Elements

Earth


Earth is our mother. It is fertile and nurturing, moist
as soil, dry as sand, the densest of all elements.
Press your hand against fresh dirt. Feel it's 
stability, its earthiness. Know that within its 
surface we've raised our food; on it we live our 
lives; within it we bury our deceased.


Our planet is simply a manifestation of this element. 
True Earth-energy also exists within ourselves and within 
the universe at large. Earth is the realm of abundance, 
wealth and prosperity




Star Sign: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn


Direction: North


Season: Winter

 
Time of Day: Midnight


Planet: Earth


Astrological Rulers: Venus, Saturn 


Colors: Green, Brown, Blue, Yellow


Gems: Rock Crystal, Malachite,Peridot, Tourmaline, 
      Chrysophase, Moss Agate, Turquoise, Emerald, 
      Cat's Eye, Green Calcite, Jasper


Metals: Lead, Mercury


Herbs: Pine, Patchouli, Mugwort, Bistort


Oils: Cypress, Magnolia, Honeysuckle, Vetivert


Elementals: Gnomes, ruled by Ghob


Arch Angel: Auriel - Light of God


Tools: Pentacle, Disk, Stones, Clay, Wheel, Salt, Earth


Magickal virtue: To keep silent


Special quality: Stabilising


Attributes: Feminine, passive/receptive, electromagnetic, 
            cool and dry


Rules: Form, instinct, sensation, solidity, stability, 
       containment, persistance, the body, sustenance, 
       gain, the vehicle of manifestation, material things,
       birth and decay, nature, fields, caves, stones, 
       metals, chasms, silence, graves


Virtues: Stability, productivity, punctuality, commitment, 
         responsibility, endurance, patience, firmness, 
         calmness, practicality, pragmatism, strength, 
         thoroughness, wisdom, sense of timing, 
         imperturbility


Vices: Dullness, insipidity, restlessness, boredom, 
       tardiness, unreliability, misanthropy, impotence,
       lack of conscience, melancholy, inertia, stagnation,
       hoarding of resources


Used in magick for: Fertility, Eco-magick, Animal Magick, 
                    Wealth, Healing, Grounding, Centering, 
                    Prosperity










Air







Air is vital to human survival. It is the power of movement; 
of freshening and of intelligence. In magickal terms, 
Air is also the power of the mind: the force of intellect.


Go to a place with clean air and breathe deeply. Touch 
a feather. Inhale the fragrance of a heavily scented flower. 
Study an intricately patterned leaf. Remember, too, that 
we possess Air energy within ourselves.




Star Sign: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius


Direction: East


Season: Spring


Time of Day: Sunrise


Planet: Neptune


Astrological Rulers: Jupiter, Mercury


Colors: Yellow, Pale Blue


Gems: Adventurine, Jasper, Mica, Pumice


Metals: Tin, Aluminium


Herbs: Holly, Hops, Lavender, Marjoram, Mystletoe


Oils: Almond, Anise, Grapefruit


Elementals: Sylphs, ruled by Paralda


Arch Angel: Raphael - Healing of God


Tools: Candles, Blades, Equilateral-Cross


Magickal Virtue: To know


Special quality: Inventing 


Attributes: Masculine/ androgynous, active/ mediating,
            neutral/ conductive, warm and moist


Rules: The mind, intellect, reason, intuition, speech,
       abstract thought, knowledge, inspiration, balance,
       harmony, movement, justice, theory, breath, speech,
       understanding


Virtues: Sociability, diligence, optimism, dexterity,
         health, persuasiveness, friendliness, kindness,
         cheerfulness, independence, rationality, lucidity,
         joyfulness, adroitness, sense of adventure


Vices: Boastfulness, frivolity, absentmindedness, loquacity,
       contemptuousness, easily distracted, rootlessness,
       intellectualizes rather than feels


Used in magick for: Music, Travel, Communication, Faithfulness











Fire



Fire is the creator and destroyer. It warms our homes, 
cooks our food, and fuels our passions. 


On a sunny day, go outside at noon and press your receptive 
hand against a warm rock. Smell the smoke from a burning fire. 
Gaze into a candle's flame. Immerse yourself in Fire energy, 
and realize that it also exists within ourselves.




Star sign: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius


Direction: South


Season: Summer


Time of day: Noon


Planet: Sun/ Mars


Astrological Rulers: Sun, Mars, Jupiter


Colors: Red, gold, yellow, Orange


Gems: Amber, Apache Tear, Bloodstone, Diamond, 
      Carnelian, Citrine, Red Jasper, Hematite,
      Garnet, Onyx, Obsidian, Ruby, Topaz, 
      Tiger's Eye, Tourmaline, Fire Opal


Metals: Brass, Gold


Herbs: Cinnamon, Dill, Hyssop, Rosemary, Thistle, 
       Tobacco


Oils: Allspice, Bergamot, Clove, Ginger, Juniper, 
      Orange, Peppermint, Walnut, Tuberose


Elementals: Salamanders, ruled by Djinn


Arch Angel: Michael - likeness of God


Tools: Staff, wand, incense, feather, spear, besom, 
       arrow


Magickal Virtue: To will


Special quality: Transforming


Attributes: Masculine, active, electric, hot and dry


Rules: Will, force, energy, aspiration, purification,
       transformation, creation/ destruction, courage,
       passion, integrity, enthusiasm, fervor, zeal,
       light, warmth, heat, liveliness, hearth fires,
       volcanoes, explosions, phallus


Virtues: Activity, creativity, courage, control, passion,
         chivalry, virility, self-assertion, adaptability,
         confidence, enthusiasm, 


Vices: Gluttony, intemperance, lust, jealousy, irritability,
       anger, temper, hatred, envy, vindictiveness, egotism,
       self-centredness, fanaticism, ruthlessness, 
       destructiveness


Used in magick for: Banishing, Courage, Passion, Protection,
                    Employment, Change, Sex Magick











Water





Water is the cleansing, healing, psychic, loving element. 
Taste pure water. Move your hand through a stream, lake, 
pool, or bowl full of water. Feel its cool liquidity; it's 
soft touch. Listen to water trickling into a pool. As you do 
these things, remember that we contain Water energy within 
ourselves as well.


Water contains within it the essence of love. Love is the 
underlying reason for all magick. Water is love.




Star sign: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces


Direction: West


Season: Fall


Time of Day: Sunset


Planet: Moon


Astrological Rulers: Moon, Venus


Colors: Blue, Silver, Purple, White, Indigo



Gems: Blue Lace, Agate, Amethyst, Aquamarine,
      Azurite, Blue/Pink Calcite, Celestite, 
      Chrysocolla, Coral, Jade, Lapis Lazuli,
      Moonstone, Pearl, Quartz, Crystal, Sapphire,
      Selenite, Sodalite, Sugilite, Pink/Green/Blue
      Tourmaline


Metals: Silver, Copper


Herbs: Comfrey, Jasmine, Myrhh, Orris, Valerian, 
       Vanilla, Yarrow


Oils: Birch, Chamomile, Geranium, Lemon, Ylang-Ylang


Elementals: Undines, ruled by Niksa


Arch Angel: Gabriel - Strength of God


Tools: Cup, chalice, cauldron, bowl, goblet, rings,
       silver items  


Magickal Virtue: To dare


Special Quality: Purifying


Attributes: Feminine, passive, receptive, magnetic, 
            cold and wet

 
Rules: Emotions, love sorrow, courage, the unconscious,
       psychic activity, sensitivity, tides, oceans, 
       pools, streams, well, womb



Virtues: Devotion, compassion, serenity, trust, tranquility,
         tenderness, forgiveness, modesty, fluid in creativity,
         receptivity, emotional stability, awakened psychic 
         senses


Vices: Immaturity, dishonesty, self-indulgence, apathy,
       negligence, indifference, instability, moodiness, 
       cowardice, vulnerability, pessimism, depression,
       infatuation, delusions


Used in Magick for: Love, Romance, Psychicism, Meditation,
                    Astral Projection, Healing, Childbirth,
                    Spirit contact, Seances 













*The symbols shown BELOW each of the decriptions is the sigil of the
 element described above it.






Akasha (Spirit)





The fifth element. Yet it encompasses ALL the other
four. It is the source of the other elements. The Elements 
emerge from Akasha, the immutable, changeless source of 
all energy. This is the realm of potentiality: of promise, 
of paths not yet taken, of unformed galaxies, of outer space.

Akasha is also present within our bodies. Some say that the 
spark of life, that unknowable force that is called the 
"soul," is a bit of Akashic energy housed in the physical body.

Akasha is sometimes thought to be symbolically present on 
the Earth. More often it's seen as the Mother (Creatrix) of 
the elements. It's little used in natural magick, but 
something of its nature should be understood.

Primarily, Akasha is unbeingness. Its energy, which extends 
everywhere throughout the universe, has not yet achieved form 
and substance. It's the primal source of energy that creates 
and fuels the elements.

Because of this, it contains complete, balanced energy: Earth 
and Air and Fire and Water. The following table of Akashic 
associations points out its universal nature, and is not 
meant to be used for magickal purposes.
 











*Some of this information comes from the book
Earth, Air, Fire and water by Scott Cunningham.