Ouroboros

The Divine Serpent

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Myth and Symbolism of the Ouroboros

Posted on 10/13/2023 by ALKEMYSTICA

Source: https://alkemystica.com/occult/myth-and-symbolism-of-the-ouroboros/

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The Ouroboros or Uroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The ouroboros entered Western tradition via ancient Egyptian iconography and the Greek magical tradition. It was adopted as a symbol in Gnosticism and Hermeticism and most notably in alchemy.

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This ancient and enigmatic emblem holds a unique place in the pantheon of symbols, transcending cultural boundaries and time periods. Throughout history, the Ouroboros has been interpreted in various ways, reflecting the diverse and complex nature of human thought and creativity. In this essay, we will explore the origins, symbolism, and the profound implications of the Ouroboros.

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This symbol has roots in various cultures, including ancient Egypt, Greece, and China, dating back thousands of years.

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Ancient Egypt: The Ouroboros is often associated with ancient Egypt, where it symbolized the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This symbol was closely linked to the sun-god Ra, who was believed to travel through the underworld at night, only to emerge renewed and rejuvenated each day. The Ouroboros, with its circular form, mirrored this eternal journey of the sun and the continuous cycles of existence.

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Greek Alchemy and Gnosticism: In Greek alchemical and Gnostic traditions, the Ouroboros symbolized the unity of opposites, such as life and death, creation and destruction, beginning and end. It was a powerful representation of the cyclical nature of existence and the eternal cycle of renewal.

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Chinese Tradition: While less known in the Western world, a similar symbol called the “Yuangong Shengzhi Jue” appears in Chinese Taoist alchemy. This symbol, also depicting a serpent or dragon in a circular form, is associated with the circulation of energy and the quest for immortality. It shares philosophical similarities with the Western interpretations of the Ouroboros, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life.

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The term Ouroboros derives from Ancient Greek oura ‘tail’ plus boros-‘eating’. The ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol for eternal cyclic renewal or a cycle of life, death and rebirth. The snake’s skin-shedding symbolizes the transmigration of souls. The snake biting its own tail is a fertility symbol in some religions: the tail is a phallic symbol and the mouth is a yoni or womb-like symbol.

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One of the earliest known ouroboros motifs is found in the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld, an ancient Egyptian funerary text found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, in the 14th century Before Current Era. The text concerns the actions of Ra and his union with Osiris in the underworld.

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The Ouroboros is depicted twice on the figure: holding their tails in their mouths, one encircling the head and upper chest, the other surrounding the feet of a large figure, which may represent the unified Ra-Osiris (Osiris born again as Ra). Both serpents are manifestations of the deity Mehen, who in other funerary texts protects Ra in his underworld journey. The whole divine figure represents the beginning and the end of time.

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Like many Egyptian serpent deities, the Ouroboros represents the formless disorder that surrounds the orderly world and is involved in that world’s periodic renewal. The symbol persisted from Egyptian into Roman times, when it frequently appeared on magical talismans, sometimes in combination with other magical emblems. The 4th-century Current Era Latin commentator Servius was aware of the Egyptian use of the symbol, noting that the image of a snake biting its tail represents the cyclical nature of the year.

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According to the Egyptians, before the invention of the alphabet the Year was symbolized by a picture, a serpent biting its own tail because it recurs on itself. In Gnosticism, a serpent biting its tail symbolized eternity and the soul of the world. The Gnostic Pistis Sophia (circa 400 CE) describes the Ouroboros as a twelve-part dragon surrounding the world with its tail in its mouth.

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The famous Ouroboros drawing from the early alchemical text The Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra encloses the Greek words hen to pan, “The All is One”.

Its black and white halves may perhaps represent a Gnostic duality of existence, analogous to the Taoist yin and yang symbol. In the Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra the Alchemist, we find one of the oldest images of the Ouroboros to be linked with the legendary opus of the alchemists, the philosopher’s stone.

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Cyprianus was also known as the Black Book of the Black School at Wittenburg, a textbook from the 18th century witches and sorcerers would get their spells from. Various figures are represented in animal form, one resembling a Ouroboros. The Black School at Wittenburg was purportedly a place in Germany where one went to learn the black arts.

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In Norse mythology, the Ouroboros appears as the serpent Jörmungandr, one of the three children of Loki and Angrboda. It grew so large that it could encircle the world and grasp its tail in its teeth.

Read More Jormungandr The Great Cosmic Serpent click

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The Ouroboros has certain features in common with the Biblical Leviathan. According to the Zohar, the Leviathan is a singular creature with no mate. “Its tail is placed in its mouth”. It is also described as “twisting around and encompassing the entire world”.

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In the Aitareya Brahmana, a Vedic text of the early 1st millennium BCE, the nature of the Vedic rituals is compared to “a snake biting its own tail.”

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Ouroboros symbolism has been used to describe the Kundalini. According to the medieval Yoga-kundalini Upanishad: “The divine power, Kundalini, shines like the stem of a young lotus; like a snake, coiled round upon herself she holds her tail in her mouth and lies resting half asleep as the base of the body”

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When Shakti is united with Shiva, she is a radiant, gentle goddess; but when she is separated from him, she turns into a terrible, destructive fury. She is the endless Ouroboros, the dragon biting its own tail, symbolizing the cycle of samsara.

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Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung saw the Ouroboros as an archetype and the basic mandala of alchemy.

Jung also defined the relationship of the ouroboros to alchemy:

“The alchemists, who in their own way knew more about the nature of the individuation process than we moderns do, expressed this paradox through the symbol of the Ouroboros, the snake that eats its own tail. The Ouroboros has been said to have a meaning of infinity or wholeness. In the age-old image of the Ouroboros lies the thought of devouring oneself and turning oneself into a circulatory process, for it was clear to the more astute alchemists that the prima materia of the art was man himself.”

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“The Ouroboros is a dramatic symbol for the integration and assimilation of the opposites. This ‘feedback’ process is ALSO a symbol of immortality since it is said of the Ouroboros that he slays himself and brings himself to life, fertilizes himself, and gives birth to himself. He symbolizes the One, who proceeds from the clash of opposites, and he, therefore, constitutes the secret of the prima materia which – unquestionably – stems from man’s unconscious.”

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Some researchers also used the Ouroboros to illustrate the various scales of the universe, ranging from the subatomic at the tail, up to the supragalactic at the head, representing “the intimate links between the microworld and the cosmos, symbolised by the Ouroborus“, as tail and head meet to complete the circle.

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Symbolism of the Ouroboros

Infinity and Wholeness: The Ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol of infinity, as it creates an unbroken circle or loop. This conveys the idea of completeness, unity, and the eternal nature of existence. It reminds us that life is a continuous cycle with no clear beginning or end.

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Transformation and Renewal: The act of the serpent consuming its own tail signifies self-renewal and transformation. It represents the idea that in order to grow and evolve, one must first let go of the old, much like a snake shedding its skin to reveal a fresh layer underneath.

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Unity of Opposites: The Ouroboros embodies the harmonious coexistence of opposites. It symbolizes the idea that life and death, creation and destruction, and other opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent, forming a harmonious whole. It promotes a holistic worldview that emphasizes harmony and balance.

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Timelessness and Immortality: This symbol suggests that time is cyclical rather than linear. It implies a sense of timelessness and immortality, as the Ouroboros continues its eternal cycle without end.

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Philosophical and Mystical Implications

The Ouroboros has profound philosophical and mystical implications, inspiring contemplation on the nature of existence and the human condition.

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Embrace of Change: The Ouroboros teaches us that change is inevitable and necessary for growth. To achieve personal development, we must accept and embrace the cycles of life, including both its creative and destructive aspects.

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Pursuit of Self-Knowledge: The act of the serpent consuming its tail also represents introspection and self-discovery. It invites individuals to explore their inner depths and seek self-understanding.

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Here are a few alchemical manuscripts that include the Ouroboros:

“The Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra” (Cleopatra’s Gold-Making): This ancient alchemical text attributed to Cleopatra The Seventh, includes depictions of the Ouroboros. It is one of the earliest known alchemical texts and is known for its symbolic and allegorical content.

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“The Rosarium Philosophorum” (The Rosary of the Philosophers): This medieval alchemical text, dating from the 16th century, contains a series of symbolic illustrations, some of which feature the Ouroboros. It explores the stages of the alchemical journey and the philosopher’s stone.

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“Atalanta Fugiens” by Michael Maier: This 17th-century alchemical work by Michael Maier includes a series of emblematic engravings, some of which feature the Ouroboros. It is considered one of the most intricate and symbolic alchemical texts of its time.

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“The Book of Lambspring”: This 16th-century alchemical text features a poetic and symbolic narrative accompanied by illustrations, some of which incorporate the Ouroboros. It is known for its allegorical storytelling.

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“The Splendor Solis” (The Splendor of the Sun): This 16th-century alchemical manuscript, attributed to Salomon Trismosin, contains a series of colorful and symbolic illustrations, with some depicting the Ouroboros. It is a notable work in the history of alchemy.

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“The Aurora Consurgens”: This alchemical manuscript, believed to date back to the 15th century, contains a collection of texts and illustrations, and some of them feature the Ouroboros. It explores the union of opposites and the process of transformation.

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Alchemy and Occult teachings have always been rich in symbolism and mysticism and the Ouroboros played a significant role in conveying the philosophical and practical concepts of many esoteric schools of thought.