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 .
Author ’ s Facebook page :
http :// www . facebook . com / pages / The-Chattering-Magpie / 55497799224 #!/ pages / The- Chattering-Magpie / 55497799224
Author ’ s BLOG : http :// chatteringmagpie-summonerofthehearth . blogspot . co . uk /