Salamanders are fi-
ery dragon-lizards
that live in flames.
These are also the
kinds of Elementals
most easily seen,
when you gaze deep
into the heart of a
blazing fire. Like Fire
itself, Salamanders
are very dangerous.
Their name comes
from the Greek
salambe (fireplace).
The Salamanders
are ruled by a mag-
nificent flaming dragon-spirit called
Djin (JIN).Lesson 4. Earth
I am the Earth around you
I am the heartbeat within you
I am the ground below you
I am all that I am!
—Abbi SpinnerSolid Earth is the foundation upon
which everything in our world is built. As products of
the evolution of life on planet Earth, we are the literal
children of the Earth. Many ancient cultures viewed
the life-giving land beneath their feet as a goddess,
whom the Greeks called Gaea. Earth, which provides
us with our food, is the flesh and bones of our bodies
and the bones of the living Earth are the rocks that lie
beneath our feet. Geology means “the study of Gaea”
in Greek, and is the science of understanding the his-
tory of Gaea’s bones and body as they have formed,
changed, grown, and transmuted over 4.3 billion years.
Like the three main tissue layers of our bodies (endo-
derm, mesoderm, and ectoderm), stone comes in three
main types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
Igneous rock is formed quickly from molten lava that
has cooled and solidified. It includes intrusive and
extrusive forms (e.g., granite and basalt). Sedimentary
rock is laid down slowly in layers of mud and sand on
the bottoms of lakes and seas (this is where fossils are
found). And metamorphic rock started out as igneous
or sedimentary, but has been changed under geologic
pressure.
Molecules are made up of atoms of the chemical
elements, and they have geometric forms. That means
that the molecules of a particular substance, under the
right circumstances, can be fit together like a puzzle to
form extremely regular solids we know as crystals. This
is common knowledge: Table salt makes cubic crys-
tals, water makes complex six-sided crystals we callsnowflakes, and so forth. Crystals have long been
viewed as magickal in nature, and magicians ranging
from Brazilian shamans to Australian aboriginal heal-
ers to Dr. John Dee, the court magician of Queen Eliza-
beth I of England, have all used them as an important
part of their magickal tool kit Different kinds of crys-
tals are used for different things. Those considered
most magickal are those that appear translucent, or
(best) transparent.
The most common kind of crystal we see through-
out the world is the quartz crystal, which can be clear
or variously colored, depending on the trace minerals
mixed in with the silicon that quartz is made from.
Now, the most fascinating thing about quartz is that it
is piezoelectric. That is, under certain kinds of pres-
sure, it will produce an electric charge. This is why
quartz was the basis of the old-time crystal radios;
and this is why modern computers can run on
silicon chips. Quartz can communicate an en-
ergetic charge—which makes it useful for a
magician.
I have climbed mountains and cliffs,
walked through deserts, searched for fossils,
and studied geology. I have even experienced
earthquakes! In my sculpture, I work directly
with Earth in the form of clay. Of all of my
connections with Earth in its Elemental form,
my favorite activity has been spelunking, or cave
exploring. If you live in any part of the world were
there are natural caves, I highly recommend you visit
them. Every cave is unique and beautiful—from spec-
tacular limestone caves with stalacTites (hanging
down from the ceiling, like the letter “T”) and
stalagMites (growing up from the floor, like the letter
“M”), to eerie lava caves with formations like frozen
black water. Many caves are open to the public, with
guided tours; these are well worth the price of admis-
sion! If you would like to explore “wild” caves, you
might be able to join a local spelunking society for
some amazing underground adventures.Quest: Coming down to Earth
—by Farida Ka’iwalani FoxLet us start with the Earth. Go outside somewhere
where it is quiet and you can be undisturbed. Find a
comfortable spot and take a moment to stand there.
Feel the contact your feet make with the ground. Be
aware of your weight as it is supported by the Earth;
feel the force of gravity upon your body.
Now focus your attention on your breathing. As
you exhale, visualize openings in the soles of your
feet and imagine that you are sending roots down into
the cool and nourishing Earth. With each exhalation,
let those roots sink deeper until it seems as if you
cannot move from the spot. As you are becoming more
firmly established in the Earth, imagine that you areParacelsus (1536)Course Two: Nature 69
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