| One of the basic principles that any apprentice | | | | processes. If you have either too little or too |
| magician or shaman learns is that almost | | | | much White in your elemental balance, you won't |
| everything in this Universe is made up of some | | | | be able to think, learn or recall well. If you have |
| combination of the four magical elements: Air, | | | | difficulty in any of these areas (or if you really |
| Fire, Water and Earth. The premise is that if you | | | | need to cram for a test and can't seem to |
| can understand the four elements directly, then | | | | study), check how much White is in your |
| you can understand anything in the Universe. | | | | environment and in your clothing. If you see a lot |
| The apprentice also learns that everything that is | | | | of White, change your clothes or change your |
| physical and manifest started out as a mere | | | | location. Move to an area with more Sky Blue. If |
| thought in someone's mind--or, in this case, as the | | | | you are surrounded by very little White, put on |
| element Air. Air is at the beginning of all creation, | | | | some White clothes or move into a room that |
| so if you want to create anything, you have to | | | | has White walls. Either way, you should notice a |
| start with Air. Air is associated with the East and | | | | shift in the speed and clarity of your mental |
| also with elemental beings called sylphs. The | | | | processes! |
| element Air governs: | | | | More About Sylphs |
| ... seeing, breathing, speaking, hearing, planning, | | | | While it's true that almost everything in this |
| thinking, believing, memorizing, communicating, | | | | Universe is made up of the four elements, |
| learning, teaching, information, ideas, wisdom, | | | | elemental beings such as sylphs are the exception. |
| understanding, worry, sensation, awareness, | | | | Elemental beings are wholly composed of a single |
| opinions, data, memory, mind ... | | | | element, so sylphs are wholly composed of Air. |
| What does this mean to you? It means that if | | | | Sylphs are friendly beings, about 3 to 18 inches |
| you want to affect any of these areas in your | | | | long that are twisty in shape. They love to play in |
| life, you need to work with the element Air. Air is | | | | cigarette smoke or in dust devils. You might |
| the perfect place for a beginning magician to start | | | | sometimes feel a sylph as a light brush against |
| learning. As an element, Air is powerful, but not | | | | your face. They are fun to be around and also |
| dangerous. There are three colors associated with | | | | make excellent messengers and sources of |
| Air: | | | | information. When we were traveling through |
| Clear: breathing, physical reactions, physical | | | | Yellowstone during the fires, we used sylphs to |
| sensations, seeing | | | | help us find safe routes through the park. |
| White: mental processes, thinking, planning, | | | | To communicate with sylphs, just ask for one |
| communicating | | | | silently, in your mind. Sylphs have short attention |
| Sky Blue: spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, | | | | spans so it's best to communicate with your mind |
| understanding | | | | because the spoken word is too slow. Ask for |
| So how can you use Air to affect and improve | | | | what you need and then send them on their way |
| your daily life? Here's a simple way to begin. | | | | (always thanking them in advance, of course). |
| Through experience and observation, we know | | | | Don't be surprised when the sylph returns in short |
| that the color White affects the mental | | | | order with the answer you need! |