I have chosen to focus my project on the elements as I am interested in their necessity but also the beauty they can create in everyday life. Although my project mainly focuses on the physical aspects of the elements, I found when researching that they have been used throughout history as symbolism.
The elements were first identified as being essential to life by the Greek philosopher Empedocles who suggested that all matter is made up of four "roots." Fire and air being outward and upwardly reaching whereas water and earth reaching inwardly. The four elements are evident in many everyday aspects of life, including the human organism - the equilibrium of the four elements is essential for health in the human body. However, this is argued to not only be about the physical balance but also have a spiritual equilibrium. Each element is linked to having both positive and negative qualities linked to it. For example, fire is associated to courage but also to violence, water to understanding but also to laziness. Air is associated with kind heartedness but also to dishonesty and earth to respectfulness but also to irregularity. It is suggested that everyone has free choice and how to use the power of the elements but that we must consciously develop the positive qualities in our personality.
The four elements are believed to rule the 12 zodiac signs and it is the elemental properties within these that are associated with behavioural attributes and personalities of individuals. Astrology suggests that the four elements all come from nature and by connecting them and understanding their presence within us, we can become aware of our connection with nature. Each element has three zodiac signs associated with it:
The elements were first identified as being essential to life by the Greek philosopher Empedocles who suggested that all matter is made up of four "roots." Fire and air being outward and upwardly reaching whereas water and earth reaching inwardly. The four elements are evident in many everyday aspects of life, including the human organism - the equilibrium of the four elements is essential for health in the human body. However, this is argued to not only be about the physical balance but also have a spiritual equilibrium. Each element is linked to having both positive and negative qualities linked to it. For example, fire is associated to courage but also to violence, water to understanding but also to laziness. Air is associated with kind heartedness but also to dishonesty and earth to respectfulness but also to irregularity. It is suggested that everyone has free choice and how to use the power of the elements but that we must consciously develop the positive qualities in our personality.
The four elements are believed to rule the 12 zodiac signs and it is the elemental properties within these that are associated with behavioural attributes and personalities of individuals. Astrology suggests that the four elements all come from nature and by connecting them and understanding their presence within us, we can become aware of our connection with nature. Each element has three zodiac signs associated with it:
- Fire signs - aries, sagittarius and leo - Fire signs express the energising life principle through enthusiasm, faith and encouragement. It symbolising freedom, energy and love and can give warmth and enable life but also burn and destroy.
- Earth - capricorn, virgo and taurus - Earth signs feel at harmony with the physical forms of the world and have a practical ability to utilise and improve the material world. It symbolises fertility, security and wisdom.
- Water - aquarius, libra and gemini - Water signs symbolise the healing principle of sensitivity through having empathy for others. It symbolises death but also rebirth, purification, devotion and stability.
- Air - pisces, scorpio and cancer - Air signs are associated with the mind's sensation and expression, especially related to a person's interactions and ideas. It symbolises communication, intelligence, imagination and creativity.
My research into the four elements shows the detailed symbolism that each of the element has for various groups in society. I have therefore chosen to do my project of them as I am interested in photographing both the simplicity of the elements but also in showing the symbolic sign of them.
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