elemental correspondence
Earth, fire, water and air. the four elements and how they are used for ritual.
Not all witches use elemental correspondences, and among those who do, there is a great deal of variation. The most common elements used in Wicca and witchcraft are earth, air, fire, and water. Spirit is often added to acknowledge the spiritual componet of them all. You will have to experiment to find what works best for you.
When invoking the elements, they are often associated with the cardinal directions, often with Air in the East, Fire in the South, Water in the West, and Earth in the North. However, this is by no means the only possibility. The elements themselves may vary as well. For example, some Celtic traditions use earth, sky, and water, and others use the cosmological realms of Underworld, Earth and Sky.
Thus, the correspondences listed within this page provide only one possibility among many. The sources for these correspondences include Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf, Amber Wolfe, Yasmine Galenorn, and Branwen's Book of Shadows which undoubtedly owes credit to dozens of unnamed sources. Books by these renowned authors can be purchased though out online shop for further study.
The importance of elements
AIR
The element of air is associated with metal process and the mind. It is creative and is that which causes magickal intentions to become manifest. It is also associated with higher consciousness and wisdom, divination, and purification.
| Direction | East |
| Astrological Signs | Gemini, Libra, Aquarius |
| Rules | Mind, mental and psychic work, intuition, knowledge, abstract thought, wind, breath, clouds, inspiration, hearing, herbal knowledge, plant growth, purification, freedom, revealing truth, finding lost things, instruction, telepathy, memory, learning the secrets of the dead, zen meditaiton, new beginnings, illuminations |
| Types of Magick | Divination, concentration, prophecy, visualization, wind magick, karma |
| Colors | White, yellow, light blue, lavendar, gray |
| Season | Spring |
| Magickal Tools | Athame, sword, censer, incense |
| Time of Day | Dawn |
| Energy | Projective |
| Gemstones | Aventurine, topaz, mica, flourite, crystals, amethyst, yellow or blue stones |
| Metal | Tin, copper |
| Plants | Acacia, anise, aspen, benzoin, clover, dill, frankincense, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, primrose, vermain, violet, yarrow |
| Animals | Birds, insects, spiders |
| Goddesses | Aradia, Arianrhod, Athena, Nuit, Urania |
| Gods | Mercury, hermes, Shu, Thoth |
FIRE
The element of fire is associated with change and passion. It is both physical and spiritual, being related to sexuality and to divinity. Fire magick is quickly manifested and filled with primal energy.
| Direction | South |
| Astrological Signs | Aries, Leo, Sagittarius |
| Rules | Energy, sexuality, passions, love, authority, transformation, purification, candle flames, sun, blood, healing, destruction, will, creativity, flame, heat, bonfires, hearth fires, protection, courage, strength, phsyical exercise, self-knowledge, loyalty, vision, illumination, power |
| Types of Magick | Candle, storm, time |
| Colors | Red, gold, crimson, orange, white |
| Season | Summer |
| Magickal Tools | Wand, candles, dagger, burned herbs or requests on paper |
| Time of Day | Noon |
| Energy | Projective, masculine |
| Gemstones | Red jasper, bloodstone, garnet, lava, quartz crystals, ruby, carnelian, tigers eye, rhodochrosite, agates |
| Metal | Gold, brass |
| Plants | Allspice, basil, cacti, chile peppers, cinnamon, garlic, heliotrope, hibiscus, juniper, lime, mustard, nettle, onion, orange, red peppers, red poppies, thistle, almond tree |
| Animals | Lions, lizards, salamander, snakes, praying mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, shark, phoenix, coyote, fox |
| Goddesses | Brigit, Freya, Hestia, Pele, Vesta |
| Gods | Vulcan, Ra, Agni, Hepaetstus, Horus |
EARTH
Earth is the element that is most stable and dependable. It represents abundance, prosperity, and wealth, and is creative but in a practical, physical manner.
| Direction | North |
| Astrological Signs | Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn |
| Rules | The body, growth, money, creativity, birth, death, material gain, fertility, birth, healing, rocks, trees, animals, manifestation, materialization, crystals, silence, metal, empathy, grounding, employment, stability, success, runes, strength, practical wisdom, mystery |
| Types of Magick | Gardening, grounding, magnet, image, stone, tree, knot, binding |
| Colors | Black, brown, green, gold, white |
| Season | Winter |
| Magickal Tools | Pentacle, salt, images, stones, cord magick |
| Time of Day | Midnight, night |
| Energy | Receptive, feminine |
| Gemstones | Rock crystal, emeralds, peridot, onyx, jasper, azurite, amethyst, royal azute, tourmaline,tourmalanted quartz, rutilated quartz |
| Metal | Iron, lead |
| Plants | Cedar, cypress, comfrey, honeysuckle, ivy, grains, magnolia, patchouly, primrose, sage, vetivert, nuts, oak |
| Animals | Cow or bull, bison, stag, dog, horse, gopher, ant, bears, wolf |
| Goddesses | Ceres, Cerridwyn, Demeter, Gaia, Persephone, Epona, Kore, Mah, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon |
| Gods | Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Herne, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz, Thor |
WATER
The element of water is associated with the subconscious mind, intuition, and emotions. As the primal substance of life, it is symbolized by the womb and is related to fertility.
| Direction | West |
| Astrological Signs | Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces |
| Rules | Emotions, feelings, love, courage, the unconscious mind, intuition, the womb, marriage, friendship,happiness, dreams, sleep, healing, menstruation, fertility, cleansing, purification, vision quests, self-healing, sorrow, reflection, psychic ability, oceans, rivers, lakes, rain, springs and wells |
| Types of Magick | Magick involving the sea, snow or ice, mirror, magnet, rain, cleansing and purification |
| Colors | Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, aquamarine, white |
| Season | Autumn |
| Magickal Tools | Chalice, cauldron, mirrors |
| Time of Day | Twilight, dusk |
| Energy | Receptive, feminine |
| Gemstones | Aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, blue flourite, lapis lazuli, sodalite |
| Metal | Mercury, silver, copper |
| Plants | Aloe, apple, catnip, chamomile, ferns, gardneia, lemon, lettuce, lilac, lily of the valley, lotus, mosses, orris, passion flower, rose, seaweeds, thyme, valerian, water lillies, all water plants, willow tree |
| Animals | All fish, shellfish and sea mammals, serpents, sea birds, cat, frog, turtle, swan, bear |
| Goddesses | Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat, Yemaya, Ran, Kupala |
| Gods | Dylan, Ea, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon, Varuna |