Three Elements, Four Elements, Five Elements, Six?
The concept of elements making up the world is common all across the world. However, the number and specifics change in different places and traditions.
The most common in the West is a four-element system: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. We find this in Italian Witchcraft, most pagan traditions, the Tarot, alchemy, and many other places. Kabbalah includes all four but not equally. Fire, Air, and Water each have a world. Malkuth, our world basically, is made up of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, but above it is Water, and above that is Air, and above that is Fire. Earth is the weakest and least common element.
Welsh belief uses Land, Sky, and Sea, basically Earth, Air, and Water. Fire isn't an element for them. You can see this somewhat in Greek myth as well. Norse belief has basically two elements. Everything formed from Ice and Fire. Ice might be able to be called Water. Robert Cochrane uses four or five: Water, Earth, and Air for Female, Fire, Metal, and some Earth and Air for Male. Metal he doesn't say for sure if he includes, just that some people do.
In the East, we find a different arrangement. There is Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, and Wood, five elements. Air is not found, even though it is always found in the West (except for Norse). Wood is only found in the East.
Basically, we have Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Metal, and Wood, if we look world wide. At least in Eurasia. I'm not sure about the indeginous people of Africa, Australia, or the New World.
The most common in the West is a four-element system: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. We find this in Italian Witchcraft, most pagan traditions, the Tarot, alchemy, and many other places. Kabbalah includes all four but not equally. Fire, Air, and Water each have a world. Malkuth, our world basically, is made up of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, but above it is Water, and above that is Air, and above that is Fire. Earth is the weakest and least common element.
Welsh belief uses Land, Sky, and Sea, basically Earth, Air, and Water. Fire isn't an element for them. You can see this somewhat in Greek myth as well. Norse belief has basically two elements. Everything formed from Ice and Fire. Ice might be able to be called Water. Robert Cochrane uses four or five: Water, Earth, and Air for Female, Fire, Metal, and some Earth and Air for Male. Metal he doesn't say for sure if he includes, just that some people do.
In the East, we find a different arrangement. There is Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, and Wood, five elements. Air is not found, even though it is always found in the West (except for Norse). Wood is only found in the East.
Basically, we have Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Metal, and Wood, if we look world wide. At least in Eurasia. I'm not sure about the indeginous people of Africa, Australia, or the New World.