The Elementals

Legend tells us that the elements are peopled by spirits and mythological creatures called Elementals, also known as nature spirits. These Elementals are grouped into four categories, each corresponding to one of the four elements.

The old lore tells us that Elementals can only be seen by those with "second sight," and are more likely to be seen at night in places far from the city. You're also most likely to see them when you're tired or sleepy, or out of the corner of your eye, especially when passing mirrors. These are times when your awareness of the mundane world shimmers briefly, and the unseen world can makes itself known to you, if only for fleeting moments.

The Elementals were the physical explanation of the universe to the Ancients, our ancestors. Those individuals today who are grounded only in the practical aspects of life view them as mere anthropomorphisms that superstitious people use to explain the unexplainable. But if they gave a sideways glance as they passed a mirror every now and then, it might just change their minds!

YIN YANG

Chinese philosophy speaks often of the yin and yang. This is the idea of polarity, of opposite pairs. The journey of life, they belief, is rooted in the balance of these opposites. It is interesting to note that Eastern philosophy does not favor one type of energy over another, but rather sees the essential need for both. The Old Pagan religions hold this in common with Eastern philosophy; that one cannot know one energy force without knowing its opposite.

A brief outline of this balance of opposites is listed in the table below. The list, however, could go on and on. In Chinese literature it is quite long, as they suggest everything can be similarly arranged into related opposite pairs.