Soul Mirrors and the Elements - EARTH

[Amberlyn <amberlyn@...>]

Greetings All,

Here is my post on Earth. In this post, I have offered some trait examples, 
for possible Soul Mirror considerations, but more for the purpose of adding 
some illumination to the various characteristics of Earth.

For the purposes of the practice of magic using the Hermetic approach, any 
solid is classified as Earth in the physical realm.

Earth is *Form*. Since Earth, in the Hermetic sense, is the combined action 
of Fire, Water and Air, it can be said to share similarities with the 
remaining three elements. However, the one distinguishing characteristic of 
Earth is *Form*. All of the Earth's other characteristics are extensions 
of this. Each expression of its own internal Fire, Water and Air, is 
rooted in Form and this is really what distinguishes the Watery nature of 
Earth from Water itself, the Fiery nature of Earth from Fire itself, etc.

Earth is Non-Mutable. Though one kind of Earth may be changed as so to be 
another, it is still Earth. Though it may be easily expressed as, or 
alloyed with Air, Sun-Fire, and/or Water, it is still Earth.

In working our Soul Mirrors, we might consider terms like obstinate, 
stubborn, headstrong, stiff-necked, bullheaded, pigheaded, mulish, dogged, 
pertinacious. These adjectives mean tenaciously unwilling to yield. 
Obstinate implies unreasonable rigidity; Stubborn pertains to innate, often 
perverse resoluteness or unyieldingness. You might be able to see how these 
traits can be different elements mixed with Earth in a combination, and yet 
remain attributed to Earth, because of a reference to Form. Consider: One 
who is headstrong is stubbornly, often recklessly willful (i.e. Fire within 
Earth). Stiff-necked implies stubbornness combined with arrogance or 
aloofness (Air within Earth). Bullheaded suggests foolish or irrational 
obstinacy (Water within Earth), and pigheaded, stupid obstinacy. Mulish 
implies the obstinacy and intractability associated with a mule. Dogged 
emphasizes stubborn perseverance: dogged persistence. Pertinacious stresses 
a tenacity of purpose, opinion, or course of action that is sometimes 
viewed as vexatious. All of these traits can be seen in the non-mutable 
characteristic of Earth. You might also note that most of these examples 
evoke an image of Form, often in the shape of a head: human, bull, pig, 
mule, and dog <g>.

Earth is Receptive. Technical people like my MSEE husband would couple 
Reception with Transmission: The Earth receives inter-stellar radio 
transmissions, for example. When loading or charging a solid form with 
energy, we use this property of Earth. It's Receptivity indicates Earth 
traits might also be ready and willing to receive favorably new ideas: 
acceptant, open-minded.

Earth is Absorptive. It has the capacity or tendency to absorb or soak up 
even more Fire, Air, and Water. Every physical body in our galaxy absorbs 
the sun's radiation. Magicians often use this characteristic to "ground" 
excess energy. Consider too, how charcoal absorbs smells, and how iron 
oxidizes. (And why is it that we take antioxidants for health, if not to 
counter our bodies oxidizing?) Think of a dry sponge, silently soaking up a 
spill, or the thirsty earth absorbing a gentle rain. Character traits might 
include: absorbency, assimilation, bibulousness. Earth's absorptivity is 
not necessarily passive, however. It can even be said to suck, in that it 
draws in so that extrication is difficult, creating words like: embrangle, 
embroil, implicate, involve, mix up, suck. Its absorbency and receptiveness 
gives Earth a feminine gender.

Earth is moderately Reflective. Prime examples come to mind: the moon, 
reflecting the sun's radiation, or a mirror, or any shiny object, 
reflecting light. Sound too can be reflected from Earth, and this property 
creates such terms as echo, reecho, reflect, resound, reverberate.

Earth is the Stabilizer. Solid Form imparts steadiness, or reliability 
(motionlessness) in withstanding pressure, force, or stress: fastness, 
firmness, hardness, security, soundness, stability, stableness, strength, 
sturdiness, sureness.

Earth is Integration. It is that which is put together; it gives Form or 
Shape. It is the electromagnetic Four-Pole Magnet.

Earth is Solidness. Pure Earth is neither expandable nor compressible, and 
does not transmit Fire (Fire cannot pass through Earth). It can be seen 
as "solid like a rock" dependability. These Earth traits are, for example, 
reliable, responsible, trustworthy, trusty. These adjectives mean worthy of 
reliance or trust.

Earth is Strength. Its Force of Endurance (or lastingness), should not to 
be confused with Power, which disperses or moves things. It has 
massiveness, which, in the language of our physical sciences, defines Mass 
as resistance to change, or resistance to force of motion. This is not the 
same as weight, which is mass acted on by, or plus, gravity. Fortitude 
quickly comes to my mind here. Strength in this regard refers especially to 
physical, mental, or moral robustness or vigor.

You have likely heard of "the irresistible force meeting an immovable 
object." One of my sources reads, concerning this, "Our Universe is 
apparently exactly that, as is any functional battery. Fire gives change 
and motion, while Earth gives form and direction to the change and motion. 
In a really simplistic sense, the mechanics of levers seems to apply -- a 
lever, no matter how long, is of no use without a fulcrum to pry across. 
Spirit, without some kind of anchoring physical Universe *Form*, is like a 
lever with no fulcrum." Perhaps then, our existence in these bodies has 
more purpose than we realize.

Thank you Rawn, for helping me with this Element!

My best to you!
Amberlyn