There is something very elemental about making pottery from clay. Clay is earth and water, the kiln combines fire and air, the artist provides the spirit. The Moche, or Mochica culture were masters of clay. They flourished in present-day northern Peru between around 100 to 800 AD. The diversity and beauty of their ceramics is a sight to behold.
the elements
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!
Ten reflections on my first twenty posts
‘Fire Up Water Down: An exploration of the elements’ was launched on the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere, five months ago to this day. Now well into winter, we have been experiencing very elemental weather with wild winds, torrential rain, thunder, lightning and pounding seas. Something to be appreciated with awe and wonder.
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.
Celebrating the Year of the Horse, five times around
2014 is the Year of the Wooden Horse. The Chinese Zodiac calendar follows a 12 year cycle, with each year attributed to an animal associated with one of the five ‘elements’ – earth, fire, water, metal and wood. The first cycle of the Chinese Zodiac was introduced in 2600 BC by Emperor Huang Ti. This demonstrates the long history of the elements in Chinese culture.
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.
Jung, Psychology and Alchemy
The subject of alchemy has popped up in several different guises in my blog posts (for example, see ‘Alchemy is in the air’ and ‘Solving the mystery of the six pointed star’). You could say that alchemy and the intuitive elements are closely intertwined.
Oxfam and the elements – serendipity in action?
I just LOVE serendipity, coincidence, being in the right place at the right time, synchronicity – whatever you like to call it. It happens to me quite a lot, particularly in relation to the intuitive elements. Today was no exception.
In my research on the elements I’ve mentioned that I like to scan the shelves of shops that sell second hand books. It can be surprising what you discover and where it leads you. For example, this is where I found the book that featured in the post ‘What is Air?’
The gem that I found today was called ‘Ox-tales Water’, published in 2009. It is one of four-original collections of short stories by ‘remarkable writers’ that Oxfam has created based on the four elements: water, fire, earth and air.
Solving the mystery of the six pointed star, in a way
Come with me on a journey that includes California, Japan, Australia and Google to solve the mystery of an interlocking six pointed star.
Water, water (and rice seedlings) everywhere……
Water is an element you may naturally associate with Japan. The very long coast-line (Japan has over over 6,000 islands), the Shinto rituals associated with purification with water, and the damaging effects of tsunamis come to mind.
The planting of rice was not on my list until my current travels in Japan in May 2014. Water is everywhere as the fields are prepared for the next rice crop.
Fire up Water down 