Four Elements

Note: This webpage is now maintained at updated at:

Calling the Quarters, Casting the Circle, The Four Guardians

One Old Druid's Final Journey: Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove

Quaternary Systems
Elementals: Earth, Air, Fire, Water

The Spirit of Gardening

Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes, Notes

Prepared by Michael P. Garofalo

June 12, 2006

The Four Elements

Elementals: Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
Quaternary Systems
Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes, Notes

Alchemy Website. By Adam McLean. "Over 90 megabytes online of information on alchemy in all its facets. Divided into over 1300 sections and providing tens of thousands of pages of text, over 2000 images, over 200 complete alchemical texts, extensive bibliographical material on the printed books and manuscripts, numerous articles, introductory and general reference material on alchemy."

Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions. By Pauline Campanelli and Dan Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1991. 256 pages. ISBN: 0875420907.

The Art of Ritual: A Guide to Creating and Performing Your Own Ceremonies for Growth and Change. By Renee Beck and Sydney Barbara Metrick . Berkeley, California, Celestial Arts, 1990.146 pages. ISBN: 0890875820.

Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux. By Black Elk as told to John Gneisenau Neihardt. University of Nebraska Press, 2000. 21 Century Edition. 230 pages. ISBN: 0803261705. MGC.

Circles, Groves and Sanctuaries: Sacred Spaces of Today's Pagans. Compiled by Dan and Pauline Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1993. Resources, 268 pages. ISBN: 0875421083. Ideas for creating indoor and outdoor altars and sanctuaries.

Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for all Seasons and Reasons. By Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, New Page Books, 2006. Appendices, glossary, index, 288 pages. ISBN: 1564148645.

Earth, Air, Fire and Water: More Techniques of Natural Magic. By Scott Cunningham. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1994. Index, 223 pages. ISBN: 0875421318.

Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic. By Scott Cunningham. St. Paul, Llewellyn Pubs., 1994. ISBN: 0875421210. Appendices, charts, 153 pages

The Four Elements By Maria Maryam 55Kb.

The Four Elements: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Notes. By Mike Garofalo.

The Four Sacred Seasons. By G. de Purucker.

The Four Seasons: Poems, Lore, Quotations, Bibliography, Notes, Chores. Complied by Michael P. Garofalo.

Green Way Research

Green, Indian and Chinese Elements 57Kb

Green Wizard: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes

Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. By Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Ranklin Lakes, NJ, New Page Books, 2004. Index, 370 pages. ISBN: 1564147118. A detailed and practical instructional manual on the way to become a wizard. Intended for a young reader but useful to anyone. An excellent reference tool.

The Inner Traditions of Magic. By William G. Gray. Weiser Books, reprint edition, 1984. ISBN: 0877284474.

Labyrinths: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Notes. By Mike Garofalo.

Magical Rites from the Crystal Well. By Ed Fitch. Llewellyn Publications, 1984. 160 pages. ISBN: 0875422306.

The Magician's Companion. A Practical and Encyclopedic Guide to Magical and Religious Symbolism. By Bill Witcomb. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1993. Appendices, resources, 577 pages. ISBN: 0875428681.

Meditation: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes. Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo.

Quotes for Gardeners Over 2,700 quotes arranged by 135 topics.

Reference Links: Four Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water), Four Elementals, Four Quarters, Four Directions,

Sacred Circles and Spheres: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Notes. By Michael Garofalo. 101Kb.

The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. Rituals, invocations, exercises, and magic. By Starhawk. 10th Anniversary Edition, Revised and updated. Bibliography, index, 288 pages. MGC. ISBN: 0062508148.

The Spirit of Gardening

Trees: Legends, Lore, Myths, Magick

Valley Spirit (Gu Shen) Concept

Valley Spirit Center Red Bluff, California

Valley Spirit Center Sacred Circle

The Way of Four. By Deborah Lipp. Llewellyn, 2004. 336p. ISBN: 0738705411.

Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life. By Pauline Campanelli. Illustrated by Dan Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1989, 1993. ISBN: 0875420915.

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. By Scott Cunningham. Llewellyn's Practical Magick Series. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1994. Index, bibliography, glossary, 218 pages. ISBN: 0875421180. A very good introduction to the Craft by an open-minded person.

The Four Elementals

Elementals: Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
Quotes: Poems, Parables, Songs, Sayings, Notes

"The pipe is a kind of portable altar, and when it's lighted it's not being smoked for fun, typically, but as a sacred art. When it is lighted the incense is, as it were, going to heaven. The pipe stem is lifted so that the sun smokes first, then it's addressed to the four quarters so you know where you are: the central mountain is right here, which is everywhere. And the celebrant smokes and then the pipe is passed around. This orientation of the quarters, I quess you could say, is the basic high cultural myth form: the centre, the quarters. An then wherever you go:
Find the center. That establishes the sacred point, where the high point is, and they you have the four quarters."
- Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey, p. 12

"I will first make and offering and send a voice to the Spirit of the World, that it may help me to be true. See, I fill this sacred pipe with the bark of the red willow; but before we smoke it, you must see how it is made and what it means. These four ribbons hanging here on the stem are the four quarters of the universe. The black one is for the west where the thunder beings live
to send us rain; the white one for the north, whence comes the great white cleansing wind; the red one for the east, whence springs the light and where the morning star lives to give men wisdom; the yellow one for the south, whence come the summer and the power to grow. But these four spirits are only one Spirit after all, and this eagle feather here is for that One, which
is like a father, and also it is for the thoughts of men that should rise high as eagles do. Is the the sky a father and the earth a mother, and are not all living things whith feet or wings or roots their children?"
- Black Elk Speaks, 1932, p. 2

"The Medicine Wheel is a symbol of all creation, of all races of human beings, birds, fish, animals, trees, and stones. It's in the shape
of a wheel. The circle shape represents the earth, the sun, the moon, the cycles of life, the seasons, and day to night. Movement
around the outside of the Medicine Wheel is in a clockwise direction, the rotation path of mother earth. At the center of the wheel
(the hub) is the Creator, who sits in perfect balance. Outside the center, there is an inner circle representing the Old Woman (the
earth), Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, and the four elements. Four distinct colors, set in the four directions, lay on the perimeter,
separated by beads representing the moon's cycles. Leather, laid from the perimeter, in straight lines, to the center (the spokes of
the wheel) represent spiritual paths leading us to the center, to perfect balance, to the Creator. The meaning of the number four, as
it is in Native American life, is evident in the Medicine Wheel. 4 = four directions + four seasons + four elements (earth, air, water
and fire) + the four races of human being. The wheel also teaches the four aspects of our nature�physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual. The easterly direction on the Medicine Wheel represents the new light of day, the place of all beginnings. South is the sun
at the highest point, a place of youth and innocence. West is from which darkness comes, the place of the unknown. North is the
place of winter, the place of wisdom. With the Medicine Wheel, we call upon the moons, animals, angels, finned ones, the elements,
the Sun, Clan mothers, Spirit Keeper and the Star Nations, to help us manifest our needs, and to remember who we are, what is
to come, and why we are here. The month, which you were born, determines your starting place on the medicine wheel and your
beginning totems. All people, travel the wheel at their own speed. The important message of the medicine wheel is that you allow
yourself to keep traveling, rather then tying yourself to one position and blocking your energies from growing and changing. The
Medicine Wheel is a powerful tool to get to know yourself and your guardians. Each Native American Indian band have their
own ceremony and meanings of the Medicine Wheel. Come and join us around this wonderful place we call the great
medicine wheel.
- The Medicine Wheel, Gale Trinkwon from Nanaimo, British Columbia, of the Tia-o-qui-aht First Nation

"The four classical elements were independently proposed by early Presocratic philosophers: water (Thales), air (Anaximenes),
earth (Xenophanes), and fire (Heraclitus). Empedocles proposed that they all existed together in fixed quantities from the
beginning. Plato later conceived of them as consisting of atoms with the geometrical shapes of four of the five regular geometrical
solids that had been discovered by the Pythagoreans but described by Plato (in the Timaeus). Aristotle discarded Plato's
mathematical interest and saw the elements as combinations of two sets of opposite qualities, hot & cold, wet & dry.
Aristotle's view was ultimately the accepted one all through the Middle Ages."
- The Greek Elements

"North is the direction of the Element Earth and the Power of Body. Its Nature forms are rocks, clay, sand, and soil. In human life,
this is the physical dimension and the sensing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your physiological processes,
to the sensations in your body, to your biological needs, and to your physical health. Healing modalities include good nutrition,
hygiene, body language awareness and change, relaxation, and rest.
East is the direction of the Element Air and the Power of Mind. Its Nature forms are the winds, the atmosphere, and the breath. In
human life, this is the mental dimension and the thinking realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your thought processes,
to your ability to reason, to your attitudes, and to your mental health. Healing modalities include self-talk analysis, affirmations,
journal writing, cognitive restructuring, and education.
South is the direction of the Element Fire and the Power of Action. Its Nature forms are flames, lightning, and electricity. In human life,
this is the behavioral dimension and the doing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your repertoire of activities, to
the amount of time you allot to work and to play, to the quality of your alone time, to the nature of your interactions with others, and
to your behavioral health. Healing modalities include play, exercise, time management, life restructuring, breaking destructive or
outmoded habits, career development, positive behavioral change, and goal setting and achievement.
West is the direction of the Element Water and the Power of Emotions. Its Nature forms are oceans, lakes, streams, rivers, wells,
springs, dew, precipitation, and fluids in the body. In human life, this is the emotional dimension and the feeling realm. In connecting
with this direction, pay attention to your moods, to your feelings about yourself and about others, to the levels of intimacy and trust
in your relationships, and to your emotional health. Healing modalities include guided imagery, active listening, expressing feelings,
sharing feelings, giving comfort and being comforted, singing, dancing, drawing, and other forms of artistic expression."
- Sacred Circle, Sacred Sphere: Mapping Consciousness with Seven Directions. By Selena Fox.

"We call upon you Oh creatures of Earth,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
We call upon you Oh creature of Water,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
We call upon you Oh creatures of Water and Earth,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
Oh Thou Circle, Be Thou a meeting place of Love and Joy,
In Perfect Truth and Trust
A Shield against all wickedness and evil intent,
A Rampart of Protection for All who stand herein!
Wherefore do we Bless and Consecrate Thee,
By the Holy and Sacred names of Athena, Cerridwen, Rhiannon,
Mercury and Pan ...
This Circle is Cast, safe and secure,
Sacred Space created for all that is Pure!
So Mote It Be!"
-   Casting the Sacred Circle, by Silver Wolfe