--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: a very important reptilian brain. Isn't…" description: "\"“a very important reptilian brain. Isn't it odd that the serpent of Genesis was cursed to \"crawl on your belly?\" How did he get around before that? The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/christopher-hyatt-32767_quote_a-very-important-reptilian-brain-isn-t-i_1455021.jpg" --- # a very important reptilian brain. Isn't it odd that the… ![“a very important reptilian brain. Isn't it odd that the serpent of Genesis was cursed to "crawl on your belly?" How did he get around before that? There is, of course, great controversy as to whether the Fall into duality or division was a fortunate or unfortunate development. One modem theologian…” quote by Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/christopher-hyatt-32767_quote_a-very-important-reptilian-brain-isn-t-i_1455021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/christopher-hyatt-32767_quote_a-very-important-reptilian-brain-isn-t-i_1455021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/christopher-hyatt-32767_quote_a-very-important-reptilian-brain-isn-t-i_1455021.jpg) > ““a very important reptilian brain. Isn't it odd that the serpent of Genesis was cursed to "crawl on your belly?" How did he get around before that? There is, of course, great controversy as to whether the Fall into duality or division was a fortunate or unfortunate development. One modem theologian holds that the pain of division is nothing”” [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores the symbolic link between the reptilian brain and the biblical serpent, questioning the origins of duality and its impact. **In simple terms:** Questions the origin of human duality via myth. Key Takeaway Consider the roots of inner conflict. Themes mythology neuroscience philosophy Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type philosophical speculative When to use this quote - religious study - psychotherapy - personal introspection Key Concepts dualism symbolism evolutionary psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does myth shape our view of the brain? - Can duality be both beneficial and harmful? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex neurobiology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Serpent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serpent/) ## Related quotes > [“As we reread Genesis 2...we immediately understand WHAT is 'crafty' about the serpent's question in Genesis 3. God did NOT in fact say in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-provan/as-we-reread-genesis-2-we-immediately-understand-what-is-crafty-about/) Iain Provan > [Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of a lot of right-wing politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/misogyny-is-at-the-reptilian-brain-stem-of-a-lot-of-right-wing/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [“When anxiety becomes problematic, most people try vainly to think their way out of trouble. But worry has its roots in the reptilian brain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lewis/when-anxiety-becomes-problematic-most-people-try-vainly-to-think/) [Thomas Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lewis/) > [“Another reptilian brain disguised as a modest mouse in the rat race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-akyna/another-reptilian-brain-disguised-as-a-modest-mouse-in-the-rat-race/) Alexander Akyna > [“beneath those clothes and this had only ignited a full-blown war in my head. My primitive reptilian brain was waging a fierce war against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-watson/beneath-those-clothes-and-this-had-only-ignited-a-full-blown-war-in/) Jo Watson > [“with sin. Eve was tempted by a serpent (a phallic power symbol). It is interesting to note that the serpent has always been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/with-sin-eve-was-tempted-by-a-serpent-a-phallic-power-symbol-it-is/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“CHAPTER EIGHT THE DEVIL YOU SAY And the serpent was cunning above every animal of the field which Jehovah God had made. —Genesis 3:1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/chapter-eight-the-devil-you-say-and-the-serpent-was-cunning-above/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“When we see this worldwide occurrence of the Goddess and her Serpent, and then recall the ancient African Black Goddess, the Black Witch, imaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-sj/when-we-see-this-worldwide-occurrence-of-the-goddess-and-her-serpent/) [Monica Sjöö](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-sj/) > [Like the ocean is your god-self; It remains for ever undefiled. And like the ether it lifts but the winged. Even like the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/like-the-ocean-is-your-god-self-it-remains-for-ever-undefiled-and/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [LAOCOON, n. A famous piece of antique scripture representing a priest of that name and his two sons in the folds of two enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/laocoon-n-a-famous-piece-of-antique-scripture-representing-a-priest/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [An arrow may fly through the air and leave no trace; but an ill thought leaves a trail like a serpent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mackay/an-arrow-may-fly-through-the-air-and-leave-no-trace-but-an-ill/) [Charles Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mackay/) > [Let me explain: there are dragons, and then there are drakons. Drakons are several millennia older than dragons, andmuch larger. They look like giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/let-me-explain-there-are-dragons-and-then-there-are-drakons-drakons/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“When you favour a woman, she will want to return the favour in so many means, but its better to rupidiate such offerings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-favour-a-woman-she-will-want-to-return-the-favour-in-so-many/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-serpent-the-king-the-tiger-the-stinging-wasp-the-small-child-the/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) Twe Stephens ## More by Christopher Hyatt > [“Now let us turn our attention back to the experience of my patient. For it is very similar to classic Succubi reports. First let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/now-let-us-turn-our-attention-back-to-the-experience-of-my-patient/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“in this direction-and he has been dead for not more than a quarter of a century. His influence is far more subtle and indirect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/in-this-direction-and-he-has-been-dead-for-not-more-than-a-quarter-of/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“from Wilhelm Reich , the esoteric teachings of Secret Orders and Tantric practices. We believed that this "mixture" of ancient and modern wisdom would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/from-wilhelm-reich-the-esoteric-teachings-of-secret-orders-and/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“thought of as more genteel This myth has been seen as the forerunner of the immaculate conception of the modern God, Gentle Jesus. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/thought-of-as-more-genteel-this-myth-has-been-seen-as-the-forerunner/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“suicide and scandal followed in his wake. The British weekly, the Sunday Referee (March 10, 1935) asked the question that over half a century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/suicide-and-scandal-followed-in-his-wake-the-british-weekly-the/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“CHAPTER EIGHT THE DEVIL YOU SAY And the serpent was cunning above every animal of the field which Jehovah God had made. —Genesis 3:1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/chapter-eight-the-devil-you-say-and-the-serpent-was-cunning-above/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“bowdlerized, censored, suppressed and maybe even burned by the public hangman. But people who believe in this diabolical power of words and/or ideas and/or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/bowdlerized-censored-suppressed-and-maybe-even-burned-by-the-public/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“sophisticated reader that he is simply referring to magical aspects of sexual activity that were bound to be misunderstood by the general public anyway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/sophisticated-reader-that-he-is-simply-referring-to-magical-aspects/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“This is a classic example of the type of literary blind that Crowley loved to utilize when he wished to publish, in a public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/this-is-a-classic-example-of-the-type-of-literary-blind-that-crowley/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“of the shaman as well as the individual. Certain disciplined individuals discovered that the more they practiced tuning into the Divine Will, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/of-the-shaman-as-well-as-the-individual-certain-disciplined/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived and bare him a son. —Hosea 1:2-3 In the minds of the Jews, it was the lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/daughter-of-diblaim-and-she-conceived-and-bare-him-a-son-hosea-1-2-3/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“with sin. Eve was tempted by a serpent (a phallic power symbol). It is interesting to note that the serpent has always been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/with-sin-eve-was-tempted-by-a-serpent-a-phallic-power-symbol-it-is/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“Then, like magic, the rain came, or we knew intuitively where to go and find a clear stream, or the hickory branch told us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/then-like-magic-the-rain-came-or-we-knew-intuitively-where-to-go-and/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) > [“In this sense the practices of Sex Magick can be seen as devices leading to the re-birth or twice born experience often referred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hyatt/in-this-sense-the-practices-of-sex-magick-can-be-seen-as-devices/) [Christopher Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) [Explore all 15 Christopher Hyatt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hyatt/) ## More Serpent quotes > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) Twe Stephens > [The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-serpent-the-king-the-tiger-the-stinging-wasp-the-small-child-the/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [“When you favour a woman, she will want to return the favour in so many means, but its better to rupidiate such offerings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-favour-a-woman-she-will-want-to-return-the-favour-in-so-many/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Let me explain: there are dragons, and then there are drakons. Drakons are several millennia older than dragons, andmuch larger. They look like giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/let-me-explain-there-are-dragons-and-then-there-are-drakons-drakons/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [An arrow may fly through the air and leave no trace; but an ill thought leaves a trail like a serpent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mackay/an-arrow-may-fly-through-the-air-and-leave-no-trace-but-an-ill/) [Charles Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mackay/) > [LAOCOON, n. A famous piece of antique scripture representing a priest of that name and his two sons in the folds of two enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/laocoon-n-a-famous-piece-of-antique-scripture-representing-a-priest/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Like the ocean is your god-self; It remains for ever undefiled. And like the ether it lifts but the winged. Even like the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/like-the-ocean-is-your-god-self-it-remains-for-ever-undefiled-and/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [“When we see this worldwide occurrence of the Goddess and her Serpent, and then recall the ancient African Black Goddess, the Black Witch, imaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-sj/when-we-see-this-worldwide-occurrence-of-the-goddess-and-her-serpent/) [Monica Sjöö](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-sj/) > [In Egypt the staff was rendered as a shepherd's crook that was a symbol for the pharaohs, the Druids of Egypt. The pharaohs wore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tsarion/in-egypt-the-staff-was-rendered-as-a-shepherd-s-crook-that-was-a/) [Michael Tsarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tsarion/) > [“The Serpent raises its head from the water and slides onto the ice, the stars blazing above in the night sky. The Turtle sinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-raises-its-head-from-the-water-and-slides-onto-the-ice/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) > [Spiritual wisdom consists in finding out the subtleties, policies, and depths of any indwelling sin... to trace this serpent in all its turnings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/spiritual-wisdom-consists-in-finding-out-the-subtleties-policies-and/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) > [The afrit batted his eyelashes with a ostentatious lack of concern. "Indeed? Have you a name?" "A name?" I cried. "I have MANY names!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-stroud/the-afrit-batted-his-eyelashes-with-a-ostentatious-lack-of-concern/) [Jonathan Stroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-stroud/) > [And hence one master-passion in the breast, Like Aaron's serpent, swallows up the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/and-hence-one-master-passion-in-the-breast-like-aaron-s-serpent/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tis-given-out-that-sleeping-in-my-orchard-a-serpent-stung-me-so-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 313 Serpent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serpent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“a very important reptilian brain. 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