The four magickal elements that correspond with the four main directions of the altar and the magick circle offer a treasury of symbolism to enrich rituals: Earth for enhancing practical needs such as sufficient money, the right home, and stability; Air for swift results and where matters of the mind such as examinations or communication in interviews are involved, Fire for inspiration and power; and Water for love and relationships or family matters.
The fusing of these elements creates, it is believed by magickal practitioners, spiritual energy called Aether, Akasha, or Spirit, in which thoughts and desires can be animated and transferred (or rather catapulted) into material reality.
The following associations are the most usual, rooted in traditional magick, but if you study other forms of Wicca, you may find variations that suit you better; for example, variations of color.
Earth
Time of Day: Midnight
Time of Life: Old age, and so wisdom and tradition
Season: Winter
Elemental Tool: Pentacle
Sacred Elemental Substance: Salt
Elemental Creature: Gnome
Colors: Green or golden brown
Tarot Suit: Pentacles, discs, or coins
Guardian of North Wind: Boreas
Energy Raising: Drumming
Deities: All Earth Mothers, Creatrix goddesses, Mistress of Animals, and Crone/Wise Woman goddesses, also Earth Fathers, Horned God, and gods of the hunt (see Chapters 6 and 7 on Gods and Goddesses)
Archangel: Uriel, archangel of protection, transformation, and guardian of the earth and sun who brought alchemy to humankind, described as having an open hand holding a flame, dressing in rich burnished gold and ruby red with a bright flamelike halo blazing in the darkness, and wielding a fiery sword that flashes lightning
Crystals: Most agates, especially moss and tree (dendritic) agate, amazonite, aventurine, emerald, fossils, jet, malachite, petrified or fossilized wood, rose quartz, rutilated quartz, smoky quartz, red and gold tigereye, and all stones with holes in the center
Power Animals and Birds: Antelope, badger, bear, boar, cow, bull, dog, stag, sheep, squirrel, rabbit, snake, bee, spider, and wolf
Point on Pentagram: Lower left
Physical and Psychic Senses: Touch and taste, also psychometry and clairsentience
Fragrances: Cypress, fern, geranium, heather, hibiscus, honeysuckle, magnolia, oakmoss, patchouli, sagebrush, sweetgrass, vervain, and vetivert
Positive Qualities: Patience, stability, generosity, reliability, endurance, perseverance, respect for others and traditions, protectiveness, fertility (also contained in Water), acceptance of others as they are and of self, grounding, tolerance, and caretaker of the environment
Earth Places: Caves, crypts, ley lines, forests, ice, snow, rocks, mountains (also a place of Air), gardens, temples, old stone circles, and homes
Materials (Substances and Phenomena): Salt, herbs, flowers, trees, coins, bread, corn and wheat, fabrics, nuts, clay, grass, soil, sand, berries, potpourri, herbs, crystals and gems, and plants
Natural Associations: Earth lights, crop circles, fields of grain, sand storms, earthquakes and tremors, land guardians or Landvættir, and the ancestors
Astrological Signs: Capricorn, Virgo, and Taurus
Keywords: “I accept and nurture all.”
Use Earth in Magick for: Protection; property; the home and all domestic matters; for stability in any area of your life; for a steady infusion of money and banishing debt; official matters; for families and animals; for crystal, herb, and all environmental magick; and for spells concerning institutions such as the law, politics, finance, health, and education. It is also a focus for all rituals against famine, deforestation, land pollution, devastation through unwise building or industrialization, and for caring for animals and their natural habitats.
Air
Time of Day: Dawn
Time of Life: Birth/rebirth and childhood
Season: Spring
Elemental Tool: Sword
Sacred Elemental Substance: Incense or smudge
Elemental Creature: Sylph
Colors: Yellow or gray
Tarot suit: Swords
Guardian of the East Wind: Eolus
Energy Raising: Music and song
Deities: Maiden, spring, and flower goddesses; deities of light, Sky Fathers and Mothers, gods, and goddesses; messenger and healing deities; and star deities (also sometimes seen as fire)
Archangel: Raphael, archangel of healing, the four winds and the traveler’s archangel, described as carrying a golden vial of medicine and a traveler’s staff, dressed in the colors of early morning sunlight, a green healing ray emanating from his halo
Crystals: Amethyst, angelite, blue lace agate, clear crystal quartz (also fire), citrine, diamond, Herkimer diamond, danburite, lapis lazuli, sodalite, sugilite, sapphire, and turquoise
Power Animals and Birds: Eagle, hawk, nightingale, birds of prey, white dove, winged insects, and butterfly
Point of the Pentagram: Upper left
Physical and Psychic Senses: Hearing; also, clairaudience
Fragrances: Acacia, almond, anise, benzoin, bergamot, dill, fennel, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lily of the valley, marjoram, meadowsweet, papyrus flower, peppermint, and sage
Positive Qualities: Communication skills, persuasiveness, joy, focus, intelligence, fair mindedness, logic, independence, clarity, good memory, mental dexterity, optimism, teaching abilities, poetic and musical gifts, concentration, commercial and technological acumen, versatility, and healing gifts through orthodox medicine or from higher sources
Air Places: Mountaintops, hills, towers, steeples and spires, the sky, pyramids, open plains, tall buildings, balconies, roof gardens, and the sky
Materials (Substances and Phenomena): Fragrance oils, flowers, wind chimes, feathers, four winds, clouds, balloons, kites, feathers, air-borne seeds and spores, smoke, winds, whirlwinds, hurricanes, storms, boats with sails billowing in the wind, and weathervanes
Natural Associations: Clouds, light, the life force, spirits, ghosts (believed to enfold themselves in the wind to travel), angels, elves, and fairies
Astrological Associations: Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini
Planets: Mercury, Jupiter, and Uranus
Use Air in Magick for: Passing tests and examinations; for learning; for travel; for changes and improvements in career; for house moves; for money-raising ventures, as well as anything to do with science, technology, or the media; for healing the ozone layer and slowing down global warming; to recover lost or stolen items; to uncover the truth; for new beginnings; and for feather magick
Fire
Time of Day: Noon
Time of Life: Young adulthood, finding a partner, and producing offspring
Season: Summer
Elemental Tool: Wand
Sacred Elemental Substance: Candle
Elemental Creature: Salamander, the magickal lizard creature believed to live in fire
Colors: Red, orange, or gold
Tarot Suit: Wands, rods, or staves
Guardian of the South Wind: Notus
Energy Raising: Dance and ritual fires
Deities: All fire gods and goddesses, deities of passion and seduction, blacksmith and metal-working deities, and deities of the sun
Archangel: Michael, archangel of the sun, supreme archangel, who oversees the natural world, including the weather; leader of all the great warrior angels and traditional dragon slayers; described as having golden wings and red and gold armor with a sword, a shield, a green date branch, and carrying the scales of justice or a white banner with a red cross
Crystals: Amber, bloodstone, Boji stones, carnelian, garnet, lava, iron pyrites, obsidian, ruby, and topaz
Animals and Birds: Cat, lion, cougar, stag, dragon, firefly, dragonfly, and the legendary golden phoenix (symbol of transformation and rebirth, which burns itself on a funeral pyre every five-hundred years, only to rise again golden from the ashes)
Point on pentagram: Lower right
Physical and Psychic Senses: Vision and clairvoyance
Fragrances: Allspice, angelica, basil, bay, carnation, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, cloves, copal, dragon’s blood, frankincense, heliotrope, juniper, lime, marigold, nutmeg, orange, rosemary, and tangerine
Positive Qualities: Courage, inspiration, idealism and altruism, fidelity, striving for perfection, defense of the weak, intuition, imagination, creativity, leadership, good health, transformation, fertility in all aspects of life (also ruled by Earth and Water), transformation, courage, mysticism, clairvoyance, prophecy, determination to overcome any obstacle, energy, living spirit, and abundance
Fire Places: The family hearth, deserts, shimmering sand, hilltop beacons, red rock formations, and altars with candles
Substances (Materials and Phenomena): Candles, beeswax, flames, ash, fiber-optic lamps, lightning, jack-o’-lanterns, clear crystal spheres, gold, mirrors, oranges, suncatchers, sunflowers, and all golden flowers; also, volcanoes, forest fires, and solar eclipses
Natural Associations: Blood, the sun, ritual and hearth fires, stars (sometimes also associated with Air), bonfires, comets, rainbows, meteors, lightning, torches (wood was believed to contain fire that could be released by friction), djinns (genies), and fire fairies
Astrological signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
Planets: Sun and Mars
Use Fire in Magick for: Fulfilling ambitions; for wise power and leadership; all creative and artistic ventures; religion and spirituality; success in sports and competitive games; for courage; to increase psychic powers (especially higher ones such as channeling); for pleasure, passion, and the consummation of love; for sacred sex; the removal of what is no longer needed; binding and banishing; protection against a vicious attack or threats; for candle magick; for protection against drought; to combat all pollution caused by burning fuels or chemicals, as well as forest fires and the slash-and-burn policy that threatens rainforests.
Water
Time of Day: Sunset or twilight
Time of Life: Middle years right through retirement and the Third Age
Season: Fall/Autumn
Elemental Tool: Chalice
Sacred Elemental Substance: Water
Elemental Creature: Nymph
Colors: Blue or silver
Tarot Suit: Cups or Chalices
Guardian of the West Wind: Zephyrus
Energy Raising: Rattles, prayer, and chanting
Deities: Moon and love deities; sea, sacred well, and water gods and goddesses; and goddesses of initiation and the mystery religions
Archangel: Gabriel, archangel of the moon, divine messenger carrying divine messages, regarded as having female energies. She is described as being clothed in silver or dark blue with a mantle of stars and a crescent moon for her halo, a golden horn, and a white lily, or alternatively with a lantern in her right hand and a mirror made of jasper in her left
Crystals: Aquamarine, calcite, coral, jade, moonstone, fluorite, pearl, opal, and tourmaline
Animals and Birds: Frog; dolphin; otter and beaver; heron; duck; seal; whale; swan and all water birds; all fish, especially the salmon; starfish; crab; sea horse; and crocodile and alligator
Point on Pentagram: Upper right
Physical and Psychic Senses: Sixth sense/intuition; also, healing, telepathy, and scrying
Fragrances: Apple blossom, apricot, coconut, eucalyptus, feverfew, heather, hyacinth, jasmine, lemon, lemon balm, lilac, lily, myrrh, orchid, passionflower, peach, strawberry, sweet pea, thyme, valerian, vanilla, and violet
Positive Qualities: Beauty, compassion, empathy, peacemaking, harmony, sympathy, love, forgiveness, unconscious wisdom, purity, ability to merge and interconnect with nature, the cycles of the seasons, and the life cycle
Water Places: Pools, streams, estuaries, waterfalls, sacred wells and springs, whirlpools, rivers, the sea, marshland, flood plains, aquariums, and water parks
Natural Associations: The moon, rain, ritual baths, mists, fog, dreams, mermaids, and water sprites
Materials (Substances and Phenomena): Milk, wine, sea shells, crystal spheres, scrying bowls, dark mirrors, reflections in water, tides, floods, and tsunamis
Astrological Associations: Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio
Planets: Neptune, the moon, and Pluto
Use Water in Magick for: Love, relationships, friendships, the mending of quarrels, astral travel, protection of those far away, dreams, purification rites, healing, using the powers of nature and especially water (particularly sacred water), scrying, divination, all water and sea magick, moon magick, and travel by sea. It is also potent for fighting floods; cleansing sea, lake, and river pollution; in campaigns for fresh water to parts of the world where there is none; world health initiatives; and care of whales, dolphins, seals, and all endangered sea creatures.
USING THE ELEMENTS RATHER THAN DIRECTIONS AS A GUIDE TO CIRCLE-CASTING
Some practitioners in the southern hemisphere use the northern hemisphere traditional clockwise circle-casting and north-facing altar positions, recognizing that Wicca was originally a northern hemisphere tradition.
However, other southern practitioners cast the circle in their sunwise or deosil direction, which in the southern world is counter-clockwise, and uncast moonwise or widdershins, which is clockwise to them.
More problematic in the southern hemisphere are the directions, since they are opposite from the north. For example, the cold regions traditionally associated with Earth in the northern hemisphere in Wicca are south toward the Antarctic for the southern hemisphere. In the same way, heat is north toward the equator, and the seaboard for Water may be on the east for the southern hemisphere.
The best way around this is to work purely with the elements, not the directions, and disassociate from the north. For example with Earth, make the altar and circle position for Earth as the direction toward the most solid land mass wherever you are casting magick. Fire would be the direction of heat, Water the nearest ocean or water source, and Air the mountains or plains.
WELCOMING THE ELEMENTAL GUARDIANS INTO YOUR CAST CIRCLE
After circle-casting, many Wiccans in ritual call upon the Guardians of each elemental quadrant of the circle, often called the Guardians of the Watchtowers, and generally begin with Earth.
In the northern hemisphere, the Guardians are welcomed clockwise around the circle. Earth followed by Air, followed by Fire, followed by Water and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere, again starting with Earth.
The Elemental Guardians add their various powers to energize and give life and form to the elements such as salt, incense, candle flame, and water on the altar. The Guardians may be identified as deities (north and west are traditionally represented by female deity energy forms, though this can vary per the culture; archangels; power animals; or elemental spirits). You can refer to the association lists in this chapter or to the deities section in Chapter 3 (page 22).
In formal magick the Guardians are often called the Lords and/or Ladies of the Watchtowers.
These wise protectors are very important and guard the circle from all earthly negative feelings and any external pressures from the outside world. Because you are working with spiritual powers, the Guardians will also prevent anything less than benign from entering the sacred space while you are spiritually open and vulnerable during ritual.
DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL ELEMENTAL GUARDIANS
If you are working alone, sit in each quadrant of your circle in turn and allow a figure of a person, animal, bird, or sea creature to come into your mind quite naturally as representing the Guardian of that elemental quadrant. If you are meditating together as part of a coven exercise before ritual, you could divide coven members into groups and allow each group to work with visualization to evoke a collective vision of their chosen element.
When you see in your mind’s vision an Elemental Guardian for each of the four Quarters, allow a name to come for each of them. It may be a name you can identify afterward online or in a book, or your elemental spirit or angel may adopt this appearance and name exclusively for you.
Next, decide how you will ask each Guardian to enter your circle after the circle-casting, and at the end of your ritual before uncasting the circle, decide how you will thank them and bid them farewell.
OPENING THE ELEMENTAL QUARTERS IN RITUAL
A chosen person—either you or another member of the coven chosen to represent each quadrant—faces outward to the chosen element center point, beginning with Earth, and draws the invoking or attracting pentagram in front of themselves in the air, knee to shoulder high, and anyone else present can do the same. Then, raising both arms high with palms flat and uppermost and then lowering them, you can make a greeting to each Guardian in turn with such words as, Guardian of the Watchtower of Earth, you are welcome and I/we ask your protection and blessings on this ritual.
As you welcome the Elemental Guardians and the gateways open, you may see or sense the worlds they inhabit. For instance, through the Earth doorway you may sense or glimpse rich green forests or ripening corn, and through the Fire doorway you may see the brilliant sun.
After the ritual, before uncasting, it is necessary to close the Quarters. You or the person designated to the element would draw the banishing pentagram again in front of you in the air and others can do the same (some begin the closing with the Water element), and go around the circle counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere until all four Quarters are closed.
At each Quarter, before drawing the closing pentagram, you should raise your arms as before and then lower them, thanking the Guardians in turn, and say: Hail and farewell. Until we meet again.
It is always important, especially with elemental spirits, to close the doors of the Watchtowers, as otherwise magickal forces can remain in the cosmos and become thought forms or tulpas (a tulpa is a being or object that is created through sheer spiritual or mental discipline alone), and with elemental energies this is not advisable. So alternatively, say: Wise Guardian of [element], I offer you blessings until we meet again.
In the next chapter, we will look at magickal timings and further magickal associations such as colors, fragrances, and crystals you can add to enhance spells and rituals.