floating and snakes in hole

I was in a lecture that was presented by a space scientist. He was visiting from the most progressive and prestigious space centre in the world, most likely NASA. I sat in the banked seating with B, but, while she was extremely attentive and interested, I fell asleep. I woke toward the end of the lecture, somewhat embarrassed that I had been sleeping, just at the point where the lecturer was asking for volunteers to try out the new 'floating' technology. B raised her hand, along with several other people, and we left our seats and walked down into a laboratory of sorts. There, the lecturer equipped each of the volunteers with a foam covered bar, which they were to hold in front of them in a horizontal position, like gripping a steering wheel rod. The volunteers were then asked to focus their thoughts on floating, 'believe' that they could float, and then sound the word 'hep' every so often, which seemed to boost them up. They each made various progress. Some volunteers slowly lifted a few feet in the air, others barely made it off the ground. I realised that I already knew how to do this, without the bar, and, through a kind of faith and lightness, lifted myself off the ground and floated up toward the ceiling. The lecturer was both impressed and angry, feeling outdone by my performance. I floated and flew around the room. The lecturer wanted to see if I could control the flight, so he yelled out 'Stop!'. I came to a gradual halt, unable to stop on cue, but able to slowly ease to a hovering position and then wheel around. I realised that this was something I could do naturally, but that, with practice, I would be able to master and control.
Later, I had uncovered a hole in the ground and was pulling out some items that I needed. The lecturer appeared and, alarmed, told me to stop, to wait. He said that there may be snakes inside and that, after uncovering such a hole, I should allow time for the snakes to emerge before prodding about, removing my things. If I was too hasty, the snakes may become angered and attack. Sure enough, as we waited, a black snake came out of the hole, as though it had been awoken from a long sleep. It noticed us but, as though it yearned to be outside, it slithered past us, out into the open. I thought that may be all, but a second snake, this one a huge brown, came into view. It initially slid out of the hole and past the lecturer who was waiting with me, but then turned and glided to where I stood. I did not know if it was going to strike or not, so, without waiting, I snatched at it, grabbing the snake around its throat. It was a precarious hold and I could not tell if I had managed to grip it just under its head where I knew it would be safe, so I threw it as far as I could away. It immediately came back, rearing up at me. I grabbed it a second time, this time definitely under its head, but I could feel a second mouth opening in the snake's neck, lined with sharp teeth. The lecturer yelled at me to throw the snake away, and so, again, I threw the snake as far away as I could. It did not come back. We both peered into the hole. I was very tentative now, but knew that I needed to extract what was mine.