Introduction to magic masterpost
You must remember: elemental energies are primordial. To them, humans are a dust mote in their eyes. They are far older than us and they will continue existing long after we are gone. You may have a special connection with one or two of the elements but it is foolhardy to assume that they care about us.
You may have a real relationship with an individual pond, stream, or beach. Connecting with the watery genus loci of a place is normal. The weather and windy spirits around your home may take a particular liking to you. But do not confuse these smaller elemental spirits as the vast powers of Water or Air itself.
When fire runs free, it will burn us in to ashes. Air will destroy everything we know. Water will drown us and drag us in to alien hells. Earth will trap us or send us drifting for eternity.
It is foolhardy to think, “I am such a water witch so I need as much water in my life as possible!”. Nothing good lies ahead of a decision like that. It is fine to baste in whatever elements you enjoy, but that is not the same as letting them run wild in your life.
Not everyone is equal. We all have different needs and different comfort zones. A totally equal ¼th balance of each element may not be necessary or helpful for you. However, I still suspect that for many of us, a relatively close balance is best.
In order to balance and calibrate the elements in your energetic body, try an exercise such as this one:
Much magic may be done simply by controlling the elemental balance of different situations. Channel an element. Instead of sending the energy back to the ground, send it out to a person, situation, or abstract concept. Imagine that the elemental energy gently infuses with your target.
Sometimes the problem is not a lack or imbalance of energy, but rather that something has way too much energy altogether. Use direct magic, and visualize your target totally swarming with different energies. Draw the energies out and send them back to the earth until the target has reached a natural balance. If you prefer sympathetic magic, use a doll or charm identified with the target and draw the energies out of that instead.
An imbalance of energy is when one element dominates the others, or one element is hardly present. The four elements work wonderfully together as a complete set, balancing and checking each other’s worst attributes. Observe your target and question what it is lacking. You may even be able to see the colors of the elemental energies upon it. Channel the energy your target needs and send it some. If you have some talent with direct magic, perform a Sphere exercise on your target to balance and align the energies within it.
In spells, I often find that the elements work well together as if playing a musical scale.
If the situation is complex and overshadowed, first I call in fire to burn away the underbrush, air to blow away the debris, water to calm and heal the situation, and earth to create a solid foundation to rebuild.
Then, going the opposite way, once the foundation is created I draw water to help nurture and manifest my new ideas, air to adjust it and send it to the right places, and fire to spark it off so it ignites and gains life.
When working with the elements, choosing which is best for the job can be difficult. Water may work well for emotional protection, but if the aggressor in your life is particularly watery, their attacks may slip right through your shield. Fire may be a better defense against this person - but there is a chance their power is greater than yours, and they will put your fire out.
In my opinion, one element is fine for a meditation or practice, but two or more are best in practical application. A strong stony shield may splash water right off, with a little fire just inside to keep you warm.
All the elements are multi-faceted. When doing detailed magic you may wish for only one aspect of an element instead of everything it can bring to the table. When channeling that energy, strongly say or think about which aspect of the element you will allow in to yourself. It could be the bravery of fire, or the cunning observation of air, or whatever you choose. Once you have some experience working with the elements, try channeling a specific part of them and see if you can find a difference in effect.
Direct magic is not for everyone. Surrounding yourself with different elemental correspondences may be very helpful in order to channel them or connect with them.
Wherever you draw in an element, it will continue flowing freely until you turn off the spigot. When you use elemental shields, be sure to send them away and rebalance at the end of the day (the pillar and spheres exercise will work just fine for this).
“The dose makes the poison” is very true when it comes to elemental magic. A little earth energy may be quite stabilizing and grounding. Too much could petrify you. A small stream of water could encourage emotional growth; too much could drown you in emotional turmoil. Start small, and avoid letting elements flow freely wherever they please.