Base Elements: Aether/Quintessence

Aether or quintessence goes by many names such as spirit, soul or void, so for simplicity we will call it the fifth element.

In Sanskrit the fifth element is akasha, which means space. A misconception is that this meant empty space, but in actuality, the Hindus are referring to the essence of all living things and the energy that resides in all places and all planes of existence.

In Greek mythology the fifth element was considered to be pure essence and was breathed by the gods, as opposed to the air we breathe as humans on earth.

To the Platonist it was the fifth element that formed the sky and the heavenly bodies.

Paracelsus, famous alchemist and father of toxicology, saw the fifth element as the substance of stars and souls.

To the alchemist, the fifth element represents transmutation and divine intervention. The fifth element in alchemy is the bridge between the material world and the realm of the spiritual, allowing us to shine like gold through the purification of the soul.

The fifth element in this regard has within itself all of the other elements and therefore lives in all things material and spiritual. It is said that the fifth element is the sound and vibration released by God during the creation of the universe when the words “let there be light” left the Creator’s lips.

The goal of the alchemist is to dig into his or herself in search of this divine spark, to harness that spark and share its light and beauty with the rest of the world, becoming master of their own universe.