Ancient Greek Five Element System

The ancient Greeks divided the structure of the physical world into five spheres, each surrounding and
enveloping the last. Each of these spheres was comprised of one of their five elements. The elements are
formed of two even more basic forces, gravity and levity. Gravity is a heavy force, and causes things to
sink. Levity is a light force, and causes things to rise. The element earth is composed entirely of gravity,
and being the heaviest has the lowest sphere. The element of water is mostly gravity, but contains some
levity as well. Thus there is just a little tendency for it to rise. Just enough of a tendency to cause it to rest
on top of the earth, and to cause earth to sink in water. So the sphere of water is next out from the sphere of
earth. This is why the seas rest upon the solid earth. The element of air is mostly composed of levity, but
has some gravity within it. This is why air, the sky, rises up above land and sea both. Fire is composed
entirely of levity. This is why fire rises up into the air. It is seeking to rise above it, to escape the
atmosphere. The sphere of fire thus lies on top of the sphere of air. Last of all is the outermost sphere, the
celestial sphere, the sphere wherein lie the fixed stars, the heavens. This is composed of the heavenly
element, the perfect substance, the quintessence (which just means fifth element). The quintessence gives
life and motion to all the other elements. The other elements can be considered grosser emanations or forms
of the quintessence.
These elemental powers can be summoned in the same manner the nine runic elements are. The first four
are related to, though not identical to, the similarly named runic elements.
Earth: this elements power is that of solidity, heaviness, fruitfulness, and these are the feelings that
summoning it brings. It will bring these qualities to the student when summoned. Once this summoning can
be performed the energy-ball technique described in the runic elemental section should be performed.
Dissipating this energy will remove lethargy, sloth, and any chains that bind the student and hold him or
her down.
Water: the power of balance, metastability, cooling, quenching, cleansing, purifying. The feeling of this
power is cool and moist, cleansing and purifying. It will bring these qualities to the student when
summoned. Once this summoning can be performed, the energy-ball technique should be practiced.
Dissipating this energy will remove irresolution, wishy-washiness, and obstacles to getting fired up.
Air: the power of change, chaos. Air is a life-giving power, an intellectual power. It is also a power of
confusion and illusion. When summoned the power of wind feels light and giddy, but strong all the same.
The feeling of the power is unpredictable. It will heighten the students intellect when summoned, and can
be used to effect change. Once this summoning can be performed at will the energy-ball technique should
be practiced. Dissipating this energy will remove light-headedness, giddiness, and confusion.

Fire: the power of heat, energy, motion. The feeling of this elemental power is hot, dry, and
energetic. When summoned it will give energy. Once this summoning can be performed at will the energyball technique should be practiced. Dissipating this energy can remove excess distracting energy, as well as
anger and irritability.
Quintessence: the power of life, perfection in action. The feeling of this element is celestial and perfect.
When summoned it will bring about a reordering of the inner and outer natures along more perfect lines. It
will also quicken life. Once it can be summoned at will the energy-ball technique should be practiced.
Dissipating this energy can remove one from a state of too much otherworldliness, and can plant the feet
more firmly on the ground. This element should be approached only after all the others can be summoned.
The elements of earth and air are matched opposites, as are fire and water. The quintessence has no such
counterpart, being perfect in itself.
Science
:
The elemental power summoning rituals are essentially the same as the generic power summoning rituals
like the rosebud ritual. They involve, in a meditative state, merging the sense of the self with the
impressions of the qualities of the element being summoned. This is accomplished, like in the
general power summoning rituals, by simultaneously holding in the mind the sensations associated
with the element being summoned and the sense of drawing the nature of the element into the self. The
only difference here is that the type of power, the image being used, is a little more specific. By using
powers that are part of a larger system of metaphysical thought, the stage is being set for a later stage of
the unitary state, where more than one different focus is merged with at the same time, making the unitary
state take on different natures and do different things. For this sort of thing to occur there must be an
connecting point of view that allows unity to be had, which requires a single point of view connecting
everything, here the larger system of metaphysical thought.
Philosophy
:
As with the general power summoning rituals, the only difference between the occult and scientific views
is the by-now-usual academic one of which of the associated sensations causes which.