Elemental

An Elemental is a spirit embodying one of the elements of antiquity (earth, water, air, and fire). Anthropological records of indigenous beliefs and practices throughout the world show that the belief in Elementals predates all the major religions.

Mme. Blavatsky defined them as follows:

Elementals. Spirits of the Elements. The creatures evolved in the four Kingdoms or Elements—earth, air, fire, and water. They are called by the Kabbalists, Gnomes (of the earth), Sylphs (of the air), Salamanders (of the fire), and Undines (of the water). Except a few of the higher kinds, and their rulers, they are rather forces of nature than ethereal men and women. These forces, as the servile agents of the Occultists, may produce various effects; but if employed by ”Elementaries” (q.v.) in which case they enslave the mediums—they will deceive the credulous. All the lower invisible beings generated on the 5th, 6th, and 7th planes of our terrestrial atmosphere, are called Elementals: Peris, Devs, Djins, Sylvans, Satyrs, Fauns, Elves, Dwarfs, Trolls, Kobolds, Brownies, Nixies, Goblins, Pinkies, Banshees, Moss People, White Ladies, Spooks, Fairies, etc., etc., etc.

General description

In sober truth, as just shown, every “Spirit” so-called is either a disembodied or a future man. As from the highest Archangel (Dhyan Chohan) down to the last conscious “Builder” (the inferior class of Spiritual Entities), all such are men, having lived æons ago, in other Manvantaras, on this or other Spheres; so the inferior, semi-intelligent and non-intelligent Elementals—are all future men.

In Isis Unvelied Mme. Blavatsky writes: "Such beings never become men", but she may be referring to the present manvantara.

Elementals are devoid of a sense of morality:

As to the moral character of elementals, they have none: they are colourless in themselves—except some classes—and merely assume the tint, so to speak, of the person using them.

The elementals are formless, but may assume different shapes:

The shape given to or assumed by any elemental is always subjective in its origin. It is produced by the person who sees, and who, in order to be more sensible of the elemental’s presence, has unconsciously given it a form. Or it may be due to a collective impression on many individuals, resulting in the assumption of a definite shape which is the result of the combined impressions.

Elementals may be employed "by living adepts of magic and sorcery, to produce desired phenomenal results".

Nature Spirits

An early modern reference to this class of elementals appears in the 16th century alchemical works of Paracelsus. His works grouped the Elementals into four of the elements as follows:

• Gnome: Earth Elemental.
• Undines (also known as Nymph): Water Elemental.
• Sylph: Air Elemental.
• Salamander: Fire Elemental.

Further reading

• Elementals at Theosopedia