The Elements can be essential to have successful spell work. Learning about the elements can be useful as it is the base of nature and earth based magick.
During this series we will touch base on the four base elements, earth, air, fire, water, as well as the fifth element spirit. Throughout this series please note that this information is based on my own research and is only one side of the coin. My practice is compiled of multiple different backgrounds and beliefs and I encourage all of you to dig deeper if you choose to.
To start of the series we will be talking about the Earth element how to use it to enhance your spell work, how to heal yourself and how to connect in nature with this element. The earth element is probably the easiest to identify as it surrounds all of us. But if you do have a hard time connecting out in nature then this is a really good place to start.
Earth is cool and calm. It is what roots us in the physical world and connects us all. Think physical world: grounding, stabilizing, fertility, abundance or money spells, this is the element to work with the physical realm and to help manifest your desires. We all know I love talking about grounding and I will sound like a broken record here but without grounding you can lose sight of your goals, get carried away with your thoughts, have a hard time staying focused. If any of these things ring a bell you need to ground yourself. Now when I talk about grounding I don't necessarily mean sprawl yourself out on some dirt, even if that does sound amazing, but I will say grounding outside if you are able can give you the refresh you need to kick yourself back into place. At the end of this article I will include a grounding exercise that you can do in your free time.
When healing yourself things can get extremely draining which is why finding out what your body and mind needs is essential. The elements can help with that. The Earth element is physical, it's what our bodies are represented by it helps ground and stabilize which means if you have a lot of your plate that is out of your control doing an activity in nature can help stabilize you and remind you of what your connected to. When going out into a forest or even your backyard take a moment to look at everything around you the grass, the trees, little critters everywhere even under your feet. All of these things you are a part of and connected to. Even if you are not the biggest outdoorsy person everyone can benefit by being outside.
How does earth show up in other areas of our practice? Well astrology is a big part of it every zodiac sign has a ruling element And ruling planet. And of course this will also have its own article but for now we will just say that the zodiac signs with earth as a ruling element are Virgo, Taurus, and Capricorn. This can be extremely helpful when working with clients as you can use this information to find when that element will be most present during the year. A way of doing this is during a specific season or moon cycle. Seasons being late summer/ fall, or even the zodiac season. During the zodiac season choosing the right moon to perform a ritual can give your spell work the extra flair it may need. This is also important when picking your herbs out for a ritual.
Now with the earth element it can be tricky since everything can technically be connected with the earth. This is why a lot of witches will say intention is everything because of the cycle of the elements. Technically all herbs are the earth element as that is where they come from, and technically all crystals are earth crystals but this is when we examine the properties of what these items have since not all of these things can be used as properties of the earth element.
So let's talk about the most popular of the herbs. When looking at Earth herbs think patchouli, musk, myrrh. Anything with a dark woodsy scent most likely carries the earth element. Since we live in an age of technology, finding herbs and their properties isn't so difficult anymore. I highly recommend Cunningham's encyclopedia of magical herbs it has helped me for quick reference.