By Robin M. Strom-Mackey
In the darkest part of the forest, a set of eyes follow your
progress, you sense footfalls behind you and notice the strange behavior of the
crows which seem to flit from tree to tree.
Why do they seem to be following you? And ahead, was that a child you
saw step behind a tree? Night is falling and the shadows are growing. You feel unnerved but you can’t say why. Perhaps it’s just an overall uneasiness that
you’ll be lost, like some Neo-Freudian version of Hansel and Gretel. Or perhaps
it’s a fear as you traverse this dark recess of the world that your shiny,
dependable, modern notions of safety and order simply do not apply here. However you define the fear, however
irrational it may seem, you know you feel as if something is marking your progress,
willing you to leave, or perhaps tempting you to stay…forever.
If you’re in the paranormal field long enough you begin to
collect stories and accounts that defy easy categorization, locations haunted
by creatures other than the spirits of the dead. While anything beyond normal becomes the
purview of the paranormal investigator, we appear as a group to be a bit in the
dark when it comes to elemental spirits.
While researching this article I found many websites devoted to fairies
and elves. It became clear that the subject
has been plowed and plowed happily by occultists, spiritualists and antiquated
middle-ages philosophers. Meanwhile the
serious paranormal investigator has kept her distance. And for good reason. As one blogger put it, tell someone you investigate
ghosts and you get a sort of grudging respect, but tell them you’re going in
search of fairies and you’re likely to end up in a straight- jacket.
But just because little people are out of favor doesn’t mean
that we needn’t concern ourselves with the subject as investigators. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (better known
as T.A.P.S.) have investigated at least three such locations for the SyFy
television series Ghosthunters. The team
investigated Leap Castle in Ireland which amongst the ordinary spooks was
supposedly an Elemental, with the body of a goat and the stink of rotting flesh
which had been conjured during a séance gone wrong. The evidence was
inconclusive.
However, on another episode, again in Ireland, the team
investigated the ruins of Lisheen Castle. During this investigation, on thermal
camera, the team captures what appears to be three diminutive beings that
follow behind the investigators who are walking a path in the nearby woods. The
creatures seem to disappear without explanation.
In season eight, the team investigates Camp Rutledge, Georgia
where several people have drowned in the lake and the campers are frightened by
odd occurrences; a location that Hawes speculates is haunted by elementals. In
this episode the team captured video of what appears to be two glowing eyes on
what could only be an enormous creature. The eyes appear to fade inexplicably
and move locations. I mention these
episodes because they appear to offer more than simply anecdotal evidence of
the existence of elementary spirits, although the amount of anecdotal evidence
is abundant and varied as well.
In the book entitled Haunting Experiences, self-proclaimed
sensitive and paranormal investigator, Michelle Belanger describes a camp
hideaway in the woods of Geauga County, Ohio that is anything but serene. There
appears to be a whole host of creatures that haunt the woods. Creatures that appear to enjoy tricking
hikers off the paths and into the woods, dark things that fly overhead and spirits
that wreak havoc with human emotions; not to mention the strangely anthropomorphic
behavior of the vast murder of crows that inhabit the region.
While belief in elementary spirits is out of fashion,
readers should note that every culture in the world has folklore regarding
nature spirits. The Tibetan and Indian
cultures speak to the Nagas, creatures that are half human and half
serpent. The Native Americans believe
that all life is imbued with spirit energy, whether from deceased ancestors or
elemental spirits in the animals, plants and earth around them.
Folklore regarding spirits of the air are abundant. The Slavic’s
call them Leshes, for Russians they’re Suibotschniks, for Germans the Leshiye (pronounced
Lay-shee). These are thought to be androgynous creatures found in groups who
protect the forests and are often disguised as foliage.
The Japanese folklore records a pantheon of supernatural
creatures that are thought to inhabit rocks, trees, grass and other natural
objects. These creatures are ambiguous regarding humans and need to be appeased
often in order to maintain peaceful co-existence (Schumacher, 2013). The African tribes are varied in their belief
system, but most agree that there are a host of spirits both of the deceased
and of nature, all falling under the supreme Creator spirit.
And of course the U.K. (but especially Ireland) celebrates an
unbelievably rich folklore of elementary spirits far too numerous and abundant
to name. Among the better known is the
tradition of the Sidhe (pronounced Shee) in Ireland, a race of elementals that
can be fierce and destructive when provoked. They are known for destroying
crops, livestock and attacking children. In antiquity, they were blamed for
swapping healthy babies with sick changelings, and murdering lone travelers
found on the road at night.
The Tuatha de Danann (pronounced Too-ah day, Thay-nan) also
of Ireland were a great host of warrior-like fairies. Driven below by the
Milesians, they now live in fairy burghs underground. This fairy army were known for being
militant at times, but also known for being fair and just. They were also great composers of music, and
much of the Irish folk music is said to either be composed by the fairies or
inspired by them. Among the hosts of elementary spirits famous throughout the
U.K. are also Leprechauns, Silkies, Will-O-Wisps, Ballybogs, Banshees and
Pookas (Fringe Paranormal, 2012).
Certainly before the rise of monotheistic religions, the
worship and folklore surrounding elementary spirits was widely accepted and
practiced. Every house had a house gnome
or brownie, every spring a water sprite. The Greeks categorized all
otherworldly spirits as daemon or daimons. The word became demons in the
Christian bible, undoubtedly gaining their negative connotation therein.
The worship and idolatry of nature spirits fell out of favor
with the rise of Christianity.
Forbidden, but not forgotten, nature spirits became, during the Middle
Ages, the purview of occultists,
necromancers and alchemists who sought to understand and harness the power of
nature in order to advance their agendas whether scientific or clandestine
(Ghost Hunters, Inc., 2014) . The German, Swiss philosopher, physician and
alchemist, Auroleus Phillipus Theostratus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541),
better known as Paracelsus, is credited for categorizing the Nature Spirits
with their specific elements (Page, 2011).
And later the Abbe de Villars (1635-1673)
wrote a treatise on the subject entitled the Comte de Gabalis from which much
that is written about elementary spirits is still drawn (Melton, ed., 2001).
According to de Villars and Paracelsus nature spirits, elementals
or elementary spirits, are manifestations of the element from which they are
created. There are four main categories
of elementals corresponding with the four major elements of the Earth, namely
air, water, earth and fire – as suggested by antiquity. Created by the purest
molecules of each substance sylphs are made from air, gnomes from earth,
undines from water, and salamanders of fire. There are also two other categories, dryads
for vegetation and fauns or satyrs representing animal life.
Elementals is a term often used for elementary spirits,
sometimes bearing a negative connotation by Spiritualists indicating non-human
spirits of an evil nature. Some
occultists believe elementals to be sub-human, or below humans in mental and
moral stature, while others believe them to be slightly below angels in makeup
and status. Being non-human and non-corporeal, they are probably better
understood as neither completely good nor evil, but with an ambivalent attitude
towards humans, especially those who invade their environment. They may be mischievous or even antagonistic
towards people. For the most part elementals are believed to be invisible to
anyone but those with clairvoyant abilities, although they can show themselves
to one or several people when they choose to do so.
Origin
Nature spirits were created before the coming of man, and
now reside in the dark, rarely traversed regions of the world. According to de
Villars before the fall of man, the elementary spirits were subject to man, and
Adam was able to control the spirits as he himself was in harmony with
nature. However, after the fall of Adam
and his subsequent banishment from Eden, humans lost the ability to control
nature spirits. We remain thus disconnected until such time as we regain our
harmony with nature (Melton, ed., 2001).
Air
Spirits
De Villars broke down the four elemental classes by their
elements and attributes. Sylphs are created of the purest air particles and
inhabit the ether. De Villars notes that
they are considered human in appearance, though with a somewhat fierce looking
human demeanor. Despite their appearance sylphs are considered to be benign and
somewhat docile creatures who prefer the pursuit of science to creating
disharmony. They are also considered to
be mirthful though mercurial in temperament and eccentric in nature. Their love
of learning makes them officious toward scholars, with little tolerance for
fools. The females of the race are
thought to be somewhat masculine in appearance. It is thought that the sylphs
affect those who are bad-tempered or spiteful in personality.
On a pleasant note, slyphs are associated with the sounds of
bells, happy parties and joyful music and are thought to appear in the form of
butterflies. But they have a more
sinister reputation as well. Page notes
that most documented elemental hauntings involve air elementals. They appear to be able to throw and break
objects in much the same way as a poltergeist.
In occult literature they are associated with spiritual sexual
assault. Where they linger they are
thought to cause aggressive behavior and agitation among humans. They are also believed to be responsible for
suicidal desires to jump from heights.
Perhaps even more sinister, they are sometimes thought to be responsible
for cases of abduction and lost-time experiences, and the leaving of fairy
rings in fields, behaviors that seem to strongly mimic alien abduction
scenarios. These elementals are also
considered to be somehow connected to “fairy forts,” hills and stone
henges. Animals associated with the
presence of sylphs include black dogs, horses, badgers, hares and pigs (Page
2011).
Fringe Paranormal’s Stephen S. writes about the Sidhe (Shee)
of Ireland, noting that many of the stories regarding this militant band of
“wee folk” describe the Sidhe as being non-gendered, large headed, large-eyed
beings who entered homes and abducted people so that they could copulate with
them for breeding purposes. He points out that such fantastical stories were as
common in ages past as they are now, noting only that nowadays the title has
changed somewhat. Instead of blaming the
Sidhe for such sinister abductions, now we claim them as aliens (Fringe
Paranormal, 2014).
Earth
Spirits
On the land, or more precisely residing underground, are the
gnomes; think Gimli the dwarf from Lord of the Rings. They may also reside in
deep forests. These diminutive creatures
are miners of the deep places; and guardians of treasure troves of minerals and
precious stones. These creatures are
ingenious engineers, friendly toward human kind and easily commanded. Female gnomes are thought to be small but
very attractive, their style of dress quite curious. Since they are believed to
live in a constant subterranean gloom, gnomes are considered to be influential
to those of a melancholy nature. Also in
the gnome category are satyrs, pans, dryads, elves and brownies.
Page notes that anecdotal eye-witness accounts of gnomes
report sightings with very small men, usually no more than two to three feet in
height, who speak with gruff voices.
Female accounts are rare. The
literature and folk history regarding gnomes suggest that they have an
adversity to man-made metals, making metal objects disappear or appear. While
they are adverse to metals they are attracted to crystals and certain types of
stones. It has been suggested that they
may cause a person to have a sudden, overwhelming fear of being buried alive. Animals are thought to behave strangely when
earth spirits are present (Page, 2011).
Water
Spirits
The seas and waterways, creeks, ponds and quiet springs of
the Earth are inhabited by nymphs or undines. Having power over water, they are
also associated with rain, mist and fog.
Among the nymphs, the females far outnumber the males. The females are so thoroughly beautiful and
enchanting that it is said human women pale by comparison. Several traditions describe nymphs as
appearing as a woman in white, often with wet, straggling hair that may entice
the foolish into entering the water and drowning. Water spirits are
traditionally thought to be influential to those of a calm and otherwise
unemotional temperament, just as soothing water cools heat. Water sprites and
mermaids are included in this classification.
Nymphs are thought to create frequent and otherwise
unexplainable plumbing problems when active in an area, and unexplained pools
of water are also reported. Those
sensitive to undines may become obsessed with water (Page, 2011).
Fire Spirits
Salamanders are the beings created of purest flame, hence
they were honored for being the givers of fire. The name salamander derives
from descriptions which characterize them as being small lizard-like or dragon-like
creatures. They are thought to serve
philosophers, though they’re not overly anxious to perform such a role. The females among the salamanders are rarely
seen, but said to be more beautiful than any of other elementals, as they are
comprised of the purest element. Not only
are they made up of the purest element, but de Villars explains that they are, “composed
of the most subtle particles of the sphere of fire, conglobated and organized
by the action of the Universal Fire, so called because it is the principle of
all the motions of nature (Melton, ed., 2001).” Paracelsus speculated that
salamanders often appear as small balls or tongues of flame, or a glowing orb
over water.
They are thought to be extremely intelligent, having created
an advanced society with laws that are just and admirable. Although they live long lives by human
standards they are still mortal, and many worship the one Supreme Being with
zeal, though have no hope of joining him.
Because they reside in, and are made of, the most pure element of flame,
salamanders are thought to be influential to those of an optimistic nature –
negativity having been burned away presumably.
It is thought that the presence of salamanders may cause
unexplained eruption of fires, or with people developing a sudden obsession
with fire. Page reports that there have been reports of objects such as
furniture suddenly catching fire as well as people witnessing fireballs,
self-reflecting orbs of light and tongues of flame. [The phenomena does not include spontaneous
human combustion which has been linked to alcohol usage and a high body-fat
content, actually being a slow and apparently natural chemical process having
nothing of the spontaneous about it.] (Page, 2011)
Folklore
According to folklore, all elementals are mortal, and the only path to immortality is to mate with a human. The children born of such a union are thought to be far nobler than any human child could ever be. Many of the greatest minds of antiquity have been declared offspring of such unions, including such auspicious characters as Zoroaster, Alexander, Hercules and Merlin. Not all experts agreed on the role of elementals. Some believed that with their pure natures that they should be considered one step below angels. Still others believed that elementals should be categorized as demons, especially those elementals that were of lower morality. The occultist A.E. theorized that the angels evoked by mediaeval magicians as well as demons that were called during witchcraft sabots to be higher or lower elementals. Others have suggested that the domestic spirits of folklore to be subjugated elemental spirits. Spiritualists have suggested that mischievous spirits that manifest at séances may also be elementals having a bit of fun with their human audience.
During the middle Ages evoking or exorcising elementals was a
topic of interest. It was believed that
crystals could be used to call elementals.
To exercise an elemental one must resort to considering their elementary
makeup. To exercise an Earth Element or
gnome it was believed necessary to breathe, sprinkle water, burn incense and
say a specific prayer to the creatures of the earth. Air spirits were expelled by breathing to the
four cardinal points of the earth, and again reciting prayers to the
sylphs. To rid oneself of a fire element
one had to burn sulphur, salt, incense, camphor and white resin on an open
flame. For water a laying on of hands,
repeating formulas, mixing salt and ashes of incense as well as other
ceremonious rituals had to be performed.
During all occasions a special consecration to all of the four elements
was thought important.
Elementals can only reside in their own element thus a sylph
cannot reside on the earth or a gnome in the water. Each elemental tribe was said to have been
assigned a supreme ruler. Djin for the salamanders, the ruler of fire, Necksa
for the nymphs, Paralda for the sylphs and Gob of the gnomes. [On a personal observation, notice the similarity
between the titles. Djin is the name of the king of the Salamanders, while the
Islamic Qur’an speaks of demons by the name of the djinn or jinn.] Each is said to rule at the cardinal point
of the compass, where their particular kingdom exists: gnomes to the north,
salamanders the south, undines to the west and sylphs to the east.
How to Deal with Elementals
Indeed, respect appears to be a key component in dealing
with elementary spirits. Older cultures
had a natural respect for nature and would often request boons from nature
spirits. With the advance of
monotheistic religions praying to nature spirits fell strictly out of
favor. Modern science undoubtedly sounded the death
knoll to notions considered superstitious and thus antiquated. But ancient
cultures understood the notion of asking and not demanding. They understood the
idea that just because something isn’t seen or understood doesn’t mean it
doesn’t exist. And that perhaps we
humans don’t know everything about the universe just yet.
Resources
Cockren. A.
“Paracelsus.” From Alchemy
Recovered and Restored. Alchemy Lab Retrieved August 24, 2014 from
http://www.alchemylab.com/paracelsus.htm
Ghost Hunters Incorporated (2014). “Elementals and Nature Spirits.” Retrieved August 24, 2014 from http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeuc2lt/ghosthuntersincorporated2/id32.html
Melton, G. J. editor (2001) Encyclopedia of Occultism and
Parapsychology 5th edition. Vol. 1. Pages 490-491. Gale Group. Farmington
Hills, MI.
Page, Debra (2011). “Elemental Haunting: An Overview for the
Paranormal Researcher.” Pacific Paranormal. Retrieved August 24, 2014 from http://www.pacificparanormal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62:elemental-hauntings-an-overview&catid=34:academic-articles&Itemid=54
S. Scott (2012) The Difference Between Ghosts and Nature
Spirits.Fringe Paranormal Research Guide: Part III Nature Spirits and Fairies.
Retrieved August 24, 2014 from http://fringeparanormal.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/fringe-paranormal-research-guide-part-iii-nature-spirits-and-fairies/
Schumacher, Mark (2013). Japanese
Buddhist Statuary A to Z Photo Dictionary. “Shintō Deities (Kami), Supernatural
Animals, Creatures, and Shape Shifters.” Retrieved September 9, 2
