The Four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water ~ What power do they wield?

 

The Elements 

Water is the mist of yesterday and today and tomorrow all wrapped up into one magical moment. Water is dreams and visions and questing endlessly to know the unknown. It is divination-- searching for answers and listening to the universe for its response. It is the mystical and the elusive...it slips through your fingers leaving you wet and cold and shivering, knowing that you have been touched by the Divine.

Air is the soft breeze on your face that makes you feel touched and not touched. It is thought brought alive and moved through space and time by the Divine. Air is the part of your mind that is clear and sharp and focused and ever changing, never still and never content, but always swept up within another breeze and moved along on the current of time.

 

 

Earth is all the treasures buried deep within the soul. It is the material things you long for and were told you shouldn't have. It is the security of that which is solid and immovable, and it is "manifestation" into the real world of touch and taste and smell and sight.

Fire is that physical passion so burning that it can consume. It is enthusiasm so powerful that it is what drives you to succeed. Fire is that fiery will that doesn't allow you to give up in the face of adversity. It is what draws lovers together across insurmountable odds and provokes the passion that fights endlessly for justice.

   

Elemental Correspondences

Earth 



Energy: feminine/receptive


Correspondences for Earth

• Direction: North

• Color: green

• Elemental: gnomes

• Season: winter

• Time of Day: midnight

• Ritual Tools: pentacles and salt

• Tarot: pentacles

• Angel: Uriel

• Hermetic Axiom: “To Know”

• Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Earth Energy

You will use the energy of Earth when you wish to manifest those things in your life that smack of the material-- money, possessions, or changes of circumstances in life that will lead to the acquisition of these things.

Where the cry of Christianity proclaims that a saintly pursuit of poverty and a Spartan life style leads to spiritual fulfillment and enlightenment, the witch knows that she was put upon this earth to experience all of it to the best of her ability, to enjoy that which surrounds her, to obtain that which she deserves, to wallow in the miracle of the physical world.

The witch indulges herself with no trace of Christian guilt, for she knows she is ‘of the earth’, and so she freely uses the natural energy of this element.

Using “Earth” in Spells

You can incorporate the use of the element Earth in your spells by burying the remnants of your spell work-- candle wax, ashes, ribbons, poppets, bottles, etc., in the earth itself-- on your property for positive receptive magic and off your property for negative projective magic.

You can place a symbol of the pentacle on or near your front door for protection. Wear a silver pentacle pendent for protection, as well as for a sign of devotion to your religion and your god/goddess; or wear a stone aligned with the energy of Earth for a particular intention.

Leave a bowl of salt on your nightstand to keep away spirits and get a restful nights sleep; leave a bowl of stones or river rock sit on the coffee table to help ground the atmosphere of the room, or dispel giddy energy from guests.

Place the image of a gnome in your garden, and leave the offering of a silver coin beneath him to insure prosperity. Place the Earth sigil upon those things you wish to protect: on your front door, to protect all within; on a stone talisman placed in your vehicle for safe travel; or over the top of a written spell to physically manifest that which you desire.

Air 



Energy: masculine/projective


Correspondences for Air

• Direction: East

• Color: yellow

• Elementals: sylphs and fairies

• Season: spring

• Time of Day: dawn

• Ritual Tools: athame, sword

• Tarot: swords

• Angel: Raphael

• Hermetic Axiom: “to will”

• Zodiac: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini

Air Energy

Where earth energy envelops the physical, air energy is purely mental. It encompasses that which cannot be seen, but which makes us who we are and gives substance to our existence-- our intelligence, mentality, our ideas that lead to creativity, our assumptions, thoughts and spark of genius. All of this and more stems from the element of Air.

Air, the element, touches us whenever we pursue knowledge, seek answers, ponder the universe and our place in it, when we write, draw, paint, and compose. Because of the element of Air, within all of future humanity, resides unwritten novels, unpainted masterpieces, sculpture, music, medical discoveries, inventions, and creations as yet unperceived and unrealized.

And when the Elements dance their dance, when Air mingles with Earth, all of these wonderful things will be given a pathway into the physical world.

Using “Air” in Spells

You can harness the power and potential of Air when you are absorbed in important mental endeavors, such as the student facing tests: burn a yellow candle at your desk while you study; tuck an herb aligned with air energy in the back of your book; carry with you to your exams a small bag filled with stones and herbs corresponding to air, as well as your intentions of a good grade.

Air energy is used in communication; it is the essence of thought to thought, mind to mind. Send a magical message by writing it upon a piece of paper and tying it with a yellow ribbon to a tree, the back porch roof, a fence post, etc., and allow the natural winds of Air to send this message on its way.

When you are composing, writing, creating; light your favorite incense to fill your work space with the energy of Air and entice your muse to sit upon your should and whisper in your ear.

 Fire 



Energy: masculine/projective


 Correspondences for Fire

• Direction: South

• Color: red

• Elemental: salamanders

• Season: summer

• Time of Day: mid-day

• Ritual tools: candle, wand, staff

• Tarot: wands

• Angel: Michael

• Hermetic Axiom: “to dare”

• Zodiac: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Fire Energy

You will use the energy of Fire when you want to incite fiery passion into any project, relationship, spell, or cause.

Fire is the heat of lust, burning desire made visible, flaming persistent unrelenting will-power; but beware, because fire is also the great destroyer. The element of Fire purges our intentions, our actions, our hidden agendas with an unforgiving heat, leaving the landscape black and bare so that we can begin to rebuild our path, our life, our world, and our psyche.

Use the energy of Fire with caution, with purpose, with determination; and never take your eyes off it, for if you do you may suddenly feel its flames licking at your soul.

Using “Fire” in Spells

You will use the energy of fire to rekindle dwindling passion or begin the heat of new desire by carving your name and the name of your beloved on a red candle. In the flame of this candle burn a paper on which you’ve poured out your heart.

Fire will be used in a wide variety of candle magic, in conjunction with the other elements, adding its fiery will to all intentions.

Use fire to consume all of the materials-- paper, poppets, personal items, images-- which you have used to cast a spell. Then allow the ashes from the flames to mingle with the winds of Air-- for one feeds into the other.

Toss the ashes into the wind, and feel the movement of magical energy.

 Water 



Energy: feminine/receptive


Correspondences for Water

• Direction: West

• Color: blue

• Elementals: undines

• Season: autumn

• Time of Day: sunset

• Ritual Tools: chalice and cauldron

• Tarot: cups

• Angel: Gabriel

• Hermetic Axiom: “to keep silent”

• Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Water Energy

You will use the energy of water when you float through your dreams, swim through your emotions and wade through your sense of intuition.

The energy of Water is fluid, always moving, ever changing, sometimes calm and other times rolling and crashing as wild as the ocean waves.

Water is the supreme symbol of the feminine, of the Mother Goddess, of the womb, of rebirth and regeneration. It is crystal clear and glistening in the sunlight, revealing everything before you; or it is dark and murky, hiding that which you are not ready to see, or that which you must find on your own. The element of Water highlights visions, psychism, dreams, and the mystical.

Using “Water” in Spells

Water will be used to cleanse and purify the space you will make sacred for your spell casting and rituals. Drop a pinch of salt in a small bowl of water and, using your fingers or a sprig of sage or rosemary, sprinkle (asperge) the area where you will cast your magic circle.

The power of water will be used in spells for dreams-- create a dream bag to place beneath your pillow using herbs and stones aligned with the energy of Water. Make use of the morning dew for spells of beauty and youth; it’s a magical elixer prepared by nature and presented to you in reverence and purity at the dawn of each new day.

You will use the energy of Water to strengthen your intuition, to call on the power of the Goddess, to awaken the psychic side of yourself, and to cleanse and purify your surroundings, your body, and your intentions.

Invoking/Banishing Pentagrams for The Elements

Quarter Calls

When preparing to cast spells or perform rituals...

After the circle is cast, you will go to each of the four cardinal points (north, east, south, and west) and invoke the Guardians of the Watchtowers-- that is, the Elemental beings connected to the four directions and the four elements. They are called to witness your rite and to guard your circle from unwanted, malevolent energies.

Invoking the Guardians:

The North

"Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtower of the North! By the power of Earth, I do summon, stir, and call thee forth to witness this rite and to guard this circle."

(With your athame/wand, draw an invoking pentagram for the Element of Earth in the air and light an elemental green candle, leaving it at the North gate.)

The East

"Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtower of the East! By the power of Air, I do summon, stir, and call thee forth to witness this rite and to guard this circle."

(With your athame/wand, draw an invoking pentagram for the Element of Air in the air and light an elemental yellow candle, leaving it at the East gate.)

The South

"Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtower of the South! By the power of Fire, I do summon, stir, and call thee forth to witness this rite and to guard this circle."

(With your athame/wand, draw an invoking pentagram for the Element of Fire in the air and light an elemental red candle, leaving it at the South gate.)

The West

"Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtower of the West! By the power of Water, I do summon, stir, and call thee forth to witness this rite and to guard this circle."

(With your athame/wand, draw an invoking pentagram for the Element of Water in the air and light an elemental blue candle, leaving it at the West gate.)

When your ritual is complete and your spells are cast, it is time to thank these Elemental beings for witnessing your rite and for protecting you during your spell casting. Dismiss these beings properly and with the respect with which they are due, never underestimate their power.

Dismissing the Guardians:

The West
"I thank you, Guardians of the gate of Water, for witnessing this rite and protecting this circle. Fare thee well and safe return. Blessed Be!"

(With your athame/wand, draw a banishing pentagram for the Element of Water in the air and snuff the blue candle.)

The South

"I thank you, Guardians of the gate of Fire, for witnessing this rite and protecting this circle. Fare thee well and safe return. Blessed Be!"

(With your athame/wand, draw a banishing pentagram for the Element of Fire in the air and snuff the red candle.)

The East

"I thank you, Guardians of the gate of Air, for witnessing this rite and protecting this circle. Fare thee well and safe return. Blessed Be!"

(With your athame/wand, draw a banishing pentagram for the Element of Air in the air and snuff the yellow candle.)

The North

"I thank you, Guardians of the gate of Earth, for witnessing this rite and protecting this circle. Fare thee well and safe return. Blessed Be!"

(With your athame/wand, draw a banishing pentagram for the Element of Earth in the air and snuff the green candle.)

Notice that when invoking the Guardians, you are doing so in a clockwise (deosil) motion around the circle; and when you dismiss the Guardians, you are moving counterclockwise (widdershins).

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The above information on the Elements was taken from:

"The Gray Witch's Grimoire"

by Amythyst Raine