Fire Correspondences

Direction - south
Gender - male
Energy - projective, pro-active
Qualities - hot and dry, light and active
Colors - red, orange
Magickal phrase - to will
Point of pentagram - Lower right
Season - summer
Hour of day - Noon
Time of life - young adulthood
Celtic name - deas
Magickal tools - some say wand, some say athame; lamp, scourge
Type of magick - sex, healing, candle magick, force, energy, life, will, destruction,
purification, change
Animals - lion, serpent, dragon
Alchemical symbol - right side up triangle
Elemental spirit - salamanders
Nature - fire, sun, stars, volcanoes
Part of body - heart, spine
Human senses - sight
Keys - Light Principle, Action
Reflections in humanity - the life forces, sexual energy, will, Passion
Virtues - courageous, self-assertive, chivalrous, enthusiastic, passionate, experienced,
virile, energetic, daring, faithful
Vices - self-centered, ruthless, fanaticism, vindictiveness, anger, hatred, stubborn,
greed, jealous, vengeful, resentful, egotistical
Excess - hot, hyper, flitting thoughts, insomnia, anger, dominating, egotistic, violent
Shortage - body heavy or chilled, unenthusiastic, feeling inferior or apathetic, lack of
energy
Goddess Aspect - Temptress
Stage in the cycle of creation - the desire or Will to manifest the idea, the driving life
force, the principle of change and transformation.
Emotions - intense and urgent, but usually passing quickly: desire, anger, joy, panic.
Without Fire to prod the other elements along, the world would likely settle into a rather
uninteresting fixed state.

Astrological Rulers: Sun, Mars, Jupiter

Fire of
Aries Cardinal Lightning Swift violence, of onset.
Fire
 Air of
Leo Fixed Sun Steady force of energy.
Fire

Water of Fading spiritualized

Sagittarius Mutable Rainbow
Fire reflection of the image.

The Cardinal sign represents the Birth of the Element, the Fixed sign its Life, and
the Mutable sign its passing over towards the ideal form proper to it, i.e. to Spirit.

Fiery Tarot Major Arcana

And the entire Tarot Minor Arcana suit of Wands is attributed to Fire. The Wands suit
is sometimes named Rods, Staves, or Batons, depending on the deck.
 Becoming One with Fire
 

Here below is a technique adapted from the ceremonial magick order The Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn, which teaches how to harmonize with the magickal element
Fire. This helps to become aware of and be in control of this element in our daily lives.

1) Each of the four elements has aspects of temperature - cool or warm - and humidity -
dry or moist. Fire has the qualities of being warm and dry.

Observe those things around you that have the combined qualities of heat and dryness.
Compare the heat and dryness of a fire to that of the Sun. The burning core of the Sun is
frequently referred to as "plasma" and is spoken of in terms resembling the way water
would be described (such as flowing). Steam has more fire than ordinary water does.
Ordinary water has more fire in it than ice does. Thus, to a degree, fire and water can
co-exist. Yet, they are considered total opposites, and should be able to cancel each
other out. How can they exist together when they should destroy each other? The
answer is in the percentage of each. Much water destroys a little fire, and vice versa.
But even a small amount of fire changes water and a small amount of water also has
some effect on fire. Try to observe fire in its various combinations with the other
elements around you. Make a list of these things. Take your time; do this for one week.

2) Find a place that is extremely hot such as a desert or dry sauna not a steam bath). If
this is not possible, find a place where a roaring fire is going, such as a fireplace or
barbecue pit or grill. Remove as much of your clothes as you can and get as close to the
heat source as possible without risking a burn. If you're in the desert, be sure to wear
sunscreen.

Once you are uncomfortably hot (but not painfully or unbearably so) and your
perspiration is freely flowing, begin by doing the Relaxation Ritual. This may be
difficult due to the heat, but it will test you to see how well you can do the Relaxation
Ritual. Next, become very aware of your breath. Notice the way the heat feels as it
comes in through your nose, goes down your air pipe and into your lungs. Sense or
imagine the heat within your lungs, and feel the heat-laden air as it goes out of your
lungs, through your air pipe and out your nose and mouth.

Now imagine that your entire body is nothing but a large breathing apparatus. Imagine
that every part of your body has only the function of breathing and nothing else. Know
that your skin is a vital part of this system. As you physically breathe in air, imagine
that every pore of your body's skin is also breathing in heat and dryness: elemental Fire.
Feel the Fire course through your body, cleansing and purifying. Then, as you exhale,
feel it leave through your pores, taking with it the body's toxins, pains, and sufferings.

Caution: When doing this exercise in the desert, do not spend longer than 10 minutes.
When doing this type of work it is much too easy to lose your sense of time. Have an
alarm set to sound after 10 minutes or have a friend come and get you. Drink a glass of
cool water immediately afterwards. This caution is for your health and safety, especially
if you are not used to living in extreme heat or have physical problems dealing with
heat.

Experiment with this at different times of the day, and if possible, at different locations.
Try it in the cool of the night or even in the rain. Do this daily for a week.

3) Spend up to three minutes once a day imagining that you are the element Fire. Feel
the heat and your ability to transmit that heat. Feel the dryness and as a result, perhaps,
stop your perspiration if you are perspiring. Become Fire. Know what Fire feels like,
what Fire is. Do this for one week.

4) Once you've learned how to "be Fire", the next step is to learn how to consciously
control Fire. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Fire. Bring the feeling from
Step 3 into your awareness. Next, hold your hands 9 to 12 inches apart, palms facing
each other. Visualize a bottle, cylinder, or small cask between your hands. Inhale. As
you exhale, visualize all of the Fire element that is in you going out with your breath
and into the container between your hands. Three to five breaths is usually enough to fill
it. If it gets too hot to "hold" between your hands, move your hands farther apart. Once
you have filled it, observe it for a short time. Then, with three breaths, inhale it back
into yourself and return to normal consciousness.

5) This will allow you to see whether you really have become not only in harmony with
Fire, but also if you are able to control the element.

The next time you are feeling listless and have a total lack of energy, or a lack of desire
to do the necessary things in your life (which is a sign of a shortage in yourself of Fire),
form your Fire container as in Step 4. Then, with one big inhalation, draw the contents
of the container back into you. Within a few minutes, you should feel energized and
revitalized. Try this instead of a morning cup of coffee.

The next time you feel as if you are bursting with an overload of energy, so much that it
is hard to concentrate due to the fiery energy within you (which is a sign of excess in
yourself of Fire), again form your Fire container; only this time, visualize a large black
hole in the air in front of you and throw the container into that hole. Quickly see the
hole close. Your excess energy should be gone, but you'll have enough energy left to do
your necessary tasks. Don't do this "black holing" with Fire more than three times in one
day. Otherwise, you could become so drained that your physical body could be
weakened.
 Air Correspondences
 

Direction - East
Gender - Male
Energy - Projective, pro-active
Qualities - hot and moist, light and active
Color - yellow
Power of the Sphinx - to know
Season - Spring
Hour of day - dawn
Time of life - birth/infancy/childhood
Celtic name - airt
Magickal tool - some say athame, some say wand; incense
Point on the Pentagram - Upper left
Types of magick - Recovering lost or stolen items, the four winds, visualization,
concentration, education, travel, investigations, beginnings, feather magick
Animals - eagle, human
Alchemical symbol - Right side up triangle with a line through the middle
Elemental - Sylphs
Nature - sky, wind, clouds, flowers
Reflections in humanity - the superconscious, knowledge, instruction, school,
freedom, travel
Parts of the body - chest, lungs (breath), throat (speech), the brain
Human senses - hear, smell
Goddess Aspect - Maiden
Keys - Life Principle, Intellect
Rules - mind, essential qualities, knowledge, abstract learning, theories, illumination,
perception, analytic thought, communication, memory.
Virtues - gregarious, diligent, optimistic, dexterity, persuasive, friendly, healthy,
knowledgeable, communicative, intelligent
Vices - frivolity, absent mindedness, rootless, easily distracted, tends to intellectualize
emotions (rather than experience them), gossipy, boastful, untruthful, selfish, fickle
Shortage - mind blank, shortness of breath, non-comprehension of known data, muddy
thinking; one who has difficulty transmitting thoughts and ideas
Excess - chatterbox, one who tends to intellectualize too much
Stage in the cycle of creation - the conception or perception of a new idea, the seed of
knowledge, and the freedom to choose which direction to move.
Emotions - daydreaming; intense concentration on a difficult problem; an abstract
appreciation of mathematical elegance, artistic skill, or superior craftsmanship; a sense
of distance and detachment.
 Astrological Rulers: Mercury, Jupiter

Swift onset (note idea of

Fire of
Libra Cardinal Wind balance as in trade
Air
winds).

Air of Steady conveyors of

Aquarius Fixed Clouds
Air water.

Bulk unmoved,
Water
Gemini Mutable Vibrations spiritualized to reflect
of Air
mind.

The Cardinal sign represents the Birth of the Element, the Fixed sign its Life, and
the Mutable sign its passing over towards the ideal form proper to it, i.e. to Spirit.

Airy Tarot Major Arcana

And the entire Tarot Minor Arcana suit of Swords is attributed to Air.
 Becoming One with Air
 

Here below is a technique adapted from the ceremonial magick order The Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn, which teaches how to harmonize with the magickal element
Air. This helps to become aware of and be in control of this element in our daily lives.

1) Each of the four elements has aspects of temperature - cool or warm - and humidity -
dry or moist. Air has the qualities of being warm and moist.

Observe those things around you that have the combined qualities of warmth and
moistness. All the elemental qualities are relative. Steam is a form of Air, and it has
much more moisture and warmth that does the vapor from dry ice. However, that cold
vapor from the dry ice also has Air within it. See if you can determine the relative Airy
qualities as you experience them. Take your time as you make a list of all these things;
do this for one week.

2) Find a spot where you can be alone. Take with you an outdoor reclining lounger or
folding chair. The idea is to be elevated above the ground and have as much of the
physical air surrounding your body as possible. Remove all of your clothing and lie on
the lounger or sit in the chair. If you can't find a place where this is possible, wear as
little clothing as you can.

Begin by doing the Relaxation Ritual. Next, become very aware of your breath. Become
aware of the slow in-and-out motion of the physical air. Notice the way the air feels as it
comes in through your nose, goes down your air pipe and into your lungs. Sense or
imagine the interchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within your lungs, and feel the
CO2 laden air as it goes out of your lungs, through your air pipe and out your nose and
mouth.

Now imagine that your entire body is nothing but a large breathing apparatus. Imagine
that every part of your body has only the function of breathing. Further, visualize that
your skin is part of this system. As you physically breathe, imagine that every pore of
your skin is also breathing. However, just as your lungs breathe in physical air, your
pores should be breathing in elemental Air. Feel it going in and out of you, cleansing
and purifying your entire body.

Try this at different times of the day and if possible, at different locations. Air is the
second most changeable of the elements and you can experience it in many different
ways. Do this daily for at least a week.

3) Spend up to three minutes once a day imagining that you are the element Air. Feel
the lightness, the floating giddiness, the warmth and moisture of Air. Feel how physical
things don't seem to matter and learn the true meaning of the term "airhead". This isn't
said in jest, but in all seriousness. Become Air.
Do this for one week only. Don't repeat it for at least a month and don't repeat it more
often than one week at a time. Otherwise, you may absorb too much Air: having trouble
finishing your normal work, acting like an actual "airhead". If you do, Step 3 from
Becoming One with Earth will help overcome the problem in a day or two.

4) One you've learned how to "be Air", the next step is to take greater conscious control
of Air. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Air. Bring the feeling from Step 3
into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9 to 12 inches apart, palms facing each
other. Visualize a bottle or box between your hands. Inhale. As you exhale, visualize all
of the Air element that is in you going out with your breath and into the container
between your hands. Three to five breaths is usually enough to fill it. Then, with three
breaths, inhale it back into yourself and go back to normal consciousness.

5) This will allow you to see whether you really have become not only in harmony with
Air, but also if you are able to control the element.

The next time you feel heavy, bloated, slow, or lazy (which are signs of a shortage in
yourself of Air), form your Air container as in Step 4. Then, with one big inhalation,
draw the contents of the container back into you. Within five minutes, you should feel
relaxed and refreshed, lighter and anxious to do those tasks you wish to do.

The next time you feel lightheaded, giddy, overly silly, unstable, etc. (which are signs of
excess in yourself of Air), again form your Air container; only this time, visualize a
large hole in the ground and drop the container into that hole. Quickly see the hole
close. You should feel grounded and more balanced in a few minutes, but you may have
to repeat this up to three times to feel completely normal.
 Water Correspondences
 

Direction - west
Gender - female
Energy - receptive, passive
Qualities - cold and moist, heavy and passive
Color - blue
Magickal phrase - to dare
Season - autumn
Hour of day - dusk
Time of life - Parenthood/middle age
Celtic name - iar
Magickal tool - chalice
Point of pentagram - Upper right
Type of magick - mirror magick, purification, healing, divination, dream magick, astral
projection, love, friendship, spirituality, imagination
Animals - all marine life
Alchemical symbol - upside down triangle
Elemental spirit - undine
Nature - waterfalls, ocean, rain, etc., fog, moon
Parts of body - womb, breasts, tear ducts
Human senses - taste
Reflection in humanity - emotions, fertility, the unconscious mind
Goddess Aspect - Mother
Keys - Love Principle, Fertility
Virtues - compassion, tranquility, tenderness, forgiveness, modesty, fluidity in
creativity, receptivity, influence, graciousness, sensitivity
Vices - self-indulgence, negligence, cowardice, indifference, instability, moodiness,
infatuation, easily put upon, delusions, dependent
Excess - body puffiness, mood swings, "touchiness", apathy
Shortage -deep body dryness, hotness, mind & body feel separated, no empathy
Stage in the cycle of creation - perseverance to endure the long gestation, the nurturing
and supporting role.
Emotions - love, sorrow, courage to continue on a difficult path with no end in sight,
enduring rage born of long, silent suffering, hope that springs eternal.

Astrological Rulers: Venus, Moon

Fire of Rain,
Cancer Cardinal Swift passionate attack.
Water Springs, etc.
 Air of Steady force of
Scorpio Fixed Sea
Water putrefaction.

Water of Stagnant, spiritualized

Pisces Mutable Pool
Water reflection of images.

The Cardinal sign represents the Birth of the Element, the Fixed sign its Life, and
the Mutable sign its passing over towards the ideal form proper to it, i.e. to Spirit.

Watery Tarot Major Arcana

And the entire Tarot Minor Arcana suit of Cups is attributed to Water.
 Becoming One with Water
 

Here below is a technique adapted from the ceremonial magick order The Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn, which teaches how to harmonize with the magickal element
Water. This helps to become aware of and be in control of this element in our daily
lives.

1) Each of the four elements has aspects of temperature - cool or warm - and humidity -
dry or moist. Water has the qualities of being cool and moist.

Observe those things around you that have the combined qualities of coolness and
moistness. Remember, all of these elemental qualities are relative. When an oven is
prepared wherein something is being baked, sometimes there is a warm or hot blast of
damp air so it wouldn't seem to have the quality of coolness along with the moistness.
However, it is much cooler and moister than the heat from a smelting furnace.
Therefore, the oven has more of the element of Water than does the smelting furnace.
See if you can determine the relative watery qualities as you experience them. Make a
list of these things. Take your time; do this for one week.

2) Remove your clothes and enter a pool or bath where the water is cool. If you have
access to a lake or river, this would be best. Submerge yourself in the water as much as
possible.

Begin by doing the Relaxation Ritual. Thanks to the buoyant quality of water, you will
find this quite easy to do. Next, become very aware of your breath. As you do this, you
will find that your breath will automatically slow down. Notice the way the air feels as
it comes in through your nose, goes down your air pipe and into your lungs. Sense or
imagine the interchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within your lungs, and feel the
CO2 laden air as it goes out of your lungs, through your air pipe and out your nose and
mouth.

Now imagine that your entire body is nothing but a large breathing apparatus. Imagine
that every part of your body has only the function of breathing. Know that your skin is a
vital part of your system. As you breathe in air, imagine that every pore of your body is
breathing in elemental Water. Feel it as it washes in and out of you, flushing the
impurities from your entire body. Do not confuse elemental Water with physical water
or you may feel a "drowning" sensation. If this happens, stop this exercise immediately
and try it again another time.

Experiment with this exercise at different times of the day, and if possible, at different
locations. Water is not very compressible, but it is very changeable. Try to experience it
in its many variations. Do this daily for a week.

3) Spend up to three minutes once a day imagining that you are the element Water. Feel
the fluidity, the coolness, and the refreshing moistness of the elemental Waters. Become
Water. If you study astrology, compare what you learn about the element of Water with
the astrological Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces). Become familiar with water
in all of its various appearances. Know what water feels like, what water is. Do this for
one week.

4) Once you've learned how to "be Water", the next step is to learn how to consciously
control Water. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Water. Bring the feeling from
Step 3 into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9 to 12 inches apart, palms
facing each other. Visualize a bottle, cylinder, or small cask between your hands. Inhale.
As you exhale, visualize all of the Water element that is in you going out with your
breath and into the container between your hands. Four to seven breaths is usually
enough to fill it. Once you have filled it, observe it for a short time. Then, with three
breaths, inhale it back into yourself and go back to normal consciousness.

5) This will allow you to see whether you really have become not only in harmony with
Water, but also if you are able to control the element.
The next time you feel hardheaded, unwilling to change, overly tense with your muscles
hard as a rock (which are signs of shortage in yourself of Water), form your Water
container as in Step 4. Then, with one big inhalation, draw the contents of the container
back into you. Within five minutes, you should be more relaxed and reasonable.

The next time you are being pushed around, are acting "wishy-washy", etc. (which are
signs of excess in yourself of Air), again form your Water container; only this time,
visualize a large black hole in the air before you and throw the container into that hole.
Quickly see the hole close. You should feel less overly flexible and not as liable to
allow others to take advantage of you in a few minutes, but you may have to repeat this
a few times to have complete success.
 Earth Correspondences
 

Direction - north
Gender - female
Energy - receptive, reactive
Qualities - cold and dry, heavy and passive
Colors - brown, black, green
Magickal phrase - to keep silent
Season - winter
Hour of day - midnight
Time of life - old age/death
Celtic name - tuath
Magickal tools - pentacle, crystals, stones
Point of pentagram - Lower left
Types of magick - fertility, tree magick, herbs, prosperity, runes, knot magick, growth,
nature, animals, all matters relating to money, thankfulness
Animals - bull, sphinx, bear
Alchemical symbol - upside down triangle with a line through the middle
Elemental spirit - gnomes
Nature - mountains, caves, gems, fields, rocks, forests
Parts of body - bones, sex organs, legs
Human senses - touch
Goddess Aspect - Crone
Keys - Law Principle, Solidity
Reflection in humanity - the physical body
Virtues - strength, endurance, commitment, responsibility, thoroughness, practicality,
wisdom, patience, sense of timing, reliable, stability, perseverance
Vices - dullness, lack of conscience, melancholy, boredom, inertia, stagnation, hoarding
of resources (including information), greed, materialism
Excess - body heaviness, general lack of energy, inertia, materialism, narrow-
mindedness
Shortage - spaciness, hyper-activity, instability, unreliability, careless
Stage in the cycle of creation - the idea manifests in material form, building a solid
foundation for the next idea.
Emotions - sense of security, confidence in your own strength, ability to ignore minor
sources of irritation, desire to just sit down and do nothing.

Astrological Rulers: Venus, Saturn

 Fire of Violent pressure (due to
Capricorn Cardinal Mountains
Earth gravitation).

Air of
Taurus Fixed Plains Steady bearing of life.
Earth

Water of
Virgo Mutable Fields Quiet.
Earth

The Cardinal sign represents the Birth of the Element, the Fixed sign its Life, and
the Mutable sign its passing over towards the ideal form proper to it, i.e. to Spirit.

Earthy Tarot Major Arcana

And the entire Tarot Minor Arcana suit of Pentacles is attributed to Earth. The
Pentacles suit is sometimes named Coins or Disks, depending on the deck.
 Becoming One with Earth
 

Here below is a technique adapted from the ceremonial magick order The Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn, which teaches how to harmonize with the magickal element
Earth. This helps to become aware of nd be in control of this element in our daily lives.

1) Each of the four elements has aspects of temperature - cool or warm - and humidity -
dry or moist. Earth has the qualities of being dry and cool.

Make a list of things that have the combined qualities of dryness and coolness.
However, don't do this just out of your head. Rather, make a list of Earth things that you
see each day. Take your time; do this for one week.

2) Go to a place filled with nature, such as a field or park. Even your backyard would be
fine. Wear as little clothing as you can (if possible, nudity is best), and sit or lie on the
ground so that as much of your skin as possible is touching the ground.

Spend some time contemplating, feeling the coolness and dryness of the Earth. Do this
at least three times within a week.

3) Spend up to three minutes once a day imagining that you are the element Earth. Feel
the heaviness, the slowness, the coolness, and dryness of Earth. Feel the way you can
absorb the pains and problems of the world (however, do not actually do so). Become
Earth. Do this for at least a week.

4) Once you have learned to "be Earth", the next step is to control Earth (the element,
not the world!). Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Earth. Bring the feeling
from Step 3 into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9 to 12 inches apart, palms
facing each other. Visualize a bottle or box between your hands. Inhale. As you exhale,
visualize all of the Earth element that is in you going out with your breath and into the
container between your hands. Three to five breaths is usually enough to fill it. Then,
with three breaths, inhale it back into you and go back to normal consciousness.

5) This will allow you to see whether you really have become not only in harmony with
Earth, but also if you are able to control the element.

The next time you feel lightheaded, giddy, unstable, not able to do your work, etc.
(which are signs of a shortage in yourself of Earth), form your Earth container as in Step
4. Then, with one big inhalation, draw the contents of the container back into you.
Within five minutes, you should feel stable and grounded.

The next time you feel bloated, overweight, slowed down, etc. (which are signs of
excess in yourself of Earth), again form your Earth container; only this time, visualize a
large hole in the ground and drop the container into that hole. Quickly see the hole
close. You should feel lighter in a few minutes, but you may have to repeat this up to
five times to really feel light and energetic.
If you don't succeed at these within a few days or weeks, don't worry or get frustrated.
Just keep practicing. The result of being in harmony with our Mother Earth is well
worth the effort! For me, I enjoy drawing in Earth, as in Step 5, as a wonderful way to
ground after performing a ritual or spell.