The Spirit Element – The fifth element is spirit, in the Sanskrit language is akasha, from this comes the “akashic records,” which is a record of all knowledge pertaining to the material plane, it exists in the astral world. Ether was referred to as the quintessence in the middle Ages, meaning fifth. The alchemist’s quest was to find this fifth essence, which they believed contained the secret of everlasting life. Ether was described as the substance that made up the heavens.
The qualities of spirit are expressed through art, music, writing, religion, healing, magic and ritual. Spirit is associated with the crown, or 7th chakra, in the Tarot deck it is represented by the last card of the Major Arcana, The World. Spirit colours are white and/or black, they are the colours that contain or reflect all other vibrations of light and dark. Each culture has its own definition of spirit, In Buddhist tradition it is likened to a dewdrop disappearing into the ocean of infinite being.
Spirit is the most difficult element to describe, it is everywhere and nowhere, and is the force that unites all things, in rituals it is our connection to the otherworld. The spirit element transports us beyond any narrow confines and allows us to open up to something much bigger, it is present in all aspects of life, and goes beyond thought and emotion. Unlike the other four elements it has no defined place or location, even though we cannot specifically place it, we know it is there.
