| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Schoolmistress and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov: beefy face, exhausted by sleepless nights and the jolting of the
train, wore a look of tenderness and of the deepest sadness, as
though in that girl he saw happiness, his own youth, soberness,
purity, wife, children; as though he were repenting and feeling
in his whole being that that girl was not his, and that for him,
with his premature old age, his uncouthness, and his beefy face,
the ordinary happiness of a man and a passenger was as far away
as heaven. . . .
The third bell rang, the whistles sounded, and the train slowly
moved off. First the guard, the station-master, then the garden,
the beautiful girl with her exquisitely sly smile, passed before
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: deep sleep fell upon his eyelids, a sound sleep, very
sweet, and next akin to death. And even as on a plain a
yoke of four stallions comes springing all together beneath
the lash, leaping high and speedily accomplishing the way,
so leaped the stern of that ship, and the dark wave of the
sounding sea rushed mightily in the wake, and she ran ever
surely on her way, nor could a circling hawk keep pace with
her, of winged things the swiftest. Even thus she lightly
sped and cleft the waves of the sea, bearing a man whose
counsel was as the counsel of the gods, one that erewhile
had suffered much sorrow of heart, in passing through the
The Odyssey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: thee--
Egmont. No more of this. Man imagines that he directs his life, that he
governs his actions, when in fact his existence is irresistibly controlled by
his destiny. Let us not dwell upon this subject; these reflections I can
dismiss with ease--not so my apprehensions for these provinces; yet they
too will be cared for. Could my blood flow for many, bring peace to my
people, how freely should it flow! Alas! This may not be. Yet it ill
becomes a man idly to speculate, when the power to act is no longer his. If
thou canst restrain or guide the fatal power of thy father; do so. Alas, who
can? --Farewell!
Ferdinand. I cannot leave thee.
Egmont |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: hand, those who serve Mammon have power, favor, honor, possessions, and
every comfort in the eyes of the world. For this reason, these words
must be grasped as being directed against such appearances; and we must
consider that they do not lie or deceive, but must come true.
Reflect for yourself or make inquiry and tell me: Those who have
employed all their care and diligence to accumulate great possessions
and wealth, what have they finally attained? You will find that they
have wasted their toil and labor, or even though they have amassed
great treasures, they have been dispersed and scattered, so that the
themselves have never found happiness in their wealth, and afterwards
never reached the third generation. Instances of this you will find a
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