The Tarot and the four elements

In the ancient traditions the four elements earth, water, air, and fire frequently occur; sometimes including a fifth element or quintessence (after “quint” meaning “fifth”) called aether in ancient Greece and akasha in India. The concept of the five elements formed a basis of analysis in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, particularly in an esoteric context, the four states-of-matter describe matter, and a fifth element describes that which was beyond the material world. Similar lists existed in ancient China and Japan. The Chinese had a somewhat different series of elements, actually five elements, namely: Fire, Earth, Metal (literally gold), Water and Wood. Some considered and refer to the fifth element as the ‘quinta essentia’. This very simply describes the soul or the spiritual being of a person. It stands apart from the other four elements and is not depicted in the horoscope. This is why it is frequently overlooked. It takes us beyond the doctrine of the four elements and their application in the field of astrology. It hints at the freedom of man and reminds us of the great mystery of the eternal. Regarding the material world, it is considered that the entire universe is consisting of the elements fire, air, water and earth. This four elements are considered the very elements – energies – of life and are regarded as the four basic principles of life. Sometimes they are also called the four “roots”. In recorded history, Ptolemy is credited with making the association between the four elements and the signs of astrology in the 2nd Century AD. Continue reading