as protection. Its “hood” is something that can envelope you in security and protect you. Cobras and cobra symbolism have been used to protect sacred spaces as well. This is “outward” fear, fear directed outwardly or as a statement of “stay back,” “I’m warning you” or “this is precious” that we can learn from. How grateful an honor to be a creature of protection perhaps. Well...we ourselves individually are sacred.

A protector can be balanced, Aries energy, when it combines “self” with “other”. Think about a military guard at the gate. Or when it uses its own warrior strength energy not for themselves or in a dominating way but for another, a larger group or collective purpose that’s bigger than they are. It can also help others who are incapable of protecting themselves as well. They rise, stand tall and put themselves into action to protect. They are full on. Aries can act quickly, react impulsively, leaping into battle or forge ahead without much forethought for better or worse. Aries can be in it for the experience and will take what comes.
Aries energy is there for us as more of a “self” oriented and subjective experience, too much (as with any sign) can be experienced in unhealthy ways. A more selfish "I, me, mine" orientation is possible with energies of this sign here in that respect, but it can use the balance of its opposite in that when it consider others, it balances out and understands that one's actions and ways of being, sometimes impulsive, has an effect on others. Aries is on the Relationship Axis with Libra, self/other or me/we. Aries energy connected with the Cobra can be using its “self" power and energy of "do" "act" "start" "charge" "courage" "fearlessness" for both standing up for one’s self, as well as standing up for others, or for a greater purpose or cause than there own.
Self expression and Empowerment
The Cobra literally “stands up” for itself, and for its young too, but this self awareness, this being more oriented to one's self though, is a very important and necessary aspect of Aries in all of us.
There is the story of the snake who would slither into the village and eat children; everybody feared him. A sage said to the snake that his actions were uncalled for and to stop eating the little kids. Well, the next day the sage, while out for an afternoon walk, heard and saw the snake being horribly beaten by a group of young people, so the sage instantly ran in quickly to protect him and dragged the big snake out into safety. “I told you not to eat the children but I didn’t say that you couldn’t hiss!”
This story is saying that it’s important to protect ourselves, to stand up for ourselves and to act, speak and be in such a way, that makes a self affirming statement. Doing something that sets or upholds a boundary, that you speak up verbally when you are in danger or being disrespected. That you hold your ground, that you show that you’re worth being respected and most of all that you respect yourself enough to do so. Cobra. For some people, that is difficult to do, it doesn't come natural or they just don't know better or weren't taught how to do this. With the help of Cobra power we can protect our energy in relation to others and what can be intrusive negative thinking or anxious thoughts even. It can empower us. Here too, the sage acts with Aries instinct and protects without a second thought and more importantly without ego or reward, the sage used their own energy and power for a selfless act for another.

Power protection and empowerment is also Scorpio energy in that it can show us when we are being controlled by another or giving our energy too much, mind you, to someone or something else, therefore losing our power, or realizing that we have our own power, we don’t need to use anyone else's or be used or controlled by another. And like a snake, a scorpion, the symbol of Scorpio in Astrology, can protect itself or even strike. Transformation, change, letting go to shed one’s skin, to resurrect anew, and sexual creative Kundalini energy are also all very common symbolism themes related to the snake and so in these regards then, also to aspects of Scorpio energy. We all have Scorpio energy as a part of us too!
Cobra power can be used emotionally too. Think of an emotion rising up within you that is coming to be from an interaction with someone, it’s coiling up down below, or has been, and now it’s rising. We can use Cobra power to speak up and express ourselves. No one knows how we are feeling unless we express it. “Hissing” is just a way a snake can speak and how it communicates, positively or negatively if it could, remember projecting “venom” from fangs is not useful, or maybe if we’re defending yourself in danger, it can be perhaps. Speaking let’s others know how we feel. It moves energy, it communicates. How you will be heard (or not) and the reaction you receive is not your issue, self expression in itself, is powerful.

Number 2
How about the number 2? The number 2 is shaped like a snake, especially the more cursive style looking number two with a swirl at the end. Funny that the number two and 8 have swirls in them and both are associated with The Snake. In Astrology the number two is associated with the 2nd House, which in relation to the above story has to do, among other things, self worth, self respect, and our values. So protecting those things and protecting ourselves. Connected with the planet Venus, it also includes how we take care of, have a relationship with, and love ourselves. Very important things!
Fear
This Cobra creature also has an “inner” fear element. We can fear a Cobra! Obviously! It can make us feel fear if we’re confronted by one. It can stop us in our tracks. It can limit us from proceeding. They are dangerous, we can be killed by one. The first thing most people would think about, besides its standing hooded appearance, is probably fear and danger. Remember Indiana Jones? “I hate snakes!” “Start the plane!” as he’s running from the temple that was protected by snakes. I LOVE that movie.
There are many times in life when we are confronted by fear. Although fear is felt real and we can be at risk of death, (that is actually what it is supposed to be used for, as a survival mechanism) fear itself can be used as a mental inhibitor that can wind like a snake within us things that are not true. It’s a mental fuck over.
With fear, we usually imagine the worst scenarios, the mind can take off for some of us in an anxious way. With Cobra power we can be present, (If you came across a standing Cobra in front of you you better believe you’d be in the present moment, Cobra Zen) feel the fear and do things anyway. Again, empowering us to move forward in the face of fear. This Cobra faces forward. Snakes move forward, they don’t go backward. Forward initiation and motion is an Aries energy. A snake might turn around but I don’t think they are capable of going backward, I could be wrong. Forward motion.
When we talk about a 90 degree “square” aspect in Astrology, meaning that the relationship between two objects is at a 90 degree angle, we can think about the archetypes these planets or objects represent, their relationship to each other and how they relate to a returning situation in our lives and and ask ourselves, “Am I making a decision based on fear (holding me back, or keeping me stuck) or am I making a decision based on courage (moving forward regardless of being or feeling fearful.” The latter un-sticks us and we move forward into new territory and new experiences like a warrior (again Aries energy). We have a choice. Hello!?, use that Lion energy too, don't forget!
Cobra Meditation
We can use this energy and imagery as a meditation. The Cobra is bound to Earth, grounded, connected to it's surroundings. Sit up straight, be alert and be aware of your surroundings with your senses. We recognize and acknowledge what comes up. We're fearless with what comes to mind, you're still like the standing Cobra, thoughts come and go. Being present with what we connect with through our senses. Returning always to our senses over and over is the Cobra practice of meditation.
The Wisdom of Cobra, Teaching
Cobra and snake symbology is very “Earthly,” sacred and cosmic. We As individuals have the power and choice to see things in positive ways that are useful and can serve as powerful teaching aspects of us about being human. This is Mysticism. Snakes, dark and scary, yes they can be and within us and aspects of ourselves that we all have and sometimes fear looking at, yes that too, but how can we make "negative" aspects of life or what we've learned or been conditioned by as negative, become positive for us personally? I personally don’t like snakes that much haaa! But what can I learn from Snake, Cobra, and how can I share this with you? Snakes are one of the oldest creatures on Earth. Call upon The Cobra for protection, when being the protector, to gain encouragement to express yourself, when standing up for yourself and when faced with fear. Move forward. Hisssssss. OMG the letter “S”!
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