The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft. Kate West
the God, and the self, it is also both the centre of the Circle and its whole. We also use colours to represent the Elements: yellow for Air; red for Fire; blue for Water, and green for Earth. However, other colour combinations are sometimes used. To craft an effective spell we must firstly have the idea (Air), we need to be enthusiastic about it (Fire), we become emotionally involved with it (Water), and then we put it into action (Earth), but we must also add a bit of our inner self (Spirit) to make it happen.
These attributes of the Elements show how important they are in both life and the Craft, for not only are they powerful forces of nature but they also pervade every part of our lives and our inner being. To create effective magic it is essential that we get to know and understand the Elements and everything they link to. To make that magic work the way we want it to, we have to be able to harness their energies both from inside us and from outside. The first step towards this is to actually experience the Elements in nature.
PRACTICAL WORK 1
Take time out to experience each of the Elements in its natural state in turn. Be prepared to spend a little time on each; at least 15 minutes, preferably more. Do not be tempted to try to deal with more than one Element on any one day. As these exercises really must take place outdoors, please make sure that you pay attention to your personal safety. If you can, remove your footwear so that you are in direct contact with the earth. Also experiment with having your eyes open and closed. Try to use all of your senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. In the case of the latter, you may find it better to inhale through your mouth rather than, for example, actually placing soil into it. Pay attention to how each Element makes you feel both physically and emotionally.
Air – On a windy day, go to a high point, preferably one which is not sheltered by trees or buildings, where you can experience the Element of Air. If it is cold, make sure you wrap up well. Feel the air blowing through your hair, moving your clothes and trying to buffet you. Take with you a few leaves or flower petals and cast them into the wind, watching how it takes them, lifts them and moves them. As you stand there, give thought to other types of winds, both stronger and gentler.
Fire – On a hot and/or sunny day go to somewhere which is sheltered from the wind, where you can lie down in the sunlight. Absorb the heat and light of the Sun, feeling also the warmth of the land you are lying on. Take your time to think about all the things which depend upon heat and light, but do not risk sunburn or look at the Sun itself. Imagine what life might feel like with much less, or much more, Sun.
Water – Here are two ways of experiencing Water; do both if you possibly can so that you can compare the experiences. First, go out in the rain, lift your head up and catch some drops in your mouth. Allow the rain to wash over you, look at the ways it lands upon trees and plants and the way it soaks into the earth. Also observe the way it behaves when it lands on the pathway or road, and look at the effects it has on the things around. Whilst you are there, consider the benefits of the rain. Secondly, go to a stream, river, pond or lake which is not too dirty or polluted. Put your naked feet into the water, and use your hands to splash a little onto your face. Again, give thought to life with much less or more water, and consider those parts of the world where all the water is frozen as well as those where water is scarce. If you live near the coast, then also do the second part of the exercise in the sea, perhaps even going right into the water and submerging yourself completely if it is safe to do so.
Earth – The first part of this exercise is best undertaken in your own garden, or in that of someone who is prepared to let you actually dig the earth. If neither is possible then you can use a tub or container of earth as an interim measure, but do try to return to the Element at some point. Dig a hole wide enough for you to place both hands in it, and deep enough that you actually go beneath the top 2-3 inches. As you dig, look carefully at the things within the soil, both living and inanimate. Use your hands to feel the texture, both on the surface and further down. If you can, place your feet into the earth too. The second part may be something you have to defer until you go on a trip to somewhere suitable. Find some rock formations – they don’t need to be huge or particularly impressive. Place your hands flat on the rock surface. Look
at the stone to see what is growing there, noting colour, texture and the direction of any lines and cracks. Consider the forces and energies that resulted in their being. If you have the chance, try also to visit a cave so that you can also experience being surrounded by the earth.
When you return home after each experience, make sure that you write it up, including all the thoughts and feelings that came to you whilst experiencing each Element.
You may find it helpful to start a new page or section of your journal for each Element, as this is only the first of several exercises on the Elements and you may wish to group all those relating to each Element together. As you go to sleep on the night of your experience, make a real effort to recall all those thoughts and feelings. If you dream of the Element you might also like to write this up.
Once you have given yourself the chance to really feel the Elements in nature you may find that you begin to feel differently about them. For example, attempting to appreciate the part that Air and Water play in the cycle of life makes it easier to understand the need for rain and storms and hence make it easier to accept ‘bad’ weather. You may also find that you enjoy being out in the Elements in a more meaningful way. Many Witches make a point of regularly taking the time to enjoy the experience of the Elements as they can actually draw energy from them.
Following on from the experience of the Elements in nature you need to get to really know them within. As mentioned before, each Element has its counterpart in ourselves: Air is thought, Fire is passion, Water is emotion and Earth is our physical being. It is important that we get to know how the Elements are working within us as this colours our feelings, the way we behave in life and react to others. If Air, or thought, is dominant, then we may spend too much time in abstract thought and nothing will get done. If Fire, or passion, is emphasized then we may find that we react without considering the consequences; anger or passionate love, for example, can make us do things which we subsequently regret! When Water, our emotions, dominate then we can be easily moved to tears or laughter, even though it may not be a good time or place. And being overly focused on the physical realm, or Earth, can easily result in not being able to focus or concentrate on anything else, in the same way that a bad toothache can make it impossible to attend to almost anything else.
Because the energies of the Elements are the key to working magic then it is important that we really understand our internal Elemental balance. Any imbalance will have to be addressed before we can work magic, otherwise the results may not be what we intended. Working magic when Air is dominant can result in spending all your energy on going over the problem but little personal involvement. Of course, if Air is absent, then the spell will not be thought through or may be misdirected. If Fire is dominant then there is the risk that a spell may be fired off in anger, and regretted later! If Fire is absent then you are unlikely to have the strength of feeling to actually put the magic into action. Where emotions are high, and Water is dominant, it is hard to focus on anything and your spell will almost certainly come to nothing, if indeed you actually complete it. Where the emotions are not involved then there will be no feeling. When Earth is over-emphasized then there is a tendency to expend all your energy on the physical bits and bobs which come with magic, like the tools, candles, etc rather than actually making the magic work. Without Earth then it is unlikely you will even get around to doing anything. This understanding of the way we really feel would be a lot easier if we were all truly in touch with ourselves all of the time. However, once we leave early childhood we are all taught to reign in our feelings, not to show anger or weep open tears. We even learn to suppress some of our physical needs; not eating because it is not the ‘right’ time, concealing discomfort to wear fashionable or ‘correct’ clothing, etc. For these reasons it is important to spend time learning how to get to know our inner feelings as they really are, rather than the way we hope they