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Post by paulmurdoch1975 on Jul 22, 2011 10:28:22 GMT
by Jonathan Malory
The ancient Greeks called Earth, Air, Fire and Water the four elements. They thought that these elements had properties that could represent abstract concepts. Earth represents stability and practicality. Air represents the communication of ideas. Fire signifies passion. Water represents emotion.
Throughout history, many different cultures have had similar beliefs about fire, air, water and earth and what these elements represent. Therefore, they often play an important role in our dreams.
Earth
We use Earth to create and build solid structures. It can therefore represent stability and conventional ways of thinking. The way that Earth appears to you in your dream can indicate how secure you are feeling. If you dream about a quiet meadow, you are probably feeling at peace. On the other hand, if you dream of an earthquake, you are probably feeling troubled or insecure.
In dreams, Earth can represent our physical experiences. Jung would say that it represents sensation. People who are realistic and pragmatic, and people who tend to focus on their body and their physical surroundings, are the most likely to have dreams featuring Earth.
Air
Air represents our ideas and emotions and the way we express them. Air enables us to breathe and to speak. Air is the medium by which our words are carried to others
The clarity of the air in your dream can be a sign of how clearly you are giving and receiving information. If smoke or haze obscures your view, you may not be thinking clearly. Debris flying through the air can mean that you are being distracted by different ideas.
Wind can symbolize the direction and force of your intellect or your emotions. What is the wind in your dream like? Is it soothing and helpful, like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day? Is it helping you, carrying you or enabling you to fly? Is it destructive - a tornado or a hurricane?
Dreaming that you are suffocating can mean that you do not have enough freedom to express yourself or to use your intelligence to its full capacity. Someone who is experiencing an episode of sleep paralysis may feel as though they are being suffocated.
Air can have a spiritual meaning for some people. "Prana" is the Hindu word for holy breath or cosmic spirit. The Taoists of China refer to a cosmic spirit of energy that flows like air which they call "chi'i", and of "feng shui", which means, literally, "wind and water." In the bible, the Holy Spirit sometimes appears in the form of wind.
Fire
Fire symbolizes vitality and passion. An open log fire can represent comfort, warmth, romance or intimacy. A bonfire can represent a celebration, or the purging of clutter from your life. Fire can represent hope, providing warmth and freedom from darkness. It can symbolize creativity. We use fire to cook our meals and to create beautiful pottery.
Fire can be a destructive force, symbolizing the end of a phase of your life. It can also represent cleansing and purification. The feeling you have about something being burned will depend upon the value that you attach to that thing. The way you feel about books being burned, for example, will have to do with how you feel about literature and freedom of speech. The burning of letters from an ex could give you a feeling of relief.
The amount of control you have over a fire in your dream can indicate the amount of control you believe you have over a difficult situation in your life. If you are tending the fire in your dream, you feel that you are able to manage things. If the fire in your dream is out of control, you may feel that you are overwhelmed or that the situation you are in will have disastrous consequences.
Water
Water represents sensitivity and the way we express our emotions. The shape and depth of our emotions can be extremely varied, just like the shape and depth of water. Water can take the form of a leaky faucet or tap, a puddle, a pool, a thunderstorm, a waterfall or waves in an ocean.
We use water to nourish ourselves, drinking it and cooking with it. Using water to wash ourselves or our possessions can symbolize getting rid of negative emotions.
A river can represent an emotional journey. The type of river in your dream, strong and flowing quickly, or slow and gentle, can give you an idea of the strength of your emotions and how you allow them to be expressed. Crossing a river can be a sign that you are overcoming obstacles that your emotions have created.
The ocean or the sea can represent emotions that are hidden deep within your unconscious. A still pool or pond can represent tranquility and peace. A lagoon can stand for a haven from the open ocean that allows you to connect with your emotions while you feel safe and protected.
The quality of the water in your dream can tell you about the quality of your emotions. Water that is stagnant, muddy or polluted can mean that your emotions are unhealthy, possibly even harmful. Dreaming that you are in a dry, barren place, or that you are extremely thirsty, can mean that you are not paying enough attention to your emotions.
Where you are in the water, and how you react to your situation, can tell you something about the way in which you deal with your emotions. If you need to cross a body of water, are you hesitant about sticking your foot in, or are you in a rush to dive in. If you are already in the water, are you floating, swimming or sinking?
Some people believe that dreams about water are memories of the pre-birth experience, when we spent nine months surrounded by liquid. www.meaningofdreams.org/dream_themes/earthairfireandwaterindreams.htmangelgabriel
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Post by STORMDANCER on Jul 29, 2011 22:17:54 GMT
Great post Angelgabriel really enjoyed reading it thanks xxx
storm xx
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Post by Destafrench68 on Nov 24, 2011 16:29:43 GMT
Very informative,been having dreams of floods,dirty water,stagnant,and I didn't understand these dreams until now,and the definition of these dreams coincide with what I've been feeling,I think I know what I need to do,I need a cleansing of sorts,any ideas anyone can help me with, it would greatly be appreciated.Thank you.  |
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Post by paulmurdoch1975 on Nov 25, 2011 0:39:36 GMT
welcome destafrench68.
What i do is really unorthodox to many here but i go for a long walk and i mean a very long walk almost to the point of not being able to walk any more .
The last time i needed to clear my thoughts and cleanse myself was to re ground myself i walked through woods for ten miles I'm lucky because i got woods close Ive also got the sea not to far away i had all the elements with me .
When i returned after my walk i felt tired but refreshed .
I was just walking not thinking about anything .
Not even worrying where i would end up i hadnt gone the way i was going before .
I was Just listening to everything around me and walking away .
Its surprising just how much it sorts out things in your head .
you think clearer .And things don't always look as bad .
The people you meet while walking in a way come with little messages of reminders of how wonderful life is & seeing everything looking so simple and calm helps your thoughts .
Hope this helps you as it has for me
Hugs & Blessings .
AngelGabriel
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Post by Warrior on Nov 25, 2011 22:38:34 GMT
Fire, Earth, Air, and Water are the Classical Elements, with the fifth of Spirit, aether, or quintessence being the binding force. They represent the realms of the cosmos where all things exist and consist. Classic Greek thinking classified the elements according to temperature and water content with Air being primarily moist and secondarily warm, Fire being primarily warm and secondarily dry, Earth being primarily dry and secondarily cool, and Water being primarily cool and secondarily moist. Hippocrates used the elements to describe the human body with the following associations: yellow bile (Fire), black bile (Earth), blood (Air), and phlegm (Water). The Pythagoreans added idea as the fifth element and Aristotle added aether as the quintessence, both of which today are commonly referred to as the Spirit. The reasoning behind the thoughts Pythagoreans and Aristotle are believed to be that whereas Fire, Earth, Air, and Water were earthly and corruptible, and since no changes were ever perceived in the heavenly regions, then the stars must not be made of any of the four elements, and therefore must be made from a different, unchangeable, heavenly substance, henceforth the idea or aether theories. Below are listed the most common magical elemental correspondences. This list is by no means complete, but we have attempted to give a good, high-level overview of the subject. elements fire wind air earth divider line
FIRE
Direction: South
Qualities: hot and dry, light and active
Color: Red
Metal: brass, gold, iron, steel
Type of magic: tantra, healing, candle magic
Zodiacal signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Tattvic symbol: red triangle (Tejas)
Tattvic tide: March 21 - June 21
Season: Summer
Hour of day: Noon
Celtic name: Deas
Major Arcana Card: judgement (XX)
Minor Arcana suit: Wands
Symbolic creature: lion, fire-breathing dragon, horses
Alchemical symbol: right side up triangle
Symbols: fire, sun, stars, volcanoes, candle flame, hearthfire
Plant: nettle, red poppies, garlic, onions
divider line WATER
Direction: West
Qualities: cold and moist, heavy and passive
Color: Green
Metal: copper, silver
Type of magic: fertility, mirror magic, purification, healing, divination, dream magic
Zodiacal signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Tattvic symbol: silver crescent (Apas)
Tattvic tide: September 23 - December 23
Season: Fall
Hour of day: twilight
Celtic name: iar
Major Arcana card: Hanged Man (XII)
Minor Arcana suit: Cups
Symbolic creatures: scorpion, snake, dolphin, dragon(serpent), all water creatures
Alchemical symbol: upside down triangle
Symbols: waterfalls, all bodies of water, waves, fog, rain
Plants: all water plants, fern, lotus, moss
divider line AIR
Direction: East
Qualities: hot and moist, light and active
Color: Blue
Metal: aluminum, mercury, tin
Types of magic: To find an object that has been lost or stolen, magic of the four winds, visualizations, divination.
Zodiacal signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Tattvic symbol: blue circle (Vayu)
Tattvic tide: June 21 - September 23
Season: Spring
Hour of day: Dawn
Celtic name: airt
Major Arcana card: Fool (0)
Minor Arcana suit: Swords
Symbolic creatures: eagle, hawk, butterfly
Alchemical symbol: right side up triangle with a line through the middle
Symbols: sky, wind, clouds, incense
Plants: aspen tree, mistletoe
divider line
EARTH
Direction: North
Qualities: cold and dry, heavy and passive
Color: Yellow
Metal: lead, mercury
Types of magic: fertility magic, tree magic, herbal lore, prosperity, runecasting, knot magic
Zodiacal signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Tattivic symbol: yellow square (prithivi)
Tattivic tide: December 23 - March 21
Season: Winter
Hour of day: midnight
Celtic name: Tuath
Major Arcana card: Universe (XXI)
Minor Arcana suit: Pentacles
Symbolic creatures: bull, sphinx, stag
Alchemical symbol: upside down triangle with a line through the middle
Symbols: mountains, caves, gems, fields, rocks
Plants: red poppy, thrift plant, ivy, grains
divider line
SPIRIT
Direction: the Center
Color: White
Metal: meteorite
Qualitites: timelessness, spacelessness
Tattvic symbol: black oval (Akasha)
Time: Now and all time
Major Arcana card: Fool (0) and Judgement (XX)
Tarot suit: Major Arcana
Symbols: spiral, the cosmos
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