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Classical Elements v • d • e

. Greek   Air   Water Aether Fire   Earth   . Bön   Air   Water Space Fire   Earth   . Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (Mahābhūta) Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether . Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) Water (水) Air / Wind (風) Fire (火) Void / Sky / Heaven (空) . Neo-paganism Earth Water Wind Fire Life Force / Electricity Light Dark . Chinese (Wu Xing)   Water (水)   Metal (金) Earth (土) Wood (木)   Fire (火)

Water has been important to all peoples of the earth, and it is rich in spiritual tradition.

Contents 1 Greek and Roman Tradition 2 Indian Tradition 3 Chinese Tradition 4 In Modern Magic 4.1 Ceremonial Magick 4.2 Wicca 4.3 Astrological Personalities 5 See also 6 Notes 7 External links

Water is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with the qualities of emotion and intuition.

Water was one of many archai proposed by the Pre-socratics, most of whom tried to reduce all things to a single substance. However, Empedocles of Acragas (c. 495-c. 435 BCE) selected four archai for his four roots: air, fire, water, and earth. Empedocles’ roots became the four classical elements of Greek philosophy. Plato (427-347 BCE) took over the four elements of Empedocles. In the Timaeus, his major cosmological dialogue, the Platonic solid associated with water is the icosahedron which is formed from twenty equilateral triangles. This makes water the element with the greatest number of sides, which Plato regarded as appropriate because water flows out of one's hand when picked up, as if it is made of tiny little balls.^[1]

Plato’s student Aristotle (384-322 BCE) developed a different explanation for the elements based on pairs of qualities. The four elements were arranged concentrically around the center of the Universe to form the sublunary sphere. According to Aristotle, water is both cold and wet, and occupies a place between air and earth among the elemental spheres.^[2]

In ancient Greek medicine, each of the four humours became associated with an element. Phlegm was the humor identified with water, since both were cold and wet. Other things associated with water and phlegm in ancient and medieval medicine included the season of Winter, since it increased the qualities of cold and moisture; the phlegmatic temperament (of a person dominated by the phlegm humour); the feminine; the brain; and the western point of the compass.

In alchemy, the chemical element of mercury was often associated with water and its alchemical symbol was a downward-pointing triangle.

Main article: Ap (water)

Water is one of the five Chinese elements. It is associated with the planet Mercury, the north and winter, and the colour black. Water is considered "black" in China because in fact it represents flooding. It is also believed to govern the kidneys. In Chinese Taoist thought, water is representative of intelligence and wisdom; however, an over-abundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it. In the conquest cycle, water overcomes fire, and in turn is overcome by earth. In the birth and nurturing cycle, water spawns wood, and is spawned by metal. The element also plays an important role in Chinese Astrology.

Water and the other Greek classical elements were incorporated into the Golden Dawn system despite being considered obsolete by modern science. Theoricus (3=8) is the elemental grade attributed to water; this grade is also attributed to the Qabalistic sphere Hod and the planet Mercury.^[3] The elemental weapon of water is the cup.^[4] Each of the elements has several associated spiritual beings. The archangel of water is Gabriel, the angel is Taliahad, the ruler is Tharsis, the king is Nichsa, and the water elementals (following Paracelsus) are called Undines.^[5] Earth (Water) is considered to be passive; it is represented by the eagle, and it is referred to the upper right point of the pentagram in the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram.^[6] Many of these associations have since spread throughout the occult community.

In Wiccan tradition, water is associated with the West, autumn, and the color blue on the physical plane. It is sometimes represented by a white crescent, a downward pointing triangle, the chalice, the bell, shells, sapphires, lapis lazuli, tears, and the cauldron. Water represents emotions, wisdom, the soul, and femininity. In rituals, it is represented in the forms of pouring water over objects, brew making, healing spells, ritual bathing, and tossing objects into bodies of water.

The manifestations of the element of water are rivers, oceans, lakes, wells, fog, all drinks, and the rain. Animals, especially the dolphin, seal, turtle, frog, and all types of fish, are also thought to personify the element of water. The astral creatures of water, known as elementals, are the Undine/Mermaid, Oreade/Naiad, and Sea Serpent/Dragon. Water’s place on the pentagram is the upper right point.

People born under the astrological signs of Scorpio, Cancer and Pisces being one of the two drawn elements meaning it is part of two of the classical elements are thought to have dominant water personalities. Water personalities tend to be emotional, kind, nurturing, sympathetic, empathetic and intuitive; however, they can also be needy, sentimental, over-sensitive and irrational.

• Water
• Sea and river deity
• Aquakinesis

1. ^ Plato, Timaeus, chap. 22-23; Gregory Vlastos, Plato’s Universe, pp. 66-82.
2. ^ G. E. R. Lloyd, Aristotle, chapters 7-8.
3. ^ Israel Regardie, The Golden Dawn, pp. 154-65.
4. ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, p.322; Kraig, Modern Magick, pp. 149-53.
5. ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, p. 80.
6. ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, pp. 280-286; Kraig, Modern Magick, pp. 206-209.

• Different versions of the classical elements
• Overview the 5 elements