The Five Sacred Elements
Fire - Air - Water - Earth - Life
Elements? Five? Sacred?
Sometimes know as the classical elements, many of Earths cultures have revered these as essential and therefore Sacred.
Geo
Bio
Helio
Above are my associations, which align and differ from others.
Atmo
Hydro
Below are world examples across time and space. The number of elements sometimes varies: 3, 4, 5, 6, or even 7
Indigenous Examples
Eastern Examples
Classical Western Examples
Other Modern Examples
Modern Scientific Examples
Modern Landscape Examples
Contemporary Paganism Examples
Pop-culture Examples
Other Associations
Indigenous Examples
Ojibwe Indian stone medicine wheel
from Cedar Tree Institute, Marquette, Michigan via Native Voices.
Key to stone medicine wheel:
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Creator - Center of life, the Medicine Wheel itself.
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Earth Mother - Gives us our home, and lives.
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Father Sun - Warms life, source of energy and light.
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Grandmother Moon - Guides dreams and visions.
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Turtle Clan - The element of earth. Growth and life.
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Frog Clan - The element of water. Cleansing.
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Thunderbird Clan - The element of fire. Energy.
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Butterfly Clan - The element of air. Transformation.
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The North - Knowledge and wisdom.
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The East - Daybreak, Illumination. Spirit.
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The South - Youth and innocence. Emotion.
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The West - Introspection, Looks within.
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Snow Goose – Direction.
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Otter - Balanced female energy.
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Cougar - Leadership without insisting.
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Red Hawk - Observant. Messengers of the Gods.
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Beaver - Builder and do-er.
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Deer - Power and gentleness.
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Flicker – Music.
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Sturgeon - Moving through life, swimming.
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Brown Bear - Sweetness of truth.
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Raven - Keeper of Sacred law.
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Snake - Power of creation. Transmutation.
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Elk - Stamina. To go the distance.
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Cleansing - To make clean. Purify
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Renewal - To begin again.
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Purity - Clean and innocent.
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Clarity - Unclouded. Free from darkness.
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Love - To delight in a higher state of appreciation.
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Wisdom - Knowledge and sense. Intelligence and foresight.
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Illumination - To enlighten. Cast light upon.
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Growth - To become. To change from one state to another. To advance.
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Trust - To place confidence in the reliance on the integrity and friendship of another.
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Experience - Knowledge and understanding
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Introspection - To look inside.
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Strength - Power and vigor of mind.
Dagara of West Africa
from Fire Up, Water Down
Fire, the original element, is seen as a most potent connection to the spirit world. It is puts us back on our spiritual track by consuming that which stands between us and our purpose.
Water brings cleansing, reconciliation, purification and peace-making.
Earth, the central element, is the mother who is inviting us to come home to community and the earth, our true home.
Mineral is the elemental energy that invites us to remember, through ritual, who we are and why we are here.
Nature asks us to open to transformation in order to realize our true and authentic selves.
https://fireupwaterdown.com/2016/12/27/the-five-elements-of-the-dagara-west-africa/
Eastern Examples
Pancha Bhoota
Five Great Elements
Sanskrit: पञ्चभूत, पञ्चमहाभूत
or Five Gross Tattvas (mahābhuta) of Hindu Tantrism
The five great elements according to Hinduism, is the basis of all cosmic creation.
Prithvi/Bhudevi (पृथ्वी) Earth
Apas/Varuna/Jal (अप्) Water
Agni (अग्नि) Fire
Vayu (वायु) Air
Aakash/Dyaus (आकाश) Aether
Classical Western Examples
Aristotlian Elements
Empedoclean elements
Zodiac Elements of Astrology
https://www.astrology.com.tr/elements.asp
Elements of Medieval Alchemy
https://www.astrology.com.tr/elements.asp
"Sacred Theory of the Earth"
Thomas Burnet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Burnet#Sacred_Theory_of_the_Earth
Modern Scientific Examples
Modern Landscape Examples
Light from the Heliosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere
Contemporary Paganism Examples
Wiccan Pentagram
Elemental Goddesses and the Feminine Devine
http://wiccanbeauty.com/a-beautiful-chant-about-the-four-elements/
Neopagan Chant
Pop-culture
The Fifth Sacred Thing
A Novel by Starhawk
Avatar:
The Last Airbender
devinart
Magic the Gathering
Deck-based RPG
The Fifth Element
Sci-Fi film
Fullmetal Alchemist
Captain Planet and the Planeteers:
In this 90's Environmental,
Gaia the spirit of the Earth sent Five Elemental Rings to global youth, each to control an element of nature. The rings power can combine to summon Captain Planet.
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Linka From the Soviet Union (Eastern Europe after the Communist regime's collapse), has the power of Wind.
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Gi from Asia controls the power of Water.
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10837084
Fantastic Four -
Marvel Universe (Comics)
From the series 1602: "A band of explorers who gained powers when their ship encountered a strange energy vortex at sea. The four are Captain Benjamin Grimm, Sir Richard Reed, Susan Storm, and John Storm. Their bodies were reshaped into the four elements: Reed's flesh became pliable like water, Grimm's body became solid rock, Susan's body became weightless and invisible like air, and John's body became living fire."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Four
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54031046
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Infinity Stones -
Marvel Universe (Comics)
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/gen-discussion-1/which-infinity-gem-would-you-want-1726838/
Other Modern Examples
Modern Shamanic practices http://www.drakeinnerprizes.com/shamanism.htm
Modern Artist, Unknown
http://healthwealthwisdom.blogspot.com/2011/09/radical-evolution.html
