The Elements

I just completed a 45 minute elemental meditation. While I do use western symbols and spirits sometimes to interact with the elements, my view of them is primarily informed by the east. I find the current trend in the west is to see them as “below” or inside (and thus less important than) the planetary spheres and starry realms to be disheartening. The elements and the interactions between them are as primordial, important, and subtle as the planets and stars. Moreso in my opinion.  These forces are as much the primal building blocks of reality itself as they are flesh, bones, blood and warmth of our own bodies.

These days the “spirit model” seems to be the prevalent thinking (or lack thereof) among magicians, and many people ONLY seem interested in which spirit does what and how to contact them. For sure there are Kings*, Archangels, Djinn, Dakinis, and Gods that rule over the elements, but to really get a grip on the elements and their role, requires more than knowing the right direction and names to use.  It requires work at all levels: Breath, Energy, Meditative absorption, and yes some spirit work too.

You can find this kind of thing in Tibetan Buddhism, and Hinduism, and you can also get a good start with Bardon, but to me the best thing is to go out into nature on a slightly dizzly day. Light a fire and give yourself over to the elements. Pray and meditate. Soon you will start to see.

From there you can start with my own Pillar and Spheres and the advanced elemental stuff in my courses, or you can take a different route – just as long as it is rooted in direct experience of the element itself. Otherwise you are really missing out on the meaning and use.

*Kudos to Rufus Opus for re-doing his holy table to reflect the Kings for the Elements rather than the Archangels. I think this is going to open up some new avenues and make the jump to his upcoming work all the more accessible.