Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of 1000 Spells: A Concise Reference Book for the Magical Arts - Judika Illes - Страница 40

Water is the element most affiliated with magic. Water is where life originates, not just as an abstract concept or in Darwinian theory, but literally for each of us as we emerge from our mother’s amniotic sacs. Water is the element of psychic power and intuitive knowledge.

Water is a feminine, yin energy.

Water spells are conducted in the bathtub and at the seashore. Water spells include those incorporating lunar charged waters, magically charged waters, and captured rainwater.

Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.

Fire and Water, extreme yang and yin, are a matched pair, leaving Earth and Air paired with each other. Like yin/yang forces in general, the elements don’t exist in mutual exclusivity. Magic may be performed with only one element (an Air-magic word charm) but is most frequently a combination of two or more forces. For instance, incense combines botanical power (Earth) with Fire, to produce fragrant smoke (Air). A complex spell that involves dressing a candle with botanical oil, and then burning it while you’re bathing in a magical infusion combines all four elements simultaneously.

This grouping of the four elements of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water is the traditional Western system and is the one most commonly shared by magical traditions. However, it is not the only system:

 Chinese magic traditionally counts five elements. Although metal is important in most other traditions, too, Chinese philosophy emphasizes this importance by counting Metal as one of the elements, alongside and equal to the Western four

 Jewish magic traditionally counts three elements. Air (or ether) is considered so ubiquitous that it doesn’t need to be counted as an element. Therefore only Water, Earth, and Fire are recognized as elements