Elements. An excursion into history and modern understanding

Another determining factor, besides the three gunas, is the five elements. Any matter, including the physical and subtle body, contains the energy of the elements. While the gunas relate more to temperament and internal constitution, the elements are more likely to be associated with the physical manifestations of a particular combination of gunas.

The five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether - are located in the first five chakras respectively: the element of earth in the first chakra, etc. The elements are ranked from the subtlest - ether (also called space) to the densest - earth, elements, from which all matter is created. There is the heavy material earth, there is the emptiness of outer space and everything else in between.

Since the elements are physical manifestations of temperament, they can be used as powerful, completely material tools for health improvement and healing. Each element is associated with a specific sense organ - the organs of smell, taste, vision, touch and hearing, respectively.

When you are able to determine what is out of balance, why, and what needs to be addressed, it is much easier to choose the right method. Understanding what is needed and why requires incredible insight and sensitivity. Let's look at the basic properties of each element.

Eurostandard[edit]

In European culture there are four elements: earth, water, fire and air. Everything that exists consists of them, and various properties are manifested in them: earth, for example, is hard, motionless and inflexible, and water is unsteady and flowing, therefore, everything that is hard and inflexible can be considered belonging to the element of earth, and everything that is unsteady and fluid - the elements of water. Sometimes they also add a certain fifth element, called “quintessence” or “ether,” which is intended to symbolize souls, spirits or pure energy. There was a very similar system of elements in Japan, only instead of ether there was emptiness. In other systems, the fifth element (or, as more often translated, the fifth element) was considered the philosopher's stone.

By a strange coincidence, the four aggregate states of matter (solid, liquid, gas, plasma) and the four shells of the Earth (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, magnetosphere) can easily be put in correspondence with the four elements.

Images and motifs associated with Western elements[edit]

• Earth: Stable and unyielding, earth is the element of firmness and support. It is usually the strongest, but slowest of the elements. Characters associated with the earth are strong and calm, you can always rely on them. The image of the fertile mother earth also leads to the association of this element with motherhood. The negative side of these characters is stubbornness, old-fashionedness and reluctance to change. Often this element is also associated with plants, which successfully compensates for its main shortcomings.
• Fire: The most ambiguous of the elements, on the one hand, it is warm, light, cleanses and regenerates, on the other hand, it is the most aggressive of the elements, wild, destructive and unpredictable. Characters associated with fire are impulsive, harsh and hot choleric people.
• Air: The element of winds and changes, sometimes calm, sometimes hurricane. Generally considered to be the weakest but fastest of the elements. Characters associated with air are cheerful, energetic, and free.
• Water: The element of fluidity and adaptation, taking any form. It is also usually a very positive element, symbolizing calmness and healing. If the earth is strong but slow, and the air is weak but fast, then the water is both strong and fast, but not to the same extent as either one. Characters associated with water are usually calm, relaxed, non-conflicting, and easily agree with others (although they still do things their own way).

Fire

People of this Element are usually very energetic. The Fire Man is intolerant of injustice and always rushes to the aid of those who seem to him to be unfairly offended. At the emotional level, warmth, passion, ardor, the desire to warm another person and inspire optimism will be noticeable.

I am so bright, hot, cunning and I have armor in my soul. And I will tell you, in truth, that: “There is nothing more terrible in the world than Fire!”

I burn all living things to dust! As soon as the smoke is blown away by the wind... Not a trace will remain of those who will encounter my fire.

The word “pity” and the word “fear” are for the living, not for Me! And no one expects mercy, Once you fall into the line of fire.

I am on the line of that line. I am the keeper of my borders. The flames remember the horror of many different faces!

What burned in my fire, Some for the truth, some in spite of... And for thousands of long years no one shook my hand.

I burn alone in the night, Warming with my warmth. Even the flame of one candle Lights up a house with hope!

I'm uninvited when I'm big. With the power of thought a wall rises. Tamed if, good! Don't be afraid of me then.

I have many faces, no matter how you look at them, Because sometimes there is no one kinder than me. But I can’t defeat people, I’m no more cunning than people.

The man tamed me, But I will still argue with him. Let all the prohibitions burn with a blue flame, why are they?!

I’m in the forest, where the winds rustle, I’ll take care of last year’s leaves. Having scorched it only slightly, then I will rise to heaven.

My sea of ​​fire will be as beautiful as flowers bloom. Then you will understand me, you need me and here I am!

I haven't expected an ovation for a long time. There is no human justice, But I know that there is my home Deep below - underground.

In the kingdom of Hell - I am the Master! The souls of sinners burn in fire. I'm the only one in that place. And I know everything about them.

Cleansing with my fire, I forgive them their sins. Only my flame hurts from their earthly melancholy...

Forgetting that there is armor, I burn myself, burning myself. My tears are like lightning like thunder from the sky... stunning everyone!

I am omnivorous and I am everywhere. That is my element - Fire! I am the strongest on Earth. Always respect me!

The characteristics of this element are warmth and dryness, which are accompanied by metaphysical energy, life and its power. There are 3 signs in the Zodiac that have these qualities, the so-called. fire trine (triangle):

• Aries
• a lion
• Sagittarius

The Fire trine is considered a creative trine. Principle: action, activity, energy.

Fire is the main controlling force of instinct, spirit, thought and mind, forcing us to move forward, believe, hope, and defend our convictions. The main driving force of Fire is ambition. Fire gives zeal, impatience, carelessness, self-confidence, hot temper, impetuosity, impudence, courage, courage, belligerence. It supports life in the human body, is responsible for temperature control and stimulates metabolism.

TEMPERAMENT OF FIRE

People in whose horoscopes the trine of the Fire element is highlighted have a choleric temperament. These people will never go unnoticed; they will achieve recognition from others, especially in an environment that is close to them in spirit and ideologically connected with them.

These people have a creative spirit and unshakable will, inexhaustible “Martian energy” and extraordinary penetrating power. The Fire element gives organizational talent, a thirst for activity and enterprise.

The peculiarity of people of this trigon is the ability to be inspired and to be devoted to an idea, a cause, a partner, even to the point of self-sacrifice. They are brave, courageous and courageous. The rise of their souls and their inherent business activity help them reach the top in both the spiritual and material spheres. They receive true pleasure from their activities, are proud of the results of their work and expect universal recognition.

Fire people are innate leaders who love and know how to lead and command. They are, as it were, charged with cosmic electrical voltage of a certain polarity, which they transmit to others in the form of attraction or repulsion, which keeps the people around them in constant tension and excitement.

They try to win personal freedom, independence and independence, which is most precious to them, at an early age. But there is one paradox: they do not like and do not want to obey, but their ability to adapt to various circumstances is excellently developed.

They have the following character traits:

• perseverance
• perseverance
• self-affirmation
• waywardness
• intransigence.

Anyone who is connected with a person of the Fire trine through a partnership knows well that these people always follow their line. They can be the main conductors, performers of the main roles, but never extras. It is simply impossible to subordinate them to someone else’s will; only they will command the parade and lead, although often from behind the scenes. They recognize only wise and fair autocracy and most of all hate despotism and tyranny in all their forms.

Those born under the auspices of the fire element (the last digit of the year of birth are 6 and 7) always strive for adventure and new experiences and will never refuse to explore something new. These are very dynamic and energetic individuals with the makings of excellent leaders, because they love to compete and win. Fire people, as a rule, are attractive and attractive; they cannot stand loneliness, preferring to surround themselves with people and constant movement. In addition, they are extremely attached to loved ones and do their best to support any family ties. Fiery people are distinguished by high self-esteem and self-confidence, they are smart and friendly, decisive and effective, and are also not devoid of oratorical talent.

At first, people of the Fire trigon quickly “light up”, are inspired by new ideas and people, without much hesitation, immediately get involved in the matter, involving all their surroundings in it to achieve the goal they have set, which comes to them from the outside, or arises within them.

But they also quickly lose interest in an old business that has already begun, if they are inspired by a new, more significant idea for them, or if the matter becomes protracted and requires constant effort. These are people of a jerk, an impulse, waiting for death is like death for them. Fire is the creative force that can lift them to the “seventh heaven” or “throw them into the abyss.”

The disadvantages of representatives of the element of fire include their aggressiveness in achieving their goals, excessive emotionality and lack of patience and compassion. They are also selfish and overly ambitious and do not consider others at all when they want to get their way.

People belonging to the element of Fire must restrain their negative character traits, especially ardor and impetuosity, belligerence and aggressiveness. They must avoid conflict situations and confrontation with the outside world, so as not to harm their idea, for which they are fighting, or their business, the implementation of which they dream of.

Children of this trine are difficult to educate, often cannot be educated at all, and in order to have even the slightest result in working with them, you have to use specific methods of education. Violence and coercion are categorically excluded, as this causes stubbornness, obstinacy and resistance in them.

You can only approach them with love and affection, with warmth and gentleness; it is very important to be fair with them, never deceive them, and not belittle their self-esteem.

Fire is the south and represents the summer season. The color of fire is red and is associated with the vascular system and the heart. Fire people themselves are advised to stay away from excess heat and not give in to outbursts of emotions.

Chinese[edit]

In China the situation was slightly different. There are five elements: fire, water, earth, wood and metal. The tree also includes various plant life, which in the European tradition is usually classified as Earth. The five elements can stand in a circle: wood => fire => earth => metal => water => wood, forming a Chinese version of the pentagram (not used, unlike the European version, to summon spirits), where the circle illustrates the generation of the elements (water generates a tree, a tree generates fire, etc.), and a star – overcomes (metal overcomes a tree, a tree overcomes the earth, etc.). The elements can also stand in the cardinal directions: fire - south, water - north, wood - east, metal - west, earth - center. In addition to the pentagram, the 5 elements can be displayed together as a Chinese red plum flower, which has just 5 petals.

In addition, the 5 elements form a 10-year cycle. It is less known to us than the Chinese “horoscope” of 12 animals, but in the same horoscope this cycle is manifested in adjectives and epithets, for example, “year of the Black Snake.” In this cycle, each element lasts two years (yin and yang, ascension and decline) and gives its properties to the current animal of the Chinese calendar. So, for example, 2013 the Year of the Snake belongs to the element of water, and the Snake, accordingly, is black (since water corresponds to black, and blue is considered the color of wood [1]).

Each element also has its own color, its own animal and many other attributes:

• Water is identified with black, gray or blue colors. Her animal is the Snake-Turtle (contrary to the name, this is not a hybrid, but two separate animals - the snake is entangled around the turtle. The positive emotion of Water is calm, and the negative emotion is fear.
• Fire - red color, Crimson Bird, joy and hate.
• Metal - white, White Tiger, courage and sorrow.
• Tree - green and blue, Azure Dragon, optimism and anger.
• Earth - yellow, Yellow Dragon/Qilin, empathy and anxiety.

Earth

People of the earth element (the last digit of the year of birth are 8 and 9) are patient and reliable. The earth gives them responsibility and a sense of duty towards family and loved ones. They are ambitious but also idealistic. "Earthlings" always approach any problem from a logical point of view and act very methodically. They follow their intuition and have good deductive skills. They can be called carriers of a “moral compass”, which helps them evaluate the world around them. The people of the earth value ethics and discipline, and also know how to use their own resources wisely due to their rather conservative nature. They are excellent designers or administrators, know how to correctly solve all financial issues and, undoubtedly, have the talent to see many things from the point of view of their prospects. People of the earth are restrained in emotions, strive to show their value and importance, but also want to be truly loved. What they lack is a little adventurousness and liveliness, however, these people are respected and admired.

“Earthlings” can be called stubborn and tough. They want to control everything and are often guided solely by their own benefit and support of their interests. In case of failures and losses, the people of the earth begin to doubt their own intuition and stop trusting their innate wisdom. What frightens them most in life is the unknown, even to the point of panic attacks and depression.

The earth is the center that is responsible for the change of seasons. The color of earth is yellow and it is associated with the digestive system, particularly the spleen and stomach. In addition, “earthlings” are advised to stay away from swampy areas with high humidity.

Various fantasy (sic!) elements[edit]

Elements of Heroes of Might and Magic IV in the pentagram
But the limits of elemental myth-making do not end there. In the elements, you can write down any natural or not so natural force or phenomenon. Often there are “elements” Light and Darkness, less often - various pseudo-scientific ones, such as Magnetism, Time, Space, Gravity, Acid, or parodies, for example, Pizza. In D&D, in addition to the classic four elements and five magical destructive elements, there are various para-elements and quasi-elements, which are mixtures of elements with each other, with positive and negative energy, such as, for example, Dust, Radiation, Magma, Vacuum and others. In parody works, an element can be equated with a chemical element, which are equally called element in English: for example, in the web comic Order of the Stick there are elementals made of titanium and chlorine. There are also D&D quasi-elemental elements in the form of the Marshmallow Plane and the Semi-elemental Plane of Ranch Sauce.

In Heroes of Might and Magic IV, the five magical elements (life-order-death-chaos-nature) were placed in the corners of the pentagram, and Force was placed in the center - so, for example, the elements of Nature are friendly to the elements of Life and Chaos, and hostile to the elements of Death and Order.

In the restart of Might and Magic, that is, in all games where the action takes place in the world of Ashan (starting with Heroes of Might and Magic V, where the system was not yet fully established), there are six elements: light, darkness, fire, water, air, earth . Each element is associated with a minor dragon god (Elemental dragons), which, in turn, are associated with the original intelligent races of Ashan (each dragon has a race, however, over the course of the history of the world, everything has become somewhat mixed up). Above the elements are two forces, Order and Chaos, again represented by two dragons, and all the elements are derivatives of Order, like the younger dragons - the children of the dragoness of Order Asha, the creator of the world. Local magic has schools of all six elements, and there is also some primordial magic associated with Order, Chaos and Primordial Emptiness. In general, it turned out smoothly.

In general, in the original RPG Might and Magic (from which, by the way, those “Heroes” we all love originated) there were 9 main schools of magic: 4 elemental schools of Elements - Fire, Earth, Water and Air; 3 “humanitarian”/healing schools of Ego - Body, Mind and Spirit; 2 mirror Light and Dark. All the rest are minor-tertiary derivatives of this nine.

In the Disciples series, the elements are: water, air, earth, fire, death, life, mind. Some strategic spells are not included in any element.

And the creators of “Lego: Ninjago” decided to put the pedal to the metal and gave out the following elements: fire, ice, lightning, earth (four main ones), water, wind, shape, gravity, speed, nature, poison, sound, smoke, shadow, light , metal, time, mind and amber (or rather, the absorption of other forces).

Although, compared to the psychedelic model of the “OFF” world, even the variety of ninjaga pales: the four elements here are represented by metal, smoke, plastic and meat. Metal is the most important element of the four, because without it people would have nothing to walk on, and then they would drown and die. Smoke is the most important element of the four, because without it people would have nothing to breathe, and then they would suffocate and die. Plastic is the most important element of the four, because the ocean of liquid plastic limits the world, and without it people would wander endlessly and die of fatigue. Meat is the most important element of the four, because without it there would be nothing to eat, and people would die of hunger. The metal is mined from the carcasses of cows that graze the grass above the metal deposits. Smoke is dug out from the depths of the earth in deep mines. Plastic is scooped up from a bottomless plastic ocean. The meat is drawn from meat rivers. In the world of the game, the secret fifth element is also separately designated - sugar, extracted from human corpses, and which is a powerful drug.

Elemental Correspondences

Modern Western magicians David Rankine and Sorita d'Este provide in their book “Practical Magic of the Elements” [1] the following table of correspondences of magical intentions and elements, which may be useful to you in practical work.
Table of Magical Intentions

Of course, this table of correspondences is quite arbitrary and some correspondences may vary from tradition to tradition, from school to school.

Elementals[edit]

Elementals are creatures made of pure elements. The idea of ​​them arose in the European magical tradition: the first standard of elementals was described by the alchemist Paracelsus. According to him, there are fire elementals (salamanders), air elementals (sylphs), water elementals (undines) and earth elementals (gnomes). The names that Paracelsus gave to the elementals are now rarely encountered, but these creatures themselves are very common. A variant is present in the Elder Scrolls universe, where elementals belong to the three destructive elements, are ownerless Daedra and are called atronachs.

In Dungeons & Dragons, the elements are Djinn (air), Ifrit (fire), and Marid (water). But since this is where the list of traditional genies ended (since in Arab mythology the descendants of Adam and Howa (Eve) are traditionally referred to as earth, as created from clay), we had to additionally invent the Jinns of the Earth - Tao[2], and the Jinns of the Ether - Dzhannov.

In China, 5 elements correspond to their animals (although not called elementals):

• Tree - azure (blue-green) Dragon
• Metal - white tiger
• Water - black turtle
• Fire - Red Phoenix
• Earth - yellow Unicorn (Qilin)

Emblematics

In Western art: water was depicted as an overturned jug or figures of the gods of the sea and rivers; air - the figure of Juno, sometimes flying with shackles on her hands and feet, sometimes a woman with a chameleon in her hand; fire - the Phoenix, the figure of Vulcan, as well as a woman with fiery hair or lightning in her hand; the earth - an allegorical figure of the Mother with symbols of fertility in her hands; as well as the tower-shaped crown of Cybele. The four elements can be represented either as conventional faceless female figures, distinguishable only by their attributes, or, especially in the 16th century, as the gods and goddesses of classical antiquity. They can be found on the frescoes and ceilings of Renaissance buildings in Italy, and also as individual paintings that make up a four-part cycle, although they are often scattered across different galleries. Northern European genre artists and authors of files galantes of the 17th-18th centuries gave the names of these four elements to cycles of paintings depicting young men and women engaged in some corresponding activity. The Earth, like a woman, has many attributes belonging to the goddesses of fertility: the horn of plenty and the SERPENT, SCORPIO of the Roman goddess of agriculture, the Earth-Mother (Latin - Tellus Mater). She can breastfeed one or two children, like Ops, the Roman goddess of the harvest. The crown in the form of a wall with turrets was taken from CYBEL - the ancient Phrygian Earth-Mother. Genre scenes depict various agricultural works - picking fruits, plowing the ground, watering the beds, and so on. Air was the kingdom of Juno, and therefore it can be represented by this goddess with her PEACOCK. Or she is depicted floating in the air, with an anvil tied to each of her legs - this is how Jupiter punished his wife for disobedience (Iliad, 15:18-21). She may be surrounded by BIRDS - a symbol of air. Air is personified by a woman holding a CHAMELEON - a creature that, according to Pliny (Natural History, 8:33), does not eat or drink, but lives on air. Boys and girls of the 18th century are depicted outdoors playing with toy windmills or blowing soap bubbles. Fire. Takes the form of a woman with her head on fire, she holds a BEACH OF LIGHTNING. Or on her head instead of a hairstyle is a Phoenix bird, engulfed in fire, which is her symbol. VULCAN, that smith of the gods, with hammer in hand, likewise personifies fire. He can be depicted at work - forging the armor of Aeneas, while Venus and Cupid watch him. Water is personified by the river god with his traditional attribute - an inverted URN from which water flows, or by NEPTUNE and his many companions - NEWTS and NEREIDS, accompanied by DOLPHINS, HIPPOCAMPS and sea centaurs. They appear with this meaning in many paintings with a marine theme. Genre artists depict fishermen sitting on the bank of a river or in a boat. See also FOUR TEMPERAMENTS.

Elemental superpowers[edit]

Controlling the elements through magic, psionics, or simply inexplicable mutant powers is a classic superpower. Typically, one character has access to only one element in which he specializes and which is reflected in his personality. A specialist in fire, for example, not only knows how to use it well: he is fire himself, and fully corresponds to the description of the fire character given above, so other elements simply will not work out for him or will work out poorly.

See for example:

"I Circle"[edit]

Elementalism. Here are the original elements and their derivatives:

1. Main notebook…

• Playing with Fire Walking Crematorium
• Hellfire
• Cold flame

2. Fifth element/Fifth element. Something that goes beyond the tetrad. Sometimes associated with an aspect of the Universe itself

• Ether
• Void Singularity
• Shock and Awe Electric Psycho

"II circle"[edit]

Existentialism. Hexiad of elements, but more subtle ones - life-death, etc. No derivatives are observed:

• Dark energy vs. As soon as I light it up (Power of the Sun)
• Biomagic vs. Decay and decay/Death/Necromancy.
• The Power of Entropy
• Creation/Summoning and Matter Magic vs Magic Disintegration
• Theurgy/Theology vs Demonology

"III circle"[edit]

Structuralism. Near-scientific physical and chemical disciplines:

• Kinetics
• Time Master and Topologist Sorcerer
• Artefacts and Technomagic
• Radiation is magic!
• Math is magic

Metal

People born under the sign of the Metal element are purposeful and determined individuals who know exactly what goals they strive to achieve in life. But this does not prevent them from being idealists by nature. These charming people are true connoisseurs of beauty. They strive to remain true to their principles and beliefs.

And the coffee is getting cold on the table... He and she are sitting hugging. Behind the curtain is the twilight of the cafe, She was chatting nonsense...

Laughed..

He says something smiling, touching his bare neck with his hand. She closes her eyes and remains silent, the heat of his hand on her body is pleasant

Their eyes met...

A tangle of glances, hands... Their bodies demand - “Take off your clothes!” But they don’t hear their sound... A deep breath and the heart beats evenly...

His eyes said, “I have to go.” Then he whispered it with his lips. They left quietly...

As always. Empty cups remained on the table...

The element of Metal is very contactable, the external coldness of representatives of this element is very deceptive, this can be felt during closer communication. But they need to learn the ability to compromise in order to realize their potential. Those born under this sign are always energetic, ambitious, independent and ready to take risks. They have strong beliefs that can lead to success. At the same time, Metal people are intolerant of criticism. It is difficult to lead them away from the direction once chosen; problems and obstacles cannot force them to change their goal. Metal greatly enhances natural constancy and endurance. Steel is hardened under difficult conditions.

DECEITIVE COLDNESS

People of the Metal element sign are charming idealists, but at the same time they are decisive in setting and achieving goals. It is important for them to be true to themselves, to lead a refined life, to strive for truth. They have a developed sense of beauty. Metal has the ability to change and obey, and therefore this element protects finance, business and gives clarity of thinking. He is strong, resilient and able to withstand the blows of fate. At the same time, the predominance of Metal in character may indicate a tendency to violence and outbursts of emotions.

Metal is always charged with energy, unbending and decisive. It is not afraid of risk. This is the type of independent person. He doesn't like outside help. Criticism acts on him like a red rag on a bull. He is guided by strong convictions and relentlessly pursues his goals, with little embarrassment. Driven by ambition, he acts with full dedication, is success-oriented, plans everything in advance and does not like impromptu. Once he has chosen a course, he usually does not change it. Hardships, hardships and initial failures will not lead him astray.

If, in accordance with the date of birth, he is characterized by constancy and endurance, then the element of Metal strengthens them many times over. Obstacles only strengthen him. It is not surprising to find among the generals many who saw the light under the sign of Metal. Despite their outward coldness and inflexibility, those subject to this element emit electricity, which is felt by everyone in contact with them. But in order to realize their abilities, they must learn to compromise, since dogmatism and intractability sometimes interfere with the establishment of good relationships.

For Metal people who are recovering from an illness or who are depressed, white color will be useful. It is also desirable that the facade of the house faces west, it is useful to sleep with your head to the west, and it is good to admire the sunset as often and with joy as possible. You can enhance the influence of Metal in the interior by using metal objects, round objects and white and metallic colors. Metal has a good relationship with Water. Relations with Fire and Earth can be tense, and with other Metal - neutral.

Metal people (the last digit of the year of birth are 0 and 1) are very tenacious, independent and self-sufficient, which is due to their powerful strength of character. They love themselves, but know how to care and respect others. They are, as a rule, quite reserved, but under external pressure they actively and unshakably defend themselves and their point of view. Representatives of this element strive for orderliness and prefer balance, equilibrium and purity in every sense of the word. They are distinguished by reliability and determination, although sometimes they keep themselves a little aloof, not trying to be part of the crowd. When metal people know what they are looking for and want, then their determination can be envied, because obstacles and failures can never make these people go astray, and they can solve all problems with ease. They have no fear of loneliness, and the only thing they want from society is recognition of their achievements and successes.

One of the disadvantages of “metal people” is their occasional impulsiveness. Consciously or subconsciously, they all have an irresistible craving for luxury, money and power. They can often be stubborn and behave unreasonably. As leaders, Metal people are very demanding and want their subordinates to meet their high standards and expectations as much as possible.

Metal is the West. Season: autumn. Metal color – white. The metal is associated with the respiratory system and lungs.

Anti-Element[edit]

The creators of the little-known duology “The Chronicles of Tarr” (it is little known, mainly because of the undeveloped gameplay - which is very sad, because the universe of this duology is very attractive) came up with the role of the absolute threat of Darkness - something completely alien, opposite and at the same time preceding everything and that's it. Darkness is called Anti-Element for the reason that if the elements are anything at all, then Darkness is simply nothing, and in itself it literally does not exist. With all this, the Darkness changes everything it comes into contact with - matter and energy become incomprehensible, time and space go crazy (everything in the Darkness is immobilized), light sources begin to absorb light, and the living turn into restless “non-creatures” and a lot more fun . Although they have somehow learned to fight the Darkness, this fight is based on a pure reluctance to waste it like that, because it is impossible to win in it - there is simply nothing to win.

In World of Darkness there are four anti-elements of the Serpent (the local Dragon of the Apocalypse and the Serpent of Chaos in one bottle): hellfire (anti-fire), toxins (anti-water), slag (anti-earth) and smog (anti-air). Primitive magic based on them is used by line sorcerers of the Seventh Generation. And Nephandi (dynamic magicians in the service of the Serpent) actively use anti-Spheres.

In Dungeons & Dragons there are so-called similar structures. “negative quasi-elements”: ash (negative fire), dust (negative earth), salt (negative water) and vacuum (negative air). They are all a mixture of normal elements with negative energy that represents the absence of life and animates the undead. Besides them, which is typical, there are also positive ones

quasi-elements - lightning (positive air), minerals (positive earth), steam (positive water) and radiation (positive fire).

(Somewhere else I came across either a book or something like that, where each element had its own anti-element with its own anti-elemental, but they were simply terribly rare. If anyone remembers, please add.)

Antiquity

In antiquity, a paired primary quality (stoicheia) of activity and passivity was distinguished from which the active principles “dry” and “wet” and the passive principles “cold” and “warm” emanate. From their combinations the actual elements are formed: “dry” and “cold” form earth, “dry” and “warm” - fire, “wet” and “warm” - air, “wet” and “cold” - water.

Primary qualities - active passive Origins - dry - wet cold - earth - air warm - fire - water

In Greco-Roman symbolism, the elements are usually personified by female figures or deities, and from these bases come numerous series of analogies. Gods - Animals - Objects - Season - Liquor - Organ - Color - Temperament - Body (geometric)

Water - Neptune - Nereids, dolphin, horse - overturned or leaking vase - winter - bodily mucus - brain - white color - phlegmatic - icosahedron - triangle

Fire - Vulcan - woman whose head is on fire, phoenix - summer - (yellow) bile - liver - fiery colors - choleric - tetrahedron

Earth - fertility goddesses - tower-crowned head of Cybele, chthonic snake, scorpio - cornucopia - autumn - black bile - spleen - lead color - melancholic - cube - square

Air - Juno and the peacock, Juno flying, with bellows suspended from her feet - peacock, chameleon (thought to feed on air) - spring - blood - heart - bright colors - sanguine -

Ancient theories of healing, which have survived in whole or in part to the present day, proclaimed as the main goal of healing the harmonization of these components in a person, so that none of them received absolute superiority, damaging their optimal balance. A curious thing is the symbolic comparison of the “four elements” with geometric solids in Plato’s dialogue “Timaeus”, which says:

“We, of course, attribute to the earth the form of a cube: after all, of all four genera, it is the earth that is most motionless and suitable for the formation of bodies, and therefore it is necessary for it to have the most stable bases... the least mobile [triangle taken as the base]... we will assign to water (icosahedron), . the most mobile one is for fire (tetrahedron), and the middle one is for air, and finally, the most acute-angled body is for fire, the next one is for air, and the third is for water.” Plato, Timaeus, 55e-56a.

The dodecahedron symbolizes the Universe.

Friendly and unfriendly years of the eastern horoscope

In astrology, there are friendly and unfriendly years of the eastern horoscope.

Friendly, that is, well correlated with each other, include the years of the following triplets:

1. Years of the Rooster, Bull and Snake.
2. Years of the Tiger, Dog and Horse.
3. Years of the Hare, Goat and Boar.
4. Years of the Monkey, Rat and Dragon.

These are the four best teams (groups). By joining their efforts, people from each of these

teams achieve good results in business and friendly relationships. Marriages concluded between people belonging to the same group, as a rule, also turn out to be very successful.

The relationships between these four groups are of two types:

The Rooster, Bull and Snake always oppose the Hare, Goat and Boar; Tigers, Dogs and Horses oppose Monkey, Rat and Dragon.

Neutral relationships develop between the Rooster, Bull and Snake, on the one hand, and the Tiger, Dog and Horse, on the other;

Rooster, Bull and Snake, on the one hand, and Monkey, Rat and Dragon, on the other;

Hare, Goat and Boar, on the one hand, and Tiger, Dog and Horse, on the other;

Hare, Goat and Boar, on the one hand, and Monkey, Rat and Dragon, on the other.

And yet, despite the above-mentioned features of the relationship between different years of the “eastern” horoscope, it is impossible to draw unambiguous and far-reaching conclusions regarding the fact that relationships between specific people will develop in the same “statistically average” way.

Occultism

Natural phenomena became the basis of the occult sciences, especially astrology, which divides the signs of the zodiac into four elements: In the works of the Rosicrucians one can find the doctrine of the secrets of the four kingdoms, especially known, at least to modern occultists, are the works of Count Cabali (under this pseudonym), filled with Gallic humor. the name of a real-life wise knight from eastern Germany or even Hungary is hidden). Let us think about the fact that without the myths collected by alchemists, followers of Paracelsus and Rosicrucians, the work of the romantics would have been impossible in general - they populated their poetry, music and painting with the spirits of nature with whom their heroes met. Thus, they brought back to life the tales and information collected in popular beliefs.