The Ancients divided the world into four basic principles
or *elements* earth, water, fire, and air. That viewpoint
has mostly changed with advances of science, but the four
elements are still accepted in magick, for they are more
closely linked with emotions, the human psyche, and with
nature than are modern explanations of the world. These
*magical elements* are also of some importance in
astrology. Many occultists think of the magical elements
as forces, or as *qualities* of energy; especially within
the astral world. Each element has a symbol and color.
Common symbols are -- fire: a triangle pointing up; air:
a triangle pointing up and with a horizontal line through
the middle of it; water: a triangle pointing down; earth:
a triangle pointing down and with a horizontal line
through the middle of it. Colors of the elements are --
earth: brown and green; water: blue; fire: red; air:
yellow... The Eastern tattvic system uses different
symbols and colors. (The tattvic symbols are briefly
described later on in this course.) The elements are
often used in magick ritual.

Magick sees relationships between things. These
relationships are called 'correspondences'. Although
magical correspondences are not literally equal to one
another, you can think of them that way (such as gold
equals sun). Tables of these relationships, called
'Correspondence Tables', are available (an important one
is Crowley's '777'). Thus one thing or symbol can be used
to suggest another. This is important in magick, for the
magician may surround himself with as many appropriate
correspondences as he can to vividly affect the senses;
thus making his magical contact with the inner planes
more lucid.