11 the Western Tradition is green( or brown) although the Airt colour is black. Earth represents understanding and is related to growth, material gain, employment and the home, prosperity, stability and fertility! Power: to be silent. Season: Winter. Now you have read that and you may be wondering what an AIRT is, although the reader may have come across the term in Druidry. This is an old Gaelic( Irish) term for the four compass points and is related to how the old Irish experienced wind( must have been all that feasting in the fabled halls of Tara). The prevailing wind of the east is cold, dry and bracing. Representing the element of air its ' colour is the crimson of dawn. The prevailing wind of the south brings heat and dryness. Representing the element of fire its ' colour is the white light of high noon. The prevailing wind of the west brings rain and dampness. Representing the element of water its ' colour is the brownish grey of the twilight. The prevailing wind of the north is cold and often freezing. Representing the element of earth its ' colour is the black of midnight. There is of course a fifth element. Spirit is given the fifth power " To Go " and represents the power of progression and evolution. This leads us to the elemental associations of traditional treasures of Ireland. I am taking a lot of this next part from The New Celtic Oracle by Nigel Jackson and Nigel Pennick. Published by Capall Bann in 1997. There are plenty of other books for you to continue your research if you wish to do so. The Sword of the Nuada corresponds to the eastern quarter, representing the mind and spiritual consciousness. It is the blade of the intellect that cuts through problems and the breath of life given by the Gods. It represents the element of air. The Spear of Lugh is another magical weapon and corresponds to the southern quarter, representing the power of the will and dynamic energy. It represents fire and in Irish mythology the spear may have been the Gods ' thunderbolt. In other words the wand represents the fire from above, lightning.
The Cauldron of the Dagda corresponds unsurprisingly to the western quarter. Representing knowledge and the element of water it may be( and almost certainly is) connected with other " Celtic " cauldrons such as that of the Welsh Goddess Carridwen. The Stone of Destiny corresponds to the northern quarter and represents earth. It is the base, the axis of the world, our foundation and may originally have been represented by a permanent stone altar, rather than a mobile representation in the form of the modern pentacle. So here we have two equally valid systems which effectively switch the correspondences for air and fire. However the story doesn’ t stop there. In some Traditional Witchcraft groups the correspondences for the elements are very different, east is fire, south is earth, west is water and north is air. That however is another story.
Sources: Chattering Magpie: private BOS( 2005). Farrar S.( 1971) What Witches do? Hale. Jackson N. A..( 1994) The call of the Horned Piper. Capall Bann. Jackson N. Pennick N.( 1997) The new Celtic Oracle. Capall Bann. Valiente D.( 1973) An ABC of Witchcraft past and present. Hale. The works of Jackson and Pennick are particularly recommended. About the author
Chattering Magpie is the former Pagan Federation Regional Coordinator for the county of Derbyshire and the current East Midlands Pagan Federation Deputy District Manager. He is also a member of the Loyal Arthurian Warband and the Summoner of the Hearth of the Turning Wheel. He is a graduate of the University of Nottingham School of Nursing and works as a Staff Nurse in Trauma and Orthopaedics at a hospital in Derbyshire.
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