| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anthem by Ayn Rand: give us our life Mandates which tell those
who reach their fifteenth year what their
work is to be for the rest of their days.
The Council of Vocations came on the first day
of spring, and they sat in the great hall.
And we who were fifteen and all the
Teachers came into the great hall.
And the Council of Vocations sat on a high dais,
and they had but two words to speak to each
of the Students. They called the Students' names,
and when the Students stepped before them,
Anthem |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Theaetetus by Plato: point of view that we propose to consider them.
The simplest sensation involves an unconscious or nascent operation of the
mind; it implies objects of sense, and objects of sense have differences of
form, number, colour. But the conception of an object without us, or the
power of discriminating numbers, forms, colours, is not given by the sense,
but by the mind. A mere sensation does not attain to distinctness: it is
a confused impression, sugkechumenon ti, as Plato says (Republic), until
number introduces light and order into the confusion. At what point
confusion becomes distinctness is a question of degree which cannot be
precisely determined. The distant object, the undefined notion, come out
into relief as we approach them or attend to them. Or we may assist the
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tanach: Hosea 11: 3 And I, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hosea 11: 4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I fed them gently.
Hosea 11: 5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
Hosea 11: 6 And the sword shall fall upon his cities, and shall consume his bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
Hosea 11: 7 And My people are in suspense about returning to Me; and though they call them upwards, none at all will lift himself up.
Hosea 11: 8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I surrender thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within Me, My compassions are kindled together.
Hosea 11: 9 I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not come in fury.
Hosea 11: 10 They shall walk after the LORD, who shall roar like a lion; for He shall roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.
Hosea 11: 11 They shall come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will make them to dwell in their houses, saith the LORD.
Hosea 11: 12 (12:1) Ephraim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah is yet wayward towards God, and towards the Holy One who is faithful.
The Tanach |
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 King James Bible: disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
ACT 9:30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to
Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
ACT 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee
and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and
in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
ACT 9:32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters,
he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
ACT 9:33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept
his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
ACT 9:34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee
King James Bible |
