This is the last element in my blogs about the elements. By no means is any of this complete and direct instruction and is instead a very simple and general explination and ideas for anyone to get started. By no means is the herb, oil or stone listing complete nor does it cover everything you can do. Instead it is simply a way to suggest some things and on the part of an individual research in the areas of tools is needed. One reason simply put is that you either may not have some of what I list available to you and another is that perhaps you have things hiding in your spice wrack or already have another stone that will work for what you need it for.

 I do stronly urge anyone to not just associate the tool or stone with the element but to study up on what each one in partiuclar does.

Earth's direction for most is north and most of us associate earth with grounding. What is that. Simply put think about how a car battery works. You have the wire that conducts the electricty to where it's supposed to go and then the ground wire that makes the electricity flow easily and keeps it stable. Without it your battery would not work as it should and would be quite dangerous.

On a spiritual level ground works much the same way. People who have a lot of nervouse energy need grounding, they need a more solid foundation with the element of earth. Pretty much they can be very hectic and very hard to be around.Usually they cannot concentrate on one thing for a very long period of time and emotionally may suffer from some serious security issues and perhaps even paranoia.

On the other hand too much earth leads to a heaviness of spirit and stagnation. Also, apathy and dependance on the purley physical become apparent. A person with too much earth can become very depressed and lonely, clinging to others for their needs. In effect they are shut off and shut down from anything around them except what is physically present in any given moment.

If you are one of those that is looking for more of a grounding effect in your life then Earth is the element you want. Wearing shades of brown or green aids one in focussing on the earth elemet aas well as keeping natural stones around one.  My personal favorite is a piece of petrified wood I have. 

Like all the others you can cast a simple circle and get to know the Earth Element much better. Earth is concidered a feminine element. One thing you would want to focus on perhaps is what does she look like, smell like, sound like and feel like. The more real you make something in ciurcle the better off you are. The power of the mind is only limited by the individual, so yes you can make her as real as you can. This can take a lot of practice, but is well worth it.

Taking walks through a park or just sitting in your back yard, if you have one can help to as well as having potted plants inside and taking care of them.

Some stones-Hemetite,Petrified wood,Obsidian,Apache Tears and others

Some herbs-Sage, Slippery Elm  , madrake root and others.

You can make an earth bag and carry it with you for a bit of grounding or wear jewlrey
with stones associated with earth for their properties.

As stated above, this isn't by any means a complete  listing of things you can do. One thing about being on any Pagan path is that your creativity is a vital ingrediant to anything successful. It is often said that the first place anything manifests is in the relms of thought (air) and then finds it's way from there to us here on the physcial relm. The more you put into these expersizes the more you will gain from them.

So far we have covered the elements in general, why we work with them and a bit on how they affect us so hopefully by now any of thsoe who wondered why work with them other than in circle will understand a bit more about how they imapct our daily lives. Now let's take a look at water.

 Water is a feminine element meaning it has qualitites that are more receptive and passive.  The direction for water in many traditions is the west, which ironically enough many people associate with the Underworld or the Land of the dead. The sun in the western hemisphere sets in the west so many have associated the west as where the sun goes to 'die' until it is reborn the next morning in the east.

Naturally when we pnder these few things about both the association with water and it's given direction we get a glimpse into its nature. Water rules our emotional life as well as our subconcious mind. Water can represent the hidden side of our nature and our psyche as well as our creative mind. 

When we are experiencing a troubling time emotionally water can help us balance back out. However if water becomes out of balance  of emotions and desires can run and rule our lives. We can become closed off from others and wear our emotions like a badge. While it is fine to experience and feel what we feel, too much of anything is just too much. Too much water can also make us delusional as it cuts off our logical mind and we are not able to think or reason with any clarity at all. We may even begin to believe that others do not understadn us and do not care.

Putting water back into balance can be done via simple circle casting as with the other elements. Sit and visualize what water would look like were it to be emodied in a form that can speak and walk. Practice 'hearing' water when there is none running and listen to c.d's with the ocean or streams or rain storms in them. You can place small fountians about your house. Alos, drink plenty of water if you are emotionally stagnant and need a release. All of these things can help. See if you can feel the moisture in the air around you. if it is warm enough outside go and put your feet in a stream (be aware if there are problems with pollution)

Stones-sea shells,coral,cowrie shells,amethyst,clear crystals.

herbs-roses,ivy, gardeniacatnip, heather

youn can also make a ligft blue or aqua colored bag and combine these and other items in them for extra aid and carry it with you.   

Wearing 'water' colors can help bring your element back into balance.

Sometimes work with this element is very hard as our emotional lives can be tough to deal with. When working with any of the elements understand that you won't be given more than you can handle at one time providing helping yourself is truly your motive.

As with all of the elements there are Gods and Goddesses that you can call upon to aid you in the removal of blockages or the balancing of your elements.

For working with this element I personally like to call upon Aphrodite and ask for her aid. Most associate her to strickly areas of romantic endeavors, however she is very capable of aiding one in healthy self love as well as releasing the inner beauty we all possess. remeber that the kingdom of the Undines are there to aid as well.

Working with Air aids in ones mental processes and therefor is beneficial for anyone. Air is associated with the Planet Mercury and also presides over not just thought but communications of all sorts. If our minds have turned inward and our communications have broken down it may be time to seriously concider working with this element. One thing we must understand is that our minds are perhaps one of the most powerful things on this plane. Our minds can make life very pleasant for us or an unending nightmare. We can however choose which way things go once we have instruction.

Some herbs that are associated with air are sage, lavender, caraway, and benzoin just to name a few.

Items- feathers, light blue or white or light yellow objects, any stone that stimulates thought and reason as well as communication, leaves that have been blown around in the wind, branches that have fallen from the wind ( very handy for being outsdie on the spur of the moment ) Fans, both hand held and electric.

Working- You may cast a circle and burn any charged herb for specific purpose that is ruled by air. meditate and invoke air into the circle, imagine what he looks like (yes air is a masculine element) speak either mentall, in your thoughts or verbally to him and then listen-what images come to mind or thoughts come up, write them down a.s.a.p. Burn candles oiled with olive oil and air herbs or an oil made  especially for air.

 Other ways to work- go outsdie on a blustery day and face the winds direction. If you know actually which direction it's coming from speak to that wind and ask for aid in your life. For example, if you know the wind is out of the north,face into the wind and ask for  help regarding any self esteem or security issues you may have. Otherwise you may ask the wind to clear your mind and free it from destructive or counter productive thinking.

 You can carry feathers on you or use them for decoration on your desk. When you can imagine the sound of wings beating and air moving and invoke your own wind inside.

making a bag- You can make a charm bag for any of the elements by following color and scent references given. Inside the bag you place charged objects that are to help you in a specific task as in ending negative thought  patters or helping you communicate better or even helping you to open your mind to others and understanding them. Keep this bag near you (in your pocket or purse or on a table near you, just do not let others handle it) until it has done its job. The bag should be small enough to carry conveinniantly. It can be a light shade of blue and inside you can place lavender charged for more peaceful thoughts, an amythest for clarity and perhaps a small feather as well as a small emerald to aid in communicating more effectively. Emeralds can be work on the throat chackra to balance this chackra and help make your words more effective without being abrasive or elusive. Keeping stones that are charged up around you helps in a manner of giving your gentle yet continuous energy to make these changes.

You can also take a palm full of herb, depending on what it is for and spread a wish on the winds. The Herb and direction of the wind will greatly influence the manifestation of the wish.

You can even receive a cleansing by going outside and letting wind blow off negative energy that has accumulated. Stand in the widn and as it blows see the negative energy blow off of you and be carried away.

Most of us are familiar with the elements and invoke them regularly in our rituals. Some, those who are just beginning may not see what they have to do with our every day lives or why elemental balance is so important to begin with. Sometimes we read about them in relation to majick and perhaps assume that that is all there is to them.

 It took me a long time to understand that everything I do outside reflects what is inside. When I am out of balance it shows. When I am around other witches I can hide nothing, they can see it a mile off. For anyone who is either new or not practiced this is more than a religion, the majickal way of life. It is just that, the way that you think, feel and perceive changes when you a diligent in your studies and practices. You become aware of that which, while obvious to you many others cannot see.It is more then just ghosts you perceive, it is the very air around you, it tells a story and a good witch is practiced in the art of listening to that story.

There for when one is out of balance it is obvious. But, if you are that out of balance person and want more balance in your life what do you do? For that matter just what is balance anyway? Here is what Miriam Webster says about this word.

'

Main Entry:

¹bal·ance

Pronunciation:

\ˈba-lən(t)s\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *bilancia, from Late Latin bilanc-, bilanx having two scalepans, from Latin bi- + lanc-, lanx plate

Date:

13th century

 In reality we can apply, even if metaphorically all of these definitions, but the ones we are primarily concerned with is pretty much from 2 on down.

Balance is the ability acquired by one to steady their lives mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. As many different ways to do this, there is someone who can help you find yours.  In the rare occasion we are overwhelmed we can quickly put ourselves back on an even keel. This really doesn't come naturally to most people but instead is a hard and well thought out process. There is a lot of work involved and it doesn't happen over night. However, if you never start then you never know what you are missing!!

With the elements it is a matter of self examination.

AIR- Lack of motivation and muddled thinking can be related to not having enough of the Air element in your life. Also depression and a general gloomy outlook can indicate this element is not  active in your life.In the element of air we find it rules our thinking and reasoning abilities and some of our perceptions as well. Air is usually symbolized by the suit of swords in most Tarot decks. There are many ways to balance this in your life. One way is to cast a small circle and simply invoke air into it. Take things that relate to air inside your circle with you and then meditate, eyes open, on Air. What does this element look like to you, sound like? Is there a feeling physically you get? Another way is going outside and really letting the breeze 'clear your head. In this instance you face what ever direction winds are blowing from and ask the wind to blow out the cobwebs. You can also take things and carry them that relate to air and wear white or light blue objects.

EARTH- Are you nervous a lot and maybe a bit flighty? Can you not sit still?  Do you have a sense of wandering aimless and without purpose most of the time and are not able to anchor yourself or find anything that grounds you or makes you feel stable and secure? Your elemental Earth may be out of whack. Gardening or just putting your feet bare in the soil can help. You can carry stones such as hematite or petrified wood with you. Like Air, you can invoke Earth into your circle and commune with this element.

Fire- Are you always worried about finances and have next to no motivation to fix anything? Hows your spiritual life mainly lived, on message boards and books? All read no practice? Do you have to intellectually understand something before you try it? Fire may be the element that is lacking in you life. Fire motivates us to take care of ourselves spiritually, also in material and mundane matters it enables us to take control of a situation and handle it without being flattened. Elemental Fire aids us in taking positive control over our lives. Burning red candles and cinnamon helps a lot. Sitting and staring into the flame of a candle and speaking to the fire, inviting into your life will help too as will nice camp fires and open eyed visualizations. Try wearing red or carrying something red with you to start a spark.

WATER-are you either overly emotional or shut down? Do you think far more then you feel or does every thing you feel rule your life? In other words you may have too much water one way, too little in another. In getting water balanced in your life drinking lots of it helps, especially by the full moon light. Invoke in circle this element as well. Wearing darker shades of blue and having a small fountain can aid you as well.  Further more scrying with water can help. If you have a nice pond close by you can ask the Undines to aid you.

 When you have too much of an element and not enough of another it is usually best to work with the elemental opposite. In other words if you have too much water then you work with fire. Too much fire however work with earth to ground it. Too much air work with water. Odd I know but feelings and thoughts are connected, yet can be the opposite in nature.

All of this being said, why do it? Simple. It is ultimately in any persons best interests to do so and is the most significant and permanent changes we can make in our lives.When we change on the spiritual levels, the change trickles down to the mental and emotional levels, which in turn makes our daily lives that much easier to deal with.

This is perhaps the most famous documents in the beginning of the persecutions and was written in 1486 and published in 1487. The document, which used the Summis desarentes affectibus as a preface (written by and issued from Pope Innocent VIII) was actually determined at the University of Cologne to be unethical and illegal in accordance with the Dominican order. This however did not stop Kramer and Sprenger from forging the endorsements needed and publishing it as the 'official' guide of hunting witches and other heretics. Of course as history had it this document was used in many persecutions. .most of this history is common knowledge. What may not be known is the Catholic Chuerched banned the book in 1490, a mere three years after it went public, placing it on the Indexs Librorum Prohibitorum. Now why are these things important to know? For one, it gives very interesting insite and would suggest that while the Church was interested in ridding the presence of heretics from the land, they in and of themselves were really not willing to go to that extreme nor did they support this supposed 'damning evidence' that would mainly focus on women. In other words, they did have their standards. It also says a lot about these two monks and can give some interesting insites most people don't look at when comptemplating the witch trials. For one,these men were terrible extremists and most of their contemporaries saw them as such. Another it has always been the ideal of the Church to convert whenever possible so, why be so ready to kill off those you want to convert or save? Imagine what a victory of converting the so-called witches would be for the brave souls that accomplished it! This document was very cleverly written in the fact that it most vehnimently addressed firstly those who would deny the existance of witchcraft to begin with. Apparently not all, even those and maybe especially those of the Church seriouslyu doubted the existance of witchcraft to begin with. It basically proposes that witchcraft cannot be done without help from the devil, the evil intentions of the witch and permission of God for these things to happen in the first place. Interesting that God has to allow it or it isn't possible don't you think? Section two describes how witches are recruited. One person is targetted to have something go terribly wrong in their lives and needs the council of a witch ( instead of a preist??). Or, of course there is the ever popular young maiden being tempted by a young devil. Section three of course details the prosecution and punishement of said witches. It is blatant that this actually was not so much about witches ( I know a real WTF moment for you right?) but about mysogyny or a hatred and fear of women. That is who was actually being persecuted; withcraft was merely a really handy exuse. I often wonder personally if it didn't later influence the Marquis De Sade!!! Now with all of that said what can be gleaned from this? Well for one most people who have actually looked deeper into the Inquistions know that there was always another motive and witchcraft was merely an exuse. We can also see that while the Church did give permission at one time to persecute witches if found, that it did not support this extreme document. The persecutions were mostly about motives, be it money, property, business rivalry, love rivals, illness or what have you it was an exuse to be able to either gain revenge on someone or get a person or people out of the way for individuals to take over. As you can see that takes a big wind out of the whole witch persecution when it is seen for what it is. Today we do much the same thing ourselves. We have hate crimes against particular groups and we justify it. We will lash out, as a society, against people of faiths not like our own or against people who are different and make up a paltry excuse ( well they did it to me,us!!). There are still people out there that persecute Muslims, Jews, Christians, homosexuals, transgenders, bi-sexuals, blacks,whites, native americans,hispanics ,women,men. ...you get the idea. if we learn absolutely nothing from the Inquisitions, and from Natzi Germany for that matter one would hope that we can learn a very simple lesson here. Persecuting anyone for any reason is dead wrong and does absolutely nothing for personal peace of mind,heart and spirit and does nothing to promote understanding and good will between differing peoples. Let those that desire peace strive for it by opening our minds and hearts and straining to understand those who are different than we are. Let us hope and pray for those who will not as the road to elitism and war is a very long and loney road, with nothing but a dead end and dead heart at the end of it. Blessed Be Amanda