I know of five elements that I read about earth,fire,water,air,spirit.I believe that their are many other elements if you think about it but what is the 6th that you know. Please let me know. godylla
Re: Elemental Control By: AwakeTooLong / Knowledgeable
Post # 56 Jul 17, 2012
Nobody has one element. It does not work like this. The various astrological and celestial influences surrounding your birthday may indeed leave you feeling more connected to a specific element, or two, but that does not mean it is "your element."
The whole concept that one has an element is nonsense, and yet people feel the need to consistently reiterate it, and I have yet to come to and understanding as to why. That is, other than the possibility that having an element somehow makes them feel special.
The elements compose all things. You will find next to nothing in nature that exists solely of one of the four elements. Why, therefore, should you be attuned to one specific element? Begin with those that you are comfortable with, and then use that understanding to better understand the others.
Fire, for example, is warmth. It is the spark of life, and purity. And yet for all of its purity, it burns hot. It can be passion raging out of control, just as it can be the warmth that can sustain us. It is the source of light, while its absence is the source of darkness.
Water however is more cold. It can soothe, and it can freeze. It is the glue that holds together life, even as it nurtures and sustains. It, and the tides, give rise to dreams and inspiration, even as it can fog the mind.
Earth provides solidarity. It can provide balance and grounding, and gives all things form and matter. Through earth we can find personal growth, blossoming and changing with each season or we can become stagnant in our ways, and as immovable as rock.
And air, finally, is whim and thought and fantasy. It can inspire, blowing us whatever way the wind takes us, but so too can it leave our minds clouded and flighty. Harsh winds can chase the warmth from our bones even as breezes can stir us to vigor.
Spirit, modernly considered an element, is not truly an element. Why? Because it is not of matter and form. It is the embodiment of the higher planes, and the lower. It is "energy" as we now call it, and explore it, with such concepts as meditation, the chakras, and so forth. It is considered of old to be of the divine, and through it we find the influences of all things not of earthly origin.
Now why would you want to settle for just one of these? Explore them all. Learn from each. Grow, become enlightened. Stop being children.
meditation and patience. Try to see what element you can better control. This is what my teacher did for me when i was learning. It had nothing to do with my birthday or year i was born.
Re: Elemental Control By: RedChiron / Knowledgeable
Post # 58 Jul 18, 2012
What I don't understand is why everyone is so obsessed with finding out what element they are best with.
Concentrating on one element is unhealthy and unbalancing
If, for example, you were meant to be only of Fire energy and no other, you'd have been born as a Salamander spirit, not a human. Humans are of all elements and to favor or scorn one above the others is to make yourself unbalanced. Many forms of high magick are based upon the foundation of elemental balance.
This does not mean that you will not have a favorite element or element you find most comfortable, nor does it mean that you will be equally skilled with all elements.
Different Elements do Different Things
Video games and roleplaying games have given us this weird misconception where we believe all elements are used for the same thing. After all, in games all elements seem to be used to blow up enemies, just in slightly different elemental ways.
Welcome to reality.
Earth is element of stability, foundation, growth. It contains in it the other three basic elements, and it relates to the body, sustenance, plants, money, careers, the home, and physical crafts.
Air is element of the mind. It relates to all things intellectual and therefore deals with communication, with thought, with learning and teaching. Air is also extremely social and deals with people.
Water is element of emotion and memory (for memory is much more vague and changeable than the realms of the mind ruled by Air). Water is also very transcendent and is about synthesis and the combining of all things. Water also deals with people, but more as a homogenous group whole rather than as a series of individuals as Air does. Water is also rather spiritual.
Fire is element of force and energy and Will. It is inspiration, drive, and that which animates us. Whereas the other elements were things around you or happening to you or thought or felt by you, Fire is why you exist. Fire, like Water, is also very spiritual. Water is predictably the receptive compliment to active Fire.
As you can see, different elements actually have different uses, and it quickly becomes clear that no element can work as a very good replacement for any other element.
Also as a fun note, that order I gave the elements in is a very common order of elements associated with degree systems like the Golden Dawn. Each element in this order builds upon the previous and it presents the elements in a way which may be conceived of as being the safest.
Parts of this thread reminded me of a video game called Magicka
That game sets bad ideas in the mind of those who play it as its beyond impossible because it teaches you can mix elements to create new forces using them
