The spirit element , also known as aether, has been discussed and theorized about since ancient times. From intellectuals like Plato and Aristotle to Vedic philosophers, all acknowledged the existence of the aether or the spirit element. In some traditions, it’s considered the first element and in others the fifth.
In witchcraft, it’s referred to as the spirit element. It’s symbolized by the top point of the upright pentagram. The other four points are representative of the natural elements of air, earth, fire, and water. Many also attach the directional aspects of north, south, east, and west. Where the remaining elements get placed on the points of the pentagram depends on personal beliefs and your geographic location.
The earliest pentagrams can be traced back to ancient Greece and Babylonia where they held symbolic significance. More recently, the pentagram has been adopted by Wiccans as a symbol of faith in the same way as Christians adopt the crucifix. For many, the pentagram has magickal associations.
Many witches don’t work with a pentagram, but all witches, shamans, and all energy practitioners work with the spirit element.
What is it the Spirit Element?
There are plenty of pseudo-scientific theories and definitions, but for the practicing witch, it’s the energy that exists between everything in this world and beyond. It’s the energy of the universe, the world, and of the soul. So, each of us is represented and connected through the spirit element.
It’s incredibly complex, and I’m not one who’s keen on over-complicating anything, whether spells and rituals or the spirit element. I will explain it as I see and have experienced it.
The spirit element is the most crucial component of any type of practice. It’s the energy we draw into our circle of protection as well as the energy that is our circle of protection. Healers channel the spirit element as do psychics and readers who use any divination tools.
It’s also the energy that we can access if we work beyond the veil; this is the energy that reaches us through all our clair-senses and what we become through astral travel or past life regression. Intention and visualization invoke the spirit element. Throughout our mortal life, it’s the energy that expresses love, hate, empathy, joy, and harmony in an unspoken way through our aura. In this world, these energy communications are often picked up by perceptive people, children, and animals without us interacting with them directly or indirectly in any way.
Finally, the spirit element is also the energy patterns that comprise the archetypes that can influence our behaviors, for better or for worse. When we call on gods, goddesses, deities, specific angels, and the Christ spirit, we’re raising fixed patterns of the spirit element.
Is the Element all the same energy?
No! Although everyone and everything is connected through the spirit element, within itself, there are different patterns and frequencies, some fixed and immutable, some transient and others fluid. There’s neutral energy that transmits individual energy patterns to others, and that’s what we use when we raise our vibrations with intention.
For example, if you want to reach a deceased relative, you want to attract the deceased’s specific energy pattern. Although we’re all connected, our soul is also separate, so it has its own pattern and vibration, much like we have a unique fingerprint and DNA in this life. Your intention and vibration are conveyed across neutral energy to match the source. If the soul wants to communicate with you, that energy comes back to you through the same channel. Communication can be through visualization, any of the clair-senses, or a divination tool such as automatic writing or a Ouija board.
Some energies are connected directly with nature and the universe. We can tap into them through ritual, meditation, or by spending time in nature. These energies help us with healing as well as spell work because human beings are part of the environment. They also maintain the balance of nature. I believe that the current pandemic we’re experiencing is a result of the energies of the universe restoring the natural balance of nature.
If that sounds cruel because of all the suffering that Covid-19 has brought to the world population, it’s important to remember that energy patterns have no emotions. We’re not getting punished for destroying the planet and abusing animals for greed. It’s a matter of bringing things back into balance so that life can continue to flourish. That’s the law of the universe.
How do you know which spirit element to use?
Apart from raising protective patterns when casting your circle, you don’t have to put much thought into which spirit element you want to use when doing spell work or ritual. You do that automatically through your intentions. Using directional and natural elements, correspondences and incantations, or chants will work to raise your energy around your purpose. Intention is the most critical factor in witchcraft and everyday life.
Have you ever heard the sayings ‘what you think you become’ or ‘what you fear you attract’? This makes sense as what occupies your mind becomes your intention, knowingly or unknowingly. That’s what resonates through the spirit element, into the world around you, and way beyond. Eventually, it reaches the source and manifests in your life.
That’s why it’s so important to plan all rituals and spell work upfront thus knowing what you want to achieve and to consider the consequences. Also, to go into practice with a calm and clear mind so that our intentions are flawless. If you go into any ritual or spell work feeling upset, angry, or uncomfortable, you’ll likely block the spirit element because it needs to flow through you and from you. Of course, our intentions can be dark, and if that’s what we want, that’s what we’ll probably get.
Neutral energy will always conduct our intentions if they’re accessible. Sometimes, if we’re inexperienced, the source can either block us or deflect our energy back at us, often with a sting in the tail. This is particularly true for spells that intend harm or when working with darker energies. If you are new to witchcraft, it’s best to work with a more experienced witch or wait until you’re more knowledgeable before you flood the spirit element with vengeful intentions. The same goes for working with a Ouija board or working with the dark.
