A Little on Deities – from and elemental point of view (For beginners)

This image was taken from the Kuan Yin Oracle Deck by Blue angle publishing

In the practice of the Elemental Craft, the worship of deities is an entirely personal decision. Some believe that it is not necessary to venerate a particular deity or those of a specific pantheon, believing instead that the elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) and the male and female energy that abound all life are sacred and divine.

For those who do work with deities, this type of worship is less about the deity and more about what the deity represents. For instance, calling upon a war god such as Odin (of Norse tradition) can be very effective in representing the energies of Fire in a ritual. Another example of this would be calling upon the goddess Aphrodite (of Greek tradition) who is equally effective in representing the energies of Earth in ritual workings.

This concept can be better described by Empedocles a Greek philosopher, scientist and healer who lived in Sicily in the fifth century B.C. In his Tetrasomia or Doctrine of the Four Elements; Empedocles describes these elements not only as physical manifestations (Deities) or material substances, but also as spiritual essences (Elements).

Each and every deity of any pantheon has an associated element which is derived from their individual attributes. So by calling upon a specific deity of a certain pantheon, the practitioner further aligns their conscious and subconscious thought, giving their ritual further purpose and meaning.

Blessings