Blog
A Look at Elements and Elementals
Image: 'Earth-Air-Fire-Water' by Mary Wright
The four elements of earth, fire, air and water are considered to be the building blocks of nature. Together, they form the balance of the natural world. If you have a magical practice, you likely already incorporate the four elements into your rituals and ceremonies. And you might already have an idea about the four elemental beings who correspond to each of the elements.
Elementals are the spiritual beings that connect the physical world to the higher plane. They're mythic and archetypal in nature, and form the basis for many of the fantastical creatures we come across in legend and folklore, like fairies and dragons. These elementals can be called upon in your magical practice or standard meditation in order to connect more deeply to the natural world, and regain a sense of balance and order in your life that might be missing.
Let's take a look at each of the four elements, their corresponding elementals, and how you can work with them:
EARTH
The element of earth manifests itself in the form of a gnome - a benevolent creature that dwells under the ground and is connected to soil, roots, dirt and earth in in its most primitive sense. Gnomes are normally depicted as humanoid yet diminutive, and are interchangeable in some myths and stories with dwarves, brownies and even hobgoblins. All of these creatures are associated with hard work, labour and the physical world.
FIRE
The element of fire manifests itself in the form of a salamander - a lizard-like creature that survives and thrives in fire. Salamanders are actually a real-life group of amphibians as well, but the elemental salamander is more mythic in nature, having the ability to live amongst flames without being burnt. Not surprisingly, salamanders are closely related - and sometimes interchangeable - with the legendary fire-breathing dragon. They symbolise passion, wild energy and transformation.
Salamanders can be called on in your practice when you're feeling flat or lacking zeal in your life. Like how fire sparks from nothing, and how electricity lights the world, salamander energy can give you the kickstart you need to jump back into action.
Head somewhere hot, like the desert or hot springs, or simply gather around the hearth in your home or a campfire outside to connect with this lively element. Fire can be conjured in your ritual practice in the form of candles, incense or burning essential oils. When you're connected with your fire elemental, you'll feel like you have the energy and drive you need to achieve all your goals.
AIR
The element of air manifests itself in the form of a sylph - an ethereal being of the sky, closely related to fairies and angels. Sylphs are often depicted as having wings, though they can also be capable of wingless flight. They're gentle, buoyant and can also be associated with music, particularly that of bells and wind instruments. They symbolise motion, travel and imagination.
Sylphs can be called on in your practice when you're struggling to move forward or lacking creative inspiration. Sylphs have the power of flight, so they're powerful agents of travel and adventure, whether that's a big overseas trip or simply a change in your daily routine. They also represent a higher consciousness and the realms of the imagination.
Head to the mountains or hilltops to connect with your air elemental, or simply take a walk, a ride, or a drive somewhere new. Air can be symbolised in your practice with feathers, fallen leaves, a bell for music, or smoke from incense. Connecting with your air element will give you the motion and inspiration you need to move forward.
WATER
Elemental being: Undines
The element of water manifests itself in the form of an undine - a type of ethereal human-like spirit that inhabits oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. Undines are often associated with mermaids and sirens, but they're traditionally not fish-like in nature, and more closely resemble a human figure. Unlike mermaids and sirens, undines are completely benevolent. They symbolise cleansing, healing and nurturing.
Undines can be called on in your practice when you have a need for cleansing and starting anew. Water is associated with the traditional baptism ritual, and is believed to have the capacity to cleanse one of their sins, or pains of the past.
To connect with the water element, head anywhere with a water body, whether it's the ocean, lake, pond, creek, river or well. Water is one of the easiest elements to symbolise in your practice, capturing it in a vessel like a cauldron, chalice or cup, or even shells or river pebbles from your visits to water bodies. When you're connected with your water elemental, you'll feel healed of all negative energy and ready to start afresh.
The world of elemental magic is complex and multi-layered, and this is just a small peek into the realm. Hopefully it helps you to connect with the four elements and their spiritual manifestations, in order to forge a deeper understanding of the natural world and a greater sense of balance and meaning in your own life.
Mythical Creatures Spotlight: Mermaids
Image: "Mermaid Song" by Josephine Wall
Our Mythical Creatures Spotlight is a blog feature that takes a deep-dive into mythical creatures, from dragons to unicorns and all in-between. This week’s spotlight is on: Mermaids.
It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere right now, which means you've probably spent time lately by the water. Maybe you headed to a sunny beach or a quiet lake. And maybe, just maybe, you saw a flicker of a mermaid’s tail while you were at it.
The legend of a mythical water creature with the upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish has been around since the Ancient Assyrian empire. She goes by many names—mermaid, siren, undine. She was the star of Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairytale, later turned into a Disney classic. And she continues to captivate our imaginations with her ethereal—and sometimes frightening—beauty.
So where did the mythology of the magical mermaid come from? Is the folklore grounded in reality? And how can you harness the elemental power of the undines in your spiritual practice? Read on to find out:
The first mermaid: Atargatis
According to the tales of Classic antiquity, there was a Syrian deity called Atargatis who was sometimes called the ‘mermaid-goddess’. Atargatis was the chief goddess of northern Syria, and was associated with fertility and protection. Legend tells that Atargatis fell in love with a human, and transformed herself into a fish out of shame for accidentally killing him. Atargatis is often depicted as having the upper body of a beautiful goddess, and the tail of a fish...like a mermaid. And thus the first of the mermaid legends was born, though it certainly wasn't the last.
The sirens of Greek mythology
The sea is a common character in Greek mythology. Grecian heroes were often embarking on daring voyages across the sea, and coming across all kinds of mythical friends and foes in their travels. One such figure was that of the enchanting siren. Sirens were sea-bound creatures who lured sailors to their deaths by singing haunting songs. Traditionally, they appeared as part-bird part-woman, but due to their link to the sea, they’ve come to be associated with mermaid mythology. Like the sirens of Greek lore, mermaids are also often depicted as having beautiful singing voices that can hook even the most wily of sailors.
Mermaid or manatee?
But it wasn’t just in mythical tales that mermaids appeared. Throughout the Age of Discovery, there were many real-life sightings of mermaids at sea. Even Christopher Columbus claimed to have sighted these half-fish half-human creatures while exploring the Caribbean. However, scientists point out that life at sea can often cause men to lose their wits and even hallucinate. And fleshy aquatic animals like the manatee—which would have been an unfamiliar sight to European explorers— could have easily been mistaken for a mermaid.
The Little Mermaid
One of the most famous literary depictions of the mermaid is the titular character from Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale. The Little Mermaid from Andersen’s story fits many of the mermaid myths from throughout history. Part-human and part-fish, the Little Mermaid lives in the ocean has a beautiful enchanting singing voice, which she chooses to exchange for two human legs and a chance to win a handsome prince’s heart. Like many mermaid stories, The Little Mermaid deals with the conflict between the ocean and the land. Mermaids are often torn between the two, belonging in both and in neither at the same time. When romance with a human is involved—as is often the case—the conflict grows all the more stronger.
The Scottish selkies
Selkies are figures from Scottish folklore that have the ability to change between human and seal form. Tales of selkies also normally involve a doomed romance with a human lover. Sometimes, the selkie will seduce the human; in other stories, the human steals the selkie’s seal skin and compels her to stay on land and become his wife. Like The Little Mermaid and other mermaid tales, the selkie is never quite satisfied with life on land and longs for the sea, either escaping human life to return to the waves, or dragging her human lover down with her.
Undine energy
A more cheerful version of the mermaid is that of the undine. Undines are one of the four elemental beings (gnomes = earth elementals, sylphs = air elementals, salamanders = fire elementals), representing the element of water. Undines often appear as female in form, and can be found in all kinds of water bodies, from wells to lakes, and from waterfalls to the ocean. Undines are associated with femininity, fertility, beauty, and music. If you practice elemental magic, you can call on undine energy in your practice when you need to harness any of these forces. As water elementals, undines can help with purification, cleansing and healing.
Whether you find them beautiful or alarming, there's no doubt that mermaids have a fascinating allure. Halfway between human and fish, land and sea, they represent the thresholds of the universe and the powerful energy of water as an element. Take a look at all our mermaid merchandise below, and let us know your favourite mermaid "tails" in the comments.
View All Our Mermaid Giftware
Mythical Creatures Spotlight: Unicorns
Our Mythical Creatures Spotlight is a new blog feature that will take a deep-dive into mythical creatures, from dragons to mermaids and all in-between. This week’s spotlight is on: Unicorns.
Unicorns have had a comeback in popular culture lately. The rainbows-and-sparkles version of the unicorn can be found on stationery, beauty products, clothing and even consumables (Unicorn Frappuccino, anyone?) Once again, people have fallen in love with this beautiful creature, and it has become a symbol of “believing in yourself” and embracing the magic in life.
While this colourful version of the unicorn is a bit gaudier than the traditional myth, it all makes sense. Throughout history, people have seen the unicorn as a powerful symbol of things they wish they could attain. Whether that’s innocence, strength or beauty, the unicorn represents all that is special and rare.
So let’s delve into the lore and legend of unicorns, and learn a bit more about this fantastic beast.
Are unicorns real?
If you think about all your typical fantasy creatures - fairies, dragons, mermaids - the unicorn is perhaps the most believable of them all. After all, white horses and animals with horns are both real things - so why not a creature that combines the two?
As we wrote about in our Dragonspace Bestiary post, people did definitely once believe that unicorns were real animals. Ancient Greek writers were the first to note the unicorn in natural history, writing of “wild asses, fleet of foot, having on the forehead a horn a cubit and a half in length”. What were they writing about? Some scholars muse that they might have mistaken another horned or antlered animal - like a rhinoceros, an oryx or an eland - for a magical unicorn. But perhaps they were recording a real creature that has become even more elusive over time.
More recently, the American Journal of Applied Science published a research piece about an ancient animal known as the “Elasmotherium” or, the “Siberian unicorn”. This now-extinct creature was actually a type of rare rhinoceros, but its rarity and horned appearance makes it a close contender for being a “real” unicorn.
But of course, the allure of the unicorn is about more than just its appearance. Much of the unicorn frenzy throughout history comes from the magical powers that the creature - and its distinctive horn - were said to possess.
The Alicorn: a unicorn’s horn
Did you know that a unicorn’s horn is called an ‘alicorn’? This unique feature and its healing attributes are one of the things that make unicorns so special.
Up until the 18th-century, it was widely accepted that that a unicorn’s horn had healing powers, and it was one of the most expensive and sought-after remedies in Medieval Europe. Some of the main medicinal purposes of the alicorn included it being:
- an antidote against poisons
- a treatment for leprosy
- a protection from plague and fever
- a way to purify water
- an aphrodisiac
Alicorns were legitimately sold in apothecaries and distributed throughout royal courts. Queen Elizabeth I reportedly paid a massive 10,000 pounds for a unicorn horn. But were these horns really from the elusive magical horse?
Unfortunately, probably not. The “alicorns” often used in medieval medicine most likely came from narwhals - real marine mammals with a horn similar to that of the unicorn. And as the use of animal horns for human gain is largely unethical, the alicorn is no longer a sought-after medicine.
But just because this element of the unicorn myth turned out to be a fraud, it still doesn’t disprove the existence of unicorns. It just means that these magical beasts wouldn’t easily allow themselves to be captured and turned into a medicinal commodity, of course.
A symbol of innocence and purity
Unicorns have a strong connection with purity, innocence and chastity. Most legends tell that the wild and elusive unicorn could only be tamed by an innocent maiden. In fact, young maidens were said to have been used as “bait” to lure unicorns in, as described by Leonardo da Vinci in his famous notebooks:
“The unicorn…because of its intemperance, not knowing how to control itself before the delight it feels towards maidens, forgets its ferocity and wildness, and casting aside all fear it will go up to the seated maiden and sleep in her lap, and thus the hunter takes it.”
Unicorns are still considered an emblem of purity and innocence. They also represent a beautiful balance between feminine wisdom and masculine strength.
A national icon
Because of its powerful symbolism, the unicorn often appears in royal heraldry. Most notably, the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. Some might think it’s odd that a country known for being quite strong, proud and rugged would have such a “delicate” create as its national animal, but those people obviously don’t understand Scotland...or the unicorn.
The unicorn embodies wildness, intelligence and a fierce determination to be free. As Scotland has a long history of fighting for its independence, the unicorn is in fact the perfect symbol for this proud nation.
Using unicorn energy
Most of us won’t be lucky enough to encounter a physical unicorn in real life, but their strong energy can be called on in your spiritual practice. Understanding the lore and legend of the unicorn will help you known when to call on this energy - in times when cleansing, purity, wisdom and wildness are needed. They’re also a powerful elemental mascot when something is evading you, be it knowledge, wealth or healing. If you can connect with the power of the unicorn, you're a step closer to achieving the unattainable.
We love that these magical beasts are still going strong in popular culture, continuing to inspire our spirits and imaginations. Take a look at our whimsical range of unicorn giftware below, and let us know what unicorns mean to you in the comments.
