Elemental

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An Elemental is a spirit embodying one of the elements of antiquity. Mme. Blavatsky wrote:

Elemental Spirits. — The creatures evolved in the four kingdoms of earth, air, fire, and water, and called by the kabalists gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines. They may be termed the forces of nature, and will either operate effects as the servile agents of general law, or may be employed by the disembodied spirits — whether pure or impure — and by living adepts of magic and sorcery, to produce desired phenomenal results.[1]

There is also reference to "artificial elementals" created by men and Adepts through the power of thought.

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.[2]

In Isis Unvelied Mme. Blavatsky writes: "Such beings never become men",[3] 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.[4]

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.[5]


Nature Spirits

Some "ElementalS" are the spirits embodying the four elements (earth, water, air, and fire). An early modern reference to this class of elementals appears in the 16th century alchemical works of Paracelsus. H. P. 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.[6]

Artificial elementals

Notes

  1. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), xxix.
  2. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 277.
  3. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), xxix.
  4. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IX (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 113.
  5. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IX (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 400-A.
  6. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Theosophical Glossary (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 111-112.

Further reading