Elements

Most mythologies order the structure of the world according to a set of elements. While the number of elements varies, most mythologies identify four or five of them.

Element Sets

 * Babylonian mythology
 * Earth, Sea, Sky, Wind
 * Buddhist mythology: Catudhatu, "four elements"
 * Air, Earth, Fire, Water
 * Greek mythology
 * Aether, Air, Earth, Fire, Water
 * Hindu mythology: Pancha Mahabhuta, “five great elements”
 * Aether/Void, Air/Wind, Earth, Fire, Water
 * Japanese mythology: 五大 (go dai, "five great")
 * Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Atmos
 * Tibetan mythology
 * Air, Earth, Fire, Space, Water

In the West, sometimes perceived as the mysterious "fifth element" that relates to the soul.

 * the substance that fills the heavens (Greek).
 * the source of everything in the universe, including the other elements; related to sound (Hindu).

Air/Sky

 * Associated with spring and the northern compass direction (Greek) or the northwestern compass direction (Hindu).
 * Representative of things that move.
 * According to Aristotle, primarily hot and secondarily wet.

Earth

 * Associated with communication, business, practical matters, fall, and the southern compass direction (Greek) or the southwestern compass direction (Hindu).
 * Representative of things that are solid or things that grow.
 * According to Aristotle, primarily dry and secondarily cold.

Fire

 * Associated with energy, passion, summer, the eastern compass point (Greek), or the southeastern compass direction (Hindu).
 * Representative of things that are hot or things that destroy.
 * According to Aristotle, primarily hot and secondarily dry.

Metal

 * Associated with inward motion, persistence, determination, ambition, the west, autumn, and Venus.

Void

 * Representative of things that are not normally encountered in everyday life.

Water/Sea

 * Associated with emotion, intuition, imagination, wisdom, winter, the planet Mercury, the western compass direction (Greek) or the northeastern compass direction (Hindu).
 * Representative of liquid things or cold things.
 * According to Aristotle, primarily cold and secondarily wet.

Wood

 * Associated with anger, patience, spring, the east, Jupiter, green, and wind.

the Four Humours

 * Four "elements" of the body; excess or absence of a humour was considered the cause of disease.
 * Yellow bile (fire)


 * Black bile (earth)


 * Blood (air)


 * Phlegm (water)

the Seven Chakras

 * Seven "energy centers" or "wheels" located on the spiritual body.
 * Sahasrara (Crown): Thought/Space
 * Ajña (Third Eye): Light/Dark
 * Vishuddhi (Throat): Ether/Sound
 * Anahata (Heart): Air
 * Manipura (Navel): Fire
 * Svadhisthana (Sacral): Water
 * Muladhara (Root): Earth