The Greek Classical Elements (Earth, Water, Air, and Fire) date
from pre-Socratic times and persisted throughout the Middle Ages
and into the Renaissance, deeply influencing European thought and
culture. A Greek philosopher named Empedocles is credited with the
cosmogenic theory of these four elements being the root of all
existing matter. Unfortunately, much of Empedocles’ writing has
been lost, but his ideas remain with us today and are widely
accepted by most Pagans and Wiccans.
Water is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek
philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with the
qualities of emotion and intuition.
For the Pagans and Wiccans, water represents emotions, wisdom, the
soul, and femininity. In rituals, it is represented in the forms of
pouring water over objects, brew making, healing spells, ritual
bathing, and tossing objects into bodies of water. The
manifestations of the element of water are rivers, oceans, lakes,
wells, fog, all drinks, and the rain. Water’s place on the
pentagram is the upper right point.