Category: Elemental Witches

Animal Spirit Guides Associated with the Element Earth c 2018

Earth Element

ANT: team work; persistence; focus. Order, Discipline. Industrious. Tireless.
Planning and seeing future needs. Seeing plans bear fruit slowly over time. Not being discouraged or daunted by the task. Patience. Knowing how to work with others. Community-minded. Co-operation. Working for the common good. Not letting one’s ego get in the way of the group. Being patient with one’s own and others’ efforts. Appreciating being in a team. Looking out for others.

BADGER: safe base; determination; assertion. Persistent working towards
achieving goals, especially in creating a home and safe base. Digging in. Getting down to it. Getting the job done. Overcoming apathy. Organizing one’s home. Orderly environment and day-to-day living. Managing time efficiently. Protecting privacy. Protecting the home. Self defense. Not being overawed by others; standing one’s ground. Willing to fight for what one wants. Knowledge of healing herbs. Persisting to find a cure.

BEAR: introspection; protection whilst healing. The energy of the cave; going deep within to renew and heal. Ability to hibernate. Healing oneself, or nursing others. Grounding and protection whilst one heals. Knowing that time heals. Knowing the value of silence and solitude. Finding the answers within oneself. Inner resources. Caution and reflection. Knowing when to withdraw and when to fight.

BEAVER: building one’s dreams; making it happen. Remembering what one wants. Believing one can do it. Acting on one’s plans. Being able to create the environment one wants. Using the resources that are available. Getting what one wants without aggression. Gentle persistence. Teamwork. Industrious energy. Taking on big jobs in bite-sized chunks. Living and working in harmony with the environment.

BUFFALO: gratitude and abundance. Overcoming poverty-consciousness and feelings of isolation. Appreciating how the earth supports and provides. Giving thanks. Feeling part of the herd, tribe and ancestors. Clearing the path for our success and prosperity. Appreciation of the sacred. Feeling connected to (mother) Earth and (father) Sky. Grounded spirituality. Respect for all life. Living in harmony with nature and spirit. Generosity of heart.

DEER: gentleness and sensitivity. Knowing how to be gentle with others. Open hearted. Loving kindness. Empathic understanding. Emotional sensitivity. Compassion. Appreciation of the wounded child. Vulnerability. Humility. Building trust. Moving with great peacefulness, calmness, care and patience. Keen perception. Clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities.

DONKEY: shouldering responsibility; knowing when to say ‘no’. Perseverance. Determination. Tireless work. Willingness to accept
responsibilities and burdens when necessary. Carrying burdens with ease.
Willingness to help others when needed. Knowing when to not take on too much, or be led against one’s will. Strong sense of self and boundaries. Not allowing oneself to be pushed beyond one’s limits. Knowing when we can or cannot handle something.

ELEPHANT: ancient wisdom; connection to kin and ancestors; grounding. Strength. Power. Recovering memories and ancestral wisdom. Knowledge of lineage. Respect for elders. Telepathic communication over distances and across time. Communication with ancestors. For remembering what
is important. Inclusive leadership. Concern with the welfare of all. Loyalty.
Affection. Respect for others. Concern for others welfare, especially the elderly, vulnerable and children. Right action. Responsibility.

GIRAFFE: perspective on the past, present and future: dignity. Being able
to sense what lies over the horizon. Farsightedness. Clear sense of where one is going, where one has come from, and where one is now. Realising how far one has come. Setting sights on the path ahead. Taking stock of one’s life from all angles. Grounded, yet spiritual, perspective. Holding ones head high. Moving forward with grace and poise. Calmness. Serenity. Gentleness. Not stooping to gossip.

GORILLA: strength; gentleness; groundedness. Accepting responsibility.
Caring for family and friends. Loyalty to loved ones. Respect. Empathy.
Selflessness. Generosity. Compassion. Sensitivity. Using one’s strength and power only for the good of the group. Defending the family. Good parenting. Nobility. Intelligence. Knowledge of plants and herbs.

HEDGEHOG: healthy balance between openness and defence. Knowing
when to withdraw and when to be vulnerable. Caution when needed; being open when appropriate. Overcoming prickliness and unapproachablness. Being completely safe in oneself when under attack. Being open but knowing when to draw boundaries. Defending self without being aggressive. Knowing how to honour and protect one’s personal space. Psychic protection.

HORSE: freedom: travel; friendliness; joyfulness. Exploring new directions.
Moving on. Overcoming constrictions and limitations. Courage to break free. Getting to where one wants to be. Running free. Sense of adventure. Safe and confident traveling. Free-spiritedness. Self-empowerment. Stamina. Individuality. Big hearted. Warm hearted.. Sociability. Enjoying connection with others. Loving contact. Sense of belonging and connection. Open-heartedness.

MOLE: exploring hidden parts of the self. Skilfully moving and
exploring below the surface of things. Unearthing what is hidden in the subconscious that keeps one from being truly happy and well. Getting to
the root of problems or issues. Guardian of the lower realm. Caretaker of the earth. Profound ease with, and understanding of, the earth element. Knowledge of, herbs, roots, seeds and minerals. Introspection. Keeping to oneself. Pathfinder and path maker. Finding ways round obstacles.
Sensitivity to touch and vibration. Healing touch. Clairsenscience.

MOUNTAIN GOAT: climbing over obstacles; scaling the heights. Surefooted. Independent. Diligent. Knowing pathways to new realities. Sticking to life challenges. Reaching for the stars whilst staying grounded. Bringing dreams into reality by perseverance and keeping focused on the prize. Establishing resources needed to attain goals. Keeping momentum going even when things seem difficult or impossible. Protection in difficult times. Flexibility. Scaling the heights, spiritual, mental, emotional or material. Ability to land on one’s feet. Receiving rewards and recognition for ones life’s work.

MOUSE: attention to small details; scrutiny. Understanding details.
Discovering things that may otherwise be overlooked. Thinking out a strategy before acting. Making a journey step by step. Attaining large things by working on the little things. Always assessing the environment. Moving extremely quickly when needed. Organizing things. Ability to be unseen and unheard. Quietness. Ability to hide in times of danger. Cycles of 4 to 6 weeks.

RABBIT: gentleness; abundance; fertility; bounty. Creating abundance in life. Sense of bounty and plenty. Confidence in one’s ability to manifest what one needs. Taking advantage of opportunities. Knowing the earth will provide. Trust in gentle ways. Non-violence. Thriving without aggression, ego, or drawing attention to self. Not being paralyzed by fears. Knowing where safety lies. Contact with the fairy realms.

SALAMANDER: power of regeneration and healing. Cellular re-patterning.
Renewal and re-growth. Help with transformation and transmutation. Delving below the surface. Finding what needs to be changed. Restructuring old patterns, and ways of being, from the unconscious. Shape shifting. Being able to move between the worlds. Help through dreams. Lucid dreaming.

SQUIRREL: preparing for the future; integrating work and play. Storing
resources. Putting things in order. Being prepared. Foresightedness. Being
productive. Gathering only what is needed. Discard the unnecessary. Discovering new things. Resourcefulness. Balancing work with socializing. Ability to solve puzzles. Awareness of surroundings. Quick changes of direction. Knowing when to run. Ability to hide.

WILD BOAR: finding a way through; making a path. Finding a way through
difficulties, breakdown or madness. Fearless guide through trials and tribulations. Knowing that one can face life-problems and emerge triumphant. Ferocious self protection when needed. Discovering self-reliance and spiritual strength. Connection to the earth and nature. Fertility and abundance. Tapping into one’s wild, primal power.

TORTOISE: grounding; patience; slowing down. Staying centered despite
distractions. Moving with slowness, deliberation and focus. Calmness. Focus. Refusing to be hurried or flustered. Efficiency and economy of movement. Patient persistence. Perseverance. Self-reliance. Stability. Knowing that true stability lies within oneself. Inner security. Feeling at home and safe wherever one is. Strong connection to the earth.

ZEBRA: transcending preconceived ideas; tolerance: open-mindedness.
Overcoming, rigid, black-and-white thinking. Questioning group beliefs and  prejudices. Seeing the truth beyond social or family conditioning. Letting go of projections. Being comfortable with shades of meaning and ambiguity. Integration of complexity and contradiction within oneself. Ability to balance opposites. Maintaining individuality in group settings. Tolerance of other views and opinions. Harmonious social interaction. Togetherness, positive regard and cooperation.

Mythical…

EARTH DRAGON: feeling safe and at home on the earth. Guardian of riches and abundance. Self-discovery. Discovering the riches at one’s core. Discovering one’s deepest power and true inner beauty. Awakening one’s latent possibilities. Finds the parts of the soul that have been hidden. Self-actualisation. Taking one’s rightful place in the world. Self-worth.  Becoming fully-grounded. Manifesting one’s potential in the world. Being at home with earth. Knowing the power of the land. Bridge to elders wisdom.

GREEN MAN: The power of regeneration, renewal and rebirth. The spirit,
energy, presence, life-force, that is inherent in every cell of the plant realm. Transmitted to the animal/human realms through the foods we eat, the flowers we smell, the grass we walk on, the trees we hug, the herbs we use. Being able to take energy from the sun. Strong connection with the plant world. Re-growth after too much ‘civilization’. Reconnecting with the wild. For city-dwellers, and those who have lost touch with the natural world

Disposal of Ritual Offerings c2016

 

Disposal of Ritual Offerings

A common question that comes up is the matter of how to dispose of offerings made during a ritual once the ritual has concluded. Disposal methods may vary, depending on a few things. For instance, does your particular magical tradition require you to dispose of offerings in a certain way? Also, what is the offering? Organic materials can be disposed of in different ways than non-organic offerings. Finally, does the spell or ritual itself include a method of disposal? Consider all of these factors when you’re deciding on how to dispose of a magical offering.

Let’s look at some of the different ways that you can get rid of an offering you’ve made:

Earth & Water

If your offering is an organic item, such as blood, fruits and vegetables, tobacco, or other plant material, you may want to consider burying it. A garden is a good place to do this, particularly if you have a compost bin, because the nutrients will go back into the soil as the offering biodegrades, continuing the cycle of life.

Some people choose to bury non-biodegradable items as well, such as candle stubs and incense remnants, but if you do this, you should make sure you do it in your own yard. Disposal of organic items into a moving body of water, such as a river or the ocean, is acceptable in many traditions as well – make sure, though, that you’re not putting any non-organic materials in the water. Use your best judgment here.

The Power of Fire

Nearly any ritual offering can be disposed of by burning. In some hoodoo traditions, burning an offering is considered part of the ritual itself – for example, Cat Yronwoode says that to destroy an item’s influence, it can be burned in the ceremony. You can also burn ritual offerings such as meat, bread, and other foods.

Sharing With Wildlife

Got a pile of seeds and nuts you used in your ritual? As long as they haven’t been tainted with anything toxic, you can feel free to scatter them outdoors for the local critters to snack on. One Indiana Pagan named Apollonia says, “My coven does a lot of rituals that make offerings to grain gods, so we always have a lot of bread left over. Typically, the day after the ritual, I’ll take it to a local pond and leave it out for the ducks and geese. They consume it, and the life cycle of the grain continues on.”

Also, don’t discount the science of nature itself. Some offering items can be left out until they go away on their own. For instance, if you make an offering of consecrated water in a bowl, eventually it’s going to evaporate. If you do an outdoor ritual and you’ve offered herbs and flowers, those are going to blow away at some point, and find their way to a new home.

What About Icky Things?

Sometimes, let’s face it, we do a working that involves something negative. Maybe you’re trying to banish a pesky former lover, or you’re trying to get that crazy fundamentalist lady down the street to leave you alone. In cases like this – particularly if you’ve created a poppet – you may want to get the item as far away from you as possible. In cases like this, simply because of the nature of the ritual, you may want to go ahead and find a place such as a landfill, a port-a-john, or some other foul place to be rid of the items. Just make sure you’re not putting anything into the ecosystem that is going to cause damage down the road.

In the matter of spell components, you may not always want to permanently dispose of the items right away. Depending on the purpose of the spell, you may choose to hide the item in someone’s home, bury it in your own yard, or tuck it into a tree. Obviously, your disposal methods are going to vary depending on the ritual or working itself, and on the nature of the ritual offerings that you need to be rid of. Use common sense, think outside the box, and find a way to adapt to each situation as needed.
Source: Article originally published on & owned by About.com by Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert

Offerings to the Air Element c2016

Offerings to the Air Element

 

When  we  make  offerings  to  the  air  we  are  thanking  the  universe  for  our  breath. Each  moment  we  are  held  by  this  element  and  at  the  moment  of  death  it’s  our  last   breath,  which  heralds  our  departure  from  the  mortal  body.

 

The  air  is  also  our  First   breath  when  we  are  born  so  honour  this  element  by  getting  outdoors  and   spending  time  in  high  places,  feel  the  wind  on  your  body  and  rejoice  with  song,   laughter  and  dance,  which  are  all  part  of  this  element.  The  air  is  what  carries  sound,  music  is  what  nurtures  our  soul  and  we  can   see  that  the  two  combined  into  one  exceptional  union.  Music  has  the  power  to   heal  and  transform  us.  Think  about  how  many  times  you  have  put  on  your   favourite  tracks  to  change  your  mood.  Mellow  music  chills  us  out  and  reduces  our   stress  and  more  uplifting  music  gets  us  into  a  place  when  we  want  to  move  and   express  ourselves.  All  this  is  the  expression  of  the  air  element  and  by  being  aware   of  such  things  brings  a  greater  clarity  to  our  daily  activities.

 

Simple  offerings  can  be  thrown  into  the  air  or  left  tied  to  trees  so  that  they   Flutter  in  the  winds.  But  make  sure  whatever  you  leave  in  nature  can  be  broken   down  easily  such  a  paper,  incense,  cotton  or  silk  cloth,  food  and  liquids,  things   found  such  as  feathers  and  rocks.  Never  leave  anything  that  will  affect  the  flow of  the natural world,  to do that will only create blocks and hinder your path towards growth.

Offerings to the Fire Element c 2016

Offerings to the Fire Element

 

Without  a  beating  heart  we  have  no  Gire  within  us,  it  is  the  blood  that  pumps   around  our  bodies  that  generates  heat  and  gives  us  the  power  to  illuminate.  Deep   within  our  heart  is  a  place  that  is  eternal,  an  inner  sun  that  burns  with  a  light  so   bright  it  connects  us  to  the  very  core  of  infinity.  It  is  our  innate  nature  that  burns   with  wisdom  and  allows  us  to  embrace  life.  When  we  align  ourselves  with  the   gods  and  with  the  path  of  The  Craft  we  burn  with  fire,  we  burn  with  a  yearning  to   know  our  soul’s  destiny.  That  is  what  drives  us  on  towards  the  source  of  all   knowledge,  it  allows  us  to  heal  bits  of  ourselves  and  others  because  when  we  get   just  one  single  glimpse  of  the  fire  within  the  heart  it  is  enough  to  illuminate  the   entire  universe.

Although  we  have  an  inner  fire  there  is  nothing  more  beautiful  to  be  sat   round  a  camp  fire,  how  many  times  have  you  looked  deep  into  the  flames  and  let   them  speak  to  you,  they  lull  you  to  a  place  which  allows  visions  to  arise,   transporting  us  inwards  to  the  deep  seat  of  knowing.  The  Craft  has  always  been   the  place  where  those  who  follow  it’s  path  burn  with  the  passions  of  nature.  To  be   alive  with  the  fire  of  wisdom  means  that  you  have  opened  yourself  up  to  the  face   of  creation  and  allowed  yourself  to  become  enfolded  in  the  arms  of  the  Gods.  They   burn  with  the  same fire,  which  is  in  your  heart,  they  are  made  from  the  same  seed fire that  you  have  within.  The  Gods  burn  with  the  same  eternal  flame  that   illuminates  our  own  being  and  to  know  the  flame  within  means  you  come  to  know   the  face  of  the  Gods.  Fire  burns  away  ignorance  just  like  it  clears  the  dead  wood  of   the  forest  allowing  new  shoots  to  germinate  bringing  forth  new  growth.  We  all   have  dead  wood  within,  our  internal  struggles  and  our  ever-­‐conflicting  emotions   are  what  keep  the fire from  burning  bright.  But  when  we  get  a  glimpse  of  the fire  we  fan  the  f flames  and  they  start  to  burn,  they  burn  so  bight  that  they  produce  a  source  of  all  light,  without  fire  there  would  only  be  darkness  and  with  total   darkness  no  life  would  exist.  Fire  is  the  source  of  all  life,  without  our  sun  this   earth  we  live  on  would  be  a  dead  rock  floating  around  a  burnt  out  sun.  Devoid  of   any  life  there  would  be  no  consciousness  to  illuminate  itself.  We  are  the  universes   knowing  itself,  and  it’s  through  this  element  we  come  to  understand  these   wisdoms.

Offering to fire can be anything that can be consumed by flames or even a simple votive candle.

Offerings to the Water Element c2016

Offerings to the Water Element

 

Water  is  a  vital  element  for  our  survival,  we  are  within  water  while  we  are  in  the   womb  of  our  mother  and  we  die  very  quickly  without  it.  Because  water  is  in  such   abundance  on  our  planet  we  have  little  attachment  to  it.  Water  is  fluid  and  free   and  over  time  it  can  reduce  the  hardest  material  into  dust.  It  cuts  through  valleys   like  a  knife  through  butter  and  bursts  forth  from  the  ground  in  healing  springs.  It   is  the  lifeblood  within  our  bodies  and  upon  the  earth  it  is  abundant  and  Glowing,   unfortunately  we  pollute  it  with  toxins  that  are  now  bringing  us  close  to  poisoning   all  life.

 

We  should  always  try  to  keep  our  waters  pure,  they  are  what  carry  the   trace  nutrients  that  our  body  needs  for  survival.  There  is  nothing  more  stirring   that  to  sit  next  to  crashing  waves  on  beach  or  more  restful  than  laying  next  to  a   babbling  brook.  Water  out  of  all  the  elements  has  the  most  power  to  heal.  Our   ancestors  knew  this  knowledge  and  dedicated  many  springs  to  cures.  Even  in  our   modern  world  we  prefer  bottled  water  to  that  from  the  tap  thinking  it  has  a  purer   quality  to  it.  It’s  our  internal  emotions  that  draw  us  close  to  water  as  a  source  of   all  healing  and  I  often  wonder  if  it’s  because  we  floated  for  nine  months  in  the   waters  of  our  mothers  womb.  There  we  felt  safe  and  secure,  it  was  a  primordial   state  before  they  burst  issuing  us  into  the  world  of  duality  we  know  as  life.  How   many  of  us  enjoy  the  relaxing  comfort  of  a  bath  or  the  invigorating  power  of  a   shower.  Both  these  daily  functions  connect  us  deeply  to  the  element  of  water  and   draw  us  close  to  its  energetic  qualities.  I  love  nothing  better  than  swimming   outdoors  in  the  summer  in  open  pools  and  rivers,  feeling the power of nature enfold me in the waters of life.

 

A  daily  offering  of  water  can  be  made  on  your  own  personal  shrine;  it  is   something  very  easy  to  do  and  connects  us  to  a  source  of  connection  many  take   for  granted.  Water  is  the  best  substance  as  a  daily  offering  because  it’s  one  of  the   things  we  have  no  attachment  to,  we  don’t  in  any  way  covet  it  because  it  seems  to     be  around  us  in  abundance.  That  way  we  give  it  freely  and  that’s  the  spirit  which   should  be  nurtured  when  making  any  offering.  To  be  able  to  give  without  any   attachment  at  all  allows  the  offering  to  have  the  purest  quality  within  it  and   becomes  a  great  source  of  connecting  us  to  the  source  of  creation. Items  you  can  offer  include  water,  milk  and  wine.

 

You  could  even  collect   different  waters  to  offer  such  as  Sea  Water,  Lake  Water,  Spring  Water,  Rain  Water,   Snow  Water  and  Dew,  be  guided  by  your  intuition and may the hand of the gods always lead you towards your souls purpose.

Offerings to the Earth Element c 2016

Offerings to the Earth Element

 

When  we  make  offerings  to  the  earth  element  we  are  honouring  our  body,  without  this   vehicle  we  would  not  be  able  to  experience  the  world  in  all  its  beauty.  It  gives  us  the   chance  to  find  happiness  and  joy.  It  is  the  very  vessel  that  is  filled  with  the  light  of   creation  and  inhabiting  it  for  a  lifetime  means  we  have  a  chance  to  awake  to  that  inner   light.  It’s  incredible  when  you  stop  to  think  about  it,  but  that’s  the  problem,  few  do.   When  we  walk  a  spiritual  path  it  allows  us  to  move  forward  on  a  journey  upon  the   earth,  this  planet  is  a  living  body  like  our  own.  But  how  many  people  actually  treat  it  as   such?

 

Because  we  have  disconnected  from  the  earth  we  have  become  disconnected   from  our  bodies  and  look  at  the  amount  of  self-­‐loathing  we  see  in  western  cultures.  The   Craft  has  always  told  us  to  love  our  bodies,  they  are  sacred  and  that’s  why  from  time  to   time  we  take  off  our  clothes  and  walk  into  nature.  When  we  meet  nature  naked,  we  are   free,  we  are  totally  beyond  the  trappings  of  culture  because,  once  again,  we  have   entered  paradise.  The  Craft  has  always  held  ritual  nudity  to  be  a  profound  act,   unfortunately  because  of  our  modern  culture  few  these  days  feel  comfortable  disrobing.   This  is  because  we  live  in  a  highly  sexualized  society  that  has  used  sex  and  sexual   images  to  sell  almost  everything,  the  images  which  have  been  used  have  been  very   limiting  and  exaggerated  leaving  many  with  a  sense  of  inferiority  about  their  own   bodies.  Remember  we  are  born  into  this  world  naked  and  when  we  are  free  from  the   trappings  of  clothes  we  also  have  the  opportunity  to  free  ourselves  from  our  ridged   identities.

 

Offerings  to  the  earth  can  include  stones,  salt,  soil  and  food,  go  into  nature,  take   your  clothes  off  in  the  warmer  months  and  feel  the  sun  on  your  body,  feel  the  wind   caress  you  like  a  lover  and  embrace  the  natural  world.  Make  your  offerings  to  this   element  and  thank  it  for  giving  you  such  a  beautiful  gift,  your  body  the  vehicle of your awakening.

The Path of the Fire Witch (Part 2) c 2015

The Path of the Fire Witch

 

The Fire Witch holds herself to an uncompromising code or honor and ethics. She will bestow justice and be benevolent at the same time.

She operates from a basic moral code of what is right and what is wrong and rarely will go against her gut instinct. Because of this, Fire Witches make excellent law enforcement officers. Due to their love of numbers, they fare well in the fields of science and computers. They often understand the numeric codes presented within dreams to be prophetic and can easily recognize patterns.

Friends of Fire Witches are used to her stealing the spotlight–she knows how to get attention!She naturally projects a warm yet noble aura. If you don’t want to hear the truth, don’t ask a Fire Witch. She can be both gentle and blunt. The key is to hear her out. Fire Witches, seem lit from within and glow with a special radiance.

Fire is purifying and the Fire Witch tolerates no political agenda among her friends and family. If she spots a troublemaker or rumor-mongers, she will quickly call the person on it.
Fire Witches can be extreme in their behaviors and emotions. They tend to see things in terms of black and white, due to their strong moral instincts. Yet, while Fire Witches can be rigid to certain areas, they are the most playful and joyous of the Elemental Witches. They seem to be always smiling, always willing to try something new. They push harder and climb higher–there are no limits for fire folk!

While water is creation, earth is rebirth, and air is death, fire is the divine spark of it all. No other Elemental Witch understand the process of regeneration the way the Fire Witch does. She truly grasps purification of the spirit. In the same way a medical doctors cauterizes a wound to stop the bleeding, the Fire Witch can cauterize the soul to stop emotional pain and make way for healing She concentrates her life on matter of the spirit and advancement. She is talented in all areas related to working with the spirit and Otherworld spirits. She can call and banish spirits quite easily, but never does so wantonly. She has great respect for the other planes of existence.

Fire Witches are the explorers of the universe. Due to their role as spiritual connectors. Fire Witches can easily accomplish astral projection. The element of earth manifests itself in humanity as the body, air as sacred breath and mental faculties and water as body fluid and emotions, but fire is the collective energy that animates the body. Fire represent the electrical impulses in the brain and body that make life possible.

Many cultures, no matter what their collective vision of the after-life is, report that people who undergo near-death experiences first see a beautiful white light. When we work with chakras, we are working with light. All magickal work that incorporates light and spiritual advancement falls in the realm of the element of fire.

The role of the Fire Witch is one of independence. She encourages people to stand up for themselves and will not hesitate to stand up for herself. Coming under fire by others does not scare her; it inspires her. She is most comfortable when she is free to express her opinion completely, and she usually detests censorship. The Fire Witch takes an active role in all areas of life. If something isn’t working, she is the first one to work to try to change things for the better.

The altar of the Fire witch usually contains various metals, such as brass, silver, iron and copper. Likewise, it often holds several candles. Her power is at its peak during the summer months. Popular summer-time activities like vacations, camping, swimming and picnicking are borne of the inspiration of fire. Fire teaches us to enjoy the zest life has to offer. While a Fire Witch can be zealous in her career ambitions, she never forgets to enjoy her life. In the winter months, when the days are short, the Fire Witch undergoes a period of reflection that further defines her path. She is still there, doing everything she normally does, but her focus has burned inward to her home and family. It is a process of reaffirming relationships that take place every year. Even the bright light of the Fire Witch can grow dim at this time, and depression can set in. Luckily, a few bites of a tropical fruit, a warm fire in the fireplace, and a few candles later, she’s a good as new.

 

Source: Elemental Witch Fire Air Water Earth Discover Your Natural Affinity by Tammy Sullivan

5 Ways to Tell if you are a Water Witch c2018

 

5 Ways to Tell if you are a Water Witch

So you are a witch and you love the water! In fact you might even be a just a little obsessed with it. You tend to find yourself walking the shores and collecting river rock and sea shells. If you tend to work with spirits that are associated with the water and worship goddesses born of the waves then chances are you are a Water Witch. Water Witchcraft is a “genre” of witchcraft that honors and derives its power from the water. Sea witches have a long history in both ancient and more modern folk and mythic stories. So if you are drawn to the water and witchcraft here are 5 ways to know if your genre of witchcraft is Water Witch or Sea Witch.

1) You Spend time with the water!

Do you spend time near the water? Great! That is the first step to an active Water Witch practice! Becoming one with the energies of the water, be it the ocean, river, or lake, is an important part of being a Water Witch. If you haven’t spent time by a bubbling brook or a raging ocean what are you waiting for? Studies show that spending time near the ocean is good for your health! It’s going to be good for your Witchcraft too! No doubt walking the shores of a river or the ocean in a light meditative state while opening up and listening to the water is a going to deepen your connection with water!

If you are a land locked Sea Witch try getting a friend to send you a bottle of sea water from your favorite ocean. If you are a home bound Water Witch, try working with the water that you can access from your home! Water can be stored in clean glass jars and placed on your altar!

2) You give offerings and do rituals by the Water!

Witches do spells and rituals! That much we can agree on right? Well Water Witches do them too! You may find a Sea Witch drawing sigils in the sand or collecting sea water! You may find a River Witch meditating in a quite space under low hanging trees over a rippling river. Flowers are often found on the beach, remnants of a ritual that was performed there before, however they can often be problematic, and other offerings can often be toxic to the environment. The best offering we can give the Water is to keep it clean, collect trash, help keep the waters clean and send healing spells to the water. More about offerings here

3) You Collect Water!

Witches in general tend to have many boxes, bags, and bottles! But Water Witches tend to have more bottles and jars than anything! Why? Well they hold the various waters we work with! A witch’s cabinet is just as unique as the witch varying with their tradition and path. In it you may find various jars of water including, ocean water, muddy water, rain water, full moon water, holy water, water from various sacred springs and local water sources, florida water, war water, floral essences, gem essences and other strange watery concoctions!

4) You Make Magic Waters!

There are so many different types of magical waters to work with, however a basic skill every water witch needs is how to create holy water! Every witch has their own way; some with a hag stone, salt or silver, others charge water from a sacred spring or under the full moon as a basic water to empower their spells and rituals. Holy water is also useful in cleansing and purification rites and learning how to make your own will be useful in case you wanted to take a sacred bath in a tub of holy water! Because Water Witches love their sacred baths too!

5) You work with a Water or Ocean Spirit, God or Guide!

Depending on your path you most likely work with some type of spirit. Spirits come in many forms, Godlike, ancestral, angelic, demonic, animal, Faery, plant, etc. Most pantheons have water spirits! Even the Ancestral realm has extinct water creatures such as the Megalodon or mythological sea monsters. You could also explore working with the spirit of a pirate or Davey Jones Locker. There are Water Faery and Gods abound and are too numerous to list with each pantheon having multiple deities! Chances are that you have a shrine or altar space that is watery in nature or even dedicated to the water or a water god/ess. Or perhaps a collection of prized sea shells intermingled with candles that are more to you than decoration.

There are many other ways to be a water witch and these are not mutually exclusive and there are many other ways to incorporate water into your practice. Divination may play a large roll in your practice or perhaps it is ritual for you. You may be an energy worker practicing on the sea shore, it doesn’t matter really! It just matters that you are doing the work and following your own path. I do hope you enjoyed the article and a fun way of categorizing Water Witch traits!

Source: Published on Patheos by ANNWYN AVALON

(One Person’s View Point)Sensing the Four Directions

 

Sensing the Four Directions

 

You’re going to work with the four directions and their correspondences a lot as your magickal practice expands. Before you actually start using these energies in spells and rituals, practice sensing what the energies feel like. If possible, try doing these exercises outside as well as inside your home. Many witches prefer to do magick while surrounded by nature whenever they can.

1. Stand facing east and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths to quiet your thoughts. Keep an open mind as you try to sense the energy at this compass point. This is the energy of dawn, birth, and beginnings. It might take a few minutes, so give yourself time to receive the universe’s vibrations. You might feel a slight tingling, warmth or coolness, a subtle emotional shift, or something else.

2. Turn to face south and, again, try to sense the energy flowing toward you. This is the energy of fullness and maturity. Does it seem any different from what you felt when you faced the east? Turn to face west and, again, try to sense the energy flowing toward you. This is the energy of winding down and letting go. How does it seem to you?

3. Turn to face north and, again, try to sense the energy flowing toward you. This is the energy of turning inward, silence, and endings. What do you feel?

If at first you don’t succeed in sensing these energies, remember the advice: Try, try again. With practice, you’ll learn to pick up on the different resonances and attune yourself to them. Be sure to write down what you experience in your grimoire.

As you continue strengthening your magickal muscles, you’ll come to a keen awareness of how intertwined you are with everything else in the cosmos. You’ll realize that you can create your own reality by aligning yourself with the dynamic, magickal forces that exist all around you. And you’ll notice that possibilities you never imagined before now open up for you.

–Skye Alexander, The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells

(One Person’s View Point) Arts of Witchcraft: Magickal Uses of the Four Elements c. 2018

 

Arts of Witchcraft: Magickal Uses of the Four Elements

There are four basic systems which are useful in creating magical influences related to the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. Fire works through combustion, water through mixture, air through evaporation, and earth through decomposition. These aspects are incorporated in the completion of a spell or other magical work. Generally you will have some material left over to dispose of (wax, ashes, and so forth) and it is correct to use one of the elemental methods to complete the final stages.

If your spell was to influence a person then the earth element is used. If it was to accomplish a specific goal then fire is good. Romantic works are best with water and matters concerning mental creativity employ the element of air.

The following examples can be used to complete whatever spell you were working on.

FIRE:
Take a piece of paper or cloth and moisten it with the universal condenser. Place this in front of you and concentrate on the work of magic. Strongly imagine your thoughts to be filling the material. Imagine your desire being “written” by your thoughts across the material. When your concentration is breaking then the material is fully saturated. Now simply burn the cloth or paper in an open fire. While it is burning concentrate on your desire. The fire releases the charge and merges it with the element.

AIR:
Take a small metal container and fill it about half full. Add 3 drops of universal condenser. Put the container over a flame and concentrate upon your desire as you gaze into the water. As the steam begins to rise, imagine your desire being drawn up and carried off. Continue until all the water has been evaporated.

WATER:
Take a container and fill it about half full with fresh water. Add 3 drops of universal condenser and 3 drops of rubbing alcohol. Now impregnate the water with your concentrated desire. When you feel that it is full pour the water into a stream, river or any moving body of water.

EARTH:
With this element your concentration is centered on the universal condenser which you place in a jar after it has been loaded. Then this is poured out over a selected spot of earth to be absorbed directly into the element of earth.

Source: JANA HOLLINGSWORTH A good, useful, practical note. It seems people often use the four elements only for casting a circle, or simply have them represented on their altars. It’s a good idea to use a specific element for a specific purpose, rather than always calling on all four. I suspect these spells would be best performed outdoors, making the elements seem more real. Pouring one’s spell-water into a stream would feel better than pouring it down the drain.

Trivia Questions About The Five Elements – Contest to Win an Extra Free Issue of Life in The Craft Newsletter

Do not post your answers in the comments section (your entry will be voided if you post them in the comments section, and your answers will be removed from this post) email your answers to ladybeltane@witchesofthecraft.com. The three people to answer the questions correctly will win an extra free issue of Life in The Craft. If more than three people have the correct answer I will go by the time the emails came in. Deadline to email your answers is December 30, 2022, by 12:00 AM CST. Students of WOTC’s School of Witchcraft are not allowed to enter this game.

We know the five elements most witches work with are Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit.

We know the Air can be represented by many things such as wind chimes, a feather, incenses, to name a few.

We know Fire can be represented by a lit candle, campfire, hot peppers and other things also.

We know Water can be represented by a bowl of water, seashells, fishing lures, sea salt to name a few.

We know Earth can be represented by stones, wood, table salt plus a few other things.

We know Spirit can be represented by an angel statue or picture, but more importantly by what it can be represented by to you personally.

HERE ARE THE TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

Answer hints – Consider the planet we live upon and that big yellow ball in the sky and what falls from the sky to answer these trivia questions.

1. What is the main source for Fire?

2. What is the main source of Air?

3. What is the main source of Earth?

4. What are the main sources of Water?

5. What to you is the main source of Spirit?

Subscription Fees for the eight magazines for Life in The Craft:

$3.00 USD per issue

$21.00 USD per year (you pay for 7 issues and get the 8th one free)

Remember send your answers to ladybeltane@withcesofthecraft.com by December 30, 2022. Lady Beltane will post the winners first names here as the winners come in. After the three winners are announced the answers will be posted.

Students of WOTC’s School of Witchcraft are not allowed to enter this game.

Elemental Energies in Magick – Spirit

Some of the Elemental Energies in Magick for Spirit

The element of Spirit is the 5th unseen element. It is the combination of all the energies of the four elements and it is very hard to work with    because there is nothing to focus on. In fact the only real way to connect to this 5th element is to look inside yourself and connect with that part of you    that is unique and different from other people. The part of you that is noble, confident, honorable and strong. This is the part of you that is Spirit.    Unfortunately for most people, connecting to this part of themselves is made a lot more difficult than it has to be because of fear and insecurity. What if    they don’t have enough of these good qualities to ever connect to something that no one can see, touch, smell or hear? The answer lies in your own    personal mythology. Take for instance any story you have ever heard that moved you and inspired you. It can be a fairy tale you heard when you were a child    or a story you heard yesterday. You don’t have to believe the story was true to use the energy it raises inside of you. You need only focus on the way    it makes you feel and then translate it to other situations in your everyday life. In fact these stories represent psychological archetypes that we all    share which is why story-telling is common in our culture. We all have a craving for Spirit. Our mythology is the code of the unconscious mind, and it    paves the way to connecting to Spirit. So when you want to invoke the element of Spirit, summon the feelings of triumph or joy that stem from your personal    mythologies. The energy exists on its own for you to use and direct even after you have forgotten about the story. Once you have summoned the energy,    directing it is another matter. Spirit energy is often represented by the color white or ultra-violet (invisible) light. You should imagine whatever color    helps you define the Spirit energy you feel. This can be white, clear, ultra-violet, etc. It’s really up to you because this is your personal energy    source. Like all the other elements, Spirit energy is a part of nature, however, this is the point where YOU become another aspect of nature just as Fire,    Water, Air and Earth are parts of nature. Spirit represents the superconscious mental processes (as opposed to the conscious mental processes of Air and    the unconscious mental processes of Water). For this reason magick in all forms will be successful when performed under the supervision and assistance of    Spirit, ruled by the spirit of the center of the Four Winds, Metatron.

Elemental Correspondence Earth and Air, Fire and Water

Earth, fire, water and air. the four elements and how they are used for ritual.

Not all witches use elemental correspondences, and among those who do, there is a great deal of variation. The most common elements used in Wicca and witchcraft are earth, air, fire, and water. Spirit is often added to acknowledge the spiritual component of them all. You will have to experiment to find what works best for you.

When invoking the elements, they are often associated with the cardinal directions, often with Air in the East, Fire in the South, Water in the West, and Earth in the North. However, this is by no means the only possibility. The elements themselves may vary as well. For example, some Celtic traditions use earth, sky, and water, and others use the cosmological realms of Underworld, Earth and Sky.

Thus, the correspondences listed within this page provide only one possibility among many. The sources for these correspondences include Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf, Amber Wolfe, Yasmine Galenorn, and Branwen’s Book of Shadows which undoubtedly owes credit to dozens of unnamed sources. Books by these renowned authors can be purchased though out online shop for further study.

The Importance of the Elements

AIR …

From Ancient Pathway – For more information about the Elemental Correspondences

As Above, So Below, As Within, So Without

…part of the element of Air with every breath I take;

…part of the element of Water as my body is seventy percent fluids;

…part of the element of Earth because I care for all other living things and try to nurture them;

…part of the element of Fire because I pursue my passions;

…of the element of Spirit because I carry the Goddesses and Gods within myself;

….part of the Universe and all that is in it and they are a part of me.

These things make me stronger and able to live this lifetime to its fullest.

Blessed be dear ones.

©️ 2015 Lady Beltane

A Basic Guide to Working with the Elements

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There a four basic elements most Wiches work with Air, Fire, Water and Earth. There is also a fifth Spirit
which we commune with and use on a daily bases.

When working with and using the elements for spellcraft and rituals please make sure to always dismiss
them and tell them to go back from where they came with your thanks. Not doing so can cause some
strange things to happen where ever you may have used them, i.e. in your home electronics might act up,
feeling a draft for no reason, hearing water running when none is, etc.

Spirit is used any time you call upon a God and/or Goddess and/or an Archangel for help with something.
This element does not usually cause anything strange to happen if you do not send it back. You still should
thank whom ever you called upon to lend power and help to whatever you are doing.

The element of Air is most commonly called upon when needing help with somethig that is intelligents, i.e.
home work, getting a job done by a deadline, some times just thinking straight, etc.

The element of Water is most commonly used when dealing with something involving emotions. By this I do
not mean bending another persons free will trying to make them feel a certain way. In this case you maybe
dealing with grief of someone who just crossed over (died) and want the grief to lessen some, or asking the
Universe to help you find your true love, if you are feeling down, etc. Asking for help in finding your true
love is not the same as asking for a specific person to fall in love with you.

The element of Fire is commonly used for transition, i.e. going from being a child to an adult, moving from
one place to another and asking for help in finding the right place for you, going from working to being
home all the time or vise-virsa etc.

The element of Earth is used to help you feel more intune with your self and those you are around. To
ground you, not as in punishment but as in not feeling so confused and/or not yourself for no apparent
reason.

The four basic elements of Air, Water, Fire and Earth can be used together for certain types of spell work and
each should always be represented on your Altar when preforming any type of Ritual. The fifth Element of
Spirit is always a guiding force during Rituals and should also be represented on your Altar.

Examples of what can be used to represent the Elements on your Altar:

Air set in the East – a feather, hatched wild birds egg, incenses or yellow candle, bird’s nest

Water set in the West – a bowl of tap water or rain water or melted snow (this is usually used in
transformation work), bowl of sea salt or blue candle

Fire set in the South – a red candle or if outside and/or if you have a fireplace on a south wall a real wood
burning fire is possible

Earth set in the North – a bowl of regular table salt, a bowl of dirt from your yard or a green candle

Spirit set in either the Northeast or Nortwest (I always set mine in the Northeast as I feel Spirit and Air
usually work together) – an Angel and/or Goddess and/or God statue or white candle. SPirit can also be
represented by having something in the Northest to represt Goddess (female aspect) and something in the
Northwest to represent God (the male aspect. NOt all witches or traditions of witchcraft work with the duality
of all things also known as the female and male aspects.

©️ 2014 Lady Beltane

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Little Pagan Acorns – Website for Pagan Children

[Not just for Pagan children that are homeschooled but for any Pagan child)

WHY PAGAN?

The world of homeschooling is dominated by Christians, and the majority of online resources are Bible-based. For someone who is Pagan, it gets pretty frustrating to find great printables that aren’t filled with Bible scriptures or Christian phrasing. So I wanted to create a resource for all of us who are parents and/or homeschoolers who are following other spiritual paths.

My purpose is to create pages that can be mixed in with other resources to add some Pagan terminology, ideals and history so that people can teach their children something that is uniquely Pagan.

I also intend to have selections of nature-based and generically “spiritual” material that could be used by folks who aren’t really Pagan but want an option away from the Christian materials as well.

I know that the term “Pagan” covers a huge range of faiths and beliefs, and I hope that I can properly respect them all here. My own path is more Wiccan and you’ll tend to see more material along that slant (lots of altars, Sabbats and pentacles!). I’d welcome any comments or suggestions from other beliefs so that I can accurately cover them. I apologize in advance if I have included anything that is inaccurate about other religions. Feel free to let me know.

So, welcome to Little Pagan Acorns and I hope that there is something here to help with your Pagan homeschooling and parenting!

Little Pagan Acorns – Website for Pagan Children

Using the Elements for the Watchtowers

The Watchtowers are also known as the Guardians of the Cardinal/compass points. The
coincide with the four major compass points North, East, South and West.

Some covens use a single person positioned at each point to call all four Watchtowers.
While others use a group of three and in others the priestess and/or priest call them. It
mainly depends on the covens own traditions.

Solitary witches call the Watchtowers themselves.

When working with the Elements ALWAYS be sure to thank them and send them back from
whence they came. If you fail to release them you will usually find many unexplained things
happening to you, your family and/or in your home, yard or where ever it was you called
them to. Such as a lot of interference with electronic things, sort of background noise you
can’t pin point while on the phones or a host of other things.

You can change the wording to make if feel more your own. In a coven you would call
the Watchtowers however the Priestess and/or Priest teach you to call them for that particular coven. I
sometimes use the following words and other times something else will come out of my
mouth. I try to let my guides lead me when doing anything magickal as they usually know
more of what I need at any given time better than I do.

The Watchtowers are called in for protection just before the Sacred Circle is closed (
opened). The Elements are dismissed before the Circle is closed (opened) at the end of the
ritual. First is a formal way to call the Elements to the Watertowers; followed by a casual
way.

Most covens and solitary witches start at the East Watchtower/cardinal/compass point then
walk clockwise to each of the other directions. It is fine if it feels more comfortable to you to
start at a different point but always walk clockwise after calling the first direction.

Formal way of calling:

Power of ancient dreams, ancestors of the mighty east

Come forth, O guardians of Air.

Let your wings of intelligence my protection be

Hear this call, let my words draw you near.

Lock the gate that none may pass unless

They come in love and trust. Blessed Be!

Power of ancient dreams, ancestors of the mighty south

Come forth, O guardians of Fire.

May your firey breath cleanse my work.

Hear this call, let my words draw you near.

Lock the gate that none may pass unless

They come in love and trust. Blessed Be!

Power of ancient dreams, ancestors of the mighty west

Come forth, O guardians of Water.

May your sweeping waters bring protection all around.

Hear this call, let my words draw you near.

Lock the gate that none may pass unless

They come in love and trust. Blessed Be!

Power of ancient dreams, ancestors of the mighty north

Come forth, O guardians of Earth.

Let the North Star crown your brow.

Hear this call, let my words draw you near.

Lock the gate that none may pass unless

They come in love and trust. Blessed Be!

Causal way of calling:

I call Air to protect the Watchtower of the East and ask to lend your power to my circle.

I call Fire to the Watchtower of the South and ask you to lend your power to my circle

I call Water to the Watchtower of the West and ask you to lend your power to my circle.

I call Earth to the Watchtower of the North and ask you to lend your power to my circle.

I ask the Elements to guard my circle from your Watchtower.

To dismiss the Elements at the end of the ritual and before the Scared Circle is closed:

Starting in the East or whichever direction you called first move counter-clockwise
around to each Watchtower. Saying “_________(name of Element) go back
from where you came with my thanks and gratitude for your protection and help.” When
you have released the last element you would then close (open) your circle.

Copyright 2013 Lady Beltane

It’s Elemental, My Dear Watson Originally Posted by Lady Abyss

It’s Elemental, My Dear Watson

Author: BellaDonna Saberhagen

In most modern neo-Pagan paths, there are four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. When I first started out, these were unquestionable facts. All the books I bought broke up the elements this way, ascribed certain tools to certain elements (though whether the athame and wand were air or fire often changed with the writer) , assigned the same directions for the elements and even gave their times of year. It even kind of makes sense from a scientific standpoint: the four states of matter are solid (earth) , liquid (water) , gas (air) and plasma (fire –ok, not quite, but lightning, which is plasma, often gave birth to fire) . It wasn’t until I left neo-Wicca and began researching ancient cultural religions that I even considered the ‘whys’ of the elements.

The elements as we know them now, are an ancient Greek construct. Around 500 BCE, Empedocles wrote Tetrasomia, or Doctrine of the Four Elements. It is doubtful he came up with the idea, but he was the first to write down all four elements as the foundation of the universe. When looking at a map of Greece and Europe, it’s easy to see why the elements were assigned the directions they were given.

In the Northern Hemisphere, as you travel south, it gets warmer; hence the realm of fire must lie to the south (Summer being assigned to fire also makes sense due to the warmth of the weather) . The Olympus Range is to the north of most of Greece (it separates Thessaly from Macedonia) , thus the home of earth being in the north makes sense; as does earth being assigned to winter, as when you travel north it gets colder, as it does when you travel high enough in mountains.

Most of the Mediterranean Sea is to the west of Greece. If you travel far enough west, you reach the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean; so the home of water should be to the west (though why it is assigned to Autumn, I really don’t know other than to make the transition from fiery southern summer to earthy northern winter flow nicely) . Air is more ambiguous; perhaps wind is more easterly than usual in Greece, or perhaps it was the only direction that elemental association wasn’t obvious.

Most books I’ve read say it is because the sun rises in the east, but that makes very little sense to me as the sun is a bringer of warmth and should thus be associated with fire. After all, the sun is in the sky longest in the summer, the month of fire. Aristotle added the fifth element, which he called ‘quintessence’, but is often referred to as Akasha, Ether, or Spirit by the modern Pagan community. And thus we have the five points of the pentacle. (A point which I find very interesting: If you wear a pentacle, you might state that it is a sign of protection, each point is an element and they are connected by the circle. However, according to elemental tool assignment and tarot cards, the pentacle is assigned to earth.)

Taken out of Greece, the directional associations we are so comfortable with start to break down. In the Southern Hemisphere, it gets warmer as you travel north and colder as you travel south (I have heard that some practitioners in those regions flip directions as they also flip the Sabbats) . How about in the northeastern USA? The closest ocean is to the east, not the west; the closest mountain range to me is to the west; the wind can blow from any direction, though the sun still rises east-ish (it only rises in the true east all year at the equator) ; it does still get warmer if I travel south. It would almost make more sense to me to put earth to the west, water to the east and air to the north… almost, if it weren’t for the power behind the belief in the traditional associations.

So that’s where our traditional elemental associations come from. How about other cultures? Let’s first look at two other major European cultures for comparison: the Celts and the Norse.

In Celtic cosmology, there are three realms: Land, Sea, and Sky. We can associate Land with earth, but it is more than that. The Land isn’t just the dirt and rocks, it’s the trees and plants and animals that live there, it’s where humans live and beneath which the dead reside. Sea is water, but it is also the gateway to the Otherworld from which the gods came and the way to travel to unknown lands. Sky can be associated with both air and fire. Wind moves the clouds in the sky; but the sun is also of the sky and fire first touched the land as a gift from the sky (lightning) ; the sky is also how time is reckoned by movements of the sun and moon. There were no directional associations as the Land was the land around them, the Sky was the sky above, and the Sea was the sea wherever it was found.

There were also three elements according to the Norse: Earth, Fire and Ice. If you look at places such as Iceland, this makes a lot of sense. Northern Europe is very cold and there are places in the northern most reaches of Norway and Sweden where the sun does not rise at Yule and does not set on Litha. Snow and ice have a greater grip and impact than they do elsewhere, frost giants were a very real threat to winter survival. You can perhaps associate ice with water and air, but it was more than that, it was something to respect and fear. The powers of ice were not called upon lightly. Earth was closer to the Land of Celtic beliefs than earth of Greek beliefs. It was the earth that sustained them, but it also suffered at the hands of the frost and fire giants. Fire for the Norse was trapped within the Earth. Iceland was (and is) very seismically active. Fire could be friendly to those in the cold north, but it could just as easily overwhelm towns and destroy all they had worked to survive on.

Let’s move further east now, to India and China. They also each have elemental systems that differ from our most common cosmology.

In Hindu belief, there were once only three elements: fire, water and earth. Air and Akasha were added later. The elemental health system of Ayurveda uses all five elements but breaks people down into three health types (or doshas) . The doshas are air-space (vata) , fire (pitta) and earth-water (kapha) . Each has their own strengths and weaknesses and each have their own rules about how to bring the other elements into balance within your body.

Similarly, the Chinese elemental system is used in Feng Shui. Contrary to western belief, Feng Shui is more than just a decorating guide; for example, one of the Feng Shui masters (known as The Living Treasure of China) has a restaurant, which serves food based on the elemental balance of Feng Shui his patrons need to maintain optimum health. There are five elements within the Feng Shui system: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. What we would refer to as earth is divided into three separate elements. Wood is associated with trees and plants. Earth is associated with stone, clay and mud. Metal is associated with all metals, both the ore that is mined and the finished pieces. Fire is associated with the sun and flames. Water is associated with bodies of water. There is no air element and no conglomeration of elements that one can extrapolate air from.

The Chinese and Hindu systems are older than the Greek system; at least based on dates they were recorded. Since the Celts and Norse did not have their own writing (use of ogham and runes aside) , it is impossible to date their ideas. My books do not cover Egyptian and Sumerian sources, so I do not know if they had elemental associations or what they might have been. However, having studied what I have, it does make me consider the whys of what I use in my spiritual and magickal practices. It’s important to understand why you use something or do something a certain way beyond “it’s what the book/my teacher said.”

Understanding the ‘whys’ of your practice will make your path deeper and your magick more effective. If you find that the Grecian elemental assignments do not work for you, you can always adapt them to your own geographical location or you can use another system altogether; just try to be mindful of mixing cultures in ritual. (I’m a bit uneasy about doing it. Others might be fine with it.)

Footnotes:
Aveda Rituals by Horst Rechelbacher (he has a great section of Ayurveda)

Feng Shui by Gale Hale and Mark Evans

Mind, Body, and KickA** Moves (a BBC martial arts show that interviewed “The Living Treasure of China”

The Way of Four by Deborah Lipp

Your Daily Tarot Cards, Runes & Ogham Reading

The Daily Tarot Card is The Empress

The Empress

Keywords: ideas, creative impulses, intellect!

Astrological Correspondence: Venus

The Empress signifies the queen of life, the ideal woman, the archetypal mother. She represents the matriarchal goddess, being part of nature, fertility, sexuality, and the generative forces. As the life-giving mother she is connected to the Earth and the natural rhythms, the appreciation of the senses. As a card of good fortune she signifies that if we are gentle and caring, as well as patient, we can bring anything to fruition; we have to be able to wait until the time is right for action so that we can reap the rewards; as a result, hard work pays off and relationships become satisfying. The Empress can, in negative situations, also depict vanity, undeveloped creativity, stagnation, and apathy.

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The Daily Tarot Love Card is Justice

Justice

If single, you attract attention today. Be social when you and others are so relaxed. Today scores of people amuse and interest you. You link up with people who need to be in your life. Be aware that they may not be your soul mates, but they know them or know someone who knows them. You expand the boundaries of love in your Significant other union when you clear up emotional debris.

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Your Daily Erotic Tarot Card is Temperance

Temperance

The Temperance card represents erotic fairness and compromise, and perhaps even the necessity to calm passions in order to build up another part of your relationship. Have you been concentrating so much on the physical aspect of love that you’ve forgotten to nurture the mental, emotional, or spiritual side of things? Put a temporary hold on sex so that you can explore other aspects of a partnership. When the moratorium is over, prepare for some mind-blowing passion that will help make up for lost time!

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Your Weekend Influences

Tarot Influence:

Five of Wands

There may be obstacles on your path. Courage will be required to overcome them.

Astrological Influence

Cancer

Creativity and a love of home are the key elements of Cancer.

Element Influence

Air

Air denotes freedom and the ability to transcend the mundane. You may be, or may soon experience a spiritual or secular.

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Your Daily Rune

Laguz

“Log-uhz” – Literally: “Water” or Ocean – Esoteric: Unconscious, Collective Memory

Rune of the unconscious context of becoming or the evolutionary process. Rune of Life’s longing for itself.

Psi: emotion, psychic powers, unconscious mental processes, love, dreaming

Energy: life energy, ocean spirit, origins of life, collective unconscious, the astral plane, love as unity, evolution

Mundane: water, imagination, occultism, dreams

Divinations: Life, passing a test, sea of vitality and of the unconscious growth, memory, dreams; or fear, circular motion, avoidance, withering, depression, manipulations, emotional blackmail, lack of moral fiber, fantasy, poison, toxicity

Governs:

Transpersonal powers
Mastery of emotion in order to shape wyrd
Guidance through difficult initiatory tests, ie. initiation into life
Increase in vitality and life force
Communication between your conscious mind to another’s unconscious mind
Development of ‘second sight’ or prophetic wisdom
All powers of dreaming (lucid dreams, astral projection)

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Daily Witches Runes for December 7th is The Rings

The Rings

Keywords: Love, relationships.

Meanings: The Rings is the rune of love and when it is the leading stone, it is a positive answer to your question. It is very much a rune of relationship and can indicate engagement, marriage or a new/renewed relationship. It can also indicate the need for a fresh approach to an existing relationship.

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Your Ogham Reading is Ura-Heather

Ura-Heather

The beauty of heather flowers is one reason it is associated with the Irish Goddess of love, fertility, and new growth. Be happy when you draw this letter because it denotes love, companionship, and passion. Whether it will be a new love or an old love rekindled, Ura is a powerful symbol and one that may bring great luck in your love life.

Fortune – This Ogham deals in matters of Love. Whether it is new love or rekindling of old love, enjoy the peace and love that comes with Ura!

“Walk barefoot, listen to the wind, drink in the moon…. BE MAGICK”

A Thought for Today

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Blessed be dear sisters and brothers.