A Chant to the Elements

Earth my body
Water my blood
Air my breath
Fire my spirit

The above chant can be used anytime that you feel the need to attune with the elements, which is what we are getting ready to study. Or perhaps you feel that you need grounding? Use it. Need to get rid of bad feelings? Use it.You will learn about "Attuning with Nature" right after you finish this page. That will be your first attempt at meditation if you are not practiced.

Depending on which branch of the occult you practice, there are either 3 or 4 elements that exist in Akasha. For some, these are Air, Water, Fire, & Earth. The Ancients Celts divided the world into three basic planes of existence --Land, Sky, and Sea -- & these are closely associated with the emotions, the human psyche, and with nature. Regardless of which you use, these magical elements are also of some importance in astrology. Many practitioners consider the magical elements as forces, especially within the astral world. Each element has a symbol, a triangle of some sort, and color & many other correspondents attached to it's name. Thus the names of the four powers of the magi in Latin, which are noscere, audere, velle, & tacere, correspond to the elements as well. It was believed that for the magus to achieve balance that all four of these "powers" had to be present & each one corresponded to one of the elements.

Noscere, which means "to know", corresponds with air;
audere, which means "to dare", corresponds to water;
velle, which means "to will", corresponds to fire;
and tascere, which means "to keep silence" corresponds to earth.
A fifth power, ire, which is to progress or evolve, corresponds to the spirit. So to achieve the energies needed to do magick, the practitioner must seek balance as instructed by The Four Powers & to do this, he must become acquainted with the elements on a more than personal level.

 Since all life and non-life are intertwined through their energies, the relationships between all things, as you have seen above, is called correspondences. Thus one thing or symbol can be used to suggest another. This is important in magick, for the sorceress or sorcerer (heh, I like those words much better than "witch", and after all, it is my website, isn't it?) may surround himself/herself with as many of the appropriate correspondences as he can to vividly affect the senses, thus making his magical contact with the inner self stronger and more visual. Colors and Correspondents of the elements are listed below. Always remember that none of these are absolutes. In fact, you may even find some conflicts here or elsewhere. It doesn't matter, because these things are up to the sorcerer in the end, since he or she is the one that must "fascinate" that logical side of the their nature within the brain.

The magical elements have correspondences with the tarot cards, astrological signs, spirits, planets, etc as well. To the Ancients, the elementals were the physical explanation of the universe. These included the faeries, mermaids, the jinni (genies), etc. Most contemporary Wiccans/Witches etc. see them only as symbols for internal forces. Another word sometimes used for elemental is 'familiar' but this can also mean a beloved pet that makes you feel special and relaxed. A few Correspondences are listed here. After this lesson, you will want to journey on to the page linked directly below this paragraph, and learn to attune yourself with nature. This must be done to tap into your energy sources. Attune with Nature's Elements   

Celtic Associations

It is important to note that the Celts had different color associations from Wicca or traditional witchcraft. In Celtic magick, the direction of North was black; South was white; West was grey; And East was red. For the most part, the rest followed the traditional correspondences.

Earth: (Celtic: North and Black) Money; prosperity; fertility; stability; grounding; employment.

Air: (Celtic: East and Red)Travel; instruction; study; knowledge; finding lost items; freedom.

Fire: (Celtic: South and White) Protection; passion; courage; energy; power; strength; banishment.

Water: (Celtic: West and Grey) Purification; love; psychic powers; dreams; divination; peace.

Individual Elements: Traditonal

 Earth

Earth doesn't necessarily represent the physical earth, but everything that is secure and dependable. This is the element of our home. It's the realm of abundance, stability, prosperity and wealth. The element of Earth is seen as the source and provider of all our needs as most of what we use to survive comes from Mother Nature.

It represents sensations, strength, health,decay, patience, balance, stability, warmth and comfort, animals and animal instincts, farming and physical labor. The Pentacle or Rice, Salt or grain in a brass or terra cotta bowl or a Stone of some sort is its' symbol . The Fourth Quarter is it's moon & its favored time is Midnight

A person high on the Earth element is a practical, reliable, down to earth type of person. He would also be a hard worker, & a stable provider. However he tends to be too stubborn at times . A person on the opposite end of that scale, a person low on the Earth element can seem confused, insecure and alone, and his work may be affected.

Visualization: Red Cube
Gender: Feminine
Direction: North
Energy: Receptive
Qualities: cold and dry, heavy and passive
Celtic name: (Talun/ an domhan: Earth) (tuaisceart: North)
Magical phrase: tacere, to keep silent
Zodiacal signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Tattivic symbol: yellow square (prithivi)
Tattivic tide: December 23 - March 21
Major Arcana card: Universe (XXI)
Minor Arcana suit: pentacles
Humour: black bile, melancholy
Reflection in humanity: the physical body
Positive characteristics: reliable, punctual, stable, perservering
Negative characterists: greedy, sensualist, materialistic, stody, unprogressive
Overbalance: materialistic; one whose circle of ideas is small
Underbalace: Unreliable, careless, tasteless
Direction of View: Towards the Past
Part of Person: Body
Symbols: Rocks - Plains - Fields - Soil - Caves
Goddesses: Ceres - Demeter - Gaea - Mah - Nephtys - Persephone - Rhea
Gods: Adonis - Athos - Arawn - Cernunnos - Dionysus - Mardyk - Pan - Tammuz
Spirits: Gnomes - Dwarfs - Trolls
Guardian Angel: Ariel
Feeling: Centeredness
Consciousness: Memory
Physical State: Solid
Image: Mountain, landscape, plants and animals
Time: Midnight - Night
Point in Life: Advanced Age
Season: Winter
Word of Power: AGLA (ah gal lah)
Posture: Arms extended, palms down
Affirmation: I am strong, centered, and knowing.
Virtues: Centeredness, patience, truth, thorough, dependable
Vices: Dullness, laziness, inconsiderate
Colors: Black - Green - Brown - White
Signs: Taurus - Virgo - Capricorn
Sense: Touch
Wind: Boreas, Ophion
Stones & Jewels: Rock crystal - Salt - Emmerald - Onyx - Jasper - Azurite - Amethyst - Quartz
Magickal Tools: Pentacle - Pentagram - Salt - Images - Stones - Gems - Cords
Metals: Iron - Lead
Plants & Trees: Ivy - Grains - Oats - Rice - Patchouli - Vetivert - Lichens - Nuts - Roots - Oak
Animals: Cow - Bull - Bison - Snake - Dog - Horse - Ant - Bears - Wolf
Instruments: Drums and percussion
Type of Magick: Gardening - Magnet images - Stone - Tree - Knot - Binding
Quarter: North
Quarter Candle: Green
Chakra Candle: Red
Chakra: Perineum
Idea: Grounding
Ritual Work: Body, growth, material gain, money, creativity, birth, death, silence. Rocks, standing stones, crystals, jewels, metal, rich, treasures, grounding. Mystery, industry, possesions, prosperity, wisdom, runes, teaching, practical wisdom. Burying, planting, making images in dirt or sand.
Places: Caves, Canyon, Forest, Grove, Valley, fields, Parks, Kitchen, Basement,Mines, Hole,Chasm.  

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