Within many Pagan and Witchcraft practices, there is an acknowledgement of the four physical elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Air is often associated with intellectual pursuits such as making decisions or generating plans and the direction of East. Fire is linked with willpower and passions for pursuing knowledge and the direction of South. Water is known for emotions and learning to go with the flow and the direction of West. Earth is understood to relate to the physical, both ourselves and our planet, and the direction of North.

These are the most common way that these Elements are linked together in order to create the physical universe around us. All of these energies can be called upon for assistance in ritual and magickal workings. Some groups work with them when creating sacred space. However, we would like to propose that the four elements are really five. The fifth element is that of Spirit which is responsible for generating the actual act of creation itself.

Whether you consider the Divine as the Spirit responsible for bringing the elements together to create the Universe itself or whether it is your own Spirit working with the physical elements in sacred space to create positive change in yourself isn’t important. The point is to consider that Spirit needs to be part of each and every magickal creative act you are involved with; without that animating force, the elements tend to be individual energies which may or may not choose to combine into something more than just themselves.

So, the four traditional elements are really five!