Four states of matter recognised in modern science are: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
The Four Classical Elements are the basis for many metaphysical subjects such as astrology, tarot, alchemy. Ancient philosophers had seen the world to be composed of a mixture of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.
"Earth My Body; Water My Blood; Air My Breath; and Fire My Spirit"* |
Earth is the 'first' element, most dense, solid and immovable. It is the foundation, the core and the grounding of the material world, and it corresponds to physical body, the bones and the muscles.
Water is the 'second' element, most soft, cold, fluent, flowing, influenced and influential. Water needs a solid container of the Earth element. It corresponds to our circular system of blood and hormones and the emotional states.
Air is the 'third' element, most subtle, neutral, ephemeral, evanescent, elusive, nimble and pervasive. Versatile, all-encompassing. It corresponds to the nervous system, intellect, thoughts, communication.
Fire is the 'fourth' element, most active, volatile, hot, fierce, blazing, transforming. It corresponds with the digestive system, energy, movement, direct action, behaviour.
All elements are of equal importance.
The nature of the elements can be assigned to the corresponding four seasons, four parts of the day, four directions, four main phases of the Moon, four cycles of our life (and everything we do in life) : the growing (in physicality), the maturation (emotional), the maturing (intellectual) and the ageing (spiritual).
Four Personality Types
The four personality types were known in the ancient times (called temperaments), and they are sometimes used in modern psychology:
Earth - Physical
They are very down-to earth, practical, reliable, deliberate, persistent. They like routine, procedures, slow motion. They take care of the material world and are interested in the tangible material realm. May become too rigid, stubborn, lazy. Their physical constitution is sturdy, earthy, stocky.
Water - Emotional
They are very sensitive and often introverted. The constant flow of feelings can be a blessing (intuition) or a curse (moodiness). They easily connect with anything relating to art, religion, and romance. They are emphatic, easily touched and easily influenced. The physical body is usually round and soft.
A sculptor is an example of Earth-Water type. These are people who do creative work with their hands (arts and crafts, cooking, furniture making). Painting in itself is solely a Water element activity.
Air - Intellectual
They are the thinkers, their minds are preoccupied with theories and ideas. Intellectuals have usually little appreciation for hard physical work, they do not like the sweat and toil. They have lofty minds and tend to look from above on those 'below' them. They physical constitution is usually thin, bony.
The combination of Air and Water for example gives a very reflective, introverted, sensitive personality that is less active on the outside, preferring to contemplate life. It can offer true insights, intuitive powers, greater understanding. Such a person can be called lazy by the Earth/Fire types.
Fire - Spiritual
They are the passionate doers, with bold executive powers and willpower. They like action, they are energetic, inspirational, innovative, entertaining. With vivid self-expression and confidence, they may become tyrannical or undertake a careless risk. The physical body is usually strong and stringy.
The Eternal Dance
Everything in Nature is moving. We can ascribe four different modes of moving action to the four elements to understand more how everything permeates and penetrates one another.
Earth - Motor - as a tangible thing
Water - Motion - as in the e/motion
Air - Movement - in a broad sense
Fire - Mobility - as a singular act
Four in One
According to the esoteric tradition, the four elements can be described as a four components of a chariot, that also represents our constituents:
Coach - Body - Earth Horses - Emotions - Water Coachman - Mind - Air Lord, Master - Will - Fire |
Our body is the chariot/coach; it has to be in a good repair to do its job.
The horses are the emotions that twitch and pull and sometimes drag along.
The coachman is our mind - attention, the part of the mind that does its job and drives the business of life.
And the whole business of life is directed by our innermost part, of which very few are in direct and constant contact with - the sheer will to make things happen the way they should. It is the Lord/Master - making wise decisions where to move., as he/she has all the resources, knowledge and position to do so.
In most people's lives, the coachman (mind) takes the role of the Lord (will), and as one can presume, it is of lower value, very little knowledge, small abilities to make an impact.
In some cases the coachman runs the coach (body) havoc or astray where the connection (respect) towards the Master is not present.
In other cases, the coachman does not take care of the coach (body) and/or the horses (emotions), and they go into disrepair and despair.
Four Elements in Modern Times
There are many inspirations behind the four elements and the four seasons in art.
See how these female figures on A. Mucha drawing fit in the depiction of the slumber of Winter (Earth), the daydreaming or awakening of Spring (Water), the confidence of awareness of Summer (Air), the reflective and meditative state of Autumn (Fire).
The Seasons - Alfons Mucha |
***
There is also an interesting relation to our modern life and a sort of confirmation of the reliability of the four elements - there are four main sources of renewable energy:
The Fifth Element
Apart from the four suits used in card decks, there is a unique fifth element in the Tarot deck, the Major Arcana. These are the forces behind Providence, something beyond our everyday reach, the forces that ultimately shape the four elements, the Archetypes.
Pentacles - Earth Swords - Air Cups - Water Wands - Fire |
The World card depicts four ancient emblems in its corner:
- a man
- a eagle
- a bull
- a lion
They relate to the four Zodiac signs: Aquarius (Air), Scorpio (Water) (in ancient times also represented as the bird of prey with its strong beak and talons), Taurus (Earth) and Leo (Fire).
These are the four fixed modalities of the Zodiac and have been used in Christian symbology to represent four Evangelists, authors of the New Testament's main components.
The Four Elements in Astrology
Earth
Taurus - Virgo - Capricorn
reality and common sense, rationalism and practicality, strong attitude towards material goods and values; duties, principles, service, work, career; submission to rigors and limitations; patience, consistency and steadfastness.
Water
Cancer - Scorpio - Pisces
emotions, feelings, impressions; love, sympathy, empathy, sentimentalism, sensitivity, grudge; religious, mystical, artistic expression; flow and influence; introverted, melancholic.
Air
Gemini - Libra - Aquarius
intellect, mind, knowledge, wisdom, information, logic, thinking, distribution and exchange of thoughts and ideas; verbalising, learning and transferring knowledge; analysis and synthesis, social environment, contacts with the outside world.
Fire
Aries - Leo - Sagittarius
energy, action, will; freedom, liberty, independence; spontaneity, determination, self-confidence, mental and physical resistance, enthusiasm; struggle and overcoming obstacles; dynamism, risk, regeneration.
The traditional colours of the elements in the Zodiac Wheel:
______________
*
traditional Wiccan chant