Direction:
South
Season:
Summer
Time of Day:
Midday
Tarot Suit:
Wands
Magickal Tool:
Rod, Wand, Censor
Sabbats:
Beltane, Ostara
Moon Phase:
Waxing
Gender:
Male
Creatures:
Lions, Tigers, Cougars, Panthers, Housecats Snakes, Lizards, Scorpions Fire Dragons, the Phoenix, The angel associated with Fire is Michael, chief of the archangels, known as the Warrior of God. I don't see Michael as a Rambo of the heavens; he is an arm of the God/dess and his flaming sword dispenses justice, balance, and protection to all the children of the One. He is often depicted in armor, like the ideal chevalier of the Middle Ages, protector of the weak and helpless. Like a true warrior, he would rather settle disputes peaceably than with violence. He is dressed in red and scarlet, the colours of Fire, courage, and honour.
Colors:
Blood Red, Crimson, Gold, Orange, Red, White
Herb/Essence:
Alder, Allspice, Amaranth, Anemone, Angelica, Asafoetida, Ash, Avens, Basil, Bay, Bloodroot, Bouganvilea, Briony, Broom, Cactus, Calendula, Cardomon, Carnation, Carrot, Cashew, Cat Tail, Cedar, Celendine, Centaury, Chestnut, Chili Pepper, Chrysanthemum, Cinnamon, Clove, Coffee Beans, Copal, Coriander, Cubeb, Cumen, Burry, Damiana, Deerstongue, Dill, Dragon's Blood, Fennel, Fig, Five Finger Grass, Flax, Flowering Almond, Frankincense, Galangal, Garlic, Gentain, Ginger, Ginseng, Golden Seal, Hawthorn, Heliotrope, Hibiscus, High John the Conqueror, Holly, Holy Thistle, Horse Chestnut, Houndstongue, Hyssop, Juniper, Leek, Lime, Liquidamber, Liverwort, Lovage, Maguey, Mandrake, Master of the Wood, Milk Thistle, Mountain Mahogany, Mullein, Mustard, Nettle, Nutmeg, Oak, Olibanum, Olive, Onion, Orange, Pennyroyal, Pepper, Pepper Tree, Peppermint, Pine, Pineapple, Poke Root, Pomegranate, Prickly Ash, Radish, Red Poppy, Rosemary, Rowan, Rue, Saffron, Sarsaparilla, Sassafras, Sesame, Shallot, Sloe, Snakeroot, Snapdragon, Squill, St. John's Wort, Sunflower, Tangerine, Tea, Thistle, Ti, Toadflax, Tobacco, Venus Flytrap, Walnut, Witch Hazel, Wood Betony, Wormwood, Yucca
Zodiac Sign:
Aries, Leo, Saggitarius
Elemental Being:
Salamander
Sense:
Sight
Stone(s):
Amber, Apache Tear, Banded Agate, Black Agate, Bloodstone, Brown Agate, Carnelian, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Fire Opal, Garnet, Hematite, Lava, Obsidian, Onyx, Red Agate, Red Jasper, Red Tourmaline, Ruby, Sardonyx, Sunstone, Tiger's Eye, Topaz, Watermelon Tourmaline, Zircon
Symbols:
Bee, Candle, Censer, Cricket, Flame, Horse, Hot Things, Ladybug, Lava, Lion, Lizard, Praying Mantis, Scorpion, Shark, Skylark, Snake, White Mare
Metal:
Brass, Gold, Iron
Goddesses:
Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta
Gods:
Agni, Hephaestus, Horus, Vulcan
Magick:
Activity, Ambition, Athletics, Authority, Banishing, Blood, Bonfire, Break Bad Habit, Candle Magick, Change, Cleansing, Competitions and contests, Courage, Creativity, Daring, Defensive Magick, Deserts, Destruction, Destruction of Negativity, Dispel Anger, Dispel Envy, Dispel Illness, Energy, Eruption, Explosion, Flame, Fire, Force, Forcefulness, Healing, Hearth Fire, Heat, Leadership, Life, Loyalty, Magickal Energy, Motivation, Negate Ego, Passion, Physical Strength, Power, Protection, Purification, Sap, Sensuality, Sex, Sexual Arousal, Sexuality, Solar Energy, Spirit, Star Magick, Storm Magick, Strength, Success, Sun, Time Magick, Volcano, War, Will, Will Power
Psychological Qualities:
Balanced Fire:
Courage, Creativity, Idealism, Independence, Intuition, Loyalty, Passion, Power, Strength
Imbalanced Fire:
Aggressiveness, Destructive Tendencies, Hatred, Intemperance, Jealousy, Rebellion, Resentment, Vindictiveness
Things to do to help you feel connected with the Element of Fire:
...Take a moment to watch a candle burning. See how the wax forms a puddle at the base of the wick and is drawn up the wick to feed the flame, as the air feeds it from above. See how this combination of liquid, solid and gas comes together to make Fire, which transforms its fuel to light and heat. Yet another of the mysteries of our world...the way that fire can transform anything we feed it to pure energy, leaving only a small amount of ash...which is itself a nutrient for the soil... ...whether it is the miracle of a single candle flame, or the raging destruction of a forest fire, Fire is an element whose power for transformation is immediately apparent...
....Think for a moment about what energy means to you. Most of the time we think of having energy as being awake enough to keep our minds on whatever we do for a living. But it takes energy to propel our bodies out of bed and into clothes and into our cars. We know it takes energy to propel those cars to where we work. It takes energy to make the buildings we work in, and to light and heat those buildings, and to run our computers. And it takes energy to heat the water to make the coffee that gives us the feeling of awakeness that we need to concentrate on what those computers are showing us....But it's the sun's warmth captured in the molecules of caffeic acid that gives us that sense of energy...
Fire is associated with the South in this hemisphere. Fire is associated with noon, when the sun is at its zenith in the sky. It is associated with Summer, that time when the Sun is with us for long days that ripen produce. It is associated with young adulthood, that time of life when we expend huge amounts of energy, training and making careers for ourselves...the time of life when we expend large amounts of sexual energy to find the mates we wish to have children with...and to produce those children.
...Think for a moment of Summer. The Sun is high and hot. The crops are planted and ripening...or the lessons are learned and the kids are on summer break....or the paycheques are in the bank and you are given a holiday. And the weather is good, so you want to travel. It's a time for seeing new sights and traveling in search of pleasure...and oh, what pleasures can be found. Everyone is dressed as lightly as possible in the heat, and we see displays of flesh that get our hormones pumping. We can renew our pleasure in our partners or meet new partners in our travels. We get out of the cities and feed our souls with the beauties of the natural world...or with the cultures of other civilisations. It's a time when everyone is moving, everyone is socialising, and everyone is eating well of the foods that are ripening to fuel all this activity...
...Find some music that has a very strong drumbeat. Light a candle and turn out the lights. Put the music on and let your body start to move with the rhythm and flow. Feel how your muscles and joints loosen up as you move them. Feel your connection to the earth and how it is broken and reformed each time you lift and replace your feet. Feel how you begin to breathe deeper as you move, and how your breath molds itself to the rhythm. Let yourself dance freely. Dance with your shadow. Sing along if you can...use a rattle if you have one. Keep dancing for as long as you have energy and enjoy it...and stop... ...and tune into your body...hear your heart pound...feel the energy in your legs and arms....feel the depth of your breath and feel how warm you are...you've been burning lots of energy doing this...and feel your energy flowing...feel how everything is speeded up...feel how it flows... ...and realise how outward movement can make things move in the hidden parts of your being...and the subtle, energetic parts of your being... ...Do some light exercise while you slow down and drink lots of water...and record your experience...
...Think for a moment about a time when you felt discouraged....when it seemed like you had come up against an insurmountable obstacle. And think about the different ways you have managed to move beyond obstacles. Sometimes we attack and try to destroy them or defeat them so they'll move out of our way. Sometimes in attacking, we can scare the obstacles off. Sometimes we try to scramble over them. Sometimes we try to find a way around them, using cleverness to sneak by. Sometimes we go another way. Sometimes we can take the time to befriend the obstacle so that it no longer wishes to impede our progress. Sometimes we try to find out what the person or thing in our way needs and provide it so that the obstacle can move on. ...Think of times when you have used each of these strategies. Think of other ways you have been able to proceed in spite of obstacles. Then think of an obstacle you are facing now. What is your instinctual approach? What are some other possibilities you could use to be able to continue on your path? Talk about some of these possibilities with a friend and then try them out. See how they work....perhaps you now have some new tactics for getting where you know you need to be... Flexibility and Creativity are among of the gifts of Fire.
....take a moment to sit in silence, and let your mind become very still. Ground in the way you normally do and feel your body....feel its solidness and its flows...feel your heartbeat and feel the flows of energy in your body. Center in the way you normally do, and let your thoughts still as you focus on the light in the center of your head... ...now let that centered focus drift downward through your being, so that you become aware of the bright light burning in your heart, and let it drift further down so that you come to a place in the very center of your being, somewhere between your solar plexus and your navel. See the light that shines there. Breathe deeply to feed the flame. Use your breath to draw the energy of the Earth and the energy of the Heavens into that flame and see it flare brighter. See it burn like a small, brilliant Sun in the center of your being... ...and think of a question you have been looking for an answer to. Ask this question and let it burn in this flame of golden light. Let the smoke be carried to the Goddess...and wait for an answer.... ....if the answer doesn't seem to make sense...or if it seems like something unattainable, ask how you could proceed if you wanted to bring it about, and wait for an answer. Keep this light burning as you map out the first steps you would take to bring this goal about... ...and when you know how to proceed, offer a prayer for the strength, clarity, and will to succeed in your aim....and let the light in your center flare a thank you for the guidance you have received....let that light spread through your being for a moment, to empower you to do what is necessary to meet your goal...and let it fade into an underlying awareness that you know your Will and how to achieve it....
....Sometime around the first quarter moon, think of something that you have always wanted to do but let fear hold you back. It might be facing up to a particular type of authority figure. (like your father or boss) It might be acting in a way that would give you a feeling of freedom (like making love outdoors) It might be trying a new creative outlet. (Like belly dancing) ....Whatever it is....write it on a piece of paper, and put that paper under a red candle. Light the candle and watch the flame. Get yourself centered in your power center as in the exercise above, and envision yourself doing this thing. See the obstacles you will have to overcome, and make plans to get around them. Feel the freedom, excitement, and empowerment of doing this thing within that flame of Will inside. Do this every night until the full moon....and then do whatever it is that you have been building the courage to do. Once it is done, burn the paper, and offer the light as a thank you to the Element of Fire...and the ashes to Mother Earth...
You might wish to make an altar in the southern part of your house to honour the Element of Fire and the Salamanders. Drape it and decorate it in red and orange. Offer candles, snakeskins, sand, desert roses, and red stones. Welcome the Element and the Salamanders to make this their home. Then light the candles on this altar when you ask your Higher Will for guidance or work on your fears.
Fire Incense:
3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Dragon's Blood
1 part Red Sandalwood
1 pinch Saffron
a few drops of musk oil
Fire Oil:
3 drops Cinnamon
12 drops orange
7 drops nutmeg
2 drops rosemary
3 drops ginger
Invocation to the South and the Fire Element:
Hail Guardian of the South, Element of Fire
Hold this corner of my circle and let the flames burn in it.
Send the clever Salamanders to help my healing work.
Bless me with the movement and energy of the flames,
With the passion of the summer heat,
With your own strength and courage,
And the pure clear glow of Will.
I feel you and welcome you.
Blessed Be.
Book of Shadows © 2001, Dana (Huntress of the Dark)