Finding your Element

Finding your element is a relatively new practice to the magical community, and is a somewhat altered form of astrological and alchemical-based magical practices of the ages past. But is it really necessary?

If you are seeking out your own specific element, I would first have you consider nature. Where do you ever find an element isolated, and by itself? Fire requires air and fuel (earth) to sustain its presence. Water, believe it or not, contains air (how else would fish get the oxygen they breathe through their gills?) and earth (the sediments it washes away), and is otherwise found in deep in the earth, in the clouds in the air, and in all living things. Earth is all around us, and almost never alone. The minerals that help sustain life. It changes as water washes it away, plants and animals grow or decay within it. It contains vast bodies of water and liquid deep in its bowels and flows like rivers when fire heats it enough. And air? Everywhere as all. The gasses within the earth. The fuel for fire. The breath in our lungs. The pockets of bubbles we see in rivers and seas. So on... So forth.

So then where do we begin to define yourself by your element? This was born of astrological practice, I believe, where various astrological signs are said to have influence over various elements.

The various signs of the Zodiac all generally have an element that pertains to them, or that they are said to influence, but then so too do planetary bodies, the moon, and the sun. In this, the way they interact will also vary. The time and location of your birth, and so forth, within astrology will provide more explicit details than your birth month alone. However, this also usually means that you'll find that you are influenced by more than one sign that each in turn have influence over more than one element due to the way they interact with one another.

This further reveals how the elements are almost never solitary, and how individuals do not "have" one element, or two, or three... They are part of all four. The element that you relate to the most is merely a psychological exercise, perhaps describing your personality and way of thinking far more than it explains your magical practice.

Granted, the way you think and your personality will have a great deal to do with the way you practice magic, as well.

But I must stress again that it is best not to limit yourself to a single element. Within old occult and alchemical magical traditions, each element is part of the whole.

Fire is considered pure and cleansing, it is the warmth within you and the passion that drives you. Water is the glue that holds it all together, sustaining life and giving rise to some mental aspects. Air is thought and breath and whim, and gives rise to imagination and creativity and so forth. Earth is what makes you solid, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I paraphrase a bit, but this is how it works. If you find that you lack passion and drive, seek the balance of fire energies within your life. If you find that you are instable, and flippant, seeking grounding within Earth. If you need more spontaneity, seek the flippant nature of air. And if you need to tie it all together, or otherwise seek to mend, turn to Water.

Why stick to just one?

I would argue that I have not even encountered a spirit elemental in nature that could be wholly described as a single element, even if most of its attributes were of that element's qualities.

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some of the information in your article can be helpful. But your astrological sign has nothing to do with finding you element. You should always begin working with the element that your feel drawn to. And yes sometimes it may be your astrological element but out of all my years of practice a persons strongest element is not their astrological element. Never mind if you astrological element is wind, if you prefer water work with that. I stress only you know you and what you feel comfortable with. The goal with working with the elements is that one day you will work with all of them and feel comfortable with them.
This is also not a relativity new practice to the magickal community, it has been done for ages, since the Druids.

Blue, you're missing the point. Much of exploring your element was rooted within the original concepts tied to the governing aspects of an astrological sign. I never once said it is necessary to discover your element using these signs. Moreso, I discourage exploring a particular element in favor of any others.

I hadn't realized the druids had found it necessary to define themselves by an element. Especially given that the concept of the four elements was largely tied to alchemy.. though I suppose alchemy may have borrowed from the druids. I'm very much intrigued by the possibility of it being other than a new age concept however. Could you point me towards a resource that discusses this?

Is it possible to be better at one element than the others? For instance, some might be better at music, some better at writing, etc. Is it possible to be more efficient at fire magic than water magic? I think it's possible to learn all elements, but does that necessarily mean you can perform them all at the same level? I always figured the element you can work with best is your primary element. Let me know what you guys think.

I use all the elements, but not all at the same time :) When I want to be objective, logical and raise my consciousness I use the element air. If I want to enjoy life and want to be more selfish I use the element earth, and if I want to see into the future or become more creative I use the element water. When I want more energy or to get stronger I use the element fire.
My strongest element is water, it dominates my magical work.
But my favorite element is fire.
You should work with all the elements, but I think you can advance in 1 element if you want.
I belive if you only work with just 1 element, there will be nutritional deficiencies in the fifth element.

It's quite possible to be better in exploring one element over others. That is human nature. We are not "the best" at everything. Whatever you work with is, well, what you are probably best at working with. However, why need you define it? Why actively seek out a primary element? The act of deciding that one element is your primary element you raise it above others without need or reason, and in raising one aspect above others the "lower" aspects are generally neglected.

Explore what element is your "primary" element to the extent that it can help you learn more about yourself, and what you are comfortable with, and so forth. In this you can seek to expand and explore in those areas that you find yourself to be lacking as well.