Introduction to the Elements
In Wicca and Ceremonial magick, the classical system of Four Elements is used to organize our circle and our workings. The elements are Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, ruled by a fifth, which used to be called Quintessence or Ether, but which we now call Spirit. This system of elements was originally discovered by the Greek mystic Empedocles, who thought of each element as representing a different balance of hot and cold, wet and dry, as follows:
Air: warm and wet
Fire: hot and dry
Water: cold and wet
Earth: cold and dry
These attributes have become less important in modern Wicca, but are useful to know for the sake of history and for understanding some of the older spells. Also, whatever modern science may claim, we do not confuse our Elements with the elements of the modern periodic table. Those who apply the Elements back to science often compare them to the states of being: earth for solids, water for liquids, air for gases, fire for plasma, and spirit for energy.
However, the important uses of the elements do not involve any of this: rather, they provide a grid, our *system of correspondences, *by which we are able to map out the course that our magick will take. They are also part of the grid used in astrology, as each sign of the Zodiac is attributed to a particular element. This will not be relevant for us until the second year of training: for ritual purposes other attributions must come first. Here, then, is a brief introduction to the elements as they apply to Wicca, with a few of their most important correspondences.
AIR
The direction associated with Air is East, the direction from which the Sun rises in the morning (into the sky--Air!). Its color is yellow, like the rising Sun. Air is the breath of life, free and pervasive yet impossible to capture: the ancients associated it with the intellect, the mind. Birds fly through the air, and from it can see long distances: so Air is associated with sight (and second-sight) and mental clarity. Because we think of sunrise as the beginning of the day, East and Air are identified with beginnings, including Spring (the beginning of the growing cycle).
FIRE
The direction is South: in our hemisphere, it gets hotter as we travel South, and the Sun is further South in the sky during the Summer, the hottest season. The color is red, like some flames, like a fire truck. Because of the "burning" nature of passions like extreme lust or anger, passions and courage are associated with Fire. Because many ancient cultures saw Fire as a mystery element that had to be called into being--by men or by lightning--rather than found naturally, and because they burned their offerings to the Gods, Fire is also a spiritual element. Fire is identified with noontime and Summer.
WATER
The direction is West. In California, the Pacific Ocean makes this one easy to remember! Elsewhere, remember that the Atlantic lay to the West of England and Western Europe. Also, West is often identified with the Realms of the Dead, because it is where the Sun sets: and in many European myths, the Realms of the Dead are separated from our world by a river or a sea. The color is blue. Because water is so crucial to life, it is associated with healing; and because of its changeable nature, it is thought to rule the emotions. Water is, in a way, a shamanic element, able to change its form and place easily: so it is thought to influence trance states and development of psychic abilities. Water is identified with Autumn and evening.
EARTH
The direction is North. In our hemisphere, the North is cold as the element of earth is cold (though we must not confuse earth the element with Earth the planet here). The Realms of the Dead are under the earth, past the Water: this is where the Sun goes at night, under the Earth. The color is green, like the plants that grow out of earth. Earth is associated with our physical bodies--which in some cultures are thought to be sculpted out of clay--and with material necessities. Because it is the least changeable of the elements, Earth is the stabilizing force, the anchor or cornerstone from which we work. Earth is identified with Winter and night.
SPIRIT
Spirit is not often worked with as an individual element: it is understood to pervade and rule the other four. Its color is (royal) purple, and its place is in the center.
These are the beginnings of the Wheel, the symbol on which we base our system of correspondences in Wicca. When we cast a circle, the Wheel tells us which elements are in which direction, what their effects on rituals and magick will be. Later, we will add many more correspondences to the Wheel. The more familiar you become with this system, the more it will allow you to choose all variables in your magickal work to be in complete agreement with your goals. You will be able to decide, for example, that the element of Earth is needed for a money spell: and this will automatically suggest the best time of day, lunar phase, colors, tools, and so on.