What to Know About the Five Classical Elements (2024)

The Greeks proposed the existence of five basic elements. Of these, four were the physical elements—fire, air, water, and earth—of which the entire world is composed. Alchemists eventually associated four triangular symbols to represent these elements.

The fifth element, which goes by a variety of names, is more rarefied than the four physical elements. Some call it Spirit. Others call it Aether or Quintessence (literally "the fifthelement" in Latin).

In traditional Western occult theory, the elements are hierarchical: Spirit, fire, air, water, and earth—with the first elements being more spiritual and perfect and the last elements being more material and base. Some modern systems, such as Wicca, view the elements as equal.

Before we examine the elements themselves, it is important to understand the qualities, orientations, and correspondences that are associated with the elements. Each element is connected with aspects in each of these, and it helps correlate their relationship to one another.

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Elemental Qualities

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In classical elemental systems, each element has two qualities, and it shares each quality with one other element.

Warm/Cold

Each element is either warm or cold, and this corresponds with a male or female gender. This is a strongly dichotomous system, where male qualities are things like light, warmth, and activity, and female qualities are dark, cold, passive, and receptive.

The orientation of the triangle is determined by warmth or coldness, male or female. Male, warm elements point upward, ascending toward the spiritual realm. Female, cold elements point downward, descending into the earth.

Moist/Dry

The second pair of qualities is moistness or dryness. Unlike the warm and cold qualities, moist and dry qualities do not immediately correspond to other concepts.

Opposing Elements

Because each element shares one of its qualities with one other element, that leaves one element completely unrelated.

For example, air is moist like water and warm like fire, but it has nothing in common with earth. These opposing elements are on opposite sides of the diagram and are distinguished by the presence or absence of the crossbar within the triangle:

Air and earth are opposites and have the crossbar
Water and fire are also oppositesand lack the crossbar.

Hierarchy of Elements

There is traditionally a hierarchy of elements, although some modern schools of thought have abandoned this system. The lower elements in the hierarchy are more material and physical, with the higher elements becoming more spiritual, more rarefied, and less physical.

That hierarchy can be traced through this diagram. Earth is the lowest, most material element. Circling clockwise from earth you get water, and then air and then fire, which is the least material of the elements.

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Elemental Pentagram

What to Know About the Five Classical Elements (2)

The pentagram has represented many diverse meanings over the centuries. Since at least the Renaissance, one of its associations is with the five elements.

Arrangement

Traditionally, there is a hierarchy among the elements ranging from the most spiritual and rarefied to the least spiritual and most material. This hierarchy determines the placement of elements around the pentagram.

Starting with spirit, the highest element, we descend to fire, then follow the lines of the pentagram over to air, across to water, and down to earth, the lowest and most material of the elements. The final line between earth and spirit completes the geometric shape.

Orientation

The issue of a pentagram being point-up or point-down only gained relevance in the 19th-century and has everything to do with the arrangement of elements. A point-up pentagram came to symbolize spirit ruling over the four physical elements, while a point-down pentagram symbolized spirit being subsumed by matter or descending into matter.

Since then, some have simplified those associations to represent good and evil. This is generally not the position of those who commonly work with point-down pentagrams, and is often not the position of those associating themselves with point-up pentagrams either.

Colors

The colors used here are those associated with each element by the Golden Dawn. These associations are commonly borrowed by other groups as well.

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Elemental Correspondences

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Ceremonial occult systems traditionally depend on systems of correspondences: collections of items that are all associated in some way with the desired goal. While the types of correspondences are nearly endless, associations between elements, seasons, time of day, elements, moon phases, and directions have become fairly standardized in the West. These are frequently the basis for additional correspondences.

The Golden Dawn's Elemental/Directional Correspondences

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn codified some of these correspondences in the 19th-century. Most notable here are the cardinal directions.

The Golden Dawn originated in England, and the directional/elemental correspondences reflect a European perspective. To the south are the warmer climates, and thus is associated with fire. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. The north is cold and formidable, a land of the earth but sometimes not a lot else.

Occultists practicing in America or elsewhere sometimes do not find these correspondences to work.

Daily, Monthly, and Yearly Cycles

Cycles are important facets of many occult systems. Looking at daily, monthly, and yearly natural cycles, we find periods of growth and dying, of fullness and barrenness.

Fire is the element of fullness and life, and it is closely associated with the Sun. Therefore, it's unsurprising that noon and summer would be associated with fire. By that same logic, the full moon should also be in the same category.
Earth is in the opposite direction as fire and therefore corresponds with midnight, winter, and the new moon. While these things might represent barrenness, more often they are representative of potential and transformation; the point where the old gives way to the new; the empty fertility readies to feed new creations.
Air is the element of new beginnings, youth, increase, and creativity. As such, it is associated with spring, the waxing moon, and sunrise. Things are growing warmer and brighter, while plants and animals give birth to a new generation.
Water is the element of emotion and wisdom, particularly the wisdom of age. It represents a time past the peak of livelihood, moving toward the end of the cycle.

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Fire

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Fire is associated with strength, activity, blood, and life-force. It is also seen as highly purifying and protective, consuming impurities and driving back the darkness.

Fire is traditionally seen as the most rarefied and spiritual of the physical elements because of its masculine properties (which were superior to female properties). It also lacks physical existence, produces light, and has a transformative power when it comes in contact with morephysical material.

Qualities: Warm, Dry
Gender: Masculine (active)
Elemental: Salamander (Here referring to a mythological lizard creature which could burst into flames)
Golden Dawn Direction: South
Golden Dawn Color: Red
Magical Tool: Sword, athame, dagger, sometimes wand
Planets: Sol (Sun), Mars
Zodiac signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Noon

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Air

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Air is the element of intelligence, creativity, and beginnings. Largely intangible and without permanent form, air is an active, masculine element, superior to the more material elements of water and earth.

Qualities: Warm, Moist
Gender: Masculine (active)
Elemental: Sylphs (Invisible beings)
Golden Dawn Direction: East
Golden Dawn Color: Yellow
Magical Tool: Wand, sometimes sword, dagger or athame
Planets: Jupiter
Zodiac Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Season: Spring
Time of Day: Morning, Sunrise

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Water

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Water is the element of emotion and the unconscious, as opposed to the conscious intellectualism of air.

Water is one of two elements that have a physical existence that can interact with all of the physical senses. Water is still considered less material (and thus superior) to earth because it possesses more motion and activity than earth.

Qualities: Cold, Moist
Gender: Feminine (passive)
Elemental: Undines (water-based nymphs)
Golden Dawn Direction: West
Golden Dawn Color: Blue
Magical Tool: Cup
Planets: Moon, Venus
Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Season: Fall
Time of Day: Sunset

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Earth

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Earth is the element of stability, groundedness, fertility, materiality, potential, and stillness. Earth can also be an element of beginnings and endings, or death and rebirth, as life comes from the ground and then decomposes back intothe earthafter death.

Qualities: Cold, Dry
Gender: Feminine (passive)
Elemental: Gnomes
Golden Dawn Direction: North
Golden Dawn Color: Green
Magical Tool: Pentacle
Planets: Saturn
Zodiac Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Midnight

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Spirit

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The element of spirit does not have the same arrangements of correspondences as the physical elementssince spirit is not physical. Various systems may associate planets, tools, and so forth to it, but such correspondences are far less standardized than those of the other four elements.

The element of spirit goes by several names. The most common are spirit, ether or aether, and quintessence, which is Latin for "fifth element."

There is also no standard symbol for spirit, although circles are common. Eight-spoked wheels and spirals are also sometimes used to represent spirit.

Spirit is a bridge between the physical and the spiritual. In cosmological models, the spirit is the transitory material between the physical and celestial realms. Within the microcosm, the spirit is the bridge between body and soul.

Golden Dawn Direction:Above, Below, Within
Golden Dawn Color:Violet, Orange, White

As an expert in occult philosophy and elemental symbolism, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge and experience to shed light on the concepts discussed in the provided article. My expertise is rooted in extensive research and practical application within various occult traditions, allowing me to offer insights into the historical, symbolic, and philosophical aspects of elemental theories.

Let's delve into the key concepts presented in the article:

Elemental Qualities:

In classical elemental systems, each element possesses two qualities: Warm/Cold and Moist/Dry. These qualities are strongly dichotomous, with warm elements associated with male qualities (light, warmth, activity), while cold elements are linked to female qualities (dark, cold, passive, and receptive). The orientation of the triangular symbols is determined by warmth or coldness, with warm elements pointing upward (spiritual realm) and cold elements pointing downward (earth).

Hierarchy of Elements:

Traditionally, there is a hierarchy among the elements, with the lower elements being more material and physical, and the higher elements being more spiritual and rarefied. The hierarchy follows the order: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, with Spirit often considered above all.

Elemental Pentagram:

The pentagram represents the five elements, arranged in a hierarchy from the most spiritual to the most material. The orientation of the pentagram, whether point-up or point-down, carries symbolic significance. A point-up pentagram symbolizes spirit ruling over the four physical elements, while a point-down pentagram represents spirit being subsumed by matter.

Elemental Correspondences:

Ceremonial occult systems rely on correspondences between elements, seasons, time of day, moon phases, and directions. The Golden Dawn's Elemental/Directional Correspondences, for instance, associate each element with specific cardinal directions. These correspondences provide a framework for practitioners to align their rituals with specific elemental energies.

Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and Spirit:

Each element has unique qualities, associations, and correspondences:

Fire: Associated with strength, activity, and life-force. Warm and dry qualities. Symbolized by the Salamander. Aligned with the south, the color red, and the season of summer.
Air: Represents intelligence, creativity, and beginnings. Warm and moist qualities. Symbolized by Sylphs. Aligned with the east, the color yellow, and the season of spring.
Water: Element of emotion and the unconscious. Cold and moist qualities. Symbolized by Undines. Aligned with the west, the color blue, and the season of fall.
Earth: Element of stability, groundedness, and materiality. Cold and dry qualities. Symbolized by Gnomes. Aligned with the north, the color green, and the season of winter.
Spirit: The fifth element, transcending the physical. Associated with violet, orange, and white. Spirit serves as a bridge between the physical and the spiritual realms.

In conclusion, the intricate interplay of elemental qualities, correspondences, and symbolic representations provides a framework for understanding and working with the subtle energies that shape the occult traditions. These concepts have deep historical roots and continue to influence various modern esoteric practices.