Elemental Associations
Copyright © 2001 Michael Lewis
The earliest of Greek natural philosophers, Thales, in
considering which was the most basic element in the cosmos, from which the
cosmos was made, supposed that the cosmos was made of Water. Later,
Heraclitus decided that the most basic element in the cosmos was Fire, and
Anaxagoras named Air as the essential constituent of the cosmos. In the
6th Century BC, Empedocles first suggested that the cosmos was made of four
constituent elements, which he named as Fire, Air, Water and Earth, in order
from the most rare to the most dense.
This was the beginning of the Christian understanding of Heaven
and Earth, as St. Augustine took from Plato's understanding that Heaven was made
of Fire, and that Air and Water separated Heaven from Earth. It was much
later that the concept of Hell was first forwarded, and by this time the concept
of the four constituent elements of the cosmos had been forgotten. Fire is still
seen as Holy in many religions, and especially so in Christianity, despite the
association between Fire and Hell.
The associations we make are in our own minds as individuals,
and although as social animals we tend to find agreement in our thinking, we
must remember that elemental associations are subject to personal interpretation
and should not be considered absolute. Consider what the relationships are
between the ideas in your own mind, and use these associations in your magick,
not the associations you learn from other people. If you want to represent
a concept in your magick, you must use something that represents that concept to
you, not to someone else.
Adapted from
href="http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2763/witchy/c4.html">http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2763/witchy/c4.html:
| Element | EARTH | WATER | AIR | FIRE |
| Qualities | Cold & dry, very heavy, passive. Solid. Receptive (yin). | Cold & moist, heavy, passive. Mobile. Receptive (yin). | Hot & moist, light, active. Transparent. Projective (yang). | Hot & dry, very light, active. Luminous. Projective (yang). |
| Basic nature | Fertile, moist, nurturing, stabilising, grounding | Flowing, cleansing, healing, soothing, loving | Floating, moving, fresh, intelligent, suspending | Purifying, destroying, energetic, sexual, forceful |
| Rules | The body, growth, nature, sustenance, material gain, money, fertility, birth, death, gravity, silence, rocks, standing stones, crystals, jewels, metals, wealth, abundance, wisdom. | Emotions, love, courage, nurture, sensitivity, psychic ability, healing, sorrow, life-giving and life-destroying, the ocean, the tides, the unconscious mind, the womb. | The mind, all mental, intuitive and psychic work, knowledge, abstract learning, theory, rebirth, beginnings, imagination, belief, wind, breath, poetry, sound. | Energy, spirit, heat, flame, blood, sap, life, will, healing and destroying, purification, bonfires, hearth fires, candle flames, the sun, eruptions, explosions, sexual energy, passion, quick active energy, anger, power, inspiration, desire. |
| Time of day | Dusk | Midnight | Dawn | Midday |
| Season | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| Stage of the life cycle | Old age | Between death and birth (conception) | Youth | Sexual maturity |
| Moon phase | Waning | Old | Waxing | Full |
| Colours | Green, brown, orange, black, white, the four colours of malkuth | Blue, brownish grey, green, turquoise, sea green, pinkish blue, grey, indigo, black | Yellow, white, crimson, blue-white, blue, silver, grey, pastels | Red, gold, crimson, orange, white, scarlet, fuscia, maroon |
| Elemental creatures | Gnomes, ruled by King Ghob | Undines, ruled by Queen Necksa | Sylphs, ruled by King Paralda | Salamanders, ruled by King Djin |
| . . . known by Paracelsus as | Pygmies | Nymphs | Aerei | Sylphs |
| Elementals attracted by | Salts and powders | Water, washes, solutions | Oils and incenses | Candles, lamps, incense, fire |
| The principle of | Law (and of course lore) | Love | Life | Light |
| Goddesses | Ceres, Demeter, Gaea, Mah, Persephone, Nephthys, Bhawana (Prithivi), Rhea, Rheannon. | Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat | Aditi, Aradia, Arianhrod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania. | Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta. |
| Gods | Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz. | Dylan, Ea, Llyr, Manannan, Oceanus, Osiris, Neptune, Posiedon | Enlil, Kephera, Mercury, Shu, Thoth, Vayu, Zeus. | Atar, Agni, Frey, Gibil, Hephaestus, Horus, Logi, Vulcan. |
| Zodiacal signs | Taurus , Virgo , Capricorn | Cancer , Scorpio , Pisces | Gemini , Libra, Aquarius | Aries , Leo , Sagitarius |
| Planets | Earth , Saturn , fixed stars | Moon , Venus | Mercury , Jupiter | Mars , Sun |
| The sense of | Touch | Taste | Smell | Sight |
| Of energy flows | Energy contained | Conduction of energy | Convection of energy | Radiance of energy |
| State of matter | Solid | Liquid | Gas | Energy |
| Principle of change | Slowing, solidifying | Metamorphosis | Movement | Quickening, disintegration |
| Magical phrase | Tacere, to keep silent | Audere, to dare | Noscere, to know | Velle, to will |
| Magic tools | Pentacle, cords, scourge, shield, horn | Cup, cauldron, mirror | Wand, censor, rod or staff | Athame, sword, candle |
| Other tools and weapons | Shield, horn, trowel, pick, awl, mace, war hammer | Bowl, trident, net | Fan, flag, streamer, spear, bow | Match, axe |
| Stones and Gems | Rock salt, coal, emerald, peridot, other green stones, onyx, bloodstone, tourmalanted quartz. Heavy, opaque. | Aquamarine, beryl, amethyst, azurite, blue lace agate, pearl, coral, lapis lazuli, moonstone, sodalite. Clear, hard. | Topaz, chalcedony, yellow fluorite, crystals, alexandrite, sapphire, yellow or blue stones, rainbow stones. Polished, transparent. | Fire opal, volcanic rock, ruby, carnelian, rhodochrosite, agates. Shining, glittering. |
| Metals | Lead, iron | Silver, copper | Mercury, tin | Gold, brass |
| Places | Mountains, caves, fields, chasms, groves, forests, gardens, kitchens | Oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, waterfalls, beaches, springs and wells, bedroom (for sleep) | Windswept hills, plains, windy beaches, high mountain peaks, high towers, tree tops, bluffs, sky, airplanes, schools, libraries, offices | Deserts, volcanoes, ovens, fireplaces, bedroom (for sex), hot springs |
| Animals | Cattle, bison, ox, snakes (earth-dwelling), stag, mouse, dog, ant, bear, wolf | Dragon, dolphin, fish, sea serpents, sea mammals, water-dwelling snakes, sea birds, frog, turtle, otter, seal, swan, crab | Birds, eagle, gryphon, owl, hawk, dove | Lion, Fire-breathing dragons, snakes, lizards, bee, centaur, fox, ram |
| Of the ancient Celtic parts of man | The body | The soul | The ego | The spirit |
| Types of magic | Fertility magic, tree magic, herb lore, rune magic, cord magic, feng shuei, image magic. | Love, mirror magic, purification, healing, divination, dream magic, spiritualism, creating and working with charged water. | Finding lost or stolen objects, magic of the four winds, visualisations, divination, invocation, numerology, shamanic journeys. | Tantra, healing, candle magic, fire scrying, colour magic. |
| Ritual forms | Burying, planting, making images in the dirt or sand, walking over miles of countryside while visualising the need, carving runes. | Bathing, tea ceremonies, washing, dilution | Tossing objects into the air, suspending tools in high places, breathing, meditation, singing, chanting, writing, numerology. | Burning images or herbs. |
| Tarot suit | Pentacles | Cups | Wands | Swords |
| Tarot trump | World | Hanged man | Fool | Judgement |
| Court cards | Pages | Queens | Knights | Kings |
| Planes of existence | The physical plane | The astral plane | The mental plane | The spiritual plane |
| Mode of perceiving (Jungian) | Sensation | Intuition | Thinking | Feeling |
| Mode of thinking | Belief | Emotion, free thought | Intellect, higher logic | Will |
| Mode of influencing | Power | Beauty | Intellect | Charisma |
| Stage in the ladder of existence | To understand | To know | To live | To be |
| Active temperaments | Respectability, endurance, consideration, stability, resolution, firmness, sobriety, objectivity, scrupulousness, resistance, thoroughness, punctuality, confidence, responsibility, circumspection. | Devotion, respectability, modesty, compassion, docility, seriousness, fervour, cordiality, calmness, comprehension, confiding, meditation, forgiveness, tenderness. | Diligence, clearness, optimism, cheerfulness, independence, adroitness, lack of grief, kindness, joy, familiarity, communicativeness, capacity for penetrating. | Activity, eagerness, enthusiasm, resolution, courage, productivity, energy, faithfulness. |
| Passive temperaments | Insipidity, unscrupulousness, dullness, misanthropy, tardiness, unreliability, laconism | Apathy, indifference, shyness, depression, laziness | Contempt, gossiping, slyness, lack of endurance, dishonesty, garrulity, fickleness, selfishness, defensiveness, inattentiveness. | Gluttony, jealousy, passion, irritability, intemperance, destructiveness, stubbornness, greed, vengefulness, anger, resentment, aggression, posessiveness, egotism. |
| Tetra- grammaton (YHVH) | He (final) | He | Vau | Yod |
| Hebrew name | Aretz | Miam | Ruach | Esh |
| Archangel | Uriel/Auriel Aretziel (Uriel of earth) Uriel = "Fire of God"; Auriel = "Light of God" | Gabriel Maimel (Gabriel of water) Gabriel = "Strength of God" | Raphael Ruachel (Raphael of air) Raphael = "Healing of God" | Michael Ashel (Michael of fire) Michael = the war-cry "Who is God?" |
| Kabbalistic worlds | Assiah (material world) | Briah (creative world) | Yetzirah (formative world) | Atziluth (archetypal / originative world) |
| Governer | Kerub | Tharsis | Ariel | Seraph |
| Sephira | Malkuth | Binah | Tiphareth | Chockmah |
| Kabbalistic path | 32 bis (from kether to malkuth) | 23 | 11 | 31 |
| Enochian word | Nanta | Hcoma | Exarp | Bitom |
| Enochian divine name | Mor Dial Hctga | Mph Arsl Gaiol | Oro Ibah Aozpi | Oip Teaa Pdoce |
| Enochian supreme elemental king | Thahaaotahe | Thahebyobiaatan | Tahoeloj | Ohooohatan |
| Hebrew God name | Adonai ha Eretz (Lord of the Earth) | Elohim Tzabaoth (God (who is male and female, one and many) of Hosts) | Shaddai El Chai (Living Mother God) | Yahweh Tzabaoth (God manifest in Hosts) |
| Element | SPIRIT | EARTH | WATER | AIR | FIRE |
| The life cycle | The greater body of all life, beyond individual births and deaths | Old age | Between death and birth, conception | Youth | Sexual maturity |
| Goddesses | Isis, Shekinah, the secret name of the Goddess | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| Gods | Akasha, EAO, YHVH | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| The sense of | Hearing | Touch | Taste | Smell | Sight |
| Of energy flows | Source of all energy | Energy contained | Conduction of energy | Convection of energy | Radiance of energy |
| Principle of change | Changeless | Slowing, solidifying | Metamorphosis | Movement | Quickening, disintegration |
| Magic tools | Lamp, bell | Pentacle, cords, scourge | Cup, cauldron, mirror | Wand, censor, rod or staff | Athame, sword, candle |
| Metals | Meteoritic metal | Lead, iron | Silver, copper | Mercury, tin | Gold, brass |
| Hindu Tattvas | Akasha (space) | Prithivi | Apas | Vayu | Tejas |
| Tarot suit | The major Arcana | Pentacles | Cups | Wands | Swords |
| Penta- grammaton (YHShVH) | Shin | He (final) | He | Vau | Yod |
| Archangel | Metatron | Uriel | Gabriel | Raphael | Michael |
| Sephira | Kether | Malkuth | Binah | Tiphareth | Chockmah |
| Hebrew God name | Eheieh (existence) or AGLA (Ateh Gibor Le-olam Adonai, Thou art mighty for ever, O Lord) | Adonai ha Eretz | Elohim Tzabaoth | Shaddai El Chai | Yahweh Tzabaoth |
Suggested Pdf Resources
- COMPARATIVE ELEMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS IN LIGNITES
- COMPARATIVE ELEMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS I N LIGNITES. HAVING SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-MINE VARABILITY OF SODIUM CONTENT. J.
- www.anl.gov
- Modelling of elemental associations in Anabaena
- Modelling of elemental associations in Anabaena. V. Krivtsov1,∗.
- www.springerlink.com
- Review of platinum-group mineralogy: Compositions and elemental
- compositions and elemental associations of the.
- www.springerlink.com
- X. Morris Water Maze A Test of Behavior
- Tasks that use elemental associations are ones in which a response made by the bar in the presence of a blinking light, he has made elemental associations.
- psych.colorado.edu
Suggested News Resources
- Clip joint: Unexpected dancing
- As probably our earliest form of storytelling, dance is an elemental expression of our humanity. It can embody every emotion, from love to sorrow to the yearning for legwarmers.
- Open Call 21.14 Proposal / SUMoffice & Van Noten
- as well as a new accommodation for the youth association KLJ. A considerable part of the new program will be housed in a new building that is to be constructed in the presbytery garden.
- The high price of freedom
- Through its 1 hour, 40 minutes, the viewer gets a look at the full gamut of sport, from the elemental through the brutal to the sublime. Standing tall: This DVD cover of Facing Ali shows Muhammad Ali towering over Sonny Liston after their 1965 fight.
- Utopia Is Not Out Of Reach: A Guide To Sun Ra Arkestra
- He became so dissociated from his own psyche that his sense of spatial awareness became ruptured, his newly malleable form propelled towards the heavens by some elemental leg up. When he came to, he found himself perched on a large stage.
- Cheap/Thrills
- So elemental is this aspect of yard saling that Smith and Hayes named their blog after a big argument with a friend over who would end up with a copy of the book “Disco Bloodbath.
Suggested Web Resources
- Elemental Correspondences: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Spirit
- ASSOCIATIONS: Thought, communication, travel, intellect, abstract thinking, teaching, divination, ELEMENTAL BEING: Sylphs.
- naturalmagickshop.com
- ELEMENTAL, COLOUR AND MOON PHASE CORRESPONDENCES
- www.angelfire.com
- Elemental Associations | RM.com ®
- The earliest of Greek natural philosophers, Thales, in considering which was the most basic element in the cosmos, from which the...
- www.realmagick.com
- Elemental Correspondences and Associations List
- May 1, 2011 Contains an ecclectic mixture of associations; correspondences and symbols in reference to the five elements.
- www.agnosticwitch.com
- Rev. Don's Vlog - Elemental Associations - YouTube
- Jan 25, 2011 Don discusses Elemental Associations for the Quarters, in answer to a question from Fanozaza. See all of Rev.
- www.youtube.com