Faeries & Elementals for Beginners: Learn About & Communicate With Nature Spirits (11 page)

When goals are shared, especially material or finan-

cial, earth signs can form an unbreakable bond of

commitment.

•
Air/Air
: There is unlikely to be a lull in the conversation between two air signs unless they are communi-

cating without speaking. When two air signs are on

the same wavelength, they complete each others’ sen-

tences and find contentment in being truly under-

stood.

•
Fire/Fire
: Two fire signs may fall in love with each other fast and hard. Both are impulsive, which means

that there isn’t a lot of time spent beating around the

bush, but it also means that they are each likely to

82 • Chapter Two

take action and then ask for forgiveness later. Argu-

ments can be explosive and passionate.

•
Water/Water
: Intuitive water signs can become in tune with each others’ emotions. Water signs are also

content to go with the flow, and drift through life

clinging to each other, even if no firm goals are solid-

ified in mind. Water signs respect the action of going

with one’s gut feelings.

•
Air/Fire
: These two signs find conflict between the heart and the head when it comes to plans versus

action. The air sign is likely to push the fire sign to

think more before acting, while the fire sign has lit-

tle tolerance for the air sign’s tendency for armchair

speculation.

•
Earth/Water
: It is the classic partnership between an earth person who values financial or material stability and the artistic water person who thinks none of

those things should matter if love is shared. Each will

push the other to let down his or her guard and find

value in new concepts.

•
Earth/Fire
: Earth and fire people both like to get results, although the earth people may strongly desire

more ground rules and boundaries to keep things

fruitful. Fire people may struggle against the stability

that earth people hold so dear.

•
Fire/Water
: When fire and water people share the same goals, the water people can add a depth of purpose to what the fire folks are doing. However, fire

Communicating with Elementals to Understand and Help Your Life • 83

people may find the water people too wishy-washy,

and the water folks may sometimes find fire signs to

be too cruel.

•
Air/Earth
: Air and earth signs can build great ideas together into solid manifestation. However, care must

be taken that the air sign doesn’t slack off and make

the earth sign feel resentful. Also, the earth sign has

to adhere to the original vision and take some risks.

•
Air/Water
: Logic versus emotion can lead to turmoil or to a great partnership, depending on the respect

the people of these two signs have for one another.

An air sign can find a way when the water sign thinks

something is impossible. A water sign can soften any

cold facts an air sign doesn’t like.

Evoking the Elementals Within for Protection

As you’ve found, you are born with natural traits from all elementals, albeit sometimes in unequal proportions. Later in this chapter, you’ll learn how to cast an elemental circle, which invites the elementals to travel from their realms in the universe to stand witness in a place and time for you.

All four elemental archetypes exist within you at all times as your internal resources. One ritual that makes use of this fact is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Ceremonial Magicians call upon elemental ideas during this

ritual. It can be used to exorcise bad emotions or spiritual entities from a person, or to clear a space of negative vibes.

My mom and I like to perform it in hotel rooms to get rid

84 • Chapter Two

of the spooky feeling of being in a strange place filled with the energies of others. I’m presenting the quick series of ritual movements and words here in a format that brings

the focus clearly to elementals and to the symbol of their union, the pentagram.

The Elemental Banishing

Ritual of the Pentagram

Stand facing east, toward the realms of air. The first gesture you will make is to draw a spiral with your right hand, symbolizing how those elemental realms that exist outside of

you also exist within. The spiral will start at your forehead and move counterclockwise to end with your hands clasped

in a prayer mudra as you speak the opening words to all of the elementals:

You are
(touch forehead to start)

The kingdom,
(draw a circle counter-

clockwise to touch your heart)

The power,
(continue the circle to

touch your right shoulder)

And the glory
(continue the spiral to

touch your left shoulder)

Forever.
(end with your hands together

in prayer at the center of your spiral)

So Mote It Be.

Communicating with Elementals to Understand and Help Your Life • 85

Still facing east, extend your right hand and draw a

five-pointed star in front of you with your first two fin-

gers and see it in your mind’s eye floating in the air. A five-pointed star or pentagram represents all four elementals

with the addition of your spirit and is a symbol of protection. Plunge both hands through the center of the penta-

gram and intone the word “air.” When you intone a word,

you should sing it out loudly and in a monotone, as if you were ringing a bell with your voice, allowing the vibrations to emanate from deep within your belly at your diaphragm,

resonating through your chest and your throat.

Withdraw your nondominant hand and put a finger to

your lips in a shushing gesture. Your dominant hand should still be pointed through the pentagram you drew. Turn

toward the south, the realm of fire. Your extended hand

will draw a fourth of a circle around you as you turn. Draw another five-pointed star in the south with your dominant

hand and plunge both hands through its center. Intone the

word “fire.” Again, withdraw the non-dominant hand to

shush and turn to the west to continue drawing the circle

with your dominant hand.

Draw the five-pointed star again, this time intoning the

word “water.” Withdraw your non-dominant hand to shush

and turn to the north to draw the final protective penta-

gram. This time, as you put your hands through, you’ll

intone “earth.” You’ll need to withdraw your hand to shush and turn to complete the circle so that you are facing east once more.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with

your arms straight out at your sides, so you are representing
86 • Chapter Two

the pentagram’s five-pointed star shape with your body. Say the following:

“Before me, sylphs, behind me, undines. On my right

hand, salamanders. On my left hand, gnomes. For about me

stand the pentagrams, and in the center I too am a star.”

Finish the rite by performing the spiral gesture and

repeating the spoken words exactly as in the beginning.

Upon finishing the banishing ritual of the elementals, the space that you have cleared should feel peaceful. You should feel that you have a balanced and clear head, and any who

participate in the ritual with you should feel in harmony.

You can do the banishing ritual of the elementals as many

times as you like and at any time of day, to rid yourself of anxieties or simply to honor the elementals within and

become in tune with them. It can be helpful to become fully comfortable and familiar with the elementals and their correspondences through a rite such as this before you begin

attempting to use them for specific purposes in more com-

plex rituals. Performing the banishing ritual of the elementals can also be a good way to rid yourself of any fears that you have about the danger of working with elementals. Yes, they can be scary beings, but they exist within all of us. You can either ignore them out of fear or begin to find your

own comfort zone working with them.

Using Elementals for a Purpose

As mentioned in the Introduction, one of the many good

reasons for working with elementals is that they can help

you achieve specific goals through magic. Bestowing per-

Communicating with Elementals to Understand and Help Your Life • 87

sonalities, characteristics, and abilities to an element fleshes out the archetype into a potential living friend. Rather than just transforming the idea of North into a compass point

on your spiritual landscape or the notion of Earth into the metaphorical furniture in the room, these concepts can

become people; people who can guide, give messages, and

travel to places and times of need.

In each elemental’s chapter we’ll explore some specific

meditations, exercises and rituals that can be done for purposes such as love, wisdom, divination, new beginnings,

endings, and more. However, sometimes the light and sim-

ple approach of being more mindful of an area of your

life that needs positive attention can bring about positive results. After all, as anyone with a one-track mind knows, focusing on your dismal lack of employment can make

failed interviews and bad job opportunities jump out at

you all the more, becoming more and more noticeable as

the over-focus on jobs and failure bring negativity to the forefront of your mind. Likewise, no matter how much

a single mom wants to find love, if she focuses all of her energy on her kids instead of leaving room in her life for her own needs and for a companion, that imbalance will

make those love energies seem perpetually out of reach.

Ideally, all four elements will be balanced within you,

putting all the blessings of the universe that are divided among them within your reach. So, how do you balance

the elements using elementals? It isn’t as difficult as herding cats. By surrounding your life with things that correspond to the four elements, you can turn your awareness to them.

When you feel an imbalance, it can be simple to draw more

88 • Chapter Two

objects together that keep you focused on that area of life in need. For example, earth elementals like to play among the sparkles of shiny rocks, and air elementals enjoy dancing

with wind chimes.

Honoring Elementals

Some people believe elementals are very distinct entities

with personalities and desires. As a result, honoring and

placating elementals before asking them to be a part of

your rituals can encourage them to be more inclined to

ensure your success. This is especially true since all elementals are often thought to be mischievous tricksters. What-

ever you can do to earn the respect of elementals—espe-

cially by being respectful—will help you to avoid being on the wrong end of a joke.

Setting up an elemental altar or shrine, or simply dec-

orating your home with elemental symbols is one way to

begin honoring elementals. In order to please them, con-

sider representatives for the elementals that allow them to

“play” in their element. For example, an especially glittery crystal can be a delightful playground for an earth elemental, while wind chimes or burning incense allows air ele-

mentals to find joy in the movement. Large or crackling

flames in a fireplace honor fire elementals while moving

water like a fountain may bring special joy to water elementals.

Communicating with Elementals to Understand and Help Your Life • 89

Salutations

Traditionally, elementals have been honored in a ritual context with a salute that consists of an open hand, a knife used only for ritual purposes called an athame or fingers held up instead of an athame. The salute is done facing a direction associated with the element: North for earth, south for fire, east for air, and west for water. While saluting each direction, visualize the element and things that are associated with it. Examples below are intended to flatter and please the elementals without provoking them, and can be done

at any time on their own or together. More information

on calling elementals to a ritual for any purpose will be

included later in this chapter.

Earth

Salute the north by kissing your dominant hand and hold-

ing your palm to the north. Remember the most beautiful

natural scene that you have witnessed on earth, perhaps

forested mountain top, a desert at sunset or a lush rainforest. Visualize this scene strongly in your mind’s eye and say:

“Hail gnomes, elementals of the earth, strong and silent

keepers of the green domain of the Goddess. I send my

greetings to you in your realms. I offer you my respect and mindfulness. Blessed be!”

Air

Salute the east by kissing your dominant hand and holding

your palm to the east. In your mind’s eye you call up the

memory of an exhilarating wind or storm. Keep this mem-

ory firmly in mind as you say:

90 • Chapter Two

“Hail sylphs, elementals of the air, rising each dawn to

inspire all God’s knowledge and insights. I send my greet-

ings to you in your realms. I offer you my respect and

mindfulness. Blessed be!”

Fire

Salute the south by kissing your dominant hand and hold-

ing your palm to the south. Visualize a fire that warmed

your body and soul in the past, perhaps a campfire or a hol-iday hearth fire. Keep the image and feeling as you say: