The general Ouroboros spiritual meaning is connected to eternity, the natural life cycle, cosmic balance, and renewal. You can expect this symbol to challenge established rules and support the unity of opposites.
Numerous cultures relied on its power to help people while pursuing wisdom, being fascinated by the paradox it symbolizes. Admirers often use this ancient symbol as a reminder of the depth of human wisdom, knowledge, and thought.
Ouroboros Spiritual Meanings
The Ouroboros is the old snake-form symbol with a red head symbolizing the human soul. On the other hand, there is the dark tail that represents the human body.
Its name originated from two Greek words, Oura (tail) and Boros (eating), roughly meaning – tail eater. Expectedly, such a unique creature has numerous spiritual meanings. Let’s take a look.
1. Union of opposites
In many other cultures, the Ouroboros was used to support unusual ideas, honoring human wisdom. Sometimes, you can hear experts compare it to the ancient Chinese Ying-Yang symbol.
A snake biting its own tail makes a circle, showing the division into heaven and Earth in their unity. Besides, it symbolizes the union of feminine and masculine energies that are opposites but make a perfect whole.
The Chinese have always believed that the contrast between light and darkness was crucial for life on Earth. Basically, it represented human creative energy. In the Alexandrian culture, Ouroboros showed the dual nature of Yin-Yang, which was responsible for creation, symbolizing the cosmic soul.
2. Rebirth and eternal cycle
According to supporters, the Ouroboros symbolizes the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. According to this idea, life and energy are indestructible and are in an endless cycle of renewal and transformation.
In other words, it was possible to spiritually interpret this symbol as accepting the immortality of human souls. However, it was possible only by tightly connecting with the changes and process of transformation every person experiences during their life.
For Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the Ouroboros is a symbol of people’s ability to regenerate themselves through self-reflection. His theory was that people could become whole only when they harmonize the unconscious part of their personality with their conscious.
On the other hand, Hermeticism, the Greek school of thought, viewed the Ouroboros through the cyclical nature of destruction and creation. They believed that this symbol unites death and future rebirth.
3. Immortality and cycles of nature
You can notice that a protective deity, the cobra Ureus, was almost always depicted with the Ouroboros in ancient Egyptian records. They were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, showing the ancient Egyptians’ opinions about the connection between human immortality and nature cycles.
Therefore, both symbols were an unavoidable part of funerary jewelry and amulets. The circular image of the Ouroboros biting its tail indicates the ancient belief in the possibility of creating order out of chaos.
Interestingly, some mystery cults of the Middle East appreciated a similar symbol. They worshiped the reborn figure of Mithras wrapped in the Ouroboros, representing the soul’s immortality and the cyclical nature of karma.
4. Infinity and continuity
Because of its ability to catch its tail, the Ouroboros has been revered as a symbol of the endless cycle of creation and destruction for centuries. You can look at it as an omen of the eternal flow of the life force and energy.
The Ouroboros teaches people that time is a cyclical process and that the past, present, and future are connected. So, it is possible to consider the time as a continuous, never-ending loop.
This loop signifies the constant cycle of life, death, and rebirth, thus showing the natural order of existence. In other words, this symbol reminds you that there is always a new beginning after an ending.
Ancient Romans also venerated the Ouroboros as a sign of infinity. They associated it with Saturn, the god ruler of the weather and the year cycles. According to their philosophy, this God connected one year to another. As expected, the Ouroboros symbolized the old year turning into a new one in a constant cycle.
5. Self-improvement and individuality
The Ouroboros biting its tail sometimes represents a process of self-reflection, lifelong learning, and regeneration. According to Jung, it is a symbol of individualization or the process of becoming the person you should be.
However, it never comes by itself, and you can achieve personal and professional growth only by improving yourself. In other words, your purpose is to constantly evaluate yourself and work on being better.
Besides symbolizing self-improvement, you can also look at the Ouroboros as a symbol of self-transcendence. Working on you every day is the only way to achieve a higher level of consciousness and greater spiritual understanding.
The superiority of one person is not a myth, and you can reach the best version of yourself by exploring your potential and testing your limits. Ask the snake eating itself for help when deciding to start searching for wisdom and truth within oneself.
6. Self-reliance and self-destruction
For the Greek philosopher Plato, the Ouroboros symbolized self-reliance. He described this symbol as the perfect first living thing in the universe and a self-sufficient immortal beast. On the other hand, self-devouring represented the Ouroboros’s dark side, announcing self-destruction.
Another Greek philosopher, Socrates, believed that the human being and the Ouroboros are opposites. He considered a snake biting its own tail a simple and predictable being, while people were too complicated.
He explained his attitude by describing humans as creatures moving in all directions. It included the forward movements that signified progress, but also an ordinary flailing that only wasted energy.
For these reasons, some historians compare the Ouroboros with the famous Greek myth of Sisyphus. Zeus punished Sisyphus to keep rolling the stone up the hill. Once he reached the top, the stone inevitably fell to the bottom, and he needed to start again.
7. Spiritual enlightenment and new life
If you ever read the Old Testament, you could see that the sea serpent Leviathan appeared several times there. According to some interpretations, it equaled Ouroboros. However, historians mainly associated it with Apep. This ancient Egyptian deity fought against the sun god Ra, representing disorder.
Christians have always considered snakes a synonym for the devil, referring to his temptation of Eve. Therefore, they see the Ouroboros as a representation of the coming Antichrist and a symbol of lies.
However, not all Christians have the same understanding of Ouroboros. Some interpret it as a symbol of new life, associating it with the snake shedding its skin. Just like snakes, people are renewed through the risen Christ, changing their old selves.
8. Cosmic balance and harmony
One of the Ouroboros’ spiritual meanings is that it symbolizes harmony and balance in nature. This symbol is always symmetrical and balanced, representing a harmonious interaction of opposing forces in the cosmic order.
The Ouroboros is also a symbol of the cyclical nature of existence. You can only navigate life’s ups and downs when accepting this change as inevitable. Only with a balanced perspective can you realize that each stage is part of a continuous development cycle.
9. Transformation
The Ouroboros symbolized searching for immortality in the alchemical tradition. For Alchemists, it represented so-called Prima Materia, the starting undifferentiated substance crucial for the process of transmutation.
In alchemical terms, the Ouroboros follows a cycle of purification. It is crucial while looking for higher understanding, perfection, immortality, and eternal life. Following their attitude and beliefs, you can consider the Ouroboros a helper. It can support you in transforming yourself to achieve the desired enlightenment.
10. Strength, good luck, and great power
Ancient Chinese appreciated Ouroboros (Jade Dragon) as a symbol inspired by dragons. It represented strength, unity, great power, and good luck, becoming one of the favorite protectors.
Vikings respected the World Serpent (Jörmungandr), a gigantic snake biting its tail that surrounded the entire world like the Ouroboros. This serpent symbolized great power and destruction and was destined to let go of its tail before triggering the world’s end.
Additionally, Viking runic engravings depicted snakes, among other animals. Their meaning often differentiated depending on the period but mostly symbolized status and power.
For the Gnostics, the Ouroboros represents a unity of humans and God. Its head symbolizes the divine as a higher power from the spiritual realm. On the other hand, the tail describes the physical world and human beings living there.
11. Mystical, mindfulness, and spiritual emblem
The psychoanalyst Jung referred to the Ouroboros as a primordial image in the collective unconscious. According to him, this symbol is a gateway to learning about universal truths and a bridge to the deep layers of the unconscious.
The Ouroboros encourages exploring the unknown and stepping out of the comfort zone to create new experiences. Such an action embodies the mystery of the existence and purpose of human life.
The repeating cycle of the Ouroboros and its simplicity symbolizes the state of meditation. Besides, it encourages awareness of the moment, allowing you to balance your inner peace with the excitement of life.
This symbol can also depict the delicate balance of the cosmic order, the harmony in the universe, and the constant flux between opposing forces. Looking at the Ouroboros from a holistic perspective shows that you should appreciate the complex web of interactions that significantly affect the world around you.
