The magic is special the first time you read a book. Knowing that you can never read that particular book for the first time again can cause one to drag out the last few chapters to savor them. The feeling is akin to knowing you will never meet your other half for the first time again. Re-reading can be great...like having lunch with an old friend. It can comfort and relax, but it never has that first time spark of wonder again.
As a practicing Witch and Sensitive, I find energy takes pride of place in my mystical toolbox, along with tarot cards, alphabetized essential oils, and a massive collection of Herb jars. Going back to our middle school science class for a moment, energy is everywhere—from the device you’re looking at right now to the floor beneath you. It’s also that indescribable feeling you get when you walk into your home and are greeted with a heavy, weird vibe that renders you incapable of relaxing and getting comfortable on the sofa.
Globally, Serpents are represented as potent guardians of temples and other sacred spaces. This connection may be grounded in the observation that when threatened, some snakes (such as rattlesnake and cobras) frequently hold and defend their ground, first resorting to threatening display and then fighting, rather than retreat. Thus, they are natural guardians of treasures or sacred sites which cannot easily be moved out of harm's way.
Connecting to the powers of the Four Elements is a foundational practice for many Witches and Pagans. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water move through us and inspire us. As ideas, they help us to make sense of and to describe a complex world. Even the simplest of altars usually have some representation of the Elements.
