Elemental Magic for Beginners

Tripart magic circle with elemental symbols around the perimeter.

Where Do I Begin for the Beginner?

The theme of elemental magic is so ubiquitous - it has been a part of arcane practice for so long across such varied cultures - that it can be a challenge to sort of get the ball rolling with content for newcomers. 

There is so much history and so much philosophy that came before the elemental doctrine. I will make some of that available to those with an interest but for the  most part I am going to keep my posts succinct, efficient, and actionable going forward.

 Four Keys to the Four Elements

An easy way to approach elemental doctrine is through the treatise of four keys These four foundational statements may not appear in other elemental systems exactly as presented here, as the following wording is my own.

1. Each element is the whole, in a particular mode.
2. The elements are energetic qualities and/or the essences thereof.
3. The four qualities constitute an energetic hierarchy from finest to densest.
4. The four elements are defined relative to each other.

Here's an unpack of these:

Each Element is the Whole in a Particular Mode

This tells us two fundamental things. 

First each element contains all four elements in some specific ratio. This is derived from the first axiom of elemental doctrine as stated by Empedocles and Aristotle.

That axiom paraphrased is, Each element contains all four, expressed according to its nature.

The second fundamental statement of the first key is that each of the four elements  is a mode or movement of the fifth element of spirit, which creates, sustains, and fulfills the other four elements.

A a separate axiom this could be stated as, The four elements are spirit entering form, moving through form, and passing out of form.

Spirit or ether, the fifth element, is the non-physical source and medium the elements arise from and are created with. It is also the life that animates each element and the process of an element's transformation or demise, either of which is the element's ultimate fulfillment.

The Elements are Energetic Qualities or the Essences Thereof

 The elements represent specific qualities of being which transcend and translate to any manifest event, object, process, or phenomenon. Earth is the heaviness of an object, the stubbornness of a man, the nurturing manner of a woman, the reliability of a tool, the strength of an idea, and the embodiment or realization of an ideal.

The elements may also be subtle or mystical energies which are the very essence of the qualities they express. In this case, elemental earth is also a base energy of reality from which all earthy qualities arise.

The Four Elements Form an Energetic Hierarchy from Finest to Densest

The most self-explanatory of the keys, this means what it says. The elements can be arranged from finest or highest frequency to densest or lowest frequency as follows:

Spirit - sublime, intangible

Air - extremely refined

Fire - fine energy

Water - denser and rhythmic

Earth - most dense and static

Remember the elemental system is primarily qualitative and not quantitative. Hence we use terms to describe their proximity to the poles of fastest to slowest, implying vibrational rates.

Physicality is considered a low vibration. Ethereal is rated as a high vibration.

A numeric scale of 1 for spirit to 5 for earth can be used to indicate relationships. Also in the intermediate realms of elemental doctrine you will find the factors that make up the elements have a numeric grading system in reference to high or low energy.

Still, these numeric associations are abstract and not strictly quantitative by any means.

The Four Elements are Defined Relative to Each Other

Each element expresses traits that depend on the trait of the other elements for their relevance. Earth is only heavy because water is fluid, fire is light, and air is expanded and free.

Water is rhythmic relative to earth's immovability, fire's speed, and air's encompassment. The qualities take their meaning from the manner of the other elements' expressions across the same categories.

Comprehend the Elements First

Spend some time studying these keys and the codex to familiarize yourself with the qualitative nature of this system. Once you feel some comfort with your ability to describe your mood, the flow of traffic, the feel of  a room, a football play, a cartoon character, and the theme of a show or newscast in elemental terms, proceed to the actual hands-on work of elemental magic.