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"Not even the so-called elements are constant....There are four of them, and two, the earth and water, are heavy, and their own weight bears them downward, and two, the air and fire (and fire is purer even than air) are light, rise upward if nothing holds them down.

These elements are separate in space, yet all things come from them and into them, and they can change into each other.

Earth can be dissolved to flowing water, water can thin to air, and air can thin to fire, and fire can thicken to air again, and air condense to water, and water can be compressed to solid earth.

Nothing remains the same: the great renewer, Nature, makes form from form, and, oh, believe me that nothing ever dies."

Pythagoras as paraphrased by Ovid in Metamorphoses. Bk XV

Very interesting parallels with modern scientific principles, especially the states of matter and conservation of energy.

Rin wrote:Very interesting parallels with modern scientific principles, especially the states of matter and conservation of energy.

The human brain is after all just a human brain. It can only come up with some many ideas before they all start to sound the same.
If you want an absolutely uncanny description of modern physics, I recommend Pliny's Natural history from 79 AD. The first chapter covers the earth around the sun, the earth as a sphere, how rain works and just a lot of things that we take for granted today.
Then again, it also says that if you cut the leg of an albatross and stick it in cow dung, a new albatross will grow out of it. sooooo, They got some things "wrong".

You are reffering to Τετρακτύς. Tetractys in English. You see...the Pythagorean world was composed of four Elements, four seasons, while life had four stages.

I posted this because Franz Bardon says command of the elements is essential to the practice of magick (Initiation into Hermetics).

So I want to know how to approach them.

Archeus wrote:I posted this because Franz Bardon says command of the elements is essential to the practice of magick (Initiation into Hermetics).

So I want to know how to approach them.

Then you should read agrippas first book of occult philosophy. It's in the first chapters.
Also, study the tarot. That is probably easier.

Also, study the tarot. That is probably easier.

How do you figure?