“It bothers me that some films and television shows use the pentagram to symbolize ‘the bad guys’ or simply ‘the occult,’” my friend Allison said.
“We know the truth. We know that the pentagram is the main symbol of Wicca. It represents the Goddess, life and the elements,” I replied.
All Five Elements are represented by each point on the pentagram as seen below.
Every being from humans to cats (for example) has the Five Elements as part of his or her makeup.
Air represents the direction East.
The sun rises in the East. Associated with the time of dawn, air belongs during the morning. East means new beginnings. So anything that begins or “dawns” is of the Air symbol. Air represents thought, and new ideas dawn in our heads all the time. East is a male element. This is not to say that females don’t have the Air element in them. But Air is considered to be a masculine element.
Air reflects thought and intelligence. Simply put, Air is pure thought. We use the attributes of Air to figure out our problems. The skill of problem solving is Air’s strength. Think of math and science as subjects ruled by Air.
Things that represent Air are feathers/birds of all kinds, clouds, dust devils, wind chimes, and incense smoke to name a few.
The sylph is the Elemental of Air. Some artists have depicted sylphs as human figures with wings. Sylphs are often seen in cloud formations. Note that an Elemental is an entity that embodies one specific element.
In many Tarot decks, swords represent Air. Since Air is the element of thought and intellect, Tarot swords represent ideas and other qualities of Air. But just like a real sword, thoughts can cut two ways. They can be freeing or debilitating, just as having a life-altering epiphany is to having depression.
Fire represents the direction South.
Fire is associated with noon, the hottest time of the day. As with Air, Fire is seen as a male/masculine element. Fire is action! Fire represents your will. It is the spark that sets you into motion. It is the energy that moves you to finish your housework. Fire is represented by embers, the sun, hot chili peppers, and a flame from a candle.
Salamanders are the Elemental spirits of Fire. The Fire salamander is seen as dragon-like. Like flames, they are shape-shifters. They are sometimes depicted with wings and human faces, much like sylphs.
In many Tarot decks, wands represent Fire. Whereas Air is the beginning or the plan you start with, Fire sets that plan into action!
Fire also transforms. It changes whatever it touches, consuming it and converting it into something new. The Phoenix is a good example of this. It is consumed by fire and then rises from its own ashes as something new. In a sense, it is being reborn out of its own destruction.
Water represents the direction West.
Water’s corresponding time of day is at sunset. Water is associated with the moon and with birth, death, and rebirth. It also has to do with feelings and emotions. Water connotes strong feelings such as love, desire, hate, joy, and sorrow. Water is seen as a feminine element. Things that represent water are seashells, seaweed, water, sponges, and fish.
Because of its association with death, Water is also associated with the Summerlands (afterlife). Many folkloric traditions include a journey over a body of water to reach their afterlife.
The Undine is the Elemental spirit in water. Undines are water entities that can manifest themselves in many forms, from mermaids to the sirens of the sea.
In many Tarot decks, cups represent Water. In Tarot, cups represent emotions. Cups are also associated with birth, death, and rebirth.
You may recall that my name is Moonwater SilverClaw. I chose this name because I feel connected to water. My mother still tells tales of how, as a child, I’d find any puddle in a two-mile radius. To this day I enjoy the water whether I’m snorkeling or doing undersea helmet diving.
Earth represents the direction North.
Midnight is the time that is associated with this element. Earth stands for stability, foundations, and commitment. The greatest image of Earth is Mother Earth or Gaia herself. Earth is seen as a feminine element. Earth is also stillness. Earth is represented by rocks, crystals, dirt, and fossils.
Gnomes are the Elemental spirits of Earth. Gnomes are strong and squat. Their skin is the colors of the Earth with its many shades of brown to black.
In many Tarot decks, Earth is represented by coins or pentacles. Coins in the Tarot connote physical labors and the fruits of those labors. They often refer to physical possessions, such as money, cars, and houses.
Spirit does not have a specific direction or a specific time in our twenty-four-hour day. That being said, Spirit is what creates the life within us. It is literally the divine spark that we all need to be alive. There is no Elemental associated with Spirit.
What we call the “soul” is in fact a piece of the God and Goddess, or “The All.” Every one of us has this element within us. It is the element that makes all living things divine.
This above recipe creates a whole living being.
Think of it, we even have the Five Elements in ourselves as a microcosm.
Water is our blood which contains 85% of the salt in the human body. In a way, our blood has similarities to ocean water. Fire manifests as the body heat that arises from glucose produced by the liver. Earth is the solid body—the bones and flesh. Air fills our lungs. Spirit animates all of the elements into the living being you are.
You need the Elements of earth, air, water and fire to create a vessel for the spirit to reside.
The pentagram is the representative blueprint for life, and the pentagram represents the Goddess.
You will notice that the pentagram is in the shape of a human—and more than that, it represents the Sacred Feminine. Our ancestors understood that life came from the Sacred Feminine. We are all born from mothers. Woman is the place where life is created. So if you’re a woman be proud of the fact that you are a representative of the Goddess.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
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See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path
Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path
GoddessHasYourBack.com 