The elements are an integral part of wicca and witchcraft, not only in the way we use them in spell work and rituals but in our everyday lives. Honoring nature and the elements is a very important part of the wiccan way.
Elements are the universes energy in four basic states - Air, Fire, Water and Earth. There is also a fifth universal power beyond the visible four elements which is Spirit.
These four elements are manifested in physical reality, by fresh air, winds, warmth and light, rain, oceans, rivers and of the earth, trees, plants and crystals.
Elements in magic not only cover their physical nature but also have qualities in the spiritual dimension - their psychic or spiritual meanings. These can be used to develop a deeper understanding
- manifesting dreams, hopes and goals.
- achieving quickly what we desire when performing rituals whether they be complex or simple.
- following a life true to nature and ourselves and connecting to a higher spiritual level.
The element of Air represents beginnings. First stirrings and ideas that lead to manifestation. It is the element of the mind, of our thoughts and intellect. It is youthfulness, light, energetic. It is humor, joy of life, quickness of thought, trying new things and learning new things all the time.
Rituals harnessing the essence of Air are: communication, travel, study, freedom, psychic work.
Ways to integrate Air into your life are to go outside on a windy day and feel the element of air, listen to the birds, play with and listen to wind chimes and bells, experiment with hot and cold air, breathe deeply, go outside when there is a thunderstorm (in a safe place), greet the sunrise, have a bubble bath, do a course and learn a new
The flame, the vital energetic and vibrant force that burns within each of us. It then brings us our passion, inner conviction, strength, courage, valor and the determination which drives us forward. It represents transformation, by the aspect of burning away those things that no longer serve us. It is of warmth and light.
Rituals harnessing the essence of Fire are: transformation, purification, sex energy, healing (to destroy disease), protection, strength, courage, banishing negativity.
Ways to integrate Fire into your life are to meditate on a candle flame, spend time in the sun, dance around a fire, visit a desert, watch a sunset, eat some hot and spicy food, be passionate and driven, transform some area of your life, be determined and courageous, feel motivated.
The element of Water presides over emotions, the feelings and perceptions. It represents deep healing and it is the blood that courses through our veins, nurturing and sustaining us. Water is flowing by nature and teaches us to be flexible and adaptable. Water is the deep subconscious, the psychic realm. It cleanses, quenches and cultivates the land and spiritually brings us opportunities to cleanse our emotions, quench our spiritual thirst and cultivates our inner being with love. Helps with
Firstly, the motif of fire is portrayed during times of trauma due to the fact that in the beginning of the story, it starts with a baby name Effia being “born of the fire” (ebook 2). Effia’s mother Maame sets a fire that
What images come to mind when you think of witches? Many people immediately imagine a black pointy hat, bubbling cauldron, green warty skin, and Halloween. Usually the image that comes to mind is something scary and evil. Real witches do exist. Most modern witches go by the label Wiccan now. Wiccans practice Wicca, which is a nature-based religion with many different branches or denominations. The basic tenant of all Wicca is called the Three Fold Law. The Three Fold Law states that whatever you do will come back to you times three, good or bad, so do not cause harm or, in other words, “harm none”. It is kind of like the concept of karma in one lifetime. There is debate over how old the religion actually is with some saying that it is an ancient religion that pre-dates Christianity and some saying it is more modern, starting in the 1950’s with Gerald Gardener. Regardless of how old the religion is, Hollywood’s portrayal of witches often does have some kernel of truth, albeit sometimes it is hard to find.
The imagery of fire continues in the story; the building of their fires, how the man molds the fires, and how they stoke the fire. When the boy gets sick the father is referred to many times of how he builds and rekindles the fire. This actual fire is a symbol for the fire that the man and the boy discuss carrying within in them. The man fights to save his son and the fire within the boy
In this article, The Fireman: Immaculate Manhood, Robyn Cooper reveals many concepts of fire. He says, "As spirit, fire is both purifying and heavenly, punitive and damning. Fire also symbolizes love and passion, as purifying and confining, burning passion as consuming and destroying. Fire is defined as a masculine principle because of the association of fire and heat with energy, life and power (man is sun, woman is moon). In relation to sexual generation, it was traditionally held that the spark of the semen ignited the cold womb to generate life.
In the beginning of the story the presence of water symbolizes the physical and mental freedom the young couple share. The story begins with Jamie driving on the way home, to the lake house, after a long day of work. In the car Jamie yearns “ to be unchained in the weightlessness of the water” (203). The physical act of being weightless symbolizes her mental weightlessness or freedom. Jamie and Matt make love in water which enforces the connection they have with themselves and the mental and physical freedom they feel.
Fire has become less a means of human survival and more of a form of entertainment. This world of shallow hedonistic people strives to be the same and the word “intelligence” is considered a dirty word. This society maintains a focus on a certain equality, where people born unequal made equal. Funerals for the dead are eliminated due to the sadness they bring and death is forgotten about quickly, with bodies being incinerated without a proper ceremony. Fire is idolized by this society and is considered the means to cleanliness.
To begin with, fire is one of the symbols that represents life. Initially, Jeannette Walls was with her
Fire is used to symbolizes horror and death. One example takes place when they are on the train going to the concentration camp. A lady named Madame Schachter was separated from her family and was losing her mind. The fear and dehydration caused her to become delirious and hallucinate a fire. She screamed many time, this is shown when Wiesel states, “She continued to scream and sob fitfully. Jews, listen to me…I see a fire! I see flames, huge flames” (302). These screams were also foreshadowing the crematoria and the flames that were burning human bodies.
Although fire is linked to human life, as it is essential for survival, not only its use for food, security and warmth, particularly in the extreme cold weather
Air Air is what we breathe. It is an element of new life and possibilities. It is a component of thought and creativity. Without air, thought will have no movement or action. It also has to do with freedom.
The writings of some Greek philosophers may be considered to be among the very first chemical theories, such as the theory that all things are composed of air, earth, fire, and water. Each of these were represented by different elements, such as sulfur, salt, mercury, and, ideally, gold. Other ideas held by alchemists were that each of the known elements were represented by heavenly bodies. Gold was earth's representation of the sun, silver for the moon, mercury for the planet Mercury, copper for Venus, iron for Mars, tin for Jupiter, and lead for Saturn.
The Periodic Table is based around the Atomic Theory. Firstly people believed that everything was made up the four elements Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water. This theory evolved into everything being made up of atoms. Breakthroughs throughout history such as the discoveries of the nucleus, protons, neutrons and electrons have pushed this theory forward to where it is today.
"Witchcraft." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 14. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 9768. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 4 May 2014.
While is a common conception that pre-modern societies are primitive compared to their modern counterpart, this is not often the case, theses societies have complex systems within their society especially within their spirituality and religion. It is this complexity that has allowed aspects of pre-modern societies to evolve and adapt into modern societies. Myths, rituals and sorcery have been terms to describe the activities of pre-modern societies, but these activities have also been found to exist within modern society as well. This essay will further discuss the connections between pre-modern and modern societies that has allowed for myths, rituals and sorcery to exist in the modern societies.
Air pollution according to the Wikipedia << is the introduction of particulates, biological materials, or other harmful materials into the Earth’s atmosphere, possibly causing disease, death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as food crops, or the natural or built environment>>. Therefore, human being should be aware of the facts that the environment and all living creatures are dying. They need to understand the importance of natural items, the nature, etc…