The elements are energies present throughout the whole universe. Each one is essential for life to exist, and each has both a positive and a negative face. The elements complement one another: earth without water becomes barren, fire without air goes out, and water without warmth freezes. Thanks to them, nature is kept in balance and harmony.
In magic the elements have three dimensions – material, mental and spiritual – and each governs a different area of life. That is why rituals assign them correspondences: colours, herbs, stones, metals, seasons, directions and zodiac signs. Below you will find an overview of these traditional correspondences to help you choose the right symbols for your intention.
Earth – stability and abundance
Earth is the element of matter, fertility and permanence. It governs everything tangible: home, work, money and the solid foundations of everyday life.
- Nature: fertility, fruitfulness, abundance, stability
- Purpose of rituals: money, prosperity, success, fertility, work, career
- Ritual forms: planting, sowing, drawing symbols on the ground
- Colour: green, as well as white and black
- Herbs and plants: mosses, nuts, dried plants, roots
- Stones: heavy stones, green stones, quartz
- Metals: iron, lead
- Animals: burrowing and underground creatures, land mammals
- Natural symbols: salt, stone, rock
- Direction: north
- Season and months: winter – December, January, February
- Festival: the winter solstice
- Time of day: night, midnight
- Moon phase: new moon
- Manifestation in nature: frost
- Stage of life: old age
- Sense: touch
- Quality and guiding principle: wisdom; to keep silent
- Angel: Uriel (Auriel)
- Elemental: gnome
- Zodiac signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Air – thought and communication
Air is the element of the mind, movement and change. It rules learning, conversation, travel and everything light, fleeting and fresh.
- Nature: movement, freshness, transience
- Purpose of rituals: intellect, study, knowledge, travel, finding lost things
- Ritual forms: hanging objects in high places, positive thinking, visualisation
- Colour: yellow
- Herbs and plants: light, slender and fragrant plants, leaves, tea, spices, flowers
- Stones: light and transparent stones, topaz
- Metals: copper, tin
- Animals: birds, insects, spiders
- Natural symbols: smoke, feather
- Direction: east
- Season and months: spring – March, April, May
- Festival: the spring equinox
- Time of day: morning
- Moon phase: waxing
- Manifestation in nature: wind
- Stage of life: birth
- Sense: hearing and smell
- Quality and guiding principle: knowledge, intellect; to know
- Angel: Raphael
- Elemental: sylph
- Zodiac signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Fire – energy and transformation
Fire is the element of will, strength and transformation. It purifies, protects and gives courage, but – like any flame – it calls for caution.
- Nature: transformation, energy, strength, passion
- Purpose of rituals: protection, purification, passion, energy, power
- Ritual forms: burning, heating
- Colour: red
- Herbs and plants: thorny and spicy plants, seeds, chilli peppers, cacti
- Stones: red and volcanic stones, amber
- Metals: gold, brass
- Animals: reptiles, insects
- Natural symbols: flames, lava
- Direction: south
- Season and months: summer – June, July, August
- Festival: the summer solstice
- Time of day: noon
- Moon phase: full moon
- Manifestation in nature: storm
- Stage of life: childhood and youth
- Sense: sight
- Quality and guiding principle: energy; to will
- Angel: Michael
- Elemental: salamander
- Zodiac signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Water – feelings and intuition
Water is the element of emotions, dreams and the subconscious. It soothes, cleanses and opens you up to love and intuition.
- Nature: cleansing, calming, soothing
- Purpose of rituals: purification, love, sleep, dreams, psychic power, peace
- Ritual forms: sprinkling, dissolving, pouring, casting into water
- Colour: blue
- Herbs and plants: water plants, flowers
- Stones: transparent and pale blue stones, pearl
- Metals: silver, mercury
- Animals: freshwater and sea creatures
- Natural symbols: shells, a vessel of water
- Direction: west
- Season and months: autumn – September, October, November
- Festival: the autumn equinox
- Time of day: evening, dusk
- Moon phase: waning
- Manifestation in nature: rain
- Stage of life: adulthood
- Sense: taste
- Quality and guiding principle: perceptiveness; to dare
- Angel: Gabriel
- Elemental: undine (mermaid)
- Zodiac signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Days of the week in magic – planets, signs, angels and colours
Magical tradition also assigns each day of the week a planet, zodiac signs, an angel and a colour. By matching the day to the intention of a ritual, practitioners try to strengthen its effect.
- Monday – the Moon; Cancer; the angel Gabriel; silver and white
- Tuesday – Mars; Aries and Scorpio; the angel Samael; red
- Wednesday – Mercury; Gemini and Virgo; the angel Raphael; orange and light blue
- Thursday – Jupiter; Sagittarius and Pisces; the angel Sachiel; purple
- Friday – Venus; Taurus and Libra; the angel Anael; green and pink
- Saturday – Saturn; Capricorn and Aquarius; the angel Cassiel; black
- Sunday – the Sun; Leo; the angel Michael; gold and yellow
How to use elemental correspondences
Tables of correspondences are not rigid rules but a language of symbols. If your intention concerns work and stability, reach for the symbolism of earth – a green candle, salt or a stone. When it comes to studying or an important conversation, turn to air: incense, a feather and the colour yellow. Fire supports courage and transformation, water – feelings, calm and intuition. Most important of all, however, are focus and a clearly defined goal.
First published (Polish original): 23 January 2011. Written by astrologers and esoteric specialists working with our editorial team; edited and translated for HOROSCOP.SPACE. © All rights reserved.