What A Beautiful Song.

The Elements and their correspondences

E A R T H

Earth represents strength, grounding, prosperity, the material, wealth, success, foundations, death and rebirth. Focus on this element if the goal of your spell is about fertility, prosperity, business or stability. Earth spells may take longer to work, but they’re also more firm and are good if you’re looking for long-term solutions.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Winter DIRECTION: North HOUR: Night

COLOURS: Green, Brown, Black ANIMALS: Bears, Deers, Wolves, Badgers HERBS/PLANTS: Ivy, Ash, Vetiver, Wheats, Oats INSTRUMENTS: Drums (Percussion instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn STONES/GEMS: Jade, Onyx, Emerald, Salt RITUAL TOOLS: Stones, Dirt, Bones, Pentacle, Salt, Crystals  RITUAL FORMS: Burying, Planting, Imprinting to soil or sand TAROT SUIT: Pentacles

A I R

Air represents intellect and the mind, wisdom, knowledge; logic as well as abstract thought, intuition and higher consciousness. If you’re seeking freedom, travels, or to enhance your memory and focus - focus on Air spells! Air is whimsical and amiable, personally I haven’t found it useful for more serious spells, but it does wonders for my studies. 

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Spring DIRECTION: East HOUR: Dawn

COLOURS: Yellow, White, Sky Blue, Pastels ANIMALS: Birds, Spiders, Butterflies HERBS/PLANTS: Lavender, Birch, Vervain, Dill, Aspen INSTRUMENTS: Flute (Wind instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius STONES/GEMS: Amethyst, Opal, Alexandrite, Beryl RITUAL TOOLS: Incense, Wand RITUAL FORMS: Fanning, Tossing into air, Suspending in a high place  TAROT SUIT: Swords

F I R E

Fire represents energy, passion, purification, love, inspiration, desire, will, courage, power, leadership, sexuality. In spellcraft, focusing on Fire is good for purification, healing and love spells; it’s the best element for quick, strong spells. Although, Fire is fierce in essence, and Fire spells are susceptible - they should be well thought out.

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Summer DIRECTION: South HOUR: Noon

COLOURS: Red, Orange, Gold ANIMALS: Snakes, Lions, Horses HERBS/PLANTS: Cacti, Cinnamon, Pepper, Basil INSTRUMENTS: Guitar (Stringed instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius STONES/GEMS: Amber, Citrine, Ruby, Tiger’s Eye RITUAL TOOLS: Athame, Candles RITUAL FORMS: Burning, Smouldering, Heating TAROT SUIT: Wands

W A T E R

Water represents purification as well; though it’s focused more on the soul and the subconscious rather than the physical, material world. Water stands for emotion, intuition, wisdom, eternal movement, reflection, lunar energy. Focusing on the Water element is good for psychic abilities, getting in tune with your inner self, mysteries, friendships, love, dreams and sleep.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Autumn DIRECTION: West HOUR: Dusk

COLOURS: Blue, Indigo, Silver ANIMALS: Otters, Fish, Sea Mammals, Frogs HERBS/PLANTS: Lotus, Water Lilies, Aloe, Gardenia INSTRUMENTS: Cymbal, Bell (Resonant instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces STONES/GEMS: Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl RITUAL TOOLS: Cauldrons, Chalices, Seashells RITUAL FORMS: Diluting, Placing into water, washing away, bathing TAROT SUIT: Cups

                                       The Triumph of Grandeur

                                     Welcome Home (Enfilades)

1. Compiègne Castle, Picardy, France

2. Bleinheim Palace, Woodstock  England

3. Palazzo Reale Genoa, Genoa Italy

4. Chateau De Versailles, Versailles France

5. Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow Russia

6. Chateau Grand Bataille, France

A Few of Louis XIV’s Favourite Things

1. Louis XIV’s favourite colour was blue, especially a dark and vivid blue. This blue was the colour of the costume de sacre, worn by French kings during their coronation ceremony. Another name for this colour is ‘royal blue’.

2. You know what figs, melons, peaches, asparagus, peas, st. nectaire cheese, and oysters have in common? They were some of Louis’ favourite foods. If any of these foods were present at his table, they would be gone within minutes.

3. Louis loved the smell of citrus fruits, and this all came down to his favourite perfume ‘orange blossom’. In his earlier years, he wore an array of different perfumes. In his older years, however, he could only tolerate ‘orange blossom’.

4. Even though he was at war with the Dutch, that didn’t stop Louis from having a keen interest a certain flower; the tulip. Tulips were his favourite flower; however, they were not planted in his gardens until after the Treaty of Nijmegen was signed in 1678.

5. Louis’ favourite opera was “Atys” by Jean-Baptiste Lully. That’s how it got the alias “the king’s opera”. It was said that Louis would hum some of the arias out loud.

6. I bet most of you have heard about Niccolo Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’, but you haven’t heard the fact that it was Louis’ favourite book. In his memoirs, Louis stated that this book was his ‘favourite nightcap’, meaning it was his favourite thing to soothe him before going to bed at night.

There are six spacecrafts orbiting Mars.

Fun Fact

Aristaeus is the Greek god of bee keeping

Arabesque No. 1 | Isao Tomita

When Gaius Julius Caesar got abducted by pirates in 78 BC he doubled the ransom demand because he thought he was worth it.

That’s the kind of self esteem I aim for.