Water (classical element)
Classical elements |
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Water is one of the
Greek and Roman tradition
Water was one of many archai proposed by the Pre-socratics, most of whom tried to reduce all things to a single substance. However, Empedocles of Acragas (c. 495 – c. 435 BC) selected four archai for his four roots: air, fire, water and earth. Empedocles roots became the four classical elements of Greek philosophy. Plato (427–347 BC) took over the four elements of Empedocles. In the Timaeus, his major cosmological dialogue, the Platonic solid associated with water is the icosahedron which is formed from twenty equilateral triangles. This makes water the element with the greatest number of sides, which Plato regarded as appropriate because water flows out of one's hand when picked up, as if it is made of tiny little balls.[1]
Plato's student Aristotle (384–322 BC) developed a different explanation for the elements based on pairs of qualities. The four elements were arranged concentrically around the center of the Universe to form the sublunary sphere. According to Aristotle, water is both cold and wet and occupies a place between air and earth among the elemental spheres.[2]
In
In alchemy, the chemical element of mercury was often associated with water and its alchemical symbol was a downward-pointing triangle.
Indian tradition
Ap (áp-) is the
In Hindu philosophy, the term refers to water as an element, one of the , who represent feelings, intuition and imagination.
According to Jain tradition, water itself is inhabited by spiritual Jīvas called apakāya ekendriya.[3]
Ceremonial magic
Water and the other Greek classical elements were incorporated into the
Modern witchcraft
Water is one of the five elements that appear in most Wiccan traditions. Wicca in particular was influenced by the Golden Dawn system of magic and Aleister Crowley's mysticism, which was in turn inspired by the Golden Dawn.[8]
See also
- Water
- Sea and river deity
Notes
- ^ Plato, Timaeus, chap. 22–23; Gregory Vlastos, Plato’s Universe, pp. 66–82.
- ^ G. E. R. Lloyd, Aristotle, chapters 7–8.
- ^ University of Calcutta: Department of Letters (1921). "Journal of the Department of Letters". Journal of the Department of Letters. 5. Calcutta University Press, originally from University of Chicago: 352.
- ^ Israel Regardie, The Golden Dawn, pp. 154–65.
- ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, p.322; Kraig, Modern Magick, pp. 149–53.
- ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, p. 80.
- ^ Regardie, Golden Dawn, pp. 280–286; Kraig, Modern Magick, pp. 206–209.
- ^ Hutton, Triumph of the Moon, pp. 216–23; Valiente, Witchcraft for Tomorrow, p. 17.