The Elements As An Archetype Of Transformation:

Earth Water Air FireAn Exploration of

by Seth T. MillerMaster’s Thesis DefenseJFK Univeristy, 4/26/09

Summary Conclusions• The elemental cycle provides a way of

understanding and effectively working with transformation

• It is a qualitative language• It structures consciousness• It builds capacities (soul-organs)

– Imagination (‘with’), Inspiration (‘through’), Intuition (‘within’)

• It is both a content and a method• It works because it is archetypal in nature

How about an experience?

• 1. Examine the ‘image’ and ask yourself, “What is this an image of?”

• 2. Pay attention to your consciousness:– Content of thoughts– Emotions– Changing qualities of consciousness– Insights, Revelations

• 3. Do NOT communicate to others what you see – let them have their own experience.

What I “did”

• Explore the elements using a Goethean-style phenomenology

• Examine the elements in the physical world• Examine them as signs, ciphers, symbols, and as

archetypes• Repeatedly apply understanding to new phenomena,

let phenomena guide my experience• Enlist others to ‘try out’ the elemental cycle and give

a report of experiences• Examine potential breadth and depth

Some processes at work:

• Direct sensory observation• Awareness of feelings• Thinking• Discussion, Interviews• Thinking backwards• Meditation• Silence and sleep

Method: Goethean PhenomenologyGoethean Newtonian

Exploratory experimentation Theory-basedProcess FactsQualitative QuantitativeExperiments and concepts evolve together Experiments designed to test previously formulated theories

Many slightly different experiments are performed with the idea of bringing to light connections between all the different manifestations of a phenomenon

“Experimentum Crucis” – a single, definitive experiment “worth 1000 others” that clearly supports one theory over another

Experiments can only be understood in the context of all the others

Isolated experiments make sense

Look at relations “Prove” a single factMake sense of the whole (holism) Make sense of individual pieces (reductionism)Look for primary, “Ur-phenomenon” (the archetype) and associated necessary conditions

Everything rests upon a single, often minutely structured phenomenon taken out of the larger context

All other phenomena follow from the primary phenomenon, through a process of complexification and the addition of new conditions (facts ‘fall out’ of the context)

Experiments are used to “plug holes” in existing theory, not to explain related phenomena (the context is created from the facts as necessary)

Good for situations with little previous conceptual framework (metaphor: site-assessment)

Good for situations where there is a lot of prior theory that is already accepted (metaphor: brick-laying)

Includes the observer as a necessarily important part of the whole phenomenon (the subject is included)

Abstracts the observer from the phenomenon in order to isolate as many variables as possible (the object is primary)

Insights reflect inner activity Insights reflect outer activityAnswers generate questions Questions generate answersSynthetic Analytic

Empirical Theory Building

Goethean Phenomenology

Earth Qualities: Physical• Definite• Shaped/formed• Located/positioned• Rigid• Solid• Static• Resistant to change• Inertial• Structured• All surface• Difference/uniqueness• Indifference to other elements• Gravity• Binary• Fundamentalist• Centric

Water Qualities : Physical

• Self-connection• Self-continuity• Conforming• Covering• Penetrating• Planar/Spreading• Formless• Relation• Cohesion• Adhesion• Fluid/Flowing

•Changeable/Changing•Selfless/Dependent•Accommodating•Rhythmic•Wave forms•Formative forces/forming•Mixing•Dissolving•Balancing•Relational•Mediating

Air Qualities : Physical

• All-encompassing• Invisible• Intangible• Clarity• Selfless/Independent• Levity• Dispersing• Peripheral• Complementing• Self-dissociation• Diffusion/Expansive• Random/probabilistic• Borderless

•Polarity (opposite, complement, reciprocal)•Formlessness•Chaotic/turbulent•Sensitive•Vortexial•Internal layering/boundaries•Speed•Reversing•Selfish•Sounding•Communicative•Either/or

Fire Qualities : Physical• Warmth• Unlimited• Boundaryless• Radiation/light• Active/activity• Dynamism• Affects change• Omnipresent• Creative• Transformative• Both/and• Greater context• Whole• Integration

Qualities and Descriptors, one transforming from left to right:

EARTH WATER AIR FIREFacts Relations Polarities WholesSolid Liquid Gaseous PlasmicOpposing Complementing Reciprocating EnantiodromiatingGravity Movement Levity SpaceImpacting Pulsing Turbulent ResonatingBeing Shifting Involuting CreatingSingularities Comparisons Simultaneities ParadoxesIsolated Connected Interpenetrating UnitiveSelf-contained Contextual Unbounded IntegralUncompromising Compromising Indefinite FacilitatingStubborn Conforming Waffling BeingUnchanging Changing Chaotic EvolvingApparent Subtle Hermetic EsotericDivisitory Connecting Hyperbolizing HarmonizingActual Relational Potential CapacitySeparating Joining Complementing CommuningObjects Processes Inversions HolonsDistinguishing Relating Reversing UnifyingContrasting Comparing Polarizing GestaltingStill Flowing Involuting ExplodingWaiting Emerging Reversing Completing

EARTH WATER AIR FIREIdentifying Trying Waiting (Consciously) Surrendering

Analyzing Processing Brainstorming Creating

Reserved Polite Gregarious Luminous

Informative Orienting Expanding Transformative

Structural Fluid Inverting Dynamic

Instincts Urges Desires Motives

Material Growth/Decay Sympathies/Antipathies Self

Separate Mixed Layered Holographic

Solitary Independence Dependence Mutual independence Omni-dependence

Dogmatic Flexible Mutually accommodating Mutually Supportive

Antipathetic Sympathetic Empathetic Compassionate

Knowing Understanding Wondering Meditating

Obvious Contextual Subtle Insightful

Static Penetrating Interpenetrating Omnipresent

Thinking Imagining Inspiring Intuiting

Instantaneous Sequenced Simultaneous Timeless

Individuated Patterned, Rhythmic Random, Probabilistic Archetypal

Known Felt Unknown Intuited

Just Me Me and You You? Me? We

Speaking Tolerating Listening Acting

Just this This next to that Either this or that Both this and that

Maintaining Balancing, Mediating Extremizing Evolving

Having been formed In the process of forming Loss of all form The activity that does the forming

The Elemental Mandala

Self-embeddedness - Fractality

Another Language:

Earth Facts

Water Process

Air Polarity

Fire Whole

The Physical Universe

• The Physical Earth (Large Scale)– E: Lithosphere– W: Hydrosphere– A: Atmosphere– F: Ionosphere/Plasmasphere/

Magnetosphere

• Radioactive Decay (Quantum Scale)– E: Original element– W: Inner relationships undergo a change (process of decay)– A: Emission of various kinds of particles results in a reversal into a new

form– F: Wholly new properties of the new element manifest, both inside

and outside

• The Life Cycle of a Star– E: Gas condensation (birth)– W: Burning (life)– A: Nova, Supernova, etc. (death)– F: Nebula, galactic seeding and

new star formation (re-birth)

The Physical Human• Human Body (Large Scale)

– E: Skeletal-Muscular– W: Blood, Lymph, CSF, Enzymes, Secretions– A: O2, CO2, N2, H+

– F: Warmth

• Protein Folding (Small Scale)– E: Primary Formation – String of amino acids– W: Secondary Formation – neighbor to neighbor bonding (alpha

helices and beta-pleated sheets)– A: Tertiary Formation – Hydrophilic (polar – moves to outside) and

Hydrophobic (non-polar – moves to inside)– F: Quaternary Formation – requires multiple proteins, the whole

working together

The Non-Physical Human

• Holistic Organization– E: Physical– W: Life-body (etheric)– A: Sense-body (astral)– F: I-being

• Modes of Cognition– E: Object cognition– W: Imaginative cognition– A: Inspirative cognition– F: Intuitive cognition

Human Experiences• The Hero’s Journey (Campbell)

– E: The Call to adventure– W: The Descent into the abyss– A: Encounter with the Shadow– F: The Return, integration with the Self

• Music– E: Rhythm– W: Melody– A: Harmony– F: The whole piece

• Jungian Types– E: Sensate– W: Feeling– A: Thinking– F: Intuitive

• Dreams (Jung)– E: Stage/mood/context– W: Build up (plot)– A: Climax/encounter– F: Resolution

Others

• “Four gifts of knowing” (de Quincey)– E: Scientist’s gift of the senses– W: Shaman’s gift of feeling– A: Philosopher’s gift of reason– F: Mystic’s gift of sacred silence

• Light– E: Particle-nature– W: Wave-nature– A: Particle/Wave-nature– F: Light itself

• Alchemical Form– E: Wrought Work– W: Ongoing Work– A: Revelation– F: Being

• Temperaments– E: Melancholic– W: Phlegmatic– A: Sanguine– F: Choleric

Many RelationsElement: Earth Water Air Fire

Kingdom: Mineral Plant Animal Human

Symmetry: 3-fold Radial (2-fold) Bi-Lateral (1-fold)Towards

AsymmetryOuter Degrees of

Constraint/Freedom:3/0 2/1 1/2 0/3

“Outer” Geometric Entity:

Point Line Plane Sphere

Outer Movement:Point-like

(No self-motion)Line-like

(Above-Below)Plane-like

(Circle, Spiral)Sphere-like

(Unrestricted)

Derivative (with respect to Time):

0th – Position(No Change)

1st – Velocity (Change)2nd – Acceleration (Change

of a Change)

3rd – Control/Jerk (Change of a Change of a

Change)Inner Degrees of

Restraint/Freedom:0/3 1/2 2/1 3/0

“Inner” Geometric Entity: Sphere Plane Line Point

Inner Movement (Will): Completely UnrestrictedShared Etheric across

SurfaceLinear

(Sympathy-Antipathy)One-Pointedness

Human Consciousness: Completely Dull, SimpleDreamless

SleepDreaming

SleepDay-Waking

ConsciousnessOntological Aspect: Physical Etheric Astral Ego

Capacity: Persistence Growth Desire Control

Science: Material SciencesBiology

(Life-ology)Psychology (Soul-ology)

SpiritualScience

Experiences of Others

• “I have experimented with applying and integrating your ideas of the alchemical elements into my daily experience. I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised with the effectiveness and clarity that has arisen through the implementation of your ideas, as I understood them.”

“Survey” Results• Would use the elemental cycle again:

– lowest response was an 8, with one response indicating a 2-9 scale, depending upon the topic.

• Ease of application to chosen phenomenon:– lowest response again was an 8, while one responder

usefully pointed out that “I find it is less a matter of the mandala and more about my time/patience”.

• Usefulness of the elemental cycle in helping you understand and work with your chosen phenomenon:– lowest response was a 9.

“Fire” Experiences• “I have had a few fire experiences. I think the

most clear was in meditating. I simply was working on a meditation exercise. After a few months of working on it, and going through some hard parts where I felt like giving up - one day I just understood - I had been doing the mandala. It was a deep knowing about something which had eluded my consciousness for months. The total lack of expectation of any answer on my part I feel was what lead to the clarity of the insight.”

Weaknesses

• Schematic in nature• Easy to use superficially (classification), hard to

use deeply (as a language of communication with the interiority of the world)

• Requires the consistent fire of our conscious attention (rhythmic will impulse)

• Subtle

Strengths

• Subtle• Fourfold division provides balance between

overgeneralization and overspecificity– Holistic but yeilding very specific detail

• Guide for consciousness• Self-regulatory• Hygienic• Fractal (effective at any scale)

Potentially Fruitful Areas of Application

• Dealing with new or complex experiences and phenomena

• Studies of the depth of the physical world• Communication/Dialogue

– Business organizations/relations– Personal relationships– Self-relationship

• Therapy/Life-coaching• Self-transformation, spiritual development

Elemental Questions – Earth:• Earth • – What are the facts? • – What is different? • – What is unique? • – What could everyone else agree upon? • – What stands out? • – What seems constant? • – What can I count on? • – What is irrefutable? • – What are the pieces? • – What categories do the pieces fit into? • – What feels like a heavy weight, like a solid stone, or like gravity

with respect to this phenomenon?

Elemental Questions – Water:• Water• – What is changing? • – Do any of the facts connect to each other? • – Do the facts manifest in a sequence? • – Are there different parts or areas which are self-similar? • – What is the immediate context of the facts? • – What patterns do I notice? • – Are there any rhythms or cycles? • – What are the processes that give rise to the individual facts? • – Is there a specific context that makes the phenomenon more apparent

or realized? • – How is one aspect turning into another, seemingly different aspect? • – What about my phenomenon makes me feel like I am floating along,

caught in the waves, drowning, or repeating the same thing over and over?

Elemental Questions – Air:• Air• – What is reversing? • – Where do I go if I extrapolate the movements I identified in the Water

level to their extremes? • – What is the overall range of manifestation of the major aspects of the

phenomenon? • – That is, what are its limits? • – Where does the phenomenon seem to ‘run out’ or dissolve? • – What parts do I seem to be unable to focus or concentrate upon? • – If I could imagine the opposite of one part or the whole phenomenon,

what would it be? • – How would I feel if this actually happened? • – What about this phenomenon makes me feel like I am losing my

moorings completely, like my knowing runs out, like there is no truth, or like every part is equally important or unimportant?

Elemental Questions – Fire:• Fire• – What is the whole? • – What lies within or behind the phenomenon that allows the seemingly

conflicting aspects of the Air level to coexist in a harmony, in a way that is not mutually destructive, but rather is mutually enhancing?

• – Do I have a new insight that makes better sense of all the previous levels?

• – Is there some subtle aspect of the phenomenon that once seemed insignificant but now seems like the key to the whole thing?

• – Do I have the feeling of participating in something larger than myself? • – Do I suddenly notice how this phenomenon shows up in places I never

expected or noticed before? • – Do I have the experience that the phenomenon is speaking to me

through other, seemingly unrelated aspects of my life and experience? Do I feel transformed in some way?

Back to your experience…

• Earth: your initial impression, first meeting– Data, objective, unchanging, meaningless, disconnection, randomness

• Water: your ‘searching’ for the right image– Connecting, imagining, testing the feeling of rightness, discarding,

repeating

• Air: approaching the limit– Frustration, run out of knowing, many/no “right” answers

• Fire: discovery– Aha!, instantaneous, self-revealing

• Earth: afterwards– Persistence of the new fact, can’t not see it, familiarity

The End

www.spiritalchemy.comThesis available at: