Category: Elemental Witches

Smudging as an Air Ritual

Smudging as an Air Ritual
 
Smudging is an easy Air ritual designed to purify, provide balance, cleanse, or sanctify a sacred space. You can smudge a room, a piece of furniture, or even yourself.
 
Let’s say that you inherit a bookcase from your in-laws. You need the extra room, but you want to eliminate their essence. A smudging ritual can purify the bookcase and bring some harmony back to your living space.

There are any number of smudging herbs, but some are more traditional than others. These three are most closely related to the Element of Air:

Sage–There are several different kinds of sage, and all types work for smudging, but perhaps the king of sage is white broadleaf sage. It is the most aromatic and is excellent not only for smudging to cleanse and purify, but also for meditation.


Sweetgrass–As its name suggests, sweetgrass produces a sweet, light fragrance when burned. Believed to attract only positive spirits, it is excellent for cleansing a sacred space.
 
Lavender–Most useful for attracting peace, happiness, and restful sleep, lavender imparts a lovely aromatic, refreshing scent when burned.
 
Smudging can be accomplished by using a smudge stick or by burning loose herbs in a smudge pot or a firebowl. First dry the herbs by hanging them upside down in a still room, a pantry, or some other dry room where they won’t be disturbed. They will need to dry for several weeks.

If you want to use a smudge stick, cut your dried herbs into 5- or 6-inch lengths, bundle them together , and bind them tightly with red thread, which represents the Fire Element. Use a candle to light the bundle because you will want to hold it in the flame long enough to get the stick really smoking. The combination of Fire and Air purifies the space or object and disperses negative energy. Use a feather or your hand to fan the smoke into the corners of the room you’re purifying. Smudging is the equivalent of spritual spring cleansing. You might find that the house feels cleaner and brighter, even though you haven’t dusted or vacuumed.
 
Sweetgrass is often braided into a small rope to be used in smudging. Tie off the ends with red thread. Although you can find sweetgrass growing wild in some prairie places, it’s rare; you might have to grow your own.

RE-THINKING THE WATCHTOWERS

RE-THINKING THE WATCHTOWERS
or
13 Reasons Air should be in the North
by Mike Nichols
copyright 1989 by Mike Nichols

Introduction

It all started 20 years ago. I was 16 years old then, and a recent initiate to
the religion of Wicca. Like most neophytes, I was eager to begin work on my Book
of Shadows, the traditional manuscript liturgical book kept by most practicing
Witches. I copied down rituals, spells, recipes, poems, and tables of
correspondences from every source I could lay hands on. Those generally fell
into two broad categories: published works, such as the many books available on
Witchcraft and magic; and unpublished works, mainly other Witches’ Books of
Shadows.

Twenty years ago, most of us were “traditional” enough to copy everything by
hand. (Today, photocopying and even computer modem transfers are becoming de
rigueur.) Always, we were admonished to copy “every dot and comma”, making an
exact transcription of the original, since any variation in the ceremony might
cause major problems for the magician. Seldom, if ever, did anyone pause to
consider where these rituals came from in the first place, or who composed them.
Most of us, alas, did not know and did not care. It was enough just to follow
the rubrics and do the rituals as prescribed.

But something brought me to an abrupt halt in my copying frenzy. I had dutifully
copied rituals from different sources, and suddenly realized they contained
conflicting elements. I found myself comparing the two versions, wondering which
one was “right”, “correct”, “authentic”, “original”, “older”, etc. This gave
rise to the more general questions about where a ritual came from in the first
place. Who created it? Was it created by one person or many? Was it ever
altered in transmission? If so, was it by accident or intent? Do we know? Is
there ever any way to find out? How did a particular ritual get into a Coven’s
Book of Shadows? From another, older, Book of Shadows? Or from a published
source? If so, where did the author of the published work get it?

I had barely scratched the surface, and yet I could already see that the
questions being raised were very complex. (Now, all these years later, I am
more convinced than ever of the daunting complexity of Neo-Pagan liturgical
history. And I am equally convinced of the great importance of this topic for a
thorough understanding of modern Witchcraft. It may well be a mare’s nest, but
imagine the value it will have to future Craft historians. And you are
unconditionally guaranteed to see me fly into a passionate tirade whenever I’m
confronted with such banal over-simplifications as “Crowley is the REAL author
of the Third Degree initiation,” or “Everyone KNOWS Gardner INVENTED modern
Witchcraft.”)

Conflicting Traditions

The first time I noticed conflicting ritual elements was when I was invited as a
guest to attend another Coven’s Esbat celebration. When the time came to “invoke
the Watchtowers” (a ritual salutation to the four directions), I was amazed to
learn that this group associated the element of Earth with the North. My own
Coven equated North with Air. How odd, I thought. Where’d they get that? The
High Priestess told me it had been copied out of a number of published sources.
Further, she said she had never seen it listed any other way. I raced home and
began tearing books from my own library shelves. And sure enough! Practically
every book I consulted gave the following associations as standard: North =
Earth, East = Air, South = Fire, West = Water.

Then where the heck did I get the idea that Air belonged in the North? After
much thought, I remembered having copied my own elemental/directional
associations from another Witch’s Book of Shadows, her Book representing (so she
claimed) an old Welsh tradition. Perhaps I’d copied it down wrong? A quick
long-distance phone call put my mind at ease on that score. (When I asked her
where she’d gotten it, she said she THOUGHT it was from an even older Book of
Shadows, but she wasn’t certain.)

By now, I felt miffed that my own tradition seemed to be at variance with most
published sources. Still, my own rituals didn’t seem to be adversely affected.
Nor were those of my fellow Coven members, all of whom put Air in the North.
Further, over the years I had amassed lots of associations and correspondences
that seemed to REQUIRE Air to be in the North. The very thought of Air in the
East offended both my sense of reason and my gut-level mythic sensibilities.
There are good REASONS to place Air in the North. And the whole mythological
superstructure would collapse if Air were in the East, instead. If this is so,
then why do most published sources place Earth in the North and Air in the East?

 

Ritual Tampering

Suddenly, I felt sure I knew the reason! Somewhere along the line, someone had
deliberately tampered with the information! Such tampering is a long and
venerable practice within certain branches of magic. In Western culture, it is
most typically seen among Hermetic, Cabalistic and “ceremonial” magic lodges.
It is common among such groups that, when publishing their rituals for public
consumption, they will publish versions that are INCOMPLETE and/or deliberately
ALTERED in some way from the authentic practice. This prevents someone who is
NOT a member of the group from simply buying a book, and performing the rituals,
without benefit of formal training. It is only when you are initiated into the
lodge that you will be given the COMPLETE and/or CORRECTED versions of their
rituals. This is how such groups guard their secrets. (And it is a telling
postscript that many scholars now believe modern Witchcraft to have “borrowed”
its directional/elemental correspondences from ceremonial magic sources! What a
laugh if this was Crowley’s last best joke on his friend Gerald Gardner!)

I remember the first time I became aware of such deliberate ritual tampering. A
friend of mine had been making a study of the so-called “planetary squares”,
talismans that look like magic squares consisting of a grid of numbers in some
cryptic order. There are seven such squares — one for each of the “old”
planets. While making this study, he began coloring the grids (more for his own
pleasure than anything else), making colorful mini-mosaics, using first two
colors, then three, then four, and on up to the total number of squares in the
grid. Six of the planetary squares yielded pleasing patterns of color. Then
there was the Sun square! Against all expectation, the colors were a random
jumble, with no patterns emerging. Thus, he began his quest for the CORRECTED
Sun square. And I became convinced of the reality of ritual tampering.

 

The Watchtowers

All that remains, then, is for me to assemble all the arguments in favor of the
Air-in-the-North model, which I have now come to believe is the CORRECTED system
of correspondences. The remainder of this article will be devoted to those
arguments, each with its own name and number:
1. AIRTS: This is perhaps the strongest argument. In Celtic countries, the four
elemental /directional associations are referred to as the “four airts”. And it
is a known fact that this tradition associates Air with North. While it is true
that some writers, familiar with ceremonial magic (like William Sharp and Doreen
Valiente), have given “tampered” versions of the airts, it is a telling point
that folklorists working directly with native oral traditions (like Alexander
Carmichael and F. Marian McNeill) invariably report the Air/North connection.

2. PARALLEL CULTURES: Although arguing from parallel cultures may not be as
convincing, it is still instructive to examine other magical aboriginal cultures
in the Western hemisphere. For example, the vast majority of Native American
tribes (themselves no slouches in the area of magic!) place Air in the North,
which they symbolize by the Eagle. (Aboriginal cultures lying south of the
equator typically have different associations, for reasons I will discuss next.)

3. GEOPHYSICAL: If one accepts the insular British origins of elemental
directions, then one must imagine living in the British Isles. To the West is
the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean (i.e. water). To the East, the bulk of
the European land mass (earth). South has always been the direction of fire
because, as one travels south (toward the equator), it gets warmer. Which
leaves North as the region of air, home of the icy winds of winter. (These last
two associations would be reversed for cultures in the southern hemisphere, for
whom north is the direction of the warm equatorial region, and south is the land
of ice.)

4. HYPERBOREAN: In fact, an ancient name for the British Isles was “Hyperboria”,
which literally means “behind the north wind”, thus associating north and wind
(air) once more. The inhabitants were themselves called “Hyperborians”, and the
phrase “at the back of the north wind” (the title of one of George MacDonald’s
faery romances) is still current. Of all the winds of the compass, it is
unquestionably the north wind (Boreas), bringer of winter, which is perceived as
the strongest and most influential (cf. Robert Grave’s goddess fantasy “Watch
the North Wind Rise”). You don’t hear too much about the other three cardinal
winds.

5. SEASONAL: Many occultists associate the four seasons with the four cardinal
points, as well. Hence, winter = north, spring = east, summer = south, and
autumn = west. (To be precise, it is the solstice and equinox points which
align with the cardinal points.) Again, in most folklore, winter is associated
with air and wind, as the icy blasts that usher in the season. In spring, it is
the earth which arrests our attention, with its sudden riot of blooms and
greenery. Again, south relates to summer, the hottest season (fire), and west
relates to autumn.

6. DIURNAL: Occultists also often associate the cardinal points of a single day
to the four compass points. Thus, midnight = north, sunrise = east, noon =
south, and sunset = west. (Please note that we are talking about TRUE midnight
and TRUE noon here, the points halfway between sunset and sunrise, and between
sunrise and sunset, respectively.) These associate nicely with the seasonal
attributes just discussed. It is easy to see why sunrise should equate to east,
and sunset to west. And, once again, from the perspective of the British Isles,
the sun rises over land (earth) and sets over the ocean (water). South is
related to noon because it is the moment of greatest heat (fire). Leaving the
“invisible” element of air to be associated with the sun’s invisibility, at
midnight.

7. MYTHOLOGICAL: In Celtic mythology, north is invariably associated with air.
The pre-Christian Irish gods and goddesses, the Tuatha De Danann, were “airy”
faeries (later versions came equipped with wings, relating them to sylphs). The
Book of Conquests states their original home was in the north, “at the back of
the north wind”. And when they came to Ireland, they came in ships, THROUGH THE
UPPER AIR (!), settling on the mountaintop. (It has always struck me as odd
that some modern writers see mountains as a symbol of earth. The crucial
symbolism of the mountain is its height, rising into the air, touching the sky.
Virtually all Eastern traditions associate mountains, favorite abodes of gurus,
with air. A CAVE would be a better symbol of earth than a mountain.) In Welsh
mythology, too, Math the Ancient, chief god of Gwynedd (or NORTH Wales), is
specifically associated with wind, which can carry people’s thoughts to him.

8. YIN/YANG: Many occultists believe that the four elements have yin/yang
connections. Both air and fire are seen as masculine, while earth and water are
seen as feminine. If air is associated with the north point of the magic
circle, and earth is east, then one achieves a yin/yang alternation as one
circumambulates the circle. As one passes the cardinal points of east, south,
west, and north, one passes feminine, masculine, feminine, masculine energies.
This alternating flux of plus/minus, push/pull, masculine/feminine, is the very
pulse of the universe, considered of great importance by most occultists. That
it was equally important to our ancestors is evidenced by standing stones in the
British Isles. At sites like the Kennet Avenue of Braga, the tall, slender,
masculine, phallic stones alternate precisely with the shorter, diamond-shaped
yoni stones.

9. GENERATOR: This argument flows out of the previous one. Practicing magicians
often think of the magic circle as a kind of psychic generator. Witches in
particular like to perform circle dances to “raise the cone of power”. Hand in
hand, and alternating man and woman, they dance clockwise (deosil) around the
circle, moving faster and faster until the power is released. This model has an
uncanny resemblance to an electrical generator, as man and woman alternately
pass each of the four “poles” of the magic circle. These poles themselves MUST
alternate between plus and minus if power is to be raised. This means that if
the masculine fire is in the south, then the masculine air MUST be in the north.
If the feminine water is in the west, then the feminine earth MUST be in the
east. If any adjacent pair were switched, the generator would stop dead.

10. MASCULINE/FEMININE AXIS: When you look at a typical map, north (the cardinal
direction) is at the top. Any north-south road is a vertical line, and any
east-west road is a horizontal line. Likewise, a “map” of a magic circle makes
the vertical north-south axis masculine (with air and fire), while the
horizontal east-west axis is feminine (earth and water). This makes logical
sense. When we look at the horizon of the earth, we see a horizontal line.
Water also seeks a horizontal plane. Feminine elements, considered “passive”,
have a natural tendency to “lay down”. Fire, on the other hand, always assumes
an erect or vertical position. Air, too, can rise upward, as earth and water
cannot. Masculine elements, being “active”, have a natural tendency to “stand
up”.

11. ALTAR TOOLS: In modern Witchcraft, there are four principal altar tools, the
same four tools shown on the Tarot card, the Magician. They also correspond to
the four Tarot suits, the four ancient treasures of Ireland, and the four
“hallows” of Arthurian legend. And, like the four elements, two of them are
feminine and two of them are masculine. The pentacle is a shallow dish
inscribed with a pentagram, representing earth, and is here placed in the east.
The womb-shaped chalice, symbolizing water, is placed in the west. They form
the horizontal feminine axis. The phallic-shaped wand, representing fire, is
placed in the south. And the equally phallic-shaped athame is placed in the
north. They form the vertical masculine axis. (The gender associations of cup
and blade are especially emphasized in the ritual blessing of wine.)

12. AXIS SYMBOLISM: In nearly every culture, the vertical line is a symbol of
yang, or masculine energy. The horizontal line is yin, feminine energy. When
the vertical masculine line penetrates the horizontal feminine line, forming the
ancient Pagan symbol of the equal-armed cross, it becomes a symbol of life, and
life-force. Place a circle around it or on it, and you have a circle-cross or
“Celtic” cross, symbol of everlasting life. (Please note the importance of the
EQUAL-armed cross. If one arm is longer or shorter, then the four elements are
out of balance. The Christian or “Roman” cross, for example, has an extended
southern arm. And many historians have commented on Christianity’s excess of
“fire” or zeal. Some versions actually show a shortened northern arm,
indicating a dearth of “air” or intellectual qualities.)

13. ASTROLOGICAL: The astrological year is divided into four equal quadrants,
each beginning at a solstice or equinox. And each quadrant is governed by one of
the four elements. Which element can be discovered by examining the exact MID-
POINT of the quadrant. For example, the first quadrant, beginning at the winter
solstice (north) is governed by air, which rules 15 degrees Aquarius, symbolized
by the Man or Spirit. The second quadrant, beginning at the spring equinox
(east) is governed by earth, which rules 15 degrees Taurus, the Bull. The third
quadrant, beginning at the summer solstice (south) is governed by fire, which
rules 15 degrees Leo, the Lion. And the fourth quadrant, beginning at the fall
equinox (west) is governed by water, which rules 15 degrees Scorpio, here
symbolized by the Eagle. Thus, north, east, south and west correspond to air,
earth, fire, and water, and to man, bull, lion, and eagle, respectively. If the
last four symbols seem familiar, it is because they represent the four elemental
power points of the astrological year, and their symbols appear in the four
corners of the Tarot cards, the World and the Wheel of Fortune. (The same
figures were later adopted by Christians as symbols of the four gospel writers,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.)

If those are the arguments in favor of Air-in-the-North, where are the counter-
arguments in favor of Earth-in-the-North? Surprisingly, I’ve heard very few.
The most common by far is “But we’ve always done it this way.” Not too
convincing. However, no matter HOW persuasive my arguments may be, many have
countered that magic doesn’t lend itself to rational arguments. It’s what FEELS
right that counts. True. And there’s no denying that many practitioners do
just fine with earth in the north. Granted. Still, if they’ve never tried it
the other way, how would they really know?

My challenge to my fellow practitioners then is this: give Air-in-the-North a
shot. Just try it on for size. See what it feels like. And not for just a
single ritual. It’ll take several tries just to overcome your habitual ritual
mindset. And nothing is as habitual as ritual! So in order to give this a fair
shake, you’ll have to do a whole series of rituals with air in the north. And
go into it with an open mind. Like all magic, if you decide ahead of time it
won’t work, it won’t. Then, once you’ve tried it, compare it to your old method.
Ask yourself what’s different, if it worked any better, and why or why not. And
let me know. I’d enjoy hearing about your experiences.

ELEMENT OF AIR

ELEMENT OF AIR
 
Air
 
Air is the element of the intellect; it is the realm of thought, which is the first step toward creation.
Magickally speaking, Air is the clear, uncluttered, pure visualization which is a powerful tool for change. It is also the movement, the impetus that sends the visualization out toward manifestation.
It rules spells and rituals involving travel, instruction, freedom, obtaining knowledge, discovering lost items, uncovering lies and so on.
It can also be used to develop the psychic faculties.
Spells involving Air usually include the act of placing an object in the air or dropping something off the side of a mountain or other high places so that the object actually connects physically with the element.
Air is masculine, being dry, expansive and active. It is the element that excels in places of learning, and which is work while we theorize, think and ponder.
Air rules the East because this is the direction of the greatest light, and the light of wisdom and consciousness. Its color is yellow, the yellow of the Sun and the sky at dawn.
Air governs the magick of the four winds, most divination. concentration and visualization magick.

Blowing In The Wind

Blowing In The Wind
 
 
In the Wiccan Tradition, Air is the Element of the East and might be represented on an altar by incense, feathers or an athame. It can be as soft as a whispered breath and as violent as a tornado, so it isn’t an Element to be taken lightly. It should come as no surprise that particularly persistent winds have even been given names—the Scirocco winds in the Mediterranean and the Santa Ana winds on the United States West Coast, for example. When these winds blow, they can literally change people’s temperaments and often fan wild fires. When mixed with another power Element, Water, Air can produce a fury we call hurricanes.
 
But Air is a necessary and benevolent Element, too. Without even thinking about it, we use our breath to blow out candles, sing songs of celebration and whisper secrets. How often have you “stepped out for a breath of fresh air”? Used during meditation and to alleviate the pains of childbirth, the Element of Air is healing and vital.

Attributes of Air

Attributes of Air
Abstract Learing
Creativity of Mind
Inuition
Intellect
Breath
Mental Powers
Towers
Rules of Mind
Thought
Visions
Ideologies
Ideas
Wind
Imagination
Physic Powers
Wisdom
Peaks
Theory
Windswept Hills
Plains
High Mountains
Knowledge

Element of Earth

Element of Earth

Earth is the universal archetype of the divine feminine. Our planet is fondly called Mother Earth, the Great Mother and Gaia among many others. She represents the inexhaustible spirit of creation and is associated with abundance. When we work with earth, not only are we calling the great expanse of our planet – its mountains, caves minerals, and deserts – but we are also invoking her support and massive strength. From her energies hidden treasure, and she is the proof that material things can be manifested from the divine.

The earth gives all living things the space and minerals they need to grow, so when we call earth into our circle as we stand at the north quarter, we are inviting the living essence of our planet to join us in our celebrations and our magic. We are asking that this energy lend its aid to the work we are doing. When we ask for blessings from the north, we are envisioning abundance, stability, protection and room to grow in a positive way.

Throughout the history of magic the element of earth has been associated with a variety of deities, spirits and angels. You can use what you like, as long as you remember the underlying basic: Earth is earth is earth. We can use a lot of breath with long invocation, and draw exquisite, complicated sigils and dress it up all we want but it is still dirt.

From the magical (as well as the esoteric alchemical) viewpoint, earth has the lowest vibration of the four elements because it is solidly manifest in our world. In astrology those signs symbolized by the earth element are Capricorn (motivated earth); Taurus (rooted earth); and Virgo (changing earth). As the moon moves through each sign for approximately two and a half days each moth, you will have an opportunity to work with the moon’s receptive energy in that sign. If you wanted to work on the structure of something, then you would choose a day when the moon is in Capricorn. If you wish to keep things the same or stockpile something, they moon in Taurus is perfect time for such a spell or ritual. If you need to make changes to a structure, investigate something, or find the “bugs” in a system, then the Virgo moon is the perfect time.

The Elements

The Elements
Philippus Aureolus Paracelus, a Swiss physician, chemist, and philosopher (1490 – 1541) is credited with the Doctrine of the Four Elements, from which early nineteenth-century occult practitioners drew the belief that an element (earth, air, fire and water) is not only physical but also contain a spiritual essence. Granted, ancient cultures around the world long before Paracelsus’ time believed in this same principle: however, the condemnation of the Christian church did its best to eradicate this belief for over a thousand years. Pliny (Rome, first century A.D.) Pythogoras (Greek, 582 – 500 B.C.), Aristotle (382 – 322 B.C.) and Manilius (there is debate whether he lived to the first or ninth century A.D.) were all saying basically the same thing. To have Paracelsus renew the idea and pass it around didn’t make him especially popular, therefore in the occult world he gets give gold stars.
Paracelsus defied physicians of his time by insisting that diseases were caused by agents that were external to the body and that they could be cured by using chemistry. Many of his remedies were based on the belief that “like cures like.” He could be called the father of homeopathy, which has become popular in alternative medical circles (which include practitioners of Witchcraft). Homeopathy stems from the idea that one should treat the underlying problem, rather than just try to cure the symptom by using natural ingredients, such as herbs. He was pooh-poohed by his peers because he included magick in his scholarly writings. Witches also believe that we need to treat the problem rather than concerning solely on the symptoms, but what does this have to do with the primary elements?

 

Almost everything in the Craft, from the tools we use to the herbs we employ to the sigils we design, zodiac associations and planetary alignments we follow; fire into the ancient and medieval elemental category of the primary elements. Manilius put it this way:
 
“And first the heaven, earth and liquid plain, the moon’s bright globe and stars titanian (bright white). A spirit fed within, spread through the whole and with the huge heap mixed infused a soul; hence man and beast and bird derive their strain and monsters floating in the marbled main; these seeds have fiery, vigor, and a birth, of heavenly race, but clogg’d with heavy earth.”
 
So, about 2,000 years ago, the Roman Manilius was trying to tell people that everything–animals, humans, stars, seas and earth–consisted of living energy. I realize that philosophy might not interest you, but then I’m sure there are those among you who will be delighted to discover that even though these old geezers are long gone, their ideas of magick, science and philosophy continue on, right into the lap of modern Witchcraft.
 
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word element has a mysterious origin and is first found in Greek texts meaning “complex whole” or “a single unit made up of many parts.” From the ancient up to medieval times there were only four elements (earth, air, fire and water) and if you were occult-oriented the fifth was Spirit. Cornelius Agrippa called spirit the “quintessence.”
 
Today, although scientists list more than 100 chemical elements (with some being manmade), magickal people continue to rely on the five basic building blocks of medieval occultism—earth, air, fire, water and Spirit—using some of the additional elements of the modern age to support the original five, depending on the spell or ritual. For example, silver (an element/metal) is used in various spells, and is a symbol of the divine Goddess, feminine mysteries, and is associated with moon magick, dreaming and psychism. Gold, another element, stands for the God, male mysteries, success prosperity, general well-being and all magicks associated with the sun.

What do the elements mean?

What do the elements mean?

The Guardians are the 4 corners Earth, Air, Fire, and Water
(Christian belief may be called the 4 horsemen)

The Elements are named: Uriel, Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel

Air: Compass point: East. Number: 1.

Represents intellect, communication, knowledge, concentration; the ability
to “know” and to understand; to unlock secrets of the dead; to contact the
angels; telepathy, memory and wisdom; the hawk, the raven and the eagle;
prophecy; movement, Karma and speed

Fire: Compass point: South. Number 3 .

Stands for energy, purification, courage, the will to dare,creativity;
higher self; success and refinement; the arts and transformation; the lion,
the phoenix and the dragon; loyalty and force.

Water: Compass point: West. Number: 2 .

Associated with intuition, emotions, the inner self, flowing movement, the
power to dare and cleanse all things; sympathy and love; reflection;
currents and tides of life; the dolphin, the swan and the crab; dreams and
dreamtime.

Earth: Compass point: North. Number: 4.

Mystery and growth, fertility, material abundance, the combined forces of
nature and its bounty; birth and healing; business, industry and
possessions; the bear, the stag and the wolf; conservation and nature.

If you call all four at once you always call East, South, West, North.
After you call them and do what you need with them, you must dismiss them
just the opposite as you call them.

AIR

AIR
Direction: East.
Rules: The mind, all mental, intuitive and psychic work, knowledge, abstract
learning, theory, windswept hills, plains, windy beaches, high mountain peaks,
high towers, wind and breath.
Time: Dawn.
Season: Spring.
Colors: White, bright yellow, crimson, blue-white.
Signs of the Zodiac: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Tools: Athame, sword, censer.
Spirits: Sylphs, ruled by King Paralda.
Angel: Michael.
Name of the East Wind: Eurus.
Sense: Smell.
Jewel: Topaz.
Incense: Galbanum.
Plants: Frankincense, myrrh, pansy, primrose, vervain, violet, yarrow.
Tree: Aspen.
Animals: Birds.
Goddesses: Aradia, Arianrhod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania.
Gods: Enlil, Khephera, Mercury, Shu, Thoth.

FIRE

FIRE
Direction: South.
Rules: Energy, spirit, heat, flame, blood, sap, life, will, healing and
destroying, purification, bonfires, hearth fires, candle flames,
sun, deserts, volcanoes, eruptions, explosions.
Time: Noon.
Season: Summer.
Colors: Red, gold, crimson, orange, white (the sun’s noon light).
Signs of the Zodiac: Aries, Leo, Saggitarius.
Tools: Censer, wand.
Spirits: Salamanders, ruled by King Djin.
Angel: Ariel.
Name of the South Wind: Notus.
Sense: Sight.
Jewel: Fire Opal.
Incense: Olibanum.
Plants: Garlic, hibiscus, mustard, nettle, onion, red peppers, red poppies.
Tree: Almond, in flower.
Animals: Fire-breathing dragons, lions, horses (when their hooves strike
sparks).
Goddesses: Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta.
Gods: Agni, Hephaestus, Horus, Vulcan.

WATER

WATER
Direction: West.
Rules: Emotions, feelings, love, courage, daring, sorrow, the ocean, the tides,
lakes, pools, streams, and rivers, springs and wells, intuition, the unconscious
mind, the womb, generation, fertility.
Time: Twilight.
Season: Autumn.
Colors: Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, black.
Signs of the Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Tools: Cup.
Spirits: Undines, ruled by King Niksa.
Angel: Raphael.
Name of the West Wind: Zephyrus.
Sense: Taste.
Jewel: Aquamarine.
Incense: Myrrh.
Plants: Ferns, lotus, mosses, rushes, seaweed, water lillies, and all water
plants.
Tree: Willow.
Animals: Dragons (as serpents), dolphins and porpoises, fish, seals and sea
mammals, water-dwelling snakes, all water creatures and sea birds.
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat.
Gods: Dylan, Ea, Llyr, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon.

EARTH

EARTH
Direction: North.
Rules: The body, growth, nature, sustenance, material gain, money, creativity,
birth, death, silence, chasms, caves, caverns, groves, fields, rocks, standing
stones, mountains, crystal, jewels, metal.
Time: Midnight.
Season: Winter.
Colors: Black, brown, green, white.
Signs of the Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Tools: Pentacle.
Spirits: Gnomes, ruled by King Ghob.
Angel: Gabriel.
Name of the North Wind: Boreas, Ophion.
Sense: Touch.
Jewel: Rock crystal, salt.
Incense: Storax.
Plants: Comfrey, ivy, grains:barley, oats, corn, rice, rye, wheat.
Tree: Oak.
Animals: Coworbull, bison, snakes (earth-dwelling), stag.
Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Geae, Mah, Nephthys, Persephone, Prithivi, Rhea,
Rhiannon.
Gods: Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz.

Blowing In The Wind In the Wiccan Tradition, Air is the Element of the East and might be represented on an altar by incense, feathers or an athame. It can be as soft as a whispered breath and as violent as a tornado, so it isn’t an Element to be taken lightly. It should come as no surprise that particularly persistent winds have even been given names—the Scirocco winds in the Mediterranean and the Santa Ana winds on the United States West Coast, for example. When these winds blow, they can literally change people’s temperaments and often fan wild fires. When mixed with another power Element, Water, Air can produce a fury we call hurricanes. But Air is a necessary and benevolent Element, too. Without even thinking about it, we use our breath to blow out candles, sing songs of celebration and whisper secrets. How often have you “stepped out for a breath of fresh air”? Used during meditation and to alleviate the pains of childbirth, the Element of Air is healing and vital.

Blowing In The Wind
 
 
In the Wiccan Tradition, Air is the Element of the East and might be represented on an altar by incense feathers or an athame. It can be as soft as a whispered breath and as violent as a tornado, so it isn’t an Element to be taken lightly. It should come as no surprise that particularly persistent winds have even been given names—the Scirocco winds in the Mediterranean and the Santa Ana winds on the United States West Coast, for example. When these winds blow, they can literally change people’s temperaments and often fan wild fires. When mixed with another power Element, Water, Air can produce a fury we call hurricanes.
 
But Air is a necessary and benevolent Element, too. Without even thinking about it, we use our breath to blow out candles, sing songs of celebration and whisper secrets. How often have you “stepped out for a breath of fresh air”? Used during meditation and to alleviate the pains of childbirth, the Element of Air is healing and vital.

Attributes of Air

Attributes of Air
Abstract Learing
Creativity of Mind
Inuition
Intellect
Breath
Mental Powers
Towers
Rules of Mind
Thought
Visions
Ideologies
Ideas
Wind
Imagination
Physic Powers
Wisdom
Peaks
Theory
Windswept Hills
Plains
High Mountains
Knowledge

Fire Meditation

Fire Meditation

 
 

Light the fire in the fire pit, or you could use your favourite candles.

Sit in front of the fire but not to close about 1-2 meters away.
If you use candles then use four and set them down in a square.
Sit yourself in the middle of the candles.

Cross your legs and close your eyes, feel the fire on your face, listen to it and take a long breath.
Think about the spirit of the fire.
Think of the life of the fire and the energy!
Again, feel the fire again and take another long but slow breath
Open your eyes and say:

”I am the fire that glows bright,
The fire that is in me,
Fire is now connected with my soul,
For fire is one of my bound partners,
I am the fire that gives us light,
I am the one that glows a bright light.”

Fire

Fire

 
 

In Alchemy an upward pointing triangle is used to designate the element of Fire. In alchemic tradition, metals are incubated by fire in the womb of the Earth and alchemists only accelerate their development. In ancient Greek medicine, each of the four humours became associated with an element. Yellow bile was the humor identified with fire, since both were hot and dry. Other things associated with fire and yellow bile in ancient and medieval medicine included the season of summer, since it increased the qualities of heat and aridity; the choleric temperament (of a person dominated by the yellow bile humour); the masculine; and the eastern point of the compass.

Fire and the other Greek classical elements were incorporated into the Golden Dawn system. The elemental weapon of Fire is the Wand or Athame. The archangel of Fire is Michael. The Fire elementals are Salamanders.

Common Magickal Attributes include:

Cardinal direction: South
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Noon
Time of Life: Youth
Colours: Red or Orange, and sometimes black (infrared)
Tarot Suit: Wands or Swords in the Minor Arcana. Wands are traditionally associated with Fire, and still are in most Tarot decks, however, increasingly decks are being published with Wands associated with Air and Swords with Fire. This is still a matter of debate within the esoteric and Wiccan community.
Rules: Inspiration, Passion
Altar Tool: Candle or Incense
Energy: Masculine

Other correspondences include blood, rubies, and in writing Fire is sometimes represented by a red upwards triangle.
In rituals, fire is represented in the forms of burning objects, love spells, baking and lighting candles or fires.
The manifestations of the element are found in the sun, lightning, fire, volcanoes and lava, and all forms of light.
Cats of all types, especially the lion and tiger, are also thought to personify the element of fire, as are all predatory creatures, such as the fox.
Other mythic and legendary creatures of fire include Phoenix, Drake and Dragon.
Fire’s place on the pentagram is the lower right point.

Water

Water

 
 

Water is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with the qualities of emotion and intuition. According to Aristotle, water is both cold and wet, and occupies a place between air and earth among the elemental spheres.

In ancient Greek medicine, each of the four humours became associated with an element. Phlegm was the humor identified with water, since both were cold and wet. Other things associated with water and phlegm in ancient and medieval medicine included the season of Winter, since it increased the qualities of cold and moisture; the phlegmatic temperament (of a person dominated by the phlegm humour); the feminine; the brain; and the western point of the compass.

In alchemy, the chemical element of mercury was often associated with water and its alchemical symbol was an downward-pointing triangle.

People born under the astrological signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces being one of the two drawn elements meaning it is part of two of the classical elements are thought to have dominant water personalities. Water personalities tend to be emotional, deep, nurturing, sympathetic, empathetic, imaginative and intuitive; however, they can also be sentimental, over-sensitive, escapistic and irrational.

Water and the other Greek classical elements were incorporated into the Golden Dawn system. The elemental weapon of water is the cup. The archangel of water is Gabriel. The water elementals are called Undines.

Common Magickal Attributes include:

Cardinal direction:West
Season: Autumn
Time of Day: Dusk/Twilight
Time of Life: Adulthood
Elemental Being: Undine
Colors: Ocean Blue, Sea Green, Dusky Violet, and Grey
Magical Tools: cup or chalice
Tarot suit: Cups in the Minor Arcana
Energy, inspiration, passion
Altar Tool: Cup
Feminine energy
Other correspondences include emotions, love, compassion, healing, dreams, divination, intuition, psychic abilities
The manifestations of the element of water are rivers, oceans, lakes, wells, fog, all drinks, and the rain. Animals, especially the dolphin, seal, turtle, frog, and all types of fish, are also thought to personify the element of water. Other mythic and legendary creatures of water include the Mermaid, Oread, Naiad, Sea Serpent, and Dragon.
Water’s place on the pentagram is the right hand point.

Everyday Water

Everyday Water
by Link

 

When you think of “Water” what comes to mind? A tranquil lake, gentle rain, or raging sea? Whether magical element or just a simple cup of tea, water can be a very special part of your life.

Water Spirits
 

Every body of water is an entity. Each lake, puddle or pool has a unique life-force all its own. It can be as vast as the sea, or as small as a two-sip potion bottle – any body of water has a personality just a little bit different than any other. Can you feel the personality of your bath? Can you feel a certain comfort within a place where you swim regularly? Try to sense what makes each body of water different than another.

Water at Home
 

A home is a very special place. It holds all the elements, and surely combines them into spirit. Water is an integral part of your home, like any ecosystem. The bathroom, the kitchen, the plumbing surely are temples for your own home’s personal aspect of water. When you visit the home of a new friend, make an effort to drink their tap water to take in a bit of the unique personality of that place. It may help you get a better feel for where you are, and all that resides there. Perhaps it is no accident that one of the first things someone offers a guest is something to drink. This concept is not limited to someone’s home. Going on a sales call or job interview? Grab a quick drink when you get there!

Healing Waters
 

Water is used in a variety of healing rites. Most magical people are quite aware of healing energies in teas, brews and baths. Next time you use one of these devices, try specifically addressing the water aspect within your magic. People often focus on the herbs used in their potions. But don’t forget the water spirits within your hot cup of tea that washes these herbs into your steamy Circle. Magic is often the chemistry of mixing things, thus mixing the energies they possess. Together, water and herbs make something very special, more so than either could do alone. Employ the water you drink to help swallow an aspirin; see the “liquid” in your cough syrup. Most over the counter drugs come in both liquid and tablet form. Perhaps this choice can help fit your magical need? When might a liquid work better than a solid, or vice versa?

Water Divination
 

Some people scry as a means to foretell the future or answer questions. Scrying is the act of gazing meditatively into a shiny nebulous surface, like a crystal ball. Fill your cauldron with water and see what shimmers on its surface — whether by moonlight, candelight or just bathroom nightlight. Oh, you don’t own a $200 cast iron genuine witchy cauldron to fill? Try any household vessel, perhaps one that fits your specific need. For example, if you seek financial guidance, try using the jar you store your loose change in. A new beginning? How about your morning coffee cup. Love? Perhaps a vase you might use for a dozen red roses.

For divination, you may want to try saving water to re-use over and over again each time you scry. Perhaps this water, just like you, will become more adept at scrying with practice! You might experiment with the specific type of water you want to use. When might water from the ocean work best? The rain or morning dew? Try collecting waters from the special places in your life, the stream where you picnic, the lake where you camp. Use your creativity here. Is there enough room in your freezer for a chunk of the first snowfall?

Another form of water divination might be to merely spill it on a flat surface. Which way did it run? Towards a specific direction? What does this direction mean to you? Try dropping something magical into a pool of water and count the ripples it makes. Four? Five? Do you find meaning in this number? Water is a very flexible thing. What new ways can you create to divine with water?

Your Own Waters
 

Perhaps the water we are closest to, but notice the least, is the water within our own bodies. Each of us carries around gallons that we borrow from our surroundings via the moisture within food and drink. We store it for hours, days, maybe even weeks, and carry it around like a little magical charm. Remember this the next time you share a drink during a special moment. A bit of that moment stays with you within the water you drank. Magical people instinctively feel the magic within their own waters. Ever notice how some people put a little something extra into licking and sealing a special envelope? It becomes a magical act!

Matter can be charged with your own personal energy, like the way a chair becomes warm when you sit on it. Water is especially receptive to storing energy. What energies does water hold within your body? Note that just about every emotion is expressed with water. Our water enables release, catharsis, getting it out of our system – whether tears of joy, a nervous sweat, or acts of love and pleasure. When we get too sad, too happy, too excited – water is what we often cast forth.

When you drink in water, take in what you need from the world. Ask for new things, new benefits, new wisdom and experiences. Just drink them all in like making a toast! And when you expel water, casting it out of your body, think what you’d like to cast out into life’s magical currents. Taking in, then sending out. What could be more magical than that?

The West
 

One popular belief assigns each element to a direction, with water corresponding to the west. My guess is that this began in England where the ocean actually is in the west, where the storms blew in from, thus fitting the geography and beliefs of the people who created the system. When members of the modern Craft community came to America, they continued the custom of looking to the west for water, even though the nature and geography around them was actually quite different. Water is one example of the choice whether to follow tradition, or modify our customs to fit the unique situations around us. I live on the east coast of North America, where the Atlantic Ocean is only 60 miles to the east. Yet most people I know turn their back and face west for water. Experiment with what direction feels most like water; try sensing what works best for you. You may find that the direction really doesn’t matter much. Someone I consider quite wise once reminded me that “water is where you feel it.”

The Water Cycle
 

Can we learn from the cycle of Earth’s water supply? Water vapor rises from the ocean, crystallizes to form a raindrop, falls to the Earth, runs its course through life’s rivers and streams, returning to the ocean, its source, to vaporize once again, perpetuating water’s cycle. Are we any different? Even today, Pagans sing about a drop of rain flowing to the ocean, returning to its source, the source of all life. This song even tells where we come from, and reminds us that we shall return. Think about the words. (Z. Budapest; 1971, Spring Hill Music.)

Look at the branching shape each tiny stream has as it feeds a larger brook, which then feeds a mighty river. Now look at the veins in your own arm. Perhaps it is the nature of small things to flow together, forming something larger. What other parts of life work the same way? What small things flow into you? And what do you join with to form something greater?

Like us, water also has many lives. The same H20 molecule that sits upon your sweaty brow today may have once been a teardrop in a lover’s eye or raindrop in a raging storm. It may even have once been part of an icy comet that hurled to Earth ions ago after whirling round the galaxy.

Water Magic
 

Perhaps the most common water magic is washing away something unwanted; we wash things to cleanse. Often the physical act of washing can have a magical component as well. When you shower, do you sometimes wash away more than just the grime of the day, making your stress-relieving shower a magical act? Have you ever rinsed out a glass or piece of clothing for a special occasion, and visualized the desired outcome of that occasion? When I wash my car, I pray for safe travel. (From the bathroom, the bedroom, and even the garage — Kitchen Witchery exists in every room of the house!)

I know someone who has slept on the same waterbed for a decade. This person respects (and actually talks to) the water within this bed as something sacred, like a magical familiar. Why not? Just imagine the energies this water holds. It becomes warmed by your body heat, hears a decade worth of dreams and passion. It provides the bliss of restful sleep. No other body of water can ever be that intimate.

Like anything magical, water is multi-dimensional. Make a list of properties you associate with water. Which aspect fits your magical need? Not only does water wash, but it nourishes and helps things grow. (Perhaps it is no accident that our first meal of Mother’s milk comes in liquid form.) Water is the place where life started, creating a new beginning for primordial Earth. What new beginnings do you yearn for? Water is the ink in your pen, the wine in your clinking glass. It freezes solid, yet steams away into vapor. Water makes ripply splashy noises, and swirls round and round into spiral whirlpools. Forget what you heard when you were nine years old – please do play with water!

Link
6538 Collins Avenue # 211
Miami Beach, FL 33141
AnthLink@aol.com

Everyday Fire

Everyday Fire
By Link

 

It is around us every day.  We see it, touch it; we are sometimes burned by it.  It is the warmth of a comfortable place to sit, and the roaring blaze that devastates an entire village.  It burns within every beat of our heart.  Fire.

Fire is Change

      Fire is around us everywhere.  The energy of Fire is often quite obvious, but sometimes can be tricky to spot.  Do you have a special piece of jewelry?  Most times we look at an object and see its earthy solid form, what it looks like today.  But the metals in your jewelry took their present shape by being forged at temperatures higher than we might imagine.  And as long as they retain that shape, they retain the impact of Fire.  Fire is energy.  Energy has the power to change things.  In fact, the symbol for Fire (a triangle pointed upwards) is a Greek symbol called Delta – which means change.  Think how the energy of events in your own life have “forged” you, changed your life and shaped you into what you are today.

 

Fire is Light

      Much of the work and play we do is aided by Fire.  Reading uses Fire, since it requires light, usually either Sunlight or electrical light — both very Fiery indeed.  Next time you read something, give a special “thank you” to the light energy which carried its joy off the page to the gleam in your eye.  Take note that whatever change in the world caused by reading – every classroom, every election booth, every love-letter – comes to us via the light of Fire.

Fire is the Sun

      What else depends on light?  Photosynthesis: the act of turning Sunlight into food.  Plants do this everyday.  All our food, our incense, our herbal medicines, our wooden homes, all contain the Sunlight stored away over the years by plants.  Feel it?  Recognize the Sun’s stored flame next time you hold an object made of wood.  When wood burns it actually releases this solar energy into a fiery glow.  Feel the warmth of the sun next time you enjoy a camp fire, fireplace, or simple votive candle.  There is something very primal within Fire.  From cave-times to today, people huddling around an open flame regard it as something special.

      Without question, people notice how Earth’s agricultural breadbasket nourishes us.  But what nourishes the Earth with enough energy to create such delights?  The sun!  Mother Earth contains the solid materials, the building-blocks ready to construct this bounty.  But Sunlight provides the energy to ignite life, turning the fields green and growing.

      Sunlight also charges people with a special glow.  Try soaking up the Sun on a hot summer day.  Store it within you.  Whether you feel it or not, the Sun’s energy changes you a bit, like the way a glow-in-the-dark watch shines after you hold it up to the light.  Feel the Sun’s flame within you.  Is there a special part of your body that reacts to the Sun more than others?  Maybe after hours of soaking up its energy, you have Sun-hair, Sun-skin, Sun-eyes?  Do more intense things happen to you after you’ve been in the sun?  Do people treat you different?  Perhaps they sense a little bit more radiance within you.

Fire is Magic

We often recognize the magic of water and herbs when brewing our magical teas, but the heat in our hot steamy cup also contains Fire.  Next time you seek healing energies from a cup of hot tea, direct the Fire energy within its heat to work for you as well.  Ask it to speed your recovery.  You might find working with all the elements within your cup works better than any single one alone.

Your home is well-charged with Fire.  I often look to my heater’s pilot light as a perpetual candle flame that always stay lit.  A home is rarely without Flame.  Its lights, its electrical devices all breathe Fire’s life throughout your house, transforming it from a cold dark place into a warm happy home.

      People often find special magic within color.  Fire burns with a variety of colors.  Copper burns green; silicon (like sand or glass) burns yellow.  If you like working with Fire, and color, try creating a Flame that matches the color of your desires.  But be ecologically aware – whatever you burn ends up in the air and the ground where its ashes remain.  Try to keep it simple.

      People work with Fire in many ways.  Ever notice someone trying to start a difficult car?  They make facial expressions, utter words of encouragement; they even do some rather interesting rocking motions – anything to crank electricity from the car’s battery to the starter and into the engine!

      Gotta light?  Ever notice the way someone acts when they light a cigarette for someone else, someone they desire?  Its like they communicate right through the flame as it is passed from one person to another.

Passing the Flame

      Try passing a flame from one place to another, like lighting a candle or incense stick from somewhere special on your altar.  I like to pass flames from one candle to another, thinking about how one candle gains the gift of life from another.  If you use a candle in magic, when might you want to light its flame from the Goddess candle on your altar?  The God candle?  Or perhaps the candle of a particular direction?  Is there a particular source of flame that might work best for your intent?  If you own a car, what type of special work might you do with the flame from your car’s dashboard lighter?  From your kitchen stove?  What fires await within that matchbook you took as a memento of a special place?  For some fun, try lighting a Fire with a magnifying glass, starting your flame with nothing but the light of the Sun!

Fire is Divination

      Fire can be used for a variety of divination techniques.  We’ve all heard of scrying into tea leaves, but what about scrying into the ashes left behind by a small fire, perhaps in your trusty cauldron, or maybe in that same heat-resistant mug you use for tea.  Instead of pouring water on your fragrant leaves, light them aflame!  Try burning special woods or herbs, parchment, photos, old pay stubs, the daily news.  What might work best to answer your particular question?  Besides looking at the ashes, did you notice anything unusual about the flame?  Did it peak in any particular direction before going out?  What does that direction mean to you?  For a new experience, take a blank piece of paper and wave it over a candle flame, close enough to leave black soot marks, but not close enough to ignite.  Interpret these sooty shapes and designs the same way you would a cloud in the sky.  Do you see a pair of lips?  Perhaps a bunny rabbit?  What do these shapes and symbols mean to you?  (“Faerie Realm,” Ted Andrews, Llewellen Publications.)

 

Fire is Alive

      Each flame is a unique life form, a unique spirit unlike any other.  It has life and breath, it is born, consumes, grows, then flickers out, leaving behind an empty shell.  Ashes to ashes.  Are we any different?  Try sensing the spirit in the flames you encounter.  What makes “this” candle just a little bit different than the other?  Try communicating with the engine spark that moves you from one place to another.  Acknowledge the energy that warms your bath, rings your phone, gives you a tan or just keeps your heart going one beat to the next.  Try whispering softly to even the bathroom nightlight.  Some of these flames might just answer you back!

Link
6538 Collins Avenue # 255
Miami Beach, FL 33141
AnthLink@aol.com