This guide covers the basics of witchcraft: practices, rituals, beliefs, magic, items. It is mostly directed toward beginners but anyone can benefit from it. Everything is explained clearly and definitions of possibly confusing or unfamiliar words a...
Pentagram: A five-pointed star, commonly used as a symbol of Wicca, witchcraft, and/or neo-paganism.
There are four or five Elements, depending on who you ask. They are Water, Fire, Earth, and Air, and some also count Spirit as an element. It's believed that everything in the world is composed of these Elements. Each Element has its own correspondences.
The Elements can be called in your ritual or spell to protect you, help you, or just witness your ritual when you cast a circle. The Elements might be symbolic, actual guardians or beings, or archetypes.
The pentagram's points represent the five Elements:
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While this is a fairly common version, the Elements can be in any point of the star according to your personal beliefs. Spirit is always on the top, though.
Below are the symbols for the Elements:
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Here are descriptions of each Element and things associated with them:
Earth Associated with the Goddess and femininity. Cardinal direction: North (for witches on the Southern Hemisphere, the associated direction may be South because that is the 'colder' direction for them). Season: winter. Time of day: night, midnight. Color: green, brown. Zodiac signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. Magical tool: pentacle, pentagram, salt, stones. Type of magic: gardening, magnet work, stone magic (jewel divination, work with crystals), knot magic, binding, money spells, grounding, runes. Symbols: rocks, fields, soil, salt, caves, clay. Crystals: rock crystal, emerald, onyx, jasper, salt, azurite, amethyst, clear quartz. Herbs: ivy, grains, oats, rice, patchouli, lichens. Represents: fertility, stability, life, wealth, abundance, the physical body, nurturing, endurance, strength.
Air Associated with the God and masculinity. Cardinal direction: East. Season: spring. Time of day: dawn. Color: yellow, white. Zodiac signs: Aquarius, Gemini, Libra. Magical tool: wand, censer (incense), sword. Type of magic: divination, concentration, visualization, wind magic, prophecy, karma work. Symbols: sky, wind, breezes, clouds, feathers, breath, smoke. Crystals: topaz, rainbow stones, quartz crystals, amethyst, alexandrite. Herbs: clove, myrrh, pansy, primrose, vervain, dill, lavender. Represents: communication, wisdom, intelligence, the soul, inspiration, intuition, knowledge, renewal, change, positivity.
Fire Associated with the God and masculinity. Cardinal direction: South (for witches on the Southern Hemisphere, the associated direction may be North because that is the 'hotter' direction for them). Season: summer. Time of day: noon. Color: red, orange, gold, crimson. Zodiac signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. Magical tool: candle, bonfire, athame. Type of magic: candle magic, healing, love spells, energy work. Symbols: flames, lightning, volcano, sun, stars, lava, heat. Crystals: ruby, fire opal, volcanic stone, agate. Herbs: garlic, hibiscus, red peppers, cinnamon, coffee, beans, chilly peppers. Represents: purity, strong will, passion, change, intuition, strength, protection, energy, creation, destruction.
Water Associated with the Goddess and femininity. Cardinal direction: West. Season: autumn. Time of day: twilight, dusk. Color: blue, turqoise, indigo. Zodiac signs: Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio. Magical tool: cauldron. Type of magic: mirror divination, magnet work, love magic, lucid dreaming, cleansing, protection spells. Symbols: ocean, river, shells, spring, lake, well, rain, fog, cups. Crystals: aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, fluorite. Herbs: ferns, lotus, water lilies, gardenia. Represents: healing, cleansing, expression, peace, compassion, purification, passion, emotion.
I will also list Spirit here, in case some of my readers consider it an element. Spirit/Aether/Akasha Element present in all things, connecting and balancing. Season: all (the Wheel of the Year) Color: white, purple. Magical tool: magic circle. Symbols: circle, cord, rope. Represents: joy, unity, balance. ☆
Sources: "The Four Classical Elements", author: Patti Wigington, site: thoughtco.com
"The Wiccan Elements", author: Nightclad, site: wicca.in
"Elemental Powers and Finding Your Wiccan Element", author: Mackenzie Sage Wright, site: exemplore.com
