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See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 33 Fotos
Roots
- The roots of the concept can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, who proposed that four basic physical elements existed. These elements are fire, air, water, and earth.
© Shutterstock
1 / 33 Fotos
Shapes
- The triangular symbols normally used to represent these elements were then introduced by alchemists.
© Shutterstock
2 / 33 Fotos
The Fifth Element
- The fifth element was then introduced. It has different names in different traditions,. Examples include “Aether” and “Quintessence.” They all seem to refer to the same thing, what we today call “Spirit.”
© Shutterstock
3 / 33 Fotos
Hierarchy
- The hierarchy of the elements varies, depending on the belief system. In traditional Western occult theory, for instance, the elements follow the descending hierarchical order: spirit, fire, air, water, and earth.
© Shutterstock
4 / 33 Fotos
Western occult theory
- This is because there is the belief that the first elements (especially spirit and fire) are more spiritual than the last ones. Water and earth, in particular, are thought to be more material and physical.
© Shutterstock
5 / 33 Fotos
Wicca
- This hierarchy, however, is not followed by some modern systems. Wicca, for instance, considers all the elements to be equal.
© Shutterstock
6 / 33 Fotos
Qualities
- Now, let’s look at the elements’ characteristics, and how they relate to one another. Each element has two qualities that are shared with another element.
© Shutterstock
7 / 33 Fotos
Warm/Cold
- Elements have a temperature spectrum, and can be either warm or cold. This dichotomy corresponds with male and female characteristics, respectively.
© Shutterstock
8 / 33 Fotos
Male /Female
- Male qualities are described as light, warm, and active, while female qualities are dark, cold, passive, and receptive.
© Shutterstock
9 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- The orientation of the triangle is then aligned with the temperature and its male or female characteristics. The warm (male) elements point upward, toward the spiritual realm, and the cold (female) elements point downward, into the earth.
© Shutterstock
10 / 33 Fotos
Moist/Dry
- In addition to temperature, elements are also classified by their moist and dry qualities. Though unlike with temperature, these qualities are not related to the male/female dichotomy.
© Shutterstock
11 / 33 Fotos
Opposing elements
- While all elements share qualities with other elements, they are also opposed to other elements that sit on the other end of the spectrum. For example, air is moist like water and warm like fire, but doesn’t share any qualities with earth.
© Shutterstock
12 / 33 Fotos
Opposing elements
- And then within these, there are those that have and those that lack the triangle crossbar. E.g. Air and earth are opposites and have the crossbar, but water and fire don’t; even though they are also opposites.
© Shutterstock
13 / 33 Fotos
Pentagram
- The elemental pentagram has been used to represent the Five Elements for centuries. Following the basic hierarchy, the spirit is found on top, and then it goes down to fire, then air, water, and it descends to earth.
© Shutterstock
14 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- It was not until the 19th century that relevance was attributed to the orientation of the pentagram. It’s usually depicted with the point up or pointing down.
© Shutterstock
15 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- The point-up version symbolizes the triumph of spirit over matter, while the point-down version has the physical elements subduing the spiritual realm.
© Shutterstock
16 / 33 Fotos
Good and evil?
- These have been associated with notions of 'good' and 'evil,' but this is not usually the position of those who choose to use one pentagram over the other.
© Shutterstock
17 / 33 Fotos
Elemental correspondences
- Each element corresponds to different things, including seasons, time of day, moon phases, directions, and colors.
© Shutterstock
18 / 33 Fotos
Colors
- The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn came up with many of these correspondences in the 19th century. The color associated with fire is red, air is yellow, water is blue, earth is green, and the spirit can be violet, orange, or white.
© Shutterstock
19 / 33 Fotos
Directions
- The Golden Dawn also associated cardinal directions to the elements. Because the society was founded in England, these have a European perspective. This means the north is cold, the south is warm, the west is water, etc.
© Shutterstock
20 / 33 Fotos
Location
- Occultists practicing in other parts of the world don’t find these correspondences reflect their reality.
© Shutterstock
21 / 33 Fotos
Cycles
- The Five Elements are also connected to natural cycles. These correspond to certain seasons, as well as specific times of the day.
© Shutterstock
22 / 33 Fotos
Fire
- Fire is associated with the un and life. As such, it corresponds to noon and summer when it comes to time of the day and season. The full moon is also associated with fire.
© Shutterstock
23 / 33 Fotos
Earth
- Earth is in the opposite direction of fire and it’s associated with the new moon. The element’s corresponding time of the day is midnight, and winter is the season.
© Shutterstock
24 / 33 Fotos
Air
- Air is all about creativity, youth, and new beginnings. This element is associated with spring, sunrise, and the waxing moon.
© Shutterstock
25 / 33 Fotos
Water
- This element is linked to emotion and wisdom. It’s associated with the end of the cycle and the wisdom of old age.
© Shutterstock
26 / 33 Fotos
Spirit
- Spirit does not have the same correspondences because it’s not a physical element. The fifth element also doesn’t have a standard symbol, although circles and spirals have been used to represent it.
© Shutterstock
27 / 33 Fotos
Elemental beings
- The four physical elements correspond to specific elemental beings. Let’s take a look at the ones associated with them.
© Shutterstock
28 / 33 Fotos
Fire
- Fire’s elemental being is the salamander (the mythological lizard, not the amphibian).
© Getty Images
29 / 33 Fotos
Air
- The elemental being associated with air is the sylph, an air spirit or being.
© Getty Images
30 / 33 Fotos
Water
- Water corresponds to water-based nymphs called undines.
© Getty Images
31 / 33 Fotos
Earth
- As for Earth, its elemental creatures are gnomes. Sources: (Learn Religions) See also: What your aura says about you
© Public Domain
32 / 33 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 33 Fotos
Roots
- The roots of the concept can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, who proposed that four basic physical elements existed. These elements are fire, air, water, and earth.
© Shutterstock
1 / 33 Fotos
Shapes
- The triangular symbols normally used to represent these elements were then introduced by alchemists.
© Shutterstock
2 / 33 Fotos
The Fifth Element
- The fifth element was then introduced. It has different names in different traditions,. Examples include “Aether” and “Quintessence.” They all seem to refer to the same thing, what we today call “Spirit.”
© Shutterstock
3 / 33 Fotos
Hierarchy
- The hierarchy of the elements varies, depending on the belief system. In traditional Western occult theory, for instance, the elements follow the descending hierarchical order: spirit, fire, air, water, and earth.
© Shutterstock
4 / 33 Fotos
Western occult theory
- This is because there is the belief that the first elements (especially spirit and fire) are more spiritual than the last ones. Water and earth, in particular, are thought to be more material and physical.
© Shutterstock
5 / 33 Fotos
Wicca
- This hierarchy, however, is not followed by some modern systems. Wicca, for instance, considers all the elements to be equal.
© Shutterstock
6 / 33 Fotos
Qualities
- Now, let’s look at the elements’ characteristics, and how they relate to one another. Each element has two qualities that are shared with another element.
© Shutterstock
7 / 33 Fotos
Warm/Cold
- Elements have a temperature spectrum, and can be either warm or cold. This dichotomy corresponds with male and female characteristics, respectively.
© Shutterstock
8 / 33 Fotos
Male /Female
- Male qualities are described as light, warm, and active, while female qualities are dark, cold, passive, and receptive.
© Shutterstock
9 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- The orientation of the triangle is then aligned with the temperature and its male or female characteristics. The warm (male) elements point upward, toward the spiritual realm, and the cold (female) elements point downward, into the earth.
© Shutterstock
10 / 33 Fotos
Moist/Dry
- In addition to temperature, elements are also classified by their moist and dry qualities. Though unlike with temperature, these qualities are not related to the male/female dichotomy.
© Shutterstock
11 / 33 Fotos
Opposing elements
- While all elements share qualities with other elements, they are also opposed to other elements that sit on the other end of the spectrum. For example, air is moist like water and warm like fire, but doesn’t share any qualities with earth.
© Shutterstock
12 / 33 Fotos
Opposing elements
- And then within these, there are those that have and those that lack the triangle crossbar. E.g. Air and earth are opposites and have the crossbar, but water and fire don’t; even though they are also opposites.
© Shutterstock
13 / 33 Fotos
Pentagram
- The elemental pentagram has been used to represent the Five Elements for centuries. Following the basic hierarchy, the spirit is found on top, and then it goes down to fire, then air, water, and it descends to earth.
© Shutterstock
14 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- It was not until the 19th century that relevance was attributed to the orientation of the pentagram. It’s usually depicted with the point up or pointing down.
© Shutterstock
15 / 33 Fotos
Orientation
- The point-up version symbolizes the triumph of spirit over matter, while the point-down version has the physical elements subduing the spiritual realm.
© Shutterstock
16 / 33 Fotos
Good and evil?
- These have been associated with notions of 'good' and 'evil,' but this is not usually the position of those who choose to use one pentagram over the other.
© Shutterstock
17 / 33 Fotos
Elemental correspondences
- Each element corresponds to different things, including seasons, time of day, moon phases, directions, and colors.
© Shutterstock
18 / 33 Fotos
Colors
- The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn came up with many of these correspondences in the 19th century. The color associated with fire is red, air is yellow, water is blue, earth is green, and the spirit can be violet, orange, or white.
© Shutterstock
19 / 33 Fotos
Directions
- The Golden Dawn also associated cardinal directions to the elements. Because the society was founded in England, these have a European perspective. This means the north is cold, the south is warm, the west is water, etc.
© Shutterstock
20 / 33 Fotos
Location
- Occultists practicing in other parts of the world don’t find these correspondences reflect their reality.
© Shutterstock
21 / 33 Fotos
Cycles
- The Five Elements are also connected to natural cycles. These correspond to certain seasons, as well as specific times of the day.
© Shutterstock
22 / 33 Fotos
Fire
- Fire is associated with the un and life. As such, it corresponds to noon and summer when it comes to time of the day and season. The full moon is also associated with fire.
© Shutterstock
23 / 33 Fotos
Earth
- Earth is in the opposite direction of fire and it’s associated with the new moon. The element’s corresponding time of the day is midnight, and winter is the season.
© Shutterstock
24 / 33 Fotos
Air
- Air is all about creativity, youth, and new beginnings. This element is associated with spring, sunrise, and the waxing moon.
© Shutterstock
25 / 33 Fotos
Water
- This element is linked to emotion and wisdom. It’s associated with the end of the cycle and the wisdom of old age.
© Shutterstock
26 / 33 Fotos
Spirit
- Spirit does not have the same correspondences because it’s not a physical element. The fifth element also doesn’t have a standard symbol, although circles and spirals have been used to represent it.
© Shutterstock
27 / 33 Fotos
Elemental beings
- The four physical elements correspond to specific elemental beings. Let’s take a look at the ones associated with them.
© Shutterstock
28 / 33 Fotos
Fire
- Fire’s elemental being is the salamander (the mythological lizard, not the amphibian).
© Getty Images
29 / 33 Fotos
Air
- The elemental being associated with air is the sylph, an air spirit or being.
© Getty Images
30 / 33 Fotos
Water
- Water corresponds to water-based nymphs called undines.
© Getty Images
31 / 33 Fotos
Earth
- As for Earth, its elemental creatures are gnomes. Sources: (Learn Religions) See also: What your aura says about you
© Public Domain
32 / 33 Fotos
What you might not know about the Five Elements
Learn more about the fire, water, earth, air, and spirit elements
© Shutterstock
There are four physical elements: fire, water, air, and earth. But there is also a fifth element that has been referred by different names throughout history. This element is most commonly known as "spirit." But how much do we know about these elements, really? What do they represent, what are their characteristics, and what is their meaning after all?
Click through the following gallery and learn more about the Five Elements.
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