The Elements

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The Symbolism of the Four Elements

The four elements in nature are earth, water, air and fire. In many traditions there is believed to be a fifth element which is a spirit or a perfect being.

The four elements are represented in many different cultures in many different ways, they also play a large part in fantasy and myth, for example the elements are extremely important in relation to witches who are said to draw their power from the elements.

Examples of cultures and different beliefs are as follows in Tarot and Astrology, Ancient Greek science and philosophy, Indian and Buddhist beliefs and Chinese beliefs.




Tarot and Astrology

In tarot and astrology it is believed that the ancients tried to understand or explain the world as being made up of these four elements. All matter, according to theory, is a combination of fire, water, earth and air. In Astrology the twelve star signs are divided into earth sings, water signs, air signs and fire signs, each personality exhibiting some of the traits of each element.

Water and Emotions

Water is the element of emotions, the sea has inspired many poets and in fact water is the element of the poet. Also being the element of emotions, the link between sea and human emotions is very strong. As with human emotions the sea erupts into waves that can be gentle and slow or unpredictable and life threatening. The element of water is also associated with the nurturing of the womb and the womb reflects the creative qualities of water. This also means that people belonging to the water astrology signs Pieces, Cancer and Scorpio are said to be very creative, confident, strong and charming. Also water signs are extremely artistic and free spirited like a flowing river or waterfall.

Earth and the Physical

The element earth is embodies in the physical substance of mountains, the soil and the life that is from the soil. Earth is the basis of all the other elements and it is from earth where we draw the materials on which society is based. Food and shelter are reliant on the earth as are the other three elements, the ability to contain and carry water, to contain fire, and to move with air.

The earthly signs in astrology are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. People belonging to the earth signs are said to be wise, serene, sensible and firmly moral. They are led by logic rather than emotion and are seen as strong nurturing figures like mother nature.

Air and Intellect

Air symbolises thought as they are both continually a present force in life, thought is as inescapable as the air we breathe. Thought and air are also closely linked in that to think clearly, it is necessary to be calm and focused, qualities that are often obtained from deap breathing and meditation. Many of our intellectual goals have been to do with air, for example, mans deepest desire is flight. Using air to make man fly has been one of the greatest intellectual feats of mankind.

The astrological air signs are Aquarius, Libra and Gemini and are the “thinking” signs and are determined, independent and dynamic. Air signs are said to be extremely successful and virtuous.

Fire and Intuition

Human begins initially knew fire primarily as a means of destruction. But when humans learnt to control fire and harness it’s energy, civilisation began to make rapid advances. This dual nature of fire as both a destructive and creative force harnesses the spirit of our intuition. In our lives we can relate fire to the removal of useless or destructive habits and the creation of a stronger self.

But fire is often used for its heat and light. When we get an idea in a sudden flash of insight, this is our intuition at work and it is said that the heat of our intuition gives us our energy. The astrological signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are the fire signs and are known to ‘burn’ through life with fierce charm. People belonging to the fire signs are also said to have impulsive enthusiasm, but restless emotions also a fiery single minded natural leader.

The Elements in Witchcraft

It is said in fantasy and books that witches draw or call their power from the elements and that each witch has it’s own element and can use it in a unique way.

In witchcraft there are five elements but only four are used to draw power. These five elements are; earth, air, fire, water and spirit. Also in witchcraft the associations with each element are very much the same or similar to that of astrology and tarot. For example, just as in astrology and tarot earth is associated with the physical, air with thought and intellect, fire with power strength and intuition and water with emotions and the willingness to live.

Unlike astrology and tarot, in witchcraft, there is a fifth element, a spirit. Spirit is said to be the animating force, everywhere present, and everywhere abundant.

Spirit is energy, and it is eternal in essence. As we live in a physical world, and often are unconscious of the spirit world, which is often coexistent with our own, we are not able to perceive it because it runs on a different frequency than we do. It is said to be invisible, intangible, and affable.

This is the element that binds all the others into one form, to make them one and it is said to be the Mother and the Father of everything, and all magic.

Each element also has it’s own direction North is Earth, East is Air, South is Fire and West is Water. Also each element has a symbol or tool (for the purpose of spell casting) which are associated with them. These are

Earth the pentacle, often considered a female principle.

Air the wand or staff, often considered a male principle.

Fire the sword or athame (small sword or dagger) often considered male principle.

Water the cup or challice, often considered a female principle.

The combination of the four elements is sometimes represented by the cauldron.

Witches are written about a lot in fictional books and are seen to draw their power from the elements.

The Three Sisters trilogy books by Nora Roberts, are three books telling the story of three witches living together on three sisters island which was said to be created by three witches in the 1600’s. In these books the witches each have their own element and draw their power from that element. Also their personality is very much in line with their element. At the end of the third book a very powerful spell must be made by the three female witches and the one male witch.

These characters are Nell - Air, Ripley - Earth, Mia - Fire and Sam - Water. The spell they cast, as they call on their elements, is as follows

“Around the circle, light shimmered, deep gold. With the tips of blades, each scribed their symbols in the ground.

The first chant rose to the moon.

“Air and earth and fire and water, mother to son and son to daughter. Through our blood we claim the

right to call the power from the night. Under the light of the Moon of Mead, we ask to be given what we need. We seek the light, seek the sight.”

Nell lifted her arms. “From Air I come, of Air I call. I bring the wind to rise and fall. To sweep away

what seeks to harm, I bring to bear all magic, all charm. I am Air and she is me. As I will, so mote it be.”

And while the wind rose up to a roar, Ripley lifted her arms. “From Earth I come, to Earth I entreat.

Quake and quiver below my feet. The dark what’s mine will swallow, and none his fall will follow. I am Earth and she is me. As I will, so mote it be.”

The earth trembled.

“From water I come”. Sam spread his arms high. “Of Water I cry. Pour from the sea, flood from the

sky. To wash clean this isle of light and protect it from the hound of night. I am Water and he is me. As I will, so mote it be.”

As the rain lashed them, Mia threw back her head. “From Fire I come, of Fire I yearn. Spark and flame and cleanly burn. To purge this beast who hunts for blood, and from him shield what I have loved. I am Fire and she is me. As I will, so mote it be.”

Lighting flamed across the sky, spewed up from the ground. It roared in the air and sparkled like diamonds on the rain.”

This is a quote from “Face the Fire” by Nora Roberts.

The Greek Elements

The four classic Greek Elements were independently proposed by early Greek Philosophers. They were; Water - Thales, Air - Anaximenes, Earth - Xenophanes and Fire - Heraclitus. The philosopher Empedocles proposed that they all existed together from the beginning.

Aristotle saw the elements as combinations of two sets of opposite quantities, hot and cold, wet and dry. Aristotles view was ultimately the accepted one all through the Middle Ages. Aristotle then added a fifth element, Quintessence, which means in Latin, the fifth essence. Aristotle believed that the heavens where made of this element.

Indian and Buddhist Elements

In Indian culture there are three elements; Fire, Water and Earth which all have their own relative colour, food and body party associated with each element. Very similar to Chinese beliefs.

Chinese Elements

Like the Indian beliefs, the Chinese elements have their own colour, symbols, animals, etc. But unlike the other cultures, in Chinese culture there are five elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Fire Colour red

Symbol phoenix

Season summer

Planet Mars

Animal winged

Wood

Colour blue/green

Symbol dragon

Season spring

Planet Jupiter

Animal scaled

Earth

Colour yellow

Symbol caldron

Season between

Planet Saturn

Animal naked

Metal

Colour white

Symbol tiger

Season autumn

Planet Venus

Animal furred

Water

Colour black

Symbol tortoise

Season winter

Planet Mercury

Animal shelled



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