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The ouroboros has several meanings interwoven into it. Foremost is the symbolism of the serpent biting, devouring, eating its own tail. This symbolises the cyclic Nature of the Universe: creation out of destruction, Life out of Death. The ouroboros eats its own tail to sustain its life, in an eternal cycle of renewal.
In the above drawing, from a book by an early Alchemist, Cleopatra, the black half symbolises the Night, Earth, and the destructive force of nature, yin. the light half represents Day, Heaven, the generative, creative force, yang.
Alchemically, the ouroboros is also used as a purifying glyph.
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The snake has played a major role in the magic and mythology of almost every culture, as few animals are regarded with more awe and reverence. Because the snake sheds its skin each year and appears renewed, it is a symbol of life, death and rebirth. Since they often nest underground, snakes have long been symbolic of the dead returning to the upper world.
The act of shedding skin, of sliding out of the old and being reborn, gives the snake a transformative symbology. The Greeks customarily used the snake as an emblem of healing through wisdom. It also has symbolism with the Great Mother, intuitive wisdom, and feminine mysteries.
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