I'm only just beginning to learn about shamanic journeying via dreamwork. I wish I could share with you all of my experience and the things that have led me to look into shamanic journeying, but unfortunately that would require many posts.
The only thing I can say is that you are very lucky to have such vivid dreams that you can remember.
I too have had some quite lucid dreams. In on of them I died and went into the spirit world. The dream as as vivid as reality and I wish I could share it here. But unfortunately that too would require quite some elaboration.
This was before I became interested in shamanic journeying as an medodical practice. In fact, it was precisely because I have had such lucid dreams that sparked my interest in learning about the practice of shamanic journeying.
In any case, I wouldn't even begin to try to interpret someone else's dreams. In fact, from what I've learned about shamanic journeying is that only the person who has these dreams can truly interpret them because the dream is meant for them and them alone. Only they have enough information to put all the pieces together.
However, having said all of that, there are some core ideas that you might be interested in.
First off, if you are constantly seeing alligators in your dreams this is a very good sign that the alligator is your totem, or at the very least your animal spirit guide. It's trying to make contact with you. It has things to teach you.
The snake may also be significant in your dream. Did you feel compassion for the snake? Or were you thinking, "Ewe yuck! Get both of these creatures away from me?"
The alligator may very well want to be your friend. In fact, if you are seeing it in a cartoon form that may very well be a form that it is taking to appear less threatening to you.
I recently heard a story about a fellow who just began to shamanic journey. In fact, I heard his story directly from him. He kept meeting a cobra in his dreams. And he didn't like it. He hates snakes and doesn't want to have anything to do with them. But the snake consistently kept showing up in his dreams. And it was quite big and fierce. After a while he began to realize that this must be his spirit guide as much as he didn't want a snake for a spirit guide.
So he 'let go' of his fears and tried to accept the snake and befriend it.
He approached it and asked it the obviouse question, "Are you my spirit guide?"
The snake didn't answer, but instead it stuck out at him and bit him in the face! He said that it was so real that he actually felt like it was really happening. He grabbed the snake and wrestled with it, but it over powered him and coiled around him and took him to the ground. He felt the venom of the posionous snake flowing in his veins and burning within his body, until he finally lost consciousness and died.
He then awoke next to a tree. And the cobra was there laughing at him. But he sensed that the laughing was like that of a friend. The snake spoke to him telepathically and said, "Of course I'm your spirit guide, there is nothing to fear here but fear itself".
After that experience he has been meeting with his cobra friend in all his shamanic journeys and he no longer fears the snake. The snake leads him to new places and shows him how to get around in the 'underworld'.
So from a shamanic point of view it appears to me that you need to befriend this alligator and start trusting it to be your guide. Although it might eat you first! But do not fear if it does. It's just a dream! And once you have passed through that fear, you will no longer fear it and you will begin to see it as a friend.
Here are some links that give a little infromation on the Alligator Totem.
(you're right at the top of the list on this one)
ANIMAL TOTEMS
(here's another viewpoint)
http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/crocodile.htm
If you are seeing alligators in your dreams all the time, I'd definitely suggest studying the alligator totem and spirit guides.
Also, if you are having vivid dreams already, I'd recommend looking into learning how to become more consciously alert within them and participating in them via dreamwork and shamanic journeying.
Some books you might find interesting are:
The Shamanic Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak
(don't let the term 'witchcraft' scare you off. This particular volume has more to do with shamanic journeying).
Penczak's book is quite abstract and covers many different areas of shamanism, and shamanic journey work. I personally like his abstract approach as it helps you do get a bird's-eye view of what shamanism is all about and how it can benefit you. Then you can be better prepared to look deeper into the specific things that call to you.
There are many other books on shamanic journey work. I just happen to buy this one and like it, but I'm not necessarily recommending it as the best book on the topic. There may be other books that are far better. I do like Penczak's approach. But I confess I've also read his previous temple books on witchcraft. Although, witchcraft itself is not required for shamanic journeying, but meditation is, and he teaches various meditation techniques in the previous two witchcraft books.
Michael Harner is also a popular name in the study of Shamanism. He has written many books on the subject, but I have yet to read any of them. So I can't really comment on them from direct experience. I just know that he's real popluar in the field of Shamanism so you might want to look into those.
Just thought I'd share this for whatever it's worth.
The only thing I'd tend to suggest is that rather than asking other people to interpret your dreams, you'd be far better off learning how to interpret them yourself, and participate in them with a more conscious mind. Shamanism will teach you how to dream more vividly, and how to recall dreams to pick up where you left off at a previous time.
If I have time I might come back and share my most recent dream about a mouse.
