Category: Our History

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

 

Crossroads are considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. A crossroads is a universally accepted place to hold rituals, leave offerings, or dispose of items you wish to be rid of. While this is not a natural creation but one that is homemade, it still falls in the realm of earth.

 

It is believed tat Hecate rules over the three-way crossroads. She can see the past, present and future, It is said that if you should approach a three-way crossroads at night, you would hear her black dogs howling. Her altars have been erected at such places for centuries.

 

The four-way crossroad are considered to be powerful because all four directions meet at one point. Dirt, rocks and sticks gathered from such a crossroads are said to have powerful spiritual connections, albeit tricky ones to master. In Greek myths, Oedipus met his fate at the crossroads. From the Yoruban people we have Legha (a god known for his clever tricks) ruling the crossroads.

 

Ancient people were afraid of what it meant when one direction met another direction. All manner of folklore is available concerning the crossroads. Fairies are said to hand about there, along with ghouls and goblins. Even the Christian Satan is said to roam the crossroads.

Earth Witches know that a crossroad is actually a place of sacred transformations, manmade or not. Frequently they see them as a metaphor for transformational points in our lives. In such a capacity the crossroads relate to time.

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

 

It is recommended approaching earth spirits with caution. They are of the elemental race and inhabit a completely different realm, so it is hard to impossible for a human to understand how their minds truly work.

 

Gnome statues in the garden add a touch of whimsy to the décor, but the legend behind their popularity is quite intriguing. It was said that a single ray of sunshine would turn a dwarf to stone. Somehow, this myth crossed with information about gnomes, and the trendy garden gnomes statues came to be. Since gnomes are consider helpful to one’s garden, placing gnome statues there is tradition in a well-tended garden.

 

Gnomes are actually a dwarfish race of earth spirits. They are the guardians of the hidden treasure of the Earth. Some legends maintain that they can be playful and mischievous and love to pull pranks on unsuspecting humans.

 

Elves were originally considered to be of a small stature as well. They were thought to be fairly playful and helpful. The legends of elves run the gamut from Santa’s toy-making helpers to the more romantic portrayal popularized by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Dwarves are said to be the possessors of two types of magical stones: one that will make the owner invisible and one that will grant the owner great strength. Dwarves were well-known in Norse myths for their wisdom. On a least one occasion the gods themselves went to the dwarves for aid, due to their cleverness.

 

Leprechauns are known to be tricksters, because greedy humans are always trying to get their legendary pots of gold. Leprechauns are Irish in origin and are thought to be cobblers.

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

 

Legendary mountains and mounds fall within the domain of the Earth Witch. While mountains are natural formations, mounds are human-made. Both are considered sacred space. The prevailing argument as to the purpose of the mounds is that they are sacred burial grounds.

The Navajos have an old legend that describes the creation of the six sacred mountains. The First Man and First Woman formed the mountains from a bag of dirt that they carried with them from the third world (spirit realm). They sent Turquoise Boy to one mountain. Abalone Shell Boy to another, Jet Boy to another, and White Bead Boy to another. The mountains were not satisfied with that arrangement and would rumble loudly with displeasure. Only two of the six mountains were happy. First Man and First Woman sent the beautiful Mixed Stones Boy and Girl to those mountains. They then sent the rest of the holy ones, including Grasshopper Girl and Yellow Corn Girl, into the mountains.

First Man and First Woman then fastened the mountains to the land with lightning bolts, stone knives and sunbeams. They decorated them with shells, eggs, mists and rain. They then blessed the mountains with chants and prayers. They believe that keeping the land beautiful pleases the ancestors, and pleasing the ancestors, make for a happy tribe.

The Earth Witch agrees with this philosophy. She makes regular use of eco-magic and often gets involved with environmental issues. She understand the true beauty and blessing of the Earth and does not take them for granted. She considers keeping the land clean a sacred responsibility.

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

 

Rivers belong to the Water witch, but bridges, and the superstitions that surround them, belong to the Earth Witch. As one who finds solutions and builds foundations, who else could conceive of a way to cross running water while remaining earthbound?

 

There are a few mythical bridges that relate to other elements, such as Bifrost (the rainbow bridge leading from Midgard, the realm of the mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods, in Norse mythology), but more often bridges belong to the realm of earth.

 

A bridge is a gateway, because it rests between two bodies of land mass. While crossing it, you are neither in one space nor the other. The bridge transcends the two objects it connects in this manner; hence, it is a very magical and powerful place. It has been said that time does not work the same way on bridges as it does elsewhere. Some say that time moves more slowly when on a bridge, while others say that time ceases to exist all together and does not begin again until one has crossed completely over. Because of the time factor, a bridge has the ability to bring one back to a childlike state.

 

In many myths, a bridge is the path one must take after death to reach the other side. Some of the mythical bridges were treacherous, in order to keep out the living. Native American lore speaks of a shaking bridge one must cross to reach the other side. Often these mythical bridges are said to not tolerate the weight of a sinner and will cast the sinner off the bridge into the water below.

 

There is a tale in modern folklore that relates that you will hear a heartbeat if you stand quietly on a bridge. I have heard about a million variations of this urban legend with one common theme: that of the heartbeat belonging to a deceased person. While it is possible to hear a heart beat-type noise on certain bridges through out the United States, this is normally due to a nearby gas pipes or some other human invention. Yet the tale lives on because of the spooky reputation of bridges.

Because of the association with death, bridges are often said to be haunted. Celtic tradition warns that you should hold your tongue while crossing or passing beneath a bridge. The Isle of Man is home to the famed Fairy Bridge. Local legend says that if you cross the bridge without wishing the little people that live there a good day, you will not have a safe or happy visit. There is also a universal belief that two people who part on a bridge will never meet again.

 

Earth Witches know the lore to be true to this point–there is magic aplenty contained in the bridge. Spell work performed on a bridge tends to take effect immediately. Any type of magic that involves time manipulation will gain a boost by being performed on a bridge.

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

 

Trolls, or trows as they are sometimes called, are often thought to live under bridges. They are said to be ugly little creatures, but there are some old myths that claim that trows could pass for human. Some of the myths infer that trows are nocturnal and can only move about at night, while others say they are invisible and therefore simply unseen. Folklore from the Shetland Islands in Scotland lays claim to one distinguishing character trait carried by trolls; they walk backwards. Trolls has a distinct hatred for locked doors and are known to sneak into people’s homes at night if the occupants have locked the door before retiring.

While the tales of the trolls feature in folklore contain both gruesome and nonsensical elements there is little doubt that the troll relates to and falls under the rule of earth. Trolls were known to have magical powers. It was said that they could fly and enchant the wind and were masters of mixing healing potions, ointments and elixirs.

Earth Witch Lore – Caves

Earth Witch Lore – Caves

 

Most caves have local folklore surrounding them, with one common theme; they are inhabited by spirits or dragons and are forbidding places, desolate and dank. So many legends tell of ghosts haunting caves. These legends were perpetuated by pirates and the like to scare people away from their hiding places and thereby keep their loot hidden. They also stem from ancient days when bears and lions might be found in the caves.

 

For ages, the members of ancient tribes lived their entire lives in caves. In Sweetwater, Tennessee, there is a cavern known as “the Lost Sea,” which features an underground lake with its own variety of plant life (which only grows underground). It is said to be the home of the white jaguar. This cavern is a world within the world. The hauntingly beautiful columns of stalagmite drip healing waters upon those who stand beneath it. Not surprisingly, this cave is also thought to be haunted. It was sacred to the Cherokee tribes.

The Earth Witch knows and understands that caves actually relate to the process of birth. Spirit haunts a cave as a “pregnancy,” or a continuation of life. Therefore, a cave is sacred ground. All that it holds within relates to life and death, as it all stems from the cave. The cave is the birth canal of Mother Earth.

Meditation to Meet Your Earth Guide

Meditation to Meet Your Earth Guide

 

Set up a simple altar with a green or brown candle and herbal incense. You may wish to use a green altar cloth and your pentacle. Cast your personal circle. Take several slow, deep, cleansing breaths and relax your whole body. Close your eyes. Allow your breathing to show and become regular. Take deep, slow breaths. Visualize the gateway to earth. Make the gate as elaborate as you wish, using any material that you desire. To open, does it swing wide? Does it lift up? Does it dissolve? Keep focused on your breath, and allow the gate to open. Relax. Walk through the gateway and down the path. Take a moment to observe the world around you. The grass is a beautiful emerald green. There are flowering tees and shrubs everywhere you look. The nearby hillsides are covered with flowers and green healthy grass. As you walk, you notice a figure in the distance. Walk toward it. Stay focused on your breath. Standing in front of you is your guide for exploring the elemental realm of earth. It could be an animal, a human or a mythical creature. Greet your guide. Listen to what he has to say. When you have heard all you wish, thank him. Always respect your guide, as he will be with you a long time. Slowly walk back up the pathway to the gate. Focus on your breath. Walk through the gate and see it close. Allow yourself a few more deep breaths and then open your eyes. Write down what you learned in a journal for safekeeping. Close your circle.

Earth Magick

Earth Magick

 

 

The term “earth magick” is somewhat of a misnomer. Many of the magical techniques presented here do not utilize actual earth (dirt, etc.): however, they are typically considered to be earth specialties. Business, protection, prosperity and fertility all fall in this category.

Earth magick utilizes two main techniques: burying and transporting. We transport basically anytime we use earth in a spell that does not include the burial of the item or take place directly upon the soil. For example, if a love one tracked muddy foot prints into my home and I swept them up and saved the dirt for later use in a healing spell, this would be considered transporting.

You may bury things in the earth for the purpose of cleansing an item of negative vibrations, ridding yourself of an item (banishing), planting seeds for future growth of crops or blessing an item.

You may transport the element of earth by placing soil in a charm bag or in your home, using a mud mask, or even growing houseplants. Many magical practitioners make use of dirt by piling it on their altar and burning candles in the pile. As dirt is sacred, it is fine to do this. Although traditions vary, and many practitioners prefer to keep their altar surface spotlessly clean, the Earth Witch uses the power of dirt.

It doesn’t matter which of the techniques you use—burying and transporting both hold the full power of earth, even when the soil is used in small amounts.

Various kinds of dirt are said to perform specific functions in many magical practices. According to Hoodoo and Voodoo traditions, grave-yard dirt is thought to hold within it the vibrations of the departed soul. The ritual collection of graveyard dirt includes getting in touch with the spirit of the body in the grave and leaving a payment for the dirt (usually a coin on the gravestone). For instance, if your intention was to use the dirt to cause harm, you would find a grave that held a murder victim or some other tragic soul and use the dirt from it. Also incorporated into the ritual collection of graveyard dirt is the time of day in which the dirt is collects and the corresponding area of the body in the grave. In other words, for a love spell, you would take dirt from the are where the heart of the body lies.

Dirt from a crossroads is considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. It is believed to be loaded with supernatural powers. It is used for protection, blessings, banishing, domination–virtually any purpose. It is thought to be neutral, so one has only to direct it according to one’s wishes.

Santeria incorporates the magical qualities of dirt in the following ways:

Bank dirt: Dirt from the area around a bank is thought to hold prosperity within it.

Courthouse dirt: Dirt from the area around a courthouse is used to gain victory in legal disputes.

Dirt from the bottom of a person’s shoes: This dirt is said to allow one to dominate or cause harm to the owner of the shoes.

Dirt from the four corners: This mixture of dirt is thought to open the road to success. This particular dirt is considered a four-way crossroads.

Forest dirt: Forest dirt is considered protective.

Library dirt: Dirt from the area around a library is used in spells to increase one’s knowledge and wisdom.

Mountain dirt: Dirt from a mountain is used in cleansing practices.

Racetrack dirt: This dirt is used in gambling spells to increase luck.

Seashore dirt: This dirt is thought to be cleansing.

Which Element Are You?

Which Element Are You?

 

You can gain insight into your personal elemental affinities by asking yourself questions that cover a wide range of topics. Ask yourself many simple questions. Think of it as peeling an onion. Layer by layer you slowly reveal your core. Revealing spells have their purposes, like when it comes to remembering thing we may have chosen to forget, but when it comes to determining something as deeply ingrained as an elemental affinity, you must peel, peel, and peel. If you write your answers on single sheet of paper, one element will often appear many times. Here is a list of questions to consider.

1. What element do you feel you align with?

2. List any hobbies you have. Is there a recurrent theme?

3. Are you basically happy and content or restless and bored?

4. How are you when it comes to money matters?

5. Do you have a sharp nose for business?

6. What are your favorite food groups or preferred taste sensations? (Sweet, salty, etc.)

7. Are you an artist? Is so, what medium do your prefer? (Words, paint, sculpture, etc.)

8. What is your preferred divination method? (Tarot, scrying, pendulum, etc.)

9. Do you know your aura colors?

10. Do you have past-life memories?

11. What are your preferred textures? (Satin, cotton, etc.)

12. How would you describe your musical taste? What is your favorite type of music?

13. What is your favorite kind of mood enchancer? (Aroma, music, stones, etc.)

14. Do you have any physical impairments? (Hearing, sight, smell, etc.) Do you have asthma or any other type of health condition?

15. Do you have any phobias?

16. What is your favorite activity?

17. What is your preferred reading genre? (Fantasy, horror, nonfiction, etc.)

18. How old are you?

19. What kind of imagery do you prefer? (A waterfall, roaring fire, sky scene, luxuriant garden, etc.)

20. Do you collect anything?

21. What is your favorite color?

22. Do you have a weight problem? (Are you overweight or underweight?)

23. Tell me about your space….is it organized or cluttered?

24. Do you have any bad habits?

25. What color is your car?

26. Do you follow the Wiccan Rede or the Golden Rule?

27. Do you believe in the threefold law?

28. Do you have an altar? What is on it?

29. Are your rituals formal or informal?

30. Tell me about your book of shadows. Is it organized? Divided into sections? How many sections? Are the pages decorated or is it more of a journal? Tell me all about it.

31. How do you handle anger?

32. How do you handle love?

33. Are you methodical or more free-spirited?

34. What is your Sun sign? Moon sign? Ascendant?

35. What is your profession? What do you want it to be?

36. Do you believe in ghosts? What would you consider to be “proof” of a haunting?

37. Do you have a totem animal? If so, what is it?

38. Is there a season of the year that you feel most in tune with?

39. Do you consider yourself a day person or a night person?

40. What mythical or fantasy creatures do you love? Which ones scare you?

41. Looking in your book of shadows, what type of spells are predominant? (Candles, herbs, mojo bags, etc.)

42. What color are your eyes? Your hair?

43. Where are you most comfortable? (At home, in the forest, at the beach, etc.)

44. Do you have any specific dream memories? Describe them.

ELEMENTAL MAGICK

ELEMENTAL MAGICK

 
FIRE…AIR…WATER….EARTH
 
Wiccan Magick is based on the four elements…Fire, Air, Water and Earth.
These four Elements correspond to the four directions of our physical world, the four quarters of the universe, the four winds, and most importantly the four quarters of the magical circle. Fire and Air are considered male energies….Water and Earth female. The four Elements are forces and energies that make up the universe and everything in it. They also possess form as well as force. In Wiccan Magick each Element is associated with a color. Modern day Wiccans use the following colors: east – yellow; south – red; west – blue; north – green.

FIRE

Fire represents passion, enthusiasm, desire and courage, force, lust, fertility and virility, initiative and rejuvenation. It represents both light and heat. The light of intelligence and the courage to follow it. A low fire person is usually cold, slow to act, without enthusiasm for life or himself. A high fire person is bold, dramatic and passionate in all areas within himself, however this person must be careful as fire can destroy everything in it’s path. Fire magick can bring on the new, bring on courage and passion and destroy the old.

It’s feelings are hot and dry, it’s season is Summer and direction is South/Energy. It’s symbol is the Athame/Sword, Candle and the Burner; it’s colors are Reds, Oranges and Golds. The moon phase is the second quarter and it’s time is high Noon.

The different types of Fire Magick are Bonfire Magick, which usually involves burning something such as an herb or flower, or a piece of paper or petition on which you have written your desire. It is used for banishing, ridding or destroying negative influences in your life.

Another is Candle Magick, a simple, easy and useful method in bringing about your desires. A color for the candle is chosen and can also include the correct scent in relation to your desire and lit sometimes for up to seven days. This type of Fire Magick is usually for any type of desire.

Another is Sun Magick. Using the Sun in our desires is a beautiful way in which to enhance new beginnings in love, health, work and home, awaken subtle powers and aid in attraction desires.

AIR

Air represents mental activity, thoughts, reason and intellect, memory, knowledge, persuasion, birth and friendship, freedom, clarification and expression. A low Air person seems without any direction and unable to define or visualize any future and can not reason out the alternatives and objectives. A high Air person is at ease in complex situations and can sit and think things through, and can carry through with decisions.

It’s feelings are moist heat, it’s season is Spring, it’s direction is East/Mental, the symbol is the Wand, Athame, or the smoke of the incense. It’s colors are White, Lt Blues, Yellows and Green. Moon phase is the first quarter and it’s time is Dawn.

Different types of Air Magick include Visualizations. An important tool in any magick work, it makes the events happen. For this type, it is important that all the other factors such as color, time, the moon phase, winds, etc. are all in balance. And to have the other tools working such as incense and candle burning, or even the right tea or wine to drink in the background. This is because you need to “fix” or “ground” the images or ideas you are using in your visualization.

As our thoughts are extremely powerful, as are our Words. Words can be put together in such a way as to form spells, or used in channeling your power. Words give rise to our desires and can be released upon the winds for attainment. Created and repeated with intensity and concentration the spoken word is a powerful magick in itself. You do not have to be an accomplished linguist, just a simple sentence will do. It creates an atmosphere of concentrated awareness and strength. Words can be used in moments of stress and fear, and will create the magick itself. It does not have to be said aloud, say them to yourself if need or want be.

Another Air Magick is Mirror Magick. It can help in overcoming inner problems and also help with difficult personal decisions. It uses both the Word and Visualization forms and can also aid in being able to visualize a future event. Sometimes, used as a Scrying Tool, in which you are able to “see” possible future events.

WATER

Ah water, the symbol of our emotions. Water imbibes all life forms and in us we flow with the “tide” of our feelings. It involves intuition, insight, conception and pregnancy, fertility, the womb, health, beauty and divination. A low water person would appear as a cold calculating one, one who is indifferemt and unresponsive. On the other hand, a high water person may seem as though at the slightest touch the well is opened and can be over emotional and over dramatic in all areas of life. A good balance of water here is needed to keep the flow running smoothly.

Its feelings are cold moisture, its season is Fall, direction is West/ Emotion and its colors are Blue, Light Grays, Sea Greens and Whites.The symbols are the cup or chalice. The Moon phase is the Full Moon and its time is Dusk.

Some Water Magick can involve the use of the beach and its sand, shells, animals and seawater. Especially good for love spells and too, when you need to “get a grip” or clarify your own emotions. The use of shells in the practice is widely used. These can hold appropriate herbs or be used as a symbol of Water Magick.

One old tradition is using that of well water. A lot of gems and stones are exposed to this for a period of time and used at night, in full moon or the waxing phases, for Water Magick. Be careful though to know your stones, as some do not react well in water for long periods of time. This type of magick can give you insights to how others think of you, what others are doing and how well they are and to find the truth within yourself. Be careful when using this type also, if there is an intent of maliciousness or control of another, all you will get is a reflection back unto yourself.

Water spells can involve the use of Scrying bowls. This is a bowl of clear or colored water in which you are able to “see” the future and future events or get a clear direction on decisions. Widely used in certain meditations and visualizations.

EARTH

Finally we come to the Element of Earth. The source and provider of all our needs. Represents sensations, decay, patience, stability, strength, health, warmth and comfort, animals and animal instincts, farming and physical labor.

Its feeling is dry and cold, its season is Winter, its colors are Browns, Blacks, Purples and some Greens. Its symbol is the Pentacle or Rice, Salt or grain in a brass or terra cotta bowl or a Stone. Its Moon phase is the Fourth Quarter and its favored time is Midnight. A high Earth person seems a practical sort and quite “down to earth”. A hard worker, stable and a good provider. Can be a little too stubborn sometimes however. A low Earth person can seem confused, insecure and alone, unable to feel wanted and the work may be affected.

Earth Magick can involve the use of herbs and plants. Using the correct herb to attain your desire along with the other tools can be very effective. Burying something and making some offerings to the Earth such as planting trees is a form of Earth Magick. Using your gems or crystals and burying them in the Earth under the appropriate tree while making your wish is also effective.

Another type which is considered Earth Magick is any type of routine magick. Anything you do on a routine basis can be used as a magickal vehicle. While performing something you do at the same time everyday, prepare yourself and use this period for clarity on a subject, figure the best course of action in a situation or to find just where you are in the course of your life.

Correspondences of the Elements

Correspondences of the Elements

Earth’s Correspondences:
Direction: North.
Earth Rules: The Body and Nature, manifestation, physicality, fertility, birth, death, healing, rocks, trees, animals, vegetation, mystery, silence, growth, crystals, common sense, empathy, grounding, employment, stability, success, runes, strength, practical wisdom, mystery, metals. Is the element that is most stable and dependable. It represents abundance, prosperity, and wealth, and is creative but in a practical, physical manner. Earth, that which sustains all life and on which the other elements rely.
Time: Midnight.
Season: Winter.
Colors: Deep earth tones, Green, brow, black, gold and white.
Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.
Tools: Pentacle, salt, images, stones, cord magick.
Chakra: Root.
Virtues: Being centered, patience, truth, thorough and dependable.
Vices: Dullness, laziness, inconsiderate.
Posture: (Arms extended) Palms down.
Season of Life: Death/rebirth.
Animal: Bull, cow, stag, deer, snakes, bear, bison, dog, horse, gopher, ant, wolf.
Elemental Spirits: Gnomes, dwarfs.
Gems: Rock crystal, emerald, jet, tourmaline, quartz, tourmalated quartz, rutilated quartz, granite, bedrock, salt, peridot, onyx, jasper, azurite, amethyst.
Sense: Touch.
Goddesses: Hathor, Ceres, Gaia, Bo-Ann, Cerridwyn, Demeter, Gaia, Persephone, Epona, Kore and Rhiannon.
Gods:Adonis, Athos, Arawyn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Herne, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz, Thor.
Types of Magick: Gardening, grounding, magnet, image, stone, tree, knot, binding.
Energy: Receptive, feminine.
Metals: Iron, lead.
Plants: Cedar, cypress, comfrey, honeysuckle, ivy, grains, magnolia, patchouly, primrose, sage, vetivert, nuts, oak.

Air’s Correspondences:
Direction: East.
Air Rules: The mind, clarity, discernment, wisdom, knowledge, abstract thinking, logic, the spoken word, the wind, breath. Intellect and theory. It is creative and is that which causes magickal intentions to become manifest. It is also associated with higher consciousness and wisdom, divination, and purification, mental and psychic work, intuition. Clouds, inspiration, hearing, herbal knowledge, plant growth, freedom, revealing truth, finding lost things, instruction, telepathy, memory, learning the secrets of the dead, Zen meditation, new beginnings and illuminations.
Time: Dawn.
Season: Spring.
Colors: All light hues, colors found at dawn. White, yellow, light blue, lavender, gray.
Zodiac: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
Tools: Athame, sword, censer and incense.
Chakra: Third Eye.
Virtues: Intelligence, practical, optimistic.
Vices: Impulsive, frivolous, easily fooled.
Posture: (Arms raised) Palms parallel.
Season of Life: Youth.
Elemental Spirits: Sylphs/Fairies.
Gems: Topaz, amber, citron, mica, fluorite, crystals, amethyst, yellow or blue stones.
Sense: Smell.
Goddesses: Arianrhod, Nuit, Iris, Ostara; Goddesses of dawn and spring, Aradia, Athena and Urania.
Gods: Mercury, Hermes, Shu, and Thoth.
Types of Magick: Divination, concentration, karma. Prophecy, visualization and wind magick.
Energy: Projective.
Metals: Tin and copper.
Plants: Acacia, anise, aspen, benzoin, clover, frankincense, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, vervain and yarrow.

Animals: Birds, Eagle and hawk in particular. Insects and spiders.

Fire’s Correspondences:
Direction: South.
Fire Rules: Energy, will, healing, destruction, courage, strength, physical exercise, self-knowledge, loyalty, vision, illumination, power and passion, authority, transformation, purification, heat, flame, embers, lifeblood. Fire is associated with change and passion. It is both physical and spiritual, being related to sexuality and to divinity. Fire magick is quickly manifested and filled with primal energy.
Time: Noon.
Season: Summer.
Colors: Colors of flame as well as the noonday sun, Red, red-orange; fiery colors, gold and white.
Zodiac: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
Tools: Censer, athame, wand, candles, dagger, burned herbs or requests on paper.
Chakra: Solar Plexus.
Virtues: Courage, enthusiasm and willpower.
Vices: Anger, jealousy and hatred.
Posture: (Arms over head) Forming triangle.
Season of Life: Maturity.
Animal: Lion, horse, lizards, salamander, snakes, praying mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, shark, phoenix, coyote, fox.
Elemental Spirits: Salamanders.
Gems: Fire opal, ruby, carnelian, garnet, red jasper, bloodstone, lava, quartz crystals, tigers eye, rhodochrosite, agates.
Sense: Sight.
Goddesses: Sekhmet, Pele, Vesta, Aradia, Ameratsu, Lucina. Brigit, Freya, Hestia, Pele and Vesta.
Gods: Vulcan, Ra, Agni, Hepaetstus, and Horus.
Types of Magick: Candle, storm, time.
Energy: Projective, masculine.
Metals: Gold, brass.
Plants: Allspice, basil, cinnamon, garlic, hibiscus, juniper, lime, nettle, onion, orange, red peppers, red poppies, thistle.

Water’s Correspondences:
Direction: West.
Water Rules: Emotion, Intuition, psychic abilities, love, deep feelings, the unconscious, the womb, generation, fertility, water of all kinds, tides, the Moon, menstrual blood, amniotic fluid, saliva, the third eye, wisdom, vision quests, self-healing, sorrow, reflection.
Time: Twilight.
Season: Autumn.
Colors: All blue-green-black hues, corresponding to the colors of water, gray, indigo, aquamarine, white.
Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Tools: Chalice, cauldron and mirrors.
Chakra: Heart.
Virtues: Love, compassion, receptivity, flexibility and forgiveness.
Vices: Indifference, depression and instability.
Posture: (Arms extended) Palms up.
Season of Life: Old Age.
Animal: Sea serpents, leviathan of the deep, dragons, fish, sea lions,
creatures of water all fish, shellfish and sea mammals, sea birds, cat, frog, turtle, swan, bear.
Elemental Spirits: Undines, mermaids.
Gems: Aquamarine, beryl, opal, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, blue fluorite, lapis lazuli, sodalite.
Sense: Taste.
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Tiamat, Mari, Yemaya, Isis, Ran, and Kupala.
Gods: Dylan, Ea, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon, Varuna.
Types of Magick: Magick involving the sea, snow or ice, mirror, magnet, rain, cleansing and purification.
Energy: Receptive, feminine.
Metals: Mercury, silver, copper.
Plants: Aloe, apple, catnip, chamomile, ferns, gardenia, lemon, lettuce, lilac, lily of the valley, lotus, mosses, orris, passion. Flower, rose, seaweeds, thyme, valerian, water lilies, all water plants, willow tree.

Spirit Correspondences:
Goddess, transcendence, immanence, omnipresence, the void, all and nothing, within and without, the center of the universe and the Self.
Location/ Direction: Center; up, down and all around.
Color: Purple or white, rainbow, black.
Season: The cycle itself.
Season of Life: All life, life beyond death, rebirth.
Time: Beyond time, the Lunar and Solar cycles.
Magickal Tool: Cauldron.
Animal: Owl and Sphinx.
Gems: Diamond and amethyst.
Sense: Hearing.
Goddesses: Isis, Cerridwyn, Shekinah, your personal matron deity.

Elemental Meditation

Elemental Meditation

Author: Mike

I wrote the meditation scripts featured below and have used them many times with wonderful results. Feel free to use them if you wish, for whatever situation seems best to you, whether it’s a working or just pure meditation. They are not long, but work best when read slowly with enough time between lines for the subconscious to do its job.

Fire Meditation

(Light a candle or a bonfire, whichever works best for you)

Breathe in.
Breathe deeply of the hot energy of life.
See the life in the flames, and the dance.
Nothing else exists but the fire in front of you.
Breathe in.
Close your eyes, and know that the fire is not just outside of you, but burning within your soul as well.
Feel the flickering dance of heat and feverish delight burning there.
Feed it.
You are not on fire; you are fire.
You are not burning up; you burn, and your fuel is the limitless energy of the universe.
Know that you cannot contain it, because this fire burns through all creation, bringing passion and light to all life.
Breathe in.
Let your fiery soul dance in a consuming whirlwind of divine flame.
Feel the boundless energy and joy that burning brings.
Laugh and burn, and share the fire with everything and everyone else.
It is a part of you, and you are a part of it.
Spin through the timeless ether in the ecstasy of eternal combustion…

Breathe in.
Let your soul fire die down a little, no longer the wild inferno, but a comfortable blaze, warming and soothing.
Breathe in.
Let it burn a little lower, still dancing; for fire always dances, but now it is a candle again, and sways and flickers with the drafts of time.
Breathe in, and open your eyes again to see the flame in front of you, and smile because the fire still burns in your soul…

Earth Meditation

(Find a stone that feels right and fits well in your palm)

Close your eyes.
Take a slow, deep breath, and let it out.
Relax.
Let your muscles all go limp so that you are only supported by your bones.
Enjoy this feeling.
Feel the weight of the stone in your hand, its shape, its size, and its texture.
Now forget all of these.
Understand the stone.
It is ancient, and it is the framework of the Earth.
Earth does not hear. Earth does not see. Earth does not feel.
Earth is not bothered by the petty scurrying of creatures that run around on its surface.
Let it communicate to you of serenity, and solidity, and strength, and the wisdom of age, and perseverance.
Know that you are of the Earth.
You have within you the strength of granite, and the serenity of an oak, and the ancient power of life.
You hold the primeval vastness of creation within you.
The cycle of birth and death and rebirth is cradled in your psyche, the violent force of a volcano, and the soft innocence of a fresh flower blooming.
Earth effortlessly serves it’s perfect purpose in the dance of the universe.
Understand your place in the universe, and realize the magnitude of potential you have within you to create.
Rest in the knowledge that you can perfectly fill your place in the Cosmos…

Now take a slow, deep breath, and let it out.
Feel the Earth beneath your feet, supporting you in everything you do.
Feel all of creation around you.
Feel the Earth holding you to her breast.
Open your eyes like the petals of a flower in the morning dew…

Air Meditation

(Sit somewhere outside so you can feel the wind on your face)

Close your eyes.
Pull the sweet Air deep into your lungs.
Breathe in the life of the Wind.
Feel the Air caress your skin.
Take another breath and begin to rise.
Feel the weightlessness of your spirit as it ascends and entwines itself in the Wind.
Leave your body relaxed on the ground, and send your mind and your spirit upwards.
The Air dances and flows around your spirit, bringing refreshment and enlightenment.
Cast off the weight of the physical world, and join your spirit as it dances with the Air.
Send out your thoughts through the sky, unencumbered by your body, totally free to go where you want them to.
Let your mind taste the colors as it floats through the Air.
Spread wings of light and soar over everything else, leaving the burden of consciousness heavy on the ground.
Ride the wafting updrafts, circling higher and higher, closer and closer to divine enlightenment.
Let your imagination leap through the clouds and embrace the eternal blue, and feel the freedom of the Air.
Float here in the ever-expanding sky…

Now take a deep breath, pulling in the power of the Wind, feeling it swirling around you.
Breathe it back out and send forth your will into the universe.
Take hold of that power, drawing it in and making it a part of you, there to use whenever you need it.
Slowly float back down, feeling solidity and substance in your body beneath you.
Feel the weight of the physical world again as you begin to regain consciousness, but bring with you the drifting freedom and enlightenment of the Wind.
Take a deep breath, and feel your body around you, the physical manifestation of your spirit and your soul.
Take a deep breath and open your eyes again, and remember your flight…

Water Meditation

(Gaze into a bowl of water, or immerse yourself in a bath, a pool, or a pond)

Gaze into the Water.
Look through the water, not to the bottom, but into the element itself.
Feel its cool refreshing flow around you.
Let it soak in to your body, mingling with the Water that is already there.
Take a deep breath, and plunge your soul in to the water.
Let the surface close above you, so that you are completely engulfed in pure liquid blue.
Feel the gentle healing eddies swirl around and through you, easing the tension in your mind and body and spirit.
Feel the currents pulling you back and forth, like the pulse of the planet, rocking you gently to and fro.
Continue to breathe in this bliss as your pain and stress are dissolved and washed away from you.
Feel the cleansing of your entire being.
Now catch a current that flows by you, swirl in to it and become the Water, coursing out to join the ocean of the universe.
Join with other flowing souls, until you are all a rushing river, racing towards the sea.
Leap over rocks and sand, splashing and eroding and playing in fluid joy.
Dive off the edge of time, cascading down into the infinite ocean of cosmic life.
Feel the ebb and surge of creation as your waves crash and spray and foam…

Now wash back up in to your body.
Soak in through your skin, all the way in to your soul.
Feel the purity and refreshment like a cool drink on a hot day.
Saturate your self with the healing essence of Water.
Feel it coursing through your body, from your feet, up your legs, into your chest and your arms, and up in to your head.
Open your eyes, and feel the healing calm still running throughout your body

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

Everyday Air

Everyday Air
by Link

 

We breathe it in every day. It surrounds us, fills us, yet often we don’t even notice it: Air.

Of all the elements, Air is perhaps the most illusive. It can be the most difficult to describe, but can also be one of the most vibrant. Air brings us the light sensation of a cool breeze, the sudden rage of a storm, and the sweet smell of every scent we experience.

 

An Airy Aura

Think of what Air actually is: a layer of gases surrounding our Earth. When we visualize Planet Earth, we usually focus on a solid object, the round Earthly globe. But in reality, our world rests in the center of a gaseous atmosphere 560 miles high. Rather than a mere solid alone, Planet Earth is a solid object surrounded by a glow of gas. Likewise, many of Earth’s creations are also solids within their own special gassy glow. Think of the way a fresh-baked apple pie fills your kitchen with its cinnamon-scent. The actual pie itself is only a few inches wide, but its Airy glow expands to fill the entire room! Perhaps it is the nature of solid things to be surrounded by a less-tangible outer cloak, an atmosphere of sorts. Knowing this helps us recognize things at their first blush, before they appear with full force. Just like we can smell the pie before actually touching it, we can sense many things around us by being aware of more than just their physical aspect.

People too have their own Airs about them. Our bodies have a natural scent that surrounds us like an aura. It changes uniquely from person to person, from day to day, even from mood to mood. As we expend more physical energy, our scent reflects that change and becomes even stronger. Don’t underestimate the power of scent. When you are close enough to share a whiff of someone, it is as personal a gift as giving a lock of hair or a drop of blood. Your scent is a part of you; it may be even more personal than a solid gift. For example, if someone gave you a coin or stone or “lucky charm” you may merely put it in your jacket pocket. But the gift of scent is breathed in, actually taken deep inside you.

Air is one of the ways you can bond with a special place. You may eat its fruit, drink its waters, but you can also take time to smell its roses and breathe in a part of that place! You’ve heard the expression “you are what you eat?” Well, you are also what you drink, see, hear, feel – and yes, breathe!

 

Communication

Magically, the element of Air is often associated with communication. How fitting! Look how things in nature communicate with each other, how animals sense one another or flowers share pollen. We often augment ourselves with perfumes and oils, enhancing our personal scent to create the desired “atmosphere.” Is this also a form of communication? Remember communicative Air the next time you hear someone whistle – an act performed how?

As a historical form of Airy communication, in the 17th century women used hand-held fans as a means to communicate romantic intent. According to the Harris Farmer’s Almanac, fans fluttered in a certain fashion signaled the desire to be kissed and romanced. Held another way, fans meant “back off – this woman is engaged to be married,” a similar gesture to the way someone today might wear a ring to ward off over-eager suitors.

Air wraps around the entire surface of the planet. It links all things together, tucked under the same sky like a big comfy blanket touching each and every one of us. This connection sounds like a very powerful medium for communication. On a more practical level, mass media like TV and radio travel through the Air to millions of people each day. Perhaps it is no accident we describe the act of broadcasting as putting something “on the Air.”

In the cycle of life and death, all things die (and eventually smell dead too). Ever wonder why? Perhaps death’s odor is an Airy signal within nature’s food chain, alerting some little hungry creature to come along and enjoy a meal! Whether sensing a predator, a food-source, or a mate, smell is often the key way one part of nature communicates with another.

 

Air Spirits

We can find Air Spirits all around us, just like we’d find other elemental Spirits in rippling lakes, the woodsy Earth, or dancing candle flames. Know that Air Spirits are nearby; try to feel them as individuals. Pick one out and just listen to it – whether a howling nightwind or the gentle whirring fan within your PC, household appliance, or the tingle of windchimes.

A family member of mine spends much of his leisure time boating, and has learned to sense sudden danger at sea with his sense of smell. As a storm blows in, he actually recognizes the scent of fresh water (rain) replace the usual scent of salty sea Air. I have witnessed this with my own eyes (and nose) seeing him pull up anchor in time to sail us to safety just minutes before a nasty squall hit! This may work well for sailors, but what about your own surroundings? If Air communicates, what aspects of your own surroundings might you want to learn? In what ways can you open yourself up to simply “breathing in” the messages you need to hear? Not sure how? Just follow your own nose!

The Air in your yard, your home town (and all across the world) is a unique mix of the scents, gases, and breath of all its inhabitants. All the tiny Airs around us – from the aroma of our incense to each breath we let out – all become part of the Air, like the way each drop joins to make up the entire sea. Air is a mix, a mosaic of many different things swirling together. Perhaps the lessons of Air apply to other mosaics – like diverse society, an ecosystem, or any other magical mix you might be a part of in your everyday life.

 

Air Magic

Want to try some Airy magical fun for children, even us big ones? Get a supply of colored balloons. Pick a balloon colored to fit your wish. Take in a big-big breath of the magic that surrounds you, and breeeeeeeathe it into the balloon. Whoosh! When your balloon is full, take a magic marker (yes, we do call them magic, don’t we?) and write your wish upon the balloon. Or maybe draw and create a magical “balloon friend” with a specific job to do for you. Have fun with your new magical tool. Rub it on your hair or wooly sweater; stick it to the wall. Tap it with your finger back and forth, back and forth ad nauseum. Drag it around on a string like an imaginary pet on a leash. Be creative. Then with a sudden burst, break the balloon and release the energy stored up inside. (With balloons, the magic usually happens by being both creative and destructive. Pop!) A school teacher friend, someone wiser than I when it comes to kiddies, once taught me this type of balloon magic. Try it and see what results you might find for yourself. What lessons can you learn from a simple balloon? What else in nature might work the same way?

All out of balloons? Try just the simple act of breathing as a magical device. Inhale. Take in from your surroundings. Gather the energy around you. Take in as much as you can handle – your own body will let you take no more, and no less. As the seconds fly by, your body is absorbing millions of tiny oxygen atoms which the blood in your lungs will send to every cell in your body. Feel it change you; feel its magic become yours for just a moment in time. Then exhale… Release your magical breath out into the Air currents all around you. Send it forth with a sigh, and let the winds carry your wish wherever it needs to go. This can be a quiet meditative moment, or a loud joyous one filled with gasps of laughter and song. Remember Air magic next time you blow out your birthday candles and make a wish!

To understand the sheer power Air has compared to other elements, remember that we can survive weeks without solid food, days without water – but only a few minutes without Air. Paramedics do Air magic whenever they give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. They may breathe mere gases into a dying person’s lungs, but they charge that Air with their healing intent and will. Their intent says “C’mon – breathe. Live!” Air magic is used for the simplest, or the most vital of intents. Remember this. (If you smoke, what intent does that action have?)

Sharing breath doesn’t have to be the life-or-death act that paramedics experience. Try passing a single breath back and forth as a bonding experience with a loved one or magical partner. Work your way up to it, perhaps from a distance at first, then move closer until your lips meet. Exhale into your loved one’s lips as they inhale deeply. Then reverse. Back and forth, breathing can be one of the many intimate rhythms of life shared with those you love.

Whether we do so purposely or not, all things on Earth share breath. Through the windy currents and chemical reactions that happen around us every day, the same molecule of Air that was a sea breeze yesterday, might be a baby’s first breath today, or end up as car exhaust tomorrow.

Gases are less material than Earthy solids, so Air can be symbolic of that which does not exist on a material plane. Ideas, dreams, hopes, desires, fears, thoughts and wishes. These things are not flesh and bone, but they are certainly very real. Perhaps Air reminds us that something exists, even if you can’t see or feel it. In the Zodiac, the fixed sign of Air is Aquarius – and just think of this sign’s detachment from Earthly limitations! In the Tarot, Air is depicted as the Wand – quite a magical tool.

Air. Breathe it in…

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

Everyday Earth

Everyday Earth
by Link

When you think of “Earth” what comes to mind? Perhaps you feel the stable element of solidity and grounding. Or maybe you see Earth as the third planet from the Sun. Or for you, is Earth the rich brown soil in your own backyard? Earth is all these things and more. (One of the great things about “poly” theism is the ability to look at many aspects of an idea.) We often see Earth in vague macro terms, but we should not ignore the simple parts of everyday Earth that we see and touch each day. You may find that all these different sides of Earth – the element, the planet and the everyday things around us — all fit together like a beautiful mosaic.

 

Earth as an Element

Earth is a term we use to describe one of four very basic forces in nature. We call these basic forces “elements” since they are the building blocks that make up just about everything around us. (Think about it — you learned the basics in “Elementary School.”) While Earth is a very personal thing for each of us, it is usually thought of as being very stable. Tangible. Steady. Someone who might wish to maintain status quo or slow down change in their life might think of the element of Earth. Earth might also be used to strengthen something, making it solid as a rock. Think of the three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas. While watery liquids may slip through your fingers; airy gas might float beyond reach, but something solid is easy to grasp. Earth can be the malkuth of tangible actions, where the rubber meets the road in deed not just words or thought. For example, if you wanted to use the element of Earth to build a museum, you might take physical, tangible action — actually lay the brick – rather than merely signing a petition or dreaming about a plan. See the difference? Fire sparks the idea; air thinks about how to do it; water greases the wheels – but Earth actually makes it take real form.

Elements are rarely pure. For example, our own bodies are solid, but also mixed with fluids, combined with both the breath and spark of life in order to survive. We are a mix. What role does Earth play in your own body? How is this like other parts of nature? Can understanding your body teach you about other parts of life, like how the trees grow together or how rivers flow?

Elements are not stand-alone concepts; they combine and react with one another. In the early 1500s Agrippa wrote that elements can be transformed into one another, like the way salt dissolves in water or a wooden log burns away. Can we apply this principle to magically transform our own situation? Are there obstacles in your own life you’d like to dissolve? Are there problems you’d like to just burn away? Is there something flowing past you so quickly you wish you could freeze it still – just for a moment? Perhaps elemental magic works no differently than the things we see around us every day. See this transformation as you strive to change a few extra pounds into a few extra push-ups. Feel it as the warmth within your own heart melts away even the coldest barriers between you and someone you love.

People react and combine just like Earth, Air, Fire and Water. You may even find that we pass through elemental phases as we grow up along life’s path. This may help you better understand why some people are blown from place to place with the wind until they mature, become more rooted and stable in their ways. Can you see the elements in your everyday interactions with people? Can this help you understand what makes people tick?

Some magical systems look at the elements in a hierarchy, where we are their master and they are our magical servants. I disagree. To me, elements are aspects of Deity. My own personal view of the Divine is the sum total of everything – all the piece-parts – past, present and future. To me, this makes Earth, Air, Fire and Water aspects of the Goddess and God. Next time you are in ritual, notice whether people greet the elements with reverence, or command them in booming voices, like calling a pet from the yard. How do you see the elements? How does Earth differ from the others?

We use symbols for Earth in a variety of magical tools. In the Tarot, the suit of Pentacles or Coins represents Earth. While both Pentacles and Coins are round circular objects that might symbolize the Earth merely in shape, lets look further. A Pentacle is an interesting choice, since the five-pointed star is often described as symbolic of all four elements, plus a fifth – Spirit. This is a wonderful description of the diverse Earth, since our world’s land, sea, air and flame contain all of these forces!

The Tarot’s use of Coins as a symbol of Earth may date back to agricultural times, where wealth and abundance came via the harvest as financial support for the village. A simpler idea is the Rune symbol Fehu, which also is a symbol of abundance, and comes from the same root as the word “fee.” Some might say Fehu’s F-shape represents the horns on a head of cattle. Cattle as a symbol of Earth? Just look to the Zodiac, where the fixed Earth sign is Taurus the Bull! If you were creating your own symbol for Earth today, what would it be?

In ritual, we often associate directions with elements. For many, Earth is North. Why? My guess is that elemental directions probably fit the geography and beliefs of the people who made the system up. These people looked around and developed a system that felt right. (And ever since, other people have merely followed this tradition, repeating what they were taught.) To me, in my own geography and beliefs, I live on the east coast of North America. When I look to the West, I see 3,000 miles of continental land. Guess which direction I associate with Earth? The point is, you don’t have to use any direction just because you are taught that way. There may be times when Earth feels like facing the place you consider home, or facing the Rocky Mountains, or maybe facing that big ol’ Oak tree you’ve always loved. What works best for you? To paraphrase the Japanese philosopher-poet Basho, (1644-1694) “Seek not to follow in your elders’ footsteps. Instead, seek what they sought.” You may one day feel that it really doesn’t matter which direction is which.

Likewise, in ritual we often assign colors to the elements: Green for Earth, green like things that grow! Perhaps you see Earth as a different color? Brown like the soil, or yellow like the daffodils, or sea-blue like the way Earth would look from space? Our planet is a very colorful place; feel free to use whatever hue best suits your magical palette! (Remember this the next time your favorite nine-year old artist colors a purple horse.)

 

Earth as a Planet

We sprang from this planet and are nourished by it, so we use a maternal analogy and call Her “Mother Earth.” Every bit of food we eat, every drop of water we drink, every breath we take – and all we leave behind – are parts of Earth’s ecosystem. As a planet, the Earth is also a grand elemental mix. Our world contains not just “solid” Earth, but the blue oceans, rivers and streams. Besides solid and liquid, Earth also holds fiery volcanoes, fierce and virile, building great pressure over time until they cannot be contained. They erupt suddenly, shooting their molten streams of lava and fire…and then settle down to rest. A wise friend once reminded me that as a planet, Earth constantly moves and flows. Its fault-lines naturally quake; its winds naturally whirl and storm with great motion. Like any living breathing being, the Earth by no means is stationary.

When thinking about the Earth, don’t limit yourself to seeing just the sphere. Remember to include its gaseous aura, the Earth’s atmosphere, which surrounds our planet. Just like you have an aura glowing around you, the Earth wears a gaseous cloak around itself. What can we learn from this? Perhaps it is the nature of things to have a primary object in the middle surrounded by a sort of ethereal glow. Remember this the next time an aroma from your fresh-baked apple pie fills your entire home. Things often stretch out beyond their shell.

“Atmosphere” is not limited to airy things. It can be anything that glows, like the warmth of a campfire felt by the people that orbit around its flame. Even the visible light that things reflect is a type of glow. Because of the visible light reflected, I can see the mountain-tops for miles! (Now that’s atmosphere!) The physical object sits where it sits, but its glow shines out much farther. What “glow” do you project? What glow can you sense from others and from your surroundings?

In addition to its gaseous atmosphere, the Earth wears an electrical cloak as well, called the “magnetosphere.” This electromagnetic field is generated by the Earth’s two-fold core. The outer core is liquid, made of molten iron and nickel. But due to immense pressure, the inner core is solid. As the liquid swirls around the solid core, it generates a magnetic charge creating Earth’s electrical aura. This too is quite dynamic. Even the magnetic North Pole is not a single fixed point, according to the Canadian Government’s Commission Geologique, but rather the pole moves up to 15 kilometers each year!

An aura, an outer crust, a mid-layer mantle, inner liquids, and a solid core… Perhaps Earth shows us that the nature of things often comes in layers. Does this sound like anything else? An egg? An orange? Perhaps a city with a busy downtown, surrounded by the suburbs and rural countryside? Do the Earth’s layers resemble your own body — complete with your magnetic aura, your aromatic aires, an outer skin (upon which your furry forest might grow), a warm fleshy middle, with a solid core right down to the bone? What else comes in layers? Getting to know someone? Understanding complex concepts? Looking at one thing in nature can remind us that other things often work the same way.

Our own bodies have chakras or special energy centers. Does the Earth? Perhaps our world has special sites that buzz like chakras. Can that explain why we feel some places are high-energy? The poles? The Rain Forest? Sedona? Mount Everest? The shore? I have often wondered if there is a connection between the fact that the same small patch of desert in the mid-east that gave birth to many of the major religions (i.e. Christianity, Islam, Judaism) is the same place where we get the majority of our energy from fuel oil.

What chakras can you see in your own personal surroundings? Is there a focal point within your community? Does your own home have certain unique energy points? In the kitchen, bedroom, or nursery — perhaps the “altars” we use most often are not the ones with statues and chalices upon them. Magic happens most often in very everyday places!

What else can we learn by looking at planet Earth? Our home is the third planet in a system of nine worlds. (And you wonder why things often come in threes?) All these worlds orbit the Sun; most have their own moons also in orbit. Perhaps it is the nature of small things to orbit around greater things. If so, this can help us understand a great many parts of life where small things circle around larger ones — from education, to economics, to group dynamics, and even religion. What great things do you orbit around? And what revolves around you?

If planet Earth has a Spirit, do the other planets have Spirit too? If so, how do they interact with the Earth, and with us? What chemistry exists within this pantheon of planets circling the same Sun? Perhaps the chemistry between planets is one way to view the influence of astrology.

In the children’s book “Planet Earth” (Martyn Bramwell, Franklin Watts Publishing, 1987, New York) the chapter on our solar system is entitled “The Sun and its Family.” Children’s books often make valid points in the simplest terms and may be the most magical books you will ever read! You are part of your family, and your family is part of society as a whole. Likewise our solar system is one of many in this galaxy, one of many galaxies in a very vast universe. And we — you and me — are part of it all! Each of us is connected to this grand whole, like the way your little finger is connected to your arm and your arm is connected to your whole body. It’s a part of you. And likewise, you are a part of the vast “Family of All Things.” Seeing this might offer comfort in times where you feel isolated, alone and cut-off.

Don’t be scared by the vastness of “all things.” You don’t have to think about it all at once. Start by noticing that familiar feeling you have when you sleep in our own comfortable bed. Know what I mean? It just feels like home, a part of you. Try looking at how you feel connected to sentimental objects, old jewelry, keep-sakes, photos or whatever items you consider most sacred and magical. If you are connected to these items, can you feel some way you are connected to other things too? All parts of this Earth are linked to you — every branch, every leaf, every ant upon the hill.

All things are alive. Talk to your house, your yard, your car, your dinner — and listen just in case they talk back! Try it with not just your own sentimental items, but with strangers you encounter along your path, new places, new things. If you can find a connection to all things in some way, nothing is beyond your reach! You already have a link to every goal, every dream, every person, place and thing you could ever imagine. Use it.

We often say that modern-day culture has forgotten its connection to the Earth. If that is true, then such a culture will certainly feel disconnected from the cosmos! But over time, things are changing. Our culture is shifting to seek harmony with nature. More and more each year, people are drawn to things that help reconnect them to the Earth, such as today’s Paganism and other forms of Earth Spirituality. Other reconnections might be as subtle as popular trends towards natural food. Think about it. What makes you feel more connected to the Earth – a fresh crispy carrot from your garden, or a polysorbate-hydrogenated-yellow # 3 cheese-flavored doodle from a plastic bag?

Since we all spring from the Earth, perhaps it is no accident that the Old ways are making a come-back now – when the Earth’s ecosystem is under attack. Living things often change to seek balance, to adapt. We sweat to cool ourselves down; we shiver to warm ourselves up. Does the Earth do the same? If so, can these changes explain why society changes over time? If we are of this Earth, perhaps we go through seasons of change no different than the leaves on the tree. If you believe in an Earth Religion, how has this spiritual path influenced the way you treat the world? Its living creatures? Its natural surroundings? Do you see recycling as a religious act? Conserving? Voting? If so, why? How are your own everyday actions – your job, your homelife, your love for others – part of the Earth?

Perhaps social trends are part of Earth’s own metabolism, rising and falling within the Earth’s own cycles. If so, our wish to care for the environment might be like Earth’s antibodies fighting the disease of pollution. Perhaps culture reflects the Earth’s cycle between creative periods, followed by destructive ones, creatively renewed again over time. Why not? This isn’t far off from other cycles. If you see society linked to Earth’s own cycles, does this give you a new perspective on history — including both our shining accomplishments as well as our darkest misfortunes? Can it help us understand cultural beliefs that might differ from our own? All people — whether naughty or nice — are Children of the Earth. If social trends are part of Earth’s cycles, we might even use history to predict where we as a people are headed! Look back over the last thousand years. What parts of history speak to you? Where do you think we will be in five years? Twenty? A hundred? What signs make you feel this way?

 

Earth in Your Everyday Life

Revering the Earth, in all its forms, is not limited to your religious practice. All parts of your life can be sacred and magical! The Earth is your breakfast, your back yard, your neighbors. Is there anything you might touch that is not part of the Earth?

We are most familiar with the parts of the Earth closest to us. See the Earth in your own “village” and even in the patch of ground upon which your home is built. When you eat from your garden, you take in a bit of the specific land upon which you reside. If you don’t have a garden, you can still enjoy locally grown produce. Where I live, we pride ourselves on local corn and tomatoes! What does your region have to offer? Is your bay filled with fresh crabs? Do you live near where steers are raised, or maybe where the salmon swim? Experiment with the geography in foods. Get to know your local delicacies, but also reach out across the globe. We live in an age where we can sip Italian Chianti squeezed from grapes grown on the same land where Leonardo Da Vinci dreamt of great flying machines or where Michelangelo chiseled great works of art. We can enjoy Earth’s olives picked not far from the ancient Greek temples of Aphrodite. We can pour rich dark ale brewed on the same isle as Stonehenge. Near or far, Earth is a wonderful place!

Gnomes, faeries, elves et al. We have age-old tales of Earthly spirits inhabiting the woodlands. While I do not believe in little green men, nor winged Tinkerbells – I do feel the Dear Ones that bring a wooded place to life. During a recent walk in the woods, someone dear to me shared her own definition of Earth Spirits. She explained to me that the forest is made up of unique individual beings – each tree, each flower – is as unique a life as I am. I often forget that individual Spirits reside in the very place we spread our picnic blanket. I often forget that the wooden beams in my living room, or even my kitchen table, once came from something alive, a specific tree, one that may have even had a name given to it by local tree-climbing kiddies at play.

And like we have our own by-gone ancestors, each tree and flower sprang from its own individual set of genetic parents, and grandparents, and so on… We live and walk upon the brown Earthy humus of past life forms. Perhaps it is no accident that the word humus, the rich outer layer of soil where plants grow and later decompose, comes from the same Indo-European root as the words human and humility. This reminds us that we too are of the humus.

Earth can be found in the language we use everyday. Next time you hear the phrase “down to Earth” think about the words and what they mean. Other languages are just as Earthy as our own. For example, in Holland the Dutch use the term Aard Appel to describe a potato. This term literally means “Earth Apple.”

The Old English/Germanic word Earth is unique since it is the only planet not named after a Greek or Roman Deity. Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, authors of “The Universe Story” (Harper, 1992, San Francisco) marvel at the idea of naming planets after Deities since the creation and actions of planets are still quite a mystery to science! But our planet has many names. The Norwegians call it Jorda; the Finns call it Maa. (Ma? How maternal can you get!) In Russian, Earth is Zemlja; in Latin it is Terra. Since Latin is familiar to us, we can see that words like territory, terrace and terrain all have Earthy roots. But so does the word terrier, which describes a dog prone to digging holes! Even the word mundane is rooted in the Latin word mundus, the world. (See, mundane things really are magical after all!)

The Hopi Indians wrote a song called “The Earth is Our Mother, We Must Take Care of Her.” An interesting concept! In what specific way did the “Earth” give birth to you? In my case, Mother Earth is a kind-hearted woman with lovely green eyes, who met my Father in a small-town roller skating rink. This particular aspect of Mother Earth bore two girls and two boys; I am the youngest. If you revere the Earth as your Mother, can you revere your own Mother as the Earth? As the Hopi say, we must take care of her.

How else can Earth be seen in everyday terms? We often ritualize a form of libation, where we might reverently spill a sip from the chalice onto the ground, or maybe return a morsel of food back to the Earth. What if we did that not just in Circle, but on other occasions? Next Thanksgiving, pass a small plate around the table and ask each person to contribute a taste from their own dish. Take your collection and place it outside in the yard. Any meal can become a ritual, whether a simple crumble from your lunch-bag sandwich, or a romantic gesture during a candle-lit dinner for two.

 

Conclusion

Earth, like most broad Spiritual concepts, can have many meanings. So do Air, Fire, Water – or just about anything else you might see as magical and sacred. Try to step back a bit from traditional teachings and cultural norms. (You may find that a mosaic becomes a bit clearer when viewed from a distance.) Look at things from a variety of angles. Look for how these magical forces manifest in very simple ways within your own surroundings. Often we draw the boundary between magical and mundane; nature does not.

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

The Element of Fire – Symbols and Associations

The Element of Fire

Symbols and Associations
 
 
Fire has the qualities of heat and dryness and associations with blood, deliberate movement and passion. In astrology, Fire rules the Zodiac signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. People born under the Fire signs are charming, active, fund, mischievous and easily excitable, and they change emotional states rapidly. They love change, bright colors, and stimulating environments. Fire signs are the leaders and the cheerleaders of the Zodiac. They provide us with much needed inspiration, motivation, and creative energy. Their attention spans are short, but they generally accomplish twice as much as everyone else in half the time. They sometimes shortcut directions because they’re impatient, which can cause problems for their fellow co-workers. They tend to make snap decisions based on gut-level intuitions.
 
Fire people are extremely passionate, jealous and forceful. They live life to the fullest and have powerful emotions. Everything about them is intense, and if nothing is happening, they will create something, even if it means trouble. They will do almost anything to avoid boredom. Their minds are always active. They are generally quick to anger and quick too forget about it. They also tend to get readily involved but lack the staying power of the other Elements. They are full of zest, are usually brilliant, and live for the moment.
 
Fire leaps upward and can help carry spells into the clouds and beyond. After all, the Sun and the stars are fire in the sky. The Sun is a God symbol in many pagan religions. Fire ideas can often be very distant and innovative from the ideas of this Earth. Although fire consumes, it also creates new life. Forest fires remove the old and nourish the new. Some plants even wait for the fire to release their seeds. Of all the Elements, Fire captures our attention the most. Fire lives on and above the Earth, so it connects us closely to the God force. Fire is consuming and captivating it creates the new and removes the old.

Burning Bright – The Element of Fire

Burning Bright

The Element of Fire
 
 
In the Wiccan tradition, Fire is the Element of the South and is usually represented on an altar by a candle or a wand. Fire can light a Fourth of July sparkler in celebration or burn a city to the ground. A highly volatile and powerful Element, Fire is treated with the utmost respect by Natural Practitioners. Ritual bonfires are a staple in almost all nature-based religions. Candles can light our way, send a wish to the Goddess, and focus our attention during a spell. In Nature, Fire can be related to volcanoes, comets and, well, forest fires.

The Element of Fire

The Element of Fire

Symbols and Associations
 
 
Fire has the qualities of heat and dryness and associations with blood, deliberate movement and passion. In astrology, Fire rules the Zodiac signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. People born under the Fire signs are charming, active, fund, mischievous and easily excitable, and they change emotional states rapidly. They love change, bright colors, and stimulating environments. Fire signs are the leaders and the cheerleaders of the Zodiac. They provide us with much needed inspiration, motivation, and creative energy. Their attention spans are short, but they generally accomplish twice as much as everyone else in half the time. They sometimes shortcut directions because they’re impatient, which can cause problems for their fellow co-workers. They tend to make snap decisions based on gut-level intuitions.
 
Fire people are extremely passionate, jealous and forceful. They live life to the fullest and have powerful emotions. Everything about them is intense, and if nothing is happening, they will create something, even if it means trouble. They will do almost anything to avoid boredom. Their minds are always active. They are generally quick to anger and quick too forget about it. They also tend to get readily involved but lack the staying power of the other Elements. They are full of zest, are usually brilliant, and live for the moment.
 
Fire leaps upward and can help carry spells into the clouds and beyond. After all, the Sun and the stars are fire in the sky. The Sun is a God symbol in many pagan religions. Fire ideas can often be very distant and innovative from the ideas of this Earth. Although fire consumes, it also creates new life. Forest fires remove the old and nourish the new. Some plants even wait for the fire to release their seeds. Of all the Elements, Fire captures our attention the most. Fire lives on and above the Earth, so it connects us closely to the God force. Fire is consuming and captivating it creates the new and removes the old.