Elemental Spirit

by Tracie
(Daytona)

What exactly is an elemental spirit. The same as a fairy of some sort?

Ophelia Fey says - An elemental is a word or label given to different types of fae folk, many centuries ago by one of your people named Paracelsus, back in the 1500's. He was correct in noting that there are different nature spirits for the different natural elements - fire, water, air, earth.

He called the elementals of fire, Salamanders, not that they look like your lizards. The water spirits he called Undines, and there have been many stories written about them. Sylphs were his name for the air spirits, and Gnomes were the beings of the earth. Gnomes are perhaps some of your most famous characters now.

These are only names, of course. And it is a bit simplistic as well. The realm of nature spirits is quite a bit more complex than that, but it is a good start. For instance, there is obviously a lot more to the earth element than just gnomes! I've written some more about it in the "Types of Fairies" page.

Over the ages your story writers and artists have written and drawn many charming depictions of these folk. They are based on Something - but exactly what was seen back in those times is difficult to say. People were closer to nature and lived simpler lives. Their Seeing was clearer. But superstition and fear also got out of hand. Nonetheless, it is fun to read about them and to look at the pictures - and there is something to some of it as well.

Ophelia Fey