What's the use of an elemental system?

[Naiad780]

Elemental belief systems are popular in numerous cultures and traditions.  I'm referring to various combinations of earth, air, fire, water, wood, metal, etc.  It's prominent in many current-day neopagan and magical disciplines, and obviously it's a useful system or people wouldn't keep doing it.

As a former Wiccan, I understand the principles.  Just about every thing, emotion, energy, time of day, whatever falls under a particular element.  

But what use is it?  I'm not being snarky; I'm just trying to figure out what I'm missing.  I could go around saying, "This energy must be an earth elemental.  This belongs with water." I can create spells and magical workings that fall under the heading of "ingredients from the fire element."  But it feels contrived and artificial to me.  I feel like I'm pidgeonholing the energies I'm working with.  And so much of it seems arbitrary.

What are the primary benefits of using the elements in your magical workings or worldview?  I'm looking for personal experiences, not references to books.

[Tyciol]

I can't say I have an experience, but my personal theory is that it just helps to simplifiy and classify things into certain categories. Thinking of things in 'elemental' form is much more fun and easy than thinking of it as molecular arrangements of elements.

[Seven]

I think it's a matter of balance.  Our bodies are composed of the elements in the sense of a tetrapolar magnet and if we have an imbalance of a certain element, we can then draw on the opposite polarity to gain balance.  For example, if you are too emotional (water element - cold, contracting), you can balance yourself by drawing on the fire element (heat, expansion).  You could meditate on the properties of the elements and change the way you react to certain situations by choosing to manifest the opposite polarity, or even to draw that element into yourself through the ether.  The aim is to have balance of polarity WITHIN YOURSELF, and by understanding the properties of the elements you can change qualities within yourself or within a certain situation that you want to change.

At least that's the way I understand it so far  

I know you're not looking for references to books so I won't mention any  

[Quantitativefool]

Yeah, I really agree with that statement.

-Stu

[Ater Corax]

If you're just looking at charts, of course you won't see any power in the elemental system.

You have to experience the elements through nature and meditations to understand what they're all about. They're not some "belief" that you're supposed to accept, but powers you're supposed to experience and use in spellwork.

So, basically, the elements/elementals are powers that are used by witches and others enchance spells.

When they're called upon in spells and such, they're not some representation of what you want to accomplish, but powers/beings that are supposed to give a "boost" to the spell being cast.

Of course, anyone can do spellwork without any elemental involment, but a large number of magic-workers work with them.

-Ater

[Nita]

Hello Ater Corax
The elements make it possible to compartmentalize and work upon problem areas. An example of this is prosperity problems or blockages can be removed by a spell involving banishing negative earth energies. You can reverse bad trends on the subject of money and prosperity by a reversal of earth.
Metal is used to remove and reverse the threat of physical harm. It makes it so when bad things start happening you can be rid of them by doing one elemental spell to balance the energies. I mainly work upon getting rid of negative influences.
Spells relate to certain elements by the way they are set up. The elements are included so like can attract like and to also draw the energies into the physical planes. It helps our mind to structure and import the energies necessary to get the results we need.
The Kybalion gives the principles of hermetics where you an see how they are incorporated into our every day lives. It also shows how they are incorporate into magic also.
ELementals also help with summoning those energies into our lives. The elements are good for a great many things. I am also speaking from practical experience as you asked.
A simple reversal of air which is good to remove gossip from your life follows. You take a teaspoon of salt, sugar and flour. You mix them together in your hand thinking of the negative things being said about you. You then go outside and face away from the wind.
You say
Vault of the Sky defend me three times. You then blow the mixture into the air. As it disperses so do the problems with people saying mean things about you.

  Nita

[narfellus]

Nita, regarding your reply above and the spell you suggest to banish gossip: how effective would it be in the hands of someone who has never tried it before? Would it be completely ineffectual for a non-believer in magic (my guess is yes). Would repitition of the mantra over time increase its effectiveness? Would active use of the laws of analogy strengthen the spell, such having an item tied to the gossip in question?  Lastly, what is the nature of that spell, meaning, did you learn it from another source or find through your own experience and intuition that it was effective?

Lordy, that was a lot of questions. Hope you don't mind!

[redcatherine]

Elemental belief systems are popular in numerous cultures and traditions. ....What are the primary benefits of using the elements in your magical workings or worldview?  I'm looking for personal experiences, not references to books.

Personally I found the hermetic elements essential to the path of my spiritual development group . We initially avoided the Hermetic path altogether having read that it was not a path of light but one of manipulation and dark paths . But that isn't true . We found ourselves being taught about the hermetic elements by teachers in spiritual realms .

The teaching fell into line along our Universal Path and became an integral part of opening the vortex to AP to spiritual realms .

For example the dominant palm is amber hot volcano fire light and the stars
the other hand becomes cold magnetic the heavens dark and heavy

when these two hands have become these colours that is they are imbibed by the light
and can be witnessed clairvoyantly to be so

then the hands  heal better
and the hands  open the vortex for the seeker
they protect better as Nita has shown in her posts
and they help us to manifest our own future .

I highly recommend balancing your own path with a dose of the hermetic elements and commend the works to you that are available free online
Kylbalion and Franz Bardon's works
http://lqairah.tripod.com/
http://www.hermetics.org/mages.html
http://www.abardoncompanion.com/CommentariesLinks.html
http://www.geocities.com/andymak252/EsotericLinks.htm
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/emer_gf.html
http://kybalion.home.att.net/kybalion.html#bottom
http://www.choronzon.com/tocmirror/tzimon/Magidict/magdic1.html

I suggest you search on hermetic elements on this forum too.
and also see
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5298&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=20

[Ater Corax]

Nita, I guess it depends on the style of practice.

For example, I prefer to work with the elements rather than against them. When I have a problem, I usually look for a way a certain element could help with that problem, rather than focusing on what element the problem reprsents so I could banish it. (Did that make any sense?)

In your spell, you focus on the reversal of air (in this case, air representing the gossip). If I were to cast that exact same spell, I would focus on the element of air helping me get rid of the gossip. (In my case, the gossip would be the mixture and the wind would be the air element which gets rid of the gossip for me.)

-Ater

[Naiad780]

"Of course, anyone can do spellwork without any elemental involment, but a large number of magic-workers work with them."

Ater, that's the distinction I'm making.  I know how to use them, but I feel more comfortable NOT separating everything into categories of earth, air, fire, water, etc.  To me, it seems like a fragmentation of the whole.  However, I know that others do not see it this way, and I'm just curious about what they think and why they chose to work with an elemental system.

[Ater Corax]

Naiad, there's no need to separate the elements at all.

You can work with all of them in a single spell if you want, and when you think about it, most people call upon all the powers of the elements to give a "boost" to their work. I would feel uncomfortable only working with one element while ignoring the others.

Separating everything into earth, air, fire, and water? Well, since it's believed that they form everything that's in our world, that would make sense. This doesn't mean that you have to focus on only one of them at a time.

I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say....

-Ater

PS: I'm tired. I hope I made some sense.

[Nita]

Hello Everyone
I wanted to do a simple spell using an element. The spell is from the book "A Century of Spells by Draja Micharic. He has done a few books with simple spells that get very decent effects using European magic.
I do agree on the emphasis of the positive sides of the elements but anyone who has been on this forum for a while knows that most of the things I do help others with problems.
In this case it would be a simple one to give a person to make their life better which is very easy to do. See what a practical example did it gave another version of air being used.
The elements are the building blocks and are useful in anything we do magically and in everyday life.
  Nita

[Naiad780]

[quote="Ater Corax"

I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say....
[/quote]

Not at all.  After reading the replies, it seems to me that people like to use the elemental system because it's a useful way to organize your thinking and approach, and it has an established precedent in history.  As you mentioned, our world is composed of air, earth, fire, and water (or from a science perspective, solid matter, liquid, gas, and plasma) and so for many people it's easy to view the world and magic in terms of these elements.

Now why am I the freak who can't seem to get into it?  No idea.  But I don't mind - what I do works for me, and that is the important part

[redcatherine]

"Of course, anyone can do spellwork without any elemental involvement, but a large number of magic-workers work with them."

Ater, that's the distinction I'm making.  I know how to use them, but I feel more comfortable NOT separating everything into categories of earth, air, fire, water, etc.  To me, it seems like a fragmentation of the whole.  However, I know that others do not see it this way, and I'm just curious about what they think and why they chose to work with an elemental system.

well they don't have to be fragmented to work
power lies in combining them
seperating them
or balancing them

for example when the four basic are in perfect balance
one forms akasha from the hands third eye or solar plexus
the akasha is powerful for tapping with universal mind
and for projection

we can see the first sphinx had the basic 4 human cattle eagle lion

the second sphinx had the combination "monsters "
in the five basic colours adding the akasha
like chimera and griffin

in the third sphinx rather than combinations of animals
it is about combinations of colour or elemental quality
to form pure animals
------------------------------
we have recently discovered 18 animals
these are seperation of elements
into qualities like spin
force to repel or attract
bridge to leave
vortex to go

and combinations of similar ones
ie cyan air green with indigo blue water to make teal which is a force that causes a rotational spin of widdershins and moves to the past or the left

I do not understand the reasons for all of the 18 animals YET lol
in this new sphinx
--------------
I am just learning the reasons for such combinations now
but the path continues to involve hermetic use of elements

the elemental animal also is magical power

to shapeshift oneself into that animal spiritually
allows one to manifest the wisdom and power of that animal

for example when one sees themselves in a problem
with people mistreating or verbally abusing without seeming intention

the shape of the crocodile allows one to see through the mud
and get to through the illusions
to see what is the real motivation for the attack
and who it comes from

more importantly the use of elements to me is about travel with control

[UniOne]

the elemental animal also is magical power

to shapeshift oneself into that animal spiritually
allows one to manifest the wisdom and power of that animal

Is this a reflexion on spirit beast and animals like that... If it does, then I get what your saying...

Also... do you know what a 'Shenlong' is? I believe it is my spirit beast, a large gold one... so far he has been my friend...

What does it mean for me to have one?

(Shenlong means "God Dragon" in Chinese...)

[redcatherine]

Is this a reflexion on spirit beast and animals like that... If it does, then I get what your saying...

Yes for example to visualise and manifest yourself to become a heron
is to stand placidly amidst a storm as the observer and not becoming emotional or taking on new karma by your reactions .The rub is to recall the magic and not react with base physical emotions yourself . It is fine to have the lessons harder to recall to use them lol .

Also... do you know what a 'Shenlong' is? I believe it is my spirit beast, a large gold one... so far he has been my friend...What does it mean for me to have one?(Shenlong means "God Dragon" in Chinese...)

The God or Gold Dragon is another manifestation of kundalini energy as in the rising of the Golden King Cobra which appears  during a stage of devloping greater consciousness on the path to enlightenment . By coincidence a mate of mine had a gold and black pharoah regaled golden cobra rise above his crown yesterday . Interestingly the energy  appeared as Silver Blue striped Queen Cobra on the females that i have witnessed  but later both cobras becomes the colour of the mystic's energy . So if the mystic has a signature colour of violet like the alchemist . The cobra will be violet also . These are manifestations of the energy body and can be witnessed clairvoyantly .

The Shenlong is not always described as the golden dragon it is  also the blend of the magnetic female energy of water and air is called the spirit that rules the wind and air in this aspect it is  the female embodiment of the elements hermetically . But in Chinese mythology it is the male serpent ?!?

http://www.answers.com/topic/shenlong-WikipediaShenlong :Shenlong (?_—´) is a Chinese spiritual dragon that controls wind and rain.It is thought that Shenlong (or Shenron), the wish-granting dragon of the manga and anime Dragon Ball, is very loosely based on him.Also see Dilong:Dilong This article is on the Chinese dragon. There is also an article on the feathered dinosaur, Dilong paradoxus. In Chinese mythology, Dilong or Ti-Lung ('n—´; pinyin: di4 long2) are earth dragons whose task it is to preside over rivers and streams. According to some accounts, they are the female counterpart of the Shenlong and they fly only in order to mate.[/quote
//http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/chinese_dragon.html


I suggest to you that the gold dragon is a goal for you to achieve when it comes to the seeker in dreams and in visions it is a calling for completion .
as it says on :

http://www.aloha.net/~ruth/Caduceus.html
I believe that this raised COBRA is the symbol that a person is a full human being.

Completion of this stage does not mean enlightenment it is another stage another step on the journey . To raise this energy in yourself embark on a regimen of  :
meditation  
energy body work
yogic breathing
projection
and introspection
and most of all integration of the lessons you learn to be a better person
lol that is the hardest bit .

and so it goes ....