MAGICK 4 -- ELEMENTS AND FORCES

 ** MAGICK 4 -- ELEMENTS AND FORCES **

        The Ancients divided the world into four basic

principles or *elements* -- earth, water, fire, and air.

That viewpoint has mostly changed with advances of science,

but the four elements are still accepted in magick, for they

are more closely linked with the emotions than modern

explanations of the world. Many occultists think of the magical

elements as forces, or as *qualities* of energy; especially

within the astral world. Each element has a symbol and color.

(Common symbols are -- fire: a triangle pointing up; air:

a triangle pointing up and with a horizontal line through the

middle of it; water: a triangle pointing down; earth: a

triangle pointing down and with a horizontal line through the

middle of it.) Colors of the elements are -- earth: brown and

green; water: blue; fire: red; air: yellow...The Eastern

tattvic system uses different symbols and colors. The elements

are often used in magick ritual.

        Magick sees relationships between things. These

relationships are called 'correspondences'. Although magical

correspondences are not literally equal to one another, you can

think of them that way (such as gold equals sun). Tables of

these relationships, called 'Correspondence Tables', are

available (an important one is Crowley's '777'). Thus one thing

or symbol can be used to suggest another. This is important in

magick, for the magician may surround himself with as many

appropriate correspondences as he can to vividly affect the

senses; thus making his magical contact with the inner planes

more lucid.

        The magical elements have correspondences with the

tarrot cards as the four suits. The four quarters (directions

of the universe as used in magick ritual) and the Archangels

also correspond with these same elements --

Element         Suit            Quarter         Archangel

=======         ====            =======         =========

earth           pentacles       north           Uriel

water           cups            west            Gabriel

fire            wands           south           Michael

air             swords          east            Raphael

ELEMENTALS

        The magical elements are said to be peopled by spirits

and mythological entities called elementals or nature spirits.

These are grouped into four main categories --

Gnome (earth)   Undine (water)  Salamander (fire)  Sylph (air)

=============   ==============  =================  ===========

dwarfs          nymphs          jin (genies)       fairies

elves           tritons                            storm angels

brownies        mermaids

hobgoblins      mermen

lepricauns      sirens

                harpies

        Elementals are usually only visible to those with

clairvoyant sight and are more likely to be seen at night in

the mountains or country away from cities -- especially if you

are tired or sleepy. Although elementals exist naturally, it is

also possible to create one which will exist for a limited time

-- no elemental has immortality. A created elemental is called

an 'artificial elemental'.

        To the Ancients, elementals were the physical

explanation of the universe. However, some contemporary

occultists see them only as symbols for forces and otherwise

not 'real' at all. Another word sometimes used for elemental is

'familiar' (usually in medieval witchcraft); the term is

ambiguous, as it might merely be an ordinary household pet such

as a dog or cat.

YIN YANG

        Chinese philosophy and acupuncture talk of yin yang.

This is the idea of polarity, or opposite pairs, as shown --

        YIN                     YANG

        ===                     ====

        water                   fire

        contraction             expansion

        cold                    hot

        feminine                masculine

        moon                    sun

        negative                positive

        passive                 active

        ebb                     flow

        wane                    wax

The list could go on. In Chinese literature it is quite long.

Some occultists suggest everything can be similarly arranged

into related opposite pairs.

SIMPLE MAGICK

        Here is a simple magical technique you may wish to

try. It is a variation of affirmation, which was discussed

in an earlier lesson...To help to you achieve your goal

(magical or otherwise), find a word or short phase which sums

up what it is that you want to accomplish. Write the word (or

phrase) down 10 times each day until you achieve success.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) List the four elements.

2) What is an elemental?

3) What are correspondences?

BOOK LIST

William Britten, Art Magic (long out of print, but in some

        libraries).

Pete Carrol, Liber Null.

Wing-Tsit Chan, A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy.

Manly Hall, Unseen Forces.

========

Phil Hansford, 11/86

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