The Five Elements


The five elements; earth, water, fire, air, and spirit, are the fundamental tools of Wicca. All things in creation are made up of different combination of them. While many things (such as certain stones, herbs, or animals) are said to be "ruled" by a specific element, they still have aspects of the others in them. Nothing on this world can be made up of just one element, everything is in a state of balance. The five elements are very important to my beliefs and I tend to relate many aspects of my Magick to them. What follows is a list of activities, objects, and ideas with which each element shares an affinity. As with all areas of this Paganism/Wicca section, these are merely my beliefs and should not be taken as the absolute truth, although I have done much research on them.

EarthWaterFireAirSpirit


Earth

Gender: feminine
Season: winter
Direction: north
Days: none
Time of Day: midnight
Zodiac Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Planet: Earth
Colours: brown, green, blue, yellow
Chakra: Root (base of tailbone)
Tools: disk, carved wood block (the pentacle), hammer, stones, clay, bowl of
earth, salt, double-headed axe, shield, wheel, necklace, club, roots, drum,
bronze, bow, animal fur/pelts, sand, mallet
Qualities: stabilizing, grounding
Sense: smell
Properties: cold and dry
Alchemical Symbol: an inverted triangle bisected by a horizontal line
Tattwa Symbol: a yellow square
Magickal Associations: fertility, magick for the home and animals, eco-magick,
prosperity/wealth, healing, centering/grounding
Stones: amazonite, cat's eye, emerald, geodes, jade, jet, malachite, olivine,
peridot, turqoise
Metals: lead, mercury
Tarot Suit: Pentacles
Tarot Card: The Empress
Runes: Fehu, Wunjo, Jera, Berkana, Mannaz, Othila
Animals: snakes, burrowing animals, and many spiders
Sacred Trees: Ash, Dwarf Elm, Hawthorn
Herbs and Plants: alfalfa, barley, bistort, cotton, horsetail, mugwort, vetivert,
patchouly, pine


Water

Gender: feminine
Season: autumn
Direction: west
Days: Monday, Friday
Time of Day: dusk
Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Planet: Moon
Colours: silver, purple, white, blue, indigo
Chakra: Navel (just below the belly button)
Tools: cup, chalice, cauldron, hollow horn, bowl, pitcher, ring, wine cask,
barrel, silver items, any cool liquid, tea kettle, shells, paint brushes, sickle
Qualities: purifying, contracting
Sense: taste
Properties: cold and damp
Alchemical Symbol: an inverted triangle
Tattwa Symbol: a silver crescent with horns pointing upwards
Magickal Associations: love and romance, psychic power, astral travel, dream
work, meditation/pathworking, healing, spiritual
pursuits, childbirth, death/rebirth, spirit contact
Stones: amethyst, aquamarine, beryl, chalcedony, coral, lapiz lazuli, marble,
moonstone, pearl, sapphire, selenite, sodalite
Metals: copper, silver
Tarot Suit: Cups
Tarot Cards: Death, The Moon
Runes: Uruz, Gebo, Hagalaz, Isa, Perth, Ehwaz, Laguz, Dagaz
Animals: fish and other aquatic creatures
Sacred Trees: Alder, Hazel, Linden, Reed, Rowan, White Poplar, Willow, Yew
Herbs and Plants: belladonna, blackberry, jasmine, vanilla, lotus, valerian,
yarrow, lilac, comfrey, burdock, camphor, myrrh, orris


Fire

Gender: masculine
Season: summer
Direction: south
Days: Sunday
Time of Day: noon
Zodiac Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Planets: Sun, Mars
Colours: red, gold, yellow, orange
Chakra: Solar Plexus (center of stomach)
Tools: candle, all blades forged in fire, red or orange stones, pike, claymore,
matches, flint, ashes, wheel, torch, bracelet, solar disk, gold
Qualities: transformative, expansive
Sense: sight
Properties: hot and dry
Alchemical Symbol: an upright triangle
Tattwa Symbol: an upright red triangle
Magickal Associations: banishing/exorcism, strength, passion/lust, employment,
protection, change, sex magick, legal matters, courage,
anger, curse breaking, fidelity
Stones: amber, apache tear, bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, diamond, flint,
garnet, obsidian, onyx, rhodocrosite, ruby, tiger's eyes, topaz, zircon
Metals: brass, gold, steel
Tarot Suit: Wands
Tarot Cards: The Emperor, Strength, The Sun
Runes: Thurisaz, Kano, Nauthiz, Sowelu, Inguz
Animals: reptiles dwelling above ground (like tree lizards), animals symbolizing
strength (like the bear and lion)
Sacred Trees: Blackthorn, Holly, Ivy, Oak, Silver Fir
Herbs and Plants: allspice, basil, bay, cinnamon, dill, fennel, garlic, ginseng,
ginger, gorse, hyssop, rosemary, thistle, wormwood, tobacco


Air

Gender: masculine
Season: spring
Direction: east
Days: Wednesday
Time of Day: dawn
Zodiac Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Planet: Neptune
Colours: yellow, pale blue
Chakra: Heart (center of breastbone)
Tools: staff, trident, wand, feather, incense, sling, pike, single-headed axe,
dagger, spear, javelin, earrings, besom, wind instruments, smoking pipe,
copper, arrow, scourge, whip, lariat, fan, pen/pencil, letter opener,
ram's horn, shepherd's crook
Qualities: mobilization, swiftness
Sense: touch
Properties: hot and damp
Alchemical Symbol: an upright triangle bisected by a horizontal line
Tattwa Symbol: a blue circle
Magickal Associations: travel, astral travel, intellectual matters,
communication, musical spells, fidelity
Stones: adventurine, mica, pumice, sphene, meteorites
Metals: aluminum, tin
Tarot Suit: Swords
Tarot Cards: The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune
Runes: Ansuz, Raido, Eihwaz, Teiwaz
Animals: birds and flying insects
Sacred Trees: Alder, Birch
Herbs and Plants: agrimony, dandelion, hops, lavender, marjoram,
mistletoe, holly, parsley


Spirit

Direction: center and/or above
Colours: white, black
Chakra: Crown (at top of head)
Tools: cords, cloaks, medicine bags, anything that symbolizes the binding or
unification of the other elements
Qualities: pervasive, omnipresent
Sense: hearing
Alchemical Symbol: Solomon's Seal (two interlaced triangles, one pointing up
and the other pointing down)
Tattwa Symbol: a black oval
Stone: quartz crystal
Tarot Card: The World
Sacred Trees: Apple




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