| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rig Veda: 3 Unharmed, best Cheerer, thou, O Indu, flowest on: thou, even
thou
thyself, art Indra's noblest food.
Full many a wise man lifts to thee the song of praise, and
hails thee
with a kiss as Sovran of this world.
4 Wondrous, with hundred streams, hymned in a thousand songs,
Indu
pours out for Indra his delightrul meath.
Winning us land and waters, flow thou hitherward: Rainer of
bounties,
The Rig Veda |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lamentable Tragedy of Locrine and Mucedorus by William Shakespeare: MOUSE.
What, do you use to kill your friends?
I will serve you no longer.
SEGASTO.
I tell thee, the shepherd killed him.
MOUSE.
O, did a so? but, master, I will have all his
apparel if I carry him away.
SEGASTO.
Why, so thou shalt.
MOUSE.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Aspern Papers by Henry James: if I were to be obliged to choose, the papers are what I
should prefer. Ah, but ever so much!"
"How can you choose--how can you choose?" Miss Tita
asked, slowly, lamentably.
"I see! Of course there is nothing to be said, if you regard
the interdiction that rests upon you as quite insurmountable.
In this case it must seem to you that to part with them would
be an impiety of the worst kind, a simple sacrilege!"
Miss Tita shook her head, full of her dolefulness. "You would understand
if you had known her. I'm afraid," she quavered suddenly--"I'm afraid!
She was terrible when she was angry."
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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 A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain: merchants, brokers, cooks, housemaids, scullery-maids, doubtful
women, dudes, gamblers, beggars, loafers, tramps, American ladies,
gentlemen, preachers, English ladies, gentlemen, preachers, German
ditto, French ditto, and so on and so on, all the world
represented: Spaniards to admire and praise, foreigners to enjoy
and go home and find fault - there they were, one solid, sloping,
circling sweep of rippling and flashing color under the downpour of
the summer sun - just a garden, a gaudy, gorgeous flower-garden!
Children munching oranges, six thousand fans fluttering and
glimmering, everybody happy, everybody chatting gayly with their
intimates, lovely girl-faces smiling recognition and salutation to
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