ELEMENTS AND FORCES

The Ancients divided the world into four basic principles or elements -- earth, water, fire, and air. That viewpoint has mostly changed with advances of science, but the four elements are still accepted in magick, for they are more closely linked with the emotions than modern explanations of the world. Many occultists think of the magickal elements as forces, or as qualities of energy; especially within the astral world. Each element has a symbol and color. (Common symbols are -- fire: a triangle pointing up; air: a triangle pointing up and with a horizontal line through the middle of it; water: a triangle pointing down; earth: a triangle pointing down and with a horizontal line through the middle of it.) Colors of the elements are -- earth: brown and green; water: blue; fire: red; air: yellow...The Eastern tattvic system uses different symbols and colors. The elements are often used in magick ritual.

Magick sees relationships between things. These relationships are called 'correspondences'. Although magical correspondences are not literally equal to one another, you can think of them that way (such as gold equals sun). Tables of these relationships, called 'Correspondence Tables', are available (an important one is Crowley's '777'). Thus one thing or symbol can be used to suggest another. This is important in magick, for the magician may surround himself with as many appropriate correspondences as he can to vividly affect the senses; thus making his magical contact with the inner planes more lucid.

The magical elements have correspondences with the tarot cards as the four suits. The four quarters (directions of the universe as used in magick ritual) and the Archangels also correspond with these same elements –

AIR:     

Direction: West,  Angel:  Gabriel , Tool:  Athame,  Color: Yellow, Chakra: Higher Self.

WATER:

Direction: North,  Angel:  Uriel , Tool: Chalice,  Color: Blue, Chakra: Desire.

FIRE:  

Direction: South,  Angel:  Michael, Tool:  Wand,  Color: Red, Chakra: Knowledge, Wisdom & Understanding.

EARTH:

Direction: East,  Angel:  Raphael , Tool:  Pentacle,  Color: Green, Chakra: Heart.