Elements and Elementals (With a note on the Quarters)

*Elements are the four energies that comprise the building blocks of Aristotelian physics. In this worldview all things are made up of the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. As Wiccans we take the view that this is spiritually true. These elements, together with the animating principle of Spirit or Divinity or Mind, form the Universe around us, seen and unseen. Elements are not beings or personalities, but energies of the universe classified. They are neither dead nor alive, but forces at work that can be tapped into and used in our magick and worship.*

Each element corresponds to a direction and certain principles or characteristics.

Earth is North, stability and growth. This is the cornerstone and foundation of all magick. This element is aligned with the feminine.

Air is East, inspiration, dreams, intellectual knowledge, magickal spells. This is a masculine element.

Fire is South, passion, courage, creativity. This is also a masculine element.

Water is West, healing, love in all it's forms, birth and rebirth, the womb of the Goddess. This is a feminine Element.

Spirit is the Center, the animating principle. As well as those who have passed to another plane.

Elementals on the other hand ARE beings that have been experienced in many forms by magickal practitioners. Many of them are associated with one of the Elements.

Most feel that the Elementals have an animalistic mentality, meaning that they operate on a lower level of consciousness then we do, like animals. They have an animating spirit that does not belong to the human plane of existence.

Gnomes- Earth, North.

They are givers of material gain and stability. Rulers of the forest, they are seen often as little people or green light. They are protectors of outdoor circles and groves.

Sylphs- Air, East.

They are givers of wishes, knowledge and dreams. They are envisioned as fairies or white lights, delicate beings with wings. They are protectors of magickal applications.

Salamanders- Fire, South

They are givers of Passion and creativity, rulers of fields and fire. They are seen as blue flame, dragons, lizards. They are protectors of hearth home and business.

Undines- Water, West.

They are givers of love and healing and friendship. Rulers of water, they are envisioned as mer people, sirens, or pink light. They are protectors of the gates of death and karma.(5)

AIR

The elements come from the very beginning. They are the most ancient form from the big dream of life. The elements open up the connection between Earth and Sky open born of the great element ancestors. Essence Energy. Air is direct engagement with spirit. In breathing the ancient ancestor.. The original breath of life. Shamans blow the energy into the person, with flower essences, smoke and other. Used in Energy form. Ritual and ceremony engaged by speaking. Speaking can be a ritual, that technology spreads around the world. Words most engaged with speech, the word. The word therefore can be consider sacred. So a Vow is a spoken.. We are always in relationship with the elements. People make vows that they often disregard. So Story and Storytelling in a good way is part of air. Wrong stories are being told by media, that is making society crumble. Reclaim the story for the sacred relationship with air. Of all the elements we take air for granted and this is why things crumble. We need to step up speak. Ground and stand. Vision, far seeing, in-vision, different realms of life. being able to visualize. Breathing life into inspiration, more creative. Place with a vista is a good place for a ritual of air. Open sky. Storms clear the air. Air relates to mind and whole mental body. Air is always in an excited states, it is a gas... Lots of banging around of molecules. Excess air goes into great ideas but nothing goes no where. How do we manifest it. People with anxiety energy up in their heads, are not in right relationship with air. That is why they need to ground with Earth. In our thought with higher ideas, speech and actions. Think how we experience air, like Goldilocks just right. Teach how to show up exactly as needed. Clarity of the heart insight to see doubt for what it is and step over it. Clear heart with truth, air element with truth. See our vision. Ability to see what is doubt. Understanding doubt and critical thinking. Doubt is paralyzing and critical thinking is valuable. Critical thinking opens the mind. Ali to vision. Truly make hour heart sing, through critical thinking. Qualities of truth telling. Quality of critical thinking. Clarifying of vision. Learning to engage a storytelling in our life.

Air power is to dismantle things in an instant. What story to want to leave behind... restore your story. Illumination, hope, rebirth of a dream, creativity, inspiration, hope, innovation. How we dream.

Stagnation and suffocation. Speaking the truth. The blade truth cuts both ways. Clean cut heals quicker.

Make a Air shrine or alter, Singing Songs, Speaking blessings, Speak prays.(1).

The sylphs tend the air element, directing the flow of air currents and atmospheric conditions. They purify the atmosphere and aerate every cell of life with the sacred breath of Spirit. They are bearers of the life-sustaining prana that nourishes all living things. On subtle levels, the sylphs transmit the currents of the Spirit from heaven to earth.

The sylphs often have thin, ethereal bodies that transform gracefully into myriad shapes as they soar through the air. Sylphs are able to travel at great distances very quickly, and giant sylphs can actually span the skies and interpenetrate the earth, the water and the fire elements.

Like giant transformers, sylphs conduct the currents of the mind of God unto the mind of man. They also work to purify the air of pollutants—everything from car exhaust to toxic fumes emitted from factories and other industrial processes—before these can pollute the water and the earth.

The air element corresponds to the mental level of existence, and thus the sylphs also have the job of purifying the mental plane. The mental plane can become polluted by negative thoughts that feed hatred, anger, racial prejudice, religious bigotry, resentment, pride, ambition, greed, jealousy and other poisons of the spirit.

The angelic realms are believed to represent the highest planes of existence, many mythologies, including Judeo Christian, use the image of angles, beings of power who act as guides protectors and messengers. Archangels represent a particular category of angel.. In the arch angelic ream, there are four general angles called upon to represent the powers of the elements. When people refer to the watchtowers, traditionally they are most often referring to these angelic beings, or aspects of these angelic beings. Witches have borrowed form Judeo Christian magic in the names of and associations of these beings, even though they may differ from some mainstream craft concepts and material. Traditionally each angel is associated with an element and a direction, sand should be used with their traditional associations, unless through personal experiences and communication, your are guided to do otherwise.(2)

Raphael Healer East of Air.

Colors: Yellow or gold and blue
Season: Spring
Time of day: Dawn
Element: Air
Astrological signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius

To Dare or to Know

Air

Plane Mental

Key word life breath

direction East, sometimes Self

colors, yellow or blue

Sense Smell hearing

Principal, masculine

Nature, hot and mosit

Season, spring

Zodiac, Gemini, Librai and Aquarius

Age, Silver

Kabalistic world, Yetzirah, formative

Sacred Gemonetry Octahedron 8 sides.

Tarot Suite Swords

Tools incense and blades

Element Slyph fairy

Totems crow, rave, eagle , hawk, the birds

Angle Raphel

Greek Eurius

Norse Sudhri

Egyptain Tuamutef Jackle head East

Description, thought logic language, communication, abstract, intellect.

Deities, Zeus, Hera, Uranus, Jupiter, Juno, Macha, Nuada, arianhod, thor ,nut, isis, horus, inannna.(3)

(1)http://whyshamanismnow.com/topics/shamanic-series/working-with-the-elements/

2. https://www.summitlighthouse.org/elementals-nature-spirits/
   (3) http://christopherpenczak.com/

(4)http://www.ayurvedacollege.com/articles/drhalpern/air

(5) Personal notes

The Five Elements: Air in Ayurveda

The element air, called “vayu” in Sanskrit, is the second of the five great elements (pancha mahabhutus).  It comes second because it evolves from ether. As the potential inherent within space becomes active, the result is air. The element of air represents the capacity for motion or kinetic energy. Air represents all forces and the movement that transpires as a result of those forces. 
The origin of air is sparsha. Sparsha is the tanmatra--primordial, unmanifested form--of touch. Sparsha is the potential of the touch experience, expressed in its most subtle form. Touch and air are inseparable. Because of their intimate relationship, the skin (through which we receive touch) is considered the associated sense organ of the element air. The hands (through which we reach out and touch the world) are its associated organ of action.  Hence, disorders of tactile perception and those of grasping are the result of disturbances in the functions of the air element. 
To know air is to know its qualities. Air is mobile, cool, light, dry, rough, subtle, flowing, sharp, clear, and hard.  Although air is subtle, its effects are observable and so we have a sense of what it is. We associate the element air with the air we breathe. Thus, the ancient rishis recognized air as the immediate source of life. A lack of air will kill us faster than a lack of any other element. Thus, the concept of vayu (air) is synonymous with that of prana (life energy). In nature, the ancient rishis described air in five forms according to its direction of movement: inward (prana); outward (vyana); upward (udana), downward (apana), and that which balances and stabilizes these movements, a force that pulls to toward the center (samana). These five types of movements are called both the five vayus and the five pranas. 
In the body, air is expressed in the form of motion and life. It is the force allowing blood to circulate, breath to move, nerve impulses to glide, thoughts to flow, and joints to propel our movement through the world. Air is the force behind all motion. Disturbances in the functions of air result in aberrant motion. Air may move too fast, too slow, or become obstructed and blocked. Each occurrence produces different effects depending upon the location of the air that is disturbed. 
Excess motion in the nervous system results in hyper-excitability, deficient motion produces sluggishness and dullness, while blocked flow results in a complete loss of motion. For example, in the digestive system excess flow results in diarrhea, deficient flow results in sluggish motion, and blocked flow results in either severe constipation or complete obstruction. In the joints, excess motion results in hyper-mobility, deficient motion results in decreased range of motion, and blocked flow results in a frozen joint. In the circulatory system, excess motion can result in rapid heart rate, decreased flow in a sluggish heart rate or poor circulation, and blocked flow results in catastrophic consequences, such as robbing the affected area of its blood supply. This results in tissue ischemia (lack of oxygen) leading to necrosis (death of the tissue). 
The vata dosha contains both air and ether.  Any vitiation of air will ultimately result in a vitiation of vata. Vata remains healthy when motion is controlled, but able to flow without obstruction. Control prevents excess flow while freedom prevents stagnation. Balance is the key to healthy vata. 
Control of air is attained through the development of steady routines. Steady, healthy routines subsequently keep the vata dosha from becoming vitiated. A diet that is heavier will also support the development of the stability that controls motion by balancing the light quality of the air element. Emotionally, surrender leads to the highest manifestations of motion (air), and this requires faith. Thus, air flows freely in through a body and mind that has cultivated an attitude of surrender and faith in both self and the divine. By taking in the other elements, the natural tendencies (qualities) of air are pacified. 
All of creation is made up of the five elements in different proportions. In our diet, the bitter taste contains the most air. The bitter taste is composed of both air and ether; it is air that provides the uniqueness of the taste. Consuming bitter foods is an excellent way to increase the influence of the air element. This is wonderful if a person is sluggish or lazy. However, an excess of air in the diet, especially in the diet of an individual with a vata constitution, can result in too much motion. While this increases activity it also leads to a loss of stability and dryness. A proper balance in accordance with a person’s constitution and current state of health is always preferred. 
Autumn is the season of air. The season of air begins as the leaves begin to fall. The weather becomes cooler and there is a sense of transition or movement in the weather. Air represents the gradual weakening of nature as it moves away from its full bloom and moves forward to face the dormancy of winter. Nature intends for everything and everyone to become lighter at this time. There is a danger of becoming too mobile and light at this time if the proper precautions are not taken. To live in harmony with this time of year means to spend time reflecting on the activities of the past spring and summer. While motion is natural at this time, excess motion may be perceived in the body and mind as an increase in anxiety, restlessness, or sleeplessness. While it natural to become lighter at this time, excess lightness may be experienced as depletion. Once again, a proper balance in accordance with a person’s constitution and current state of health is always preferred. 
In the cycle of life and death, air represents the transitional period between being our most productive and the last years of our life. Women go through the transition of menopause at this time while men find themselves desiring retirement. The idea of motion is reflected in the transition. To live in harmony with this time it is necessary to spend some time reflecting upon the decades of our lives. While motion is natural at this time, excess motion makes the transition more difficult and may be perceived as anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness, palpitations, and in the transient hot flashes many woman experience.(4)