The five Elements are fire,
water, earth and air. Spirit is often added to acknowledge
the spiritual component of them all. The elements are used
in ceremonies, rituals, meditation, zen practices and are
sometimes identified differently but the basic meaning is
the same. When invoking the elements, they are often
associated with the cardinal directions with Fire in the
South, Water in the West, Earth in the North and Air in
the East.
AIR
The Air element is associated with mental processes,
creativeness, higher consciousness, wisdom, our ideas
about the Universe.
FIRE
The element of fire is associated with both physical and
spiritual powers, energy and passion.
WATER
The element of water is associated with the subconscious
mind, love, religion, intuition, and emotions. It is the
primal substance of life and is symbolized by the womb and
fertility.
EARTH
Earth is the element that is most stable and dependable.
It represents abundance, prosperity, wisdom, and practical
knowledge. Earth sustains all life.
SPIRIT
Represents the mystical aspect of spiritual belief. It is
the source of human love and compassion and perhaps is the
most "elemental" element of all.
Aristotle defines the word element as "...the primary
component immanent in a thing, and indivisible, in kind,
into kinds...
He and other philosophers argued about what the most
essential or primary element was, whether fire, water,
earth or air but I believe Parmenides was most correct
when he said, "Love first of all, the Gods she planned",
and Hesiod when he said:
First of all things was chaos made, and then
Broad-breasted earth...
And love, 'mid all the gods pre-eminent...
It makes sense that love (Spirit) is the primary
element, without which, nothing else can have meaning.
