The Rivered Earth contains four libretti written by Vikram Seth, a celebrated Indian novelist and poet, designed to be set to music by Alec Roth. The final libretti is called ‘Seven Elements’. It is a song cycle that includes seven poems – Earth, Air, Wood, Fire, Metal, Water and Space.
Popular culture
David Suzuki, rediscovering our place in nature
Very few western scientists take the elements – earth, fire, water, air and space/spirit – seriously. David Suzuki is an exception.
Welcome to the world(s) of Elementals
It seems like Paracelsus, the influential Swiss-German alchemist, was onto something. He was the first to use the term ‘elemental’ to describe mythological beings associated with the elements of earth, water, air and fire. His works were written in the 16th century, around 500 years ago. As you read on, and as shown by the Google images of ‘Elementals’, the idea has caught on!
The elements at your fingertips
I will never see my hands and fingers in the same light again. Many cultures and religions consider that everything in the universe, including humans, are made up of the elements of fire, air, earth, water and (often) space/ether/spirit. Even so, I had not made the connection between the elements and our fingers, and in particular with mudras – those elegant and powerful gestures commonly associated with Buddhism, Yoga (e.g. Raja and Hatha) and Indian dance and drama.
Musical elements
One of the most magical pieces of elemental music I have heard is the air escaping from Arctic glacial ice as it was melted by the sun. Very subtle, calming, beautiful and quite a surprise. Who would have thought of musical ice? I hadn’t until I experienced it directly.
Quintessence: a multifaceted element
What would you say if asked “what does ‘the fifth element’ bring to mind”? For many in the west, quintessence would be the answer. Or alternatively the 1997 movie “The Fifth Element”. This story is set in the twenty-third century, when the universe is (still) threatened by evil. The only hope for mankind is the Fifth Element, who comes to Earth every five thousand years to protect the humans with four stones of the four elements: fire, water, earth and air.
Harmony, everything belongs
Like Captain Planet and the App Tengami (check out the post ‘Planetary pop-ups‘), Rudolf Steiner and the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) have more in common than many may appreciate. They were/are both interested in education, farming without chemicals, geometry, architecture, beauty, the interconnectedness of nature, spirituality, addressing the crises facing humanity and creating harmony. In this vein, both have books with Harmony in the title which are related to the elements fire, water, earth, air and aether/spirit.
Alchemy is in the air
As the Autumn equinox approaches in the southern hemisphere, and the leaves are dancing in the wind, I have come across many references to alchemy in my travels. Alchemy, a power or process of transmutation, is most commonly associated with transforming base metals into noble metals (gold and silver), creating the Philosopher’s Stone and developing an elixir of life.
There’s an (elemental) App for that!
If you have you ever wondered how many Apps make reference to the elements then you’ve come to the right place! It is a question I’ve asked myself in my quest to discover how the elements are portrayed in popular culture. Here is where I’ve got to so far with the answer.
Planetary pop-ups, contrasting cultures
What does the 1992 book on Captain Planet and the Planeteers and the atmospheric adventure App Tengami have in common? More than you might expect at first glance. Both include references to the intuitive elements of fire, water, air, earth and spirit, with differing degrees of subtlety. Both use pop-ups as a means of engaging their audience, even though they were created over 20 years apart using very different technologies. And both of them were drawn to my attention by people who knew of my interest in our relationship with the elements. This journey of discovery, and making connections with people through it, is one of the pleasures of exploring these themes.
Fire up Water down 