At this time of year, I need bonfires as much as I need air. The smell of a wood fire, a bit of pine, a skosh of cedar, a chunk of oak, and a hint of hickory relax every corpuscle of my pagan blood.
So I belong to a few FB groups of witches and other creative types and some of them had been posting pictures they took of their own bonfires. So I thought it was a good idea. So I built my fire, and started snapping photos.
I do believe that many times images we see in the fire or in clouds or in tea leaves are examples of our human brains making connections. It’s what we do and why we have survived this long. Most so-called paranormal experiences have logical explanations and are the results of overactive imaginations. This guy seems to be something else.
I shared the picture with an open-minded community of which I am a member and the general consensus was that he is an elemental—a nature spirit. Not good, not evil, not predictable, not concerned with us at all.
Elementals correspond to the four elements––Earth, Air, Water, and Fire.
Earth elementals are gnome-like, keeping to themselves and preferring dark caverns. They can also be nasty vampire creatures such as the Baobhan Sith.
Air elementals are sylphs which may appear as butterflies and are the closest to what we Westerners think of as fairies.
Water elementals are undines. They may appear as forms swimming amongst waves or reflections in pools of water or as mermaids or other water sprites such as the Blue Men of the Minch.
Fire elementals are salamanders—not necessarily the little lizards. Think of them as dragon-like creatures who frolic in fire. They may appear as faces in flames or as images in glowing embers.
BANG.
This guy certainly has a lizard-like appearance—some might say Satanic, but that is a whole different blog post.
Elementals can inhabit trees, pools, mountains, trees—anything in Nature may have an elemental attached to it. They go about their business, quite unconcerned with humans—unless we wander into their domain and start causing problems. Then watch out!
Vindictive or playful, nurturing or destructive, friendly or your worst nightmare come to life, elementals can be helpful if approached correctly. Ancients often appealed to the most appropriate local elemental to aid in magical workings—especially protective spells or (though I would never consider it myself) curses.
Inviting elementals into your circle is a risky business and should not be undertaken frivolously. You’re invoking something that may dwell partially in another dimension and definitely has little regard for you and your little spell. Respect—at least—is called for.
