Earth

Earth is the great resting place. The place of peace, or tranquility, of balance, or focus, the culmination of the other elements, together forming the perfect framework for life itself.  The Earth is the element of stillness, of fertility, and of growth.

The Earth is looked upon my many cultures as not only a woman but a mother. The Great Mother to all, the mother earth. Often, the Mother Earth is accompanied by the Sky Father, the brother Fire, and the sister Water. The great Rocks of the earth is seen as the bones of our bodies, the water becomes the blood in our veins, the wind becomes breath in our lungs, and the fire in our hearts is our passion, our very life. The Earth is the beginning and the end of the circle. The Earth mother gives us life, and to her we return when we are buried. We return to her every if we are burned, for scattered ashes still break down into the earth and are recycled into nutrients needed for the growth of plant life.

Volcanoes bring the oldest of rock to the surface of the earth, rock and dust and pieces of stars that haven’t seen light since the dawn of our world. Volcanoes are unstoppable, and the only thing anyone can do is get out of the way, but afterward they bear the most fertile soil. Nutrients and minerals necessary for life, renewed and spread out so that life can continue. Mother Nature’s menstrual cycle. Pyroclastic clouds can travel near to 700 km/h, and they are just the heralds of the full eruption. And I thought MY PMS was bad!

Earth is the most tangible, visible part of our lives. It is our home, it is the essence of home, or shelter, and of strength. It is held as the element of Winter and of darkest night. The caves of our world hold no light from the outside. They hold a deeper darkness than the night sky. That is also why (according to the Northern European pagan traditions) this is the element of the North, the coldest, darkest of places during the winter.

Trees are used in nearly every form of divination and spiritual work. From the wood used for runes and ogham fews, to the paper used for tarot card. Wands and staves used in ritual, the wooden handles of swords, the oak branches on which are hung buckets for hauling water for the cauldron.

Earth is where things grow. But in order to grow, roots must run deep and take a strong hold. Not too strong, because if roots grip too tight, they can’t grow to new places. Branches must reach up high and wide to take in the sun. they should not grow beyond what is sustainable, but their strength can stand against the harshest wind, even flood.

Earth is represented by the pentagram, the 5 pointed star leading from the 4 main elements to the fifth. Life itself. Earth, being the stage for the play of life, is represented by one of the oldest, simplest symbols for balance, and leads directly into the next level of thinking: life itself. Its meaning, its complexity, its simplicity, its very existence.

But it’s not all tree hugging. To be stuck in earth is to be sedentary, to be unmoving, unyielding, a creature of circular logic resulting in inaction, the opposite of fire. But indeed the earth is not entirely motionless. In fact, the core of the earth is ever in motion, even if that motion is slow and steady. Sometimes, however, that motion is quick, and powerful. An earthquake can cause destruction like no other. When balance is tipped and the scale leans, the ground itself can split and crumble. If personal balance is upset, it can disturb every aspect of our lives.

Earth is a feminine element along with Water. The masculine elements are Air and Fire.