Elemental
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about alchemic elementals. For other uses of the term, see elemental (disambiguation).
An elemental is a supernatural creature often found in Neo-Pagan religions. It has several meanings, according to differant definitions. One is that it is a creature that is heavily associated with an element like fire or air. Another is that all the nature spirit creatures like gnomes or elves are elementals, and others say that almost any spiritual entity is an elemental.
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[edit] Elementals of Air, Earth, Fire and Water
In mysticism, magick and alchemy, an elemental is a creature (usually a spirit) that is attuned with, or composed of, one of the classical elements: air, earth, fire and water. The elements balance each other out through opposites: water quenches fire, fire boils water, earth contains air, air erodes earth. The concept of elementals seems to have been conceived by Paracelsus in the 16th century. Paracelsus' elementals were:
| Elemental | Source |
|---|---|
| Sylph | invented by Paracelsus - Air |
| Gnome | traditional creature from Germanic lore - Earth |
| Salamander | creature from medieval tradition - Fire |
| Undine | water goddesses from Homeric texts - Water |
Elementals are commonly mentioned in grimoires dealing with alchemy and sorcery and are usually called by summoning.
[edit] Other kinds of elemental
In modern occultism the word "elemental" can also be used to mean any simple or only partly sentient spiritual entity. These entities can be entirely natural (for instance, the spirit of a group of trees) or can be created by magicians or sorcerers to perform a task for them. The latter type are called servitors. This kind of "subservient" or "man-made" elemental can be found mentioned in the works of Austin Osman Spare or Aleister Crowley. They are a vital concept in modern Chaos Magic.
Theosophy and Anthroposophy are also known to have knowledge of elementals. In Theosophy, a "Seventh Ray" occultist works with elementals. (See Seven Rays). It is believed that elementals can be observed when the third eye (etheric sight) is activated.
[edit] List Of Elementals
Here is a list of creatures generally considered to be elementals:
[edit] References
- "undine." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 Nov. 2006 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9125706>.
