Calling The Four Quarters: Why Are Spirits Assigned A Direction Of The Compass?

Many magical traditions assign a corresponding compass direction to each deity, evoking or invoking its corresponding element:

Earth - North
Air - East
Fire - South
Water - West

These directions may vary by tradition and many feel called to adjust them based upon local geography.

Why are demons and deitys assigned a direction of the compass corresponding to the four quarters of the earth?

4 Likes

I asked more or less the same question some time ago and received zero replies.
The way I go about it now, is to face the direction where their degree of the Zodiac is at that time. It may not be the ‘right’ way to do it, but to me it at least feels like it’s based on something.

A long time ago I did a couple of workings with Bael, and always just faced East, regardless of the time.
But currently I am only working with the Spirits who are connected to my time of birth and (like I said above) I just face the direction ‘they are’ at that time.

Edit: and than you also know their Elemental quality

3 Likes

Do you know specifically why each demon is assigned a direction of the compass?

For example Asmodeus direction is east and he is assigned the element of air. Why is he assigned the direction of east?

1 Like

I don’t know anything about this, it is only speculation. But Asmoday is assigned to Aquarius, which is an Air sign, and Air is attributed to the East. It could be as simple as that.

Over here, Aquarius currently is in the North-West. So if I would want to follow my method, but also wanted to incorporate the ‘official’ attributions, I would wait until Aquarius is on the Ascendant again.

But as I said before, I don’t know.

2 Likes

Why use compass points goes to the relationship of the magician to earth, as more than just a random ball of mud spinning through vacuum…

Why they get allocated those specifics is not as interesting in my opinion, because the shamanic system allocates Fire to East, Water = South, Earth = West, and Air = North, and that system works if you work it, and then other systems use other different correspondences.

6 Likes

The directions are in part assigned and created because of the planets and constellations and there symbols and elements where than assigned each deity. That gives me a little more insight and closer to an answer. Thanks.

3 Likes

I found this article an interesting read an only one of a thousand interpretations. It’s copyrighted so I will just post the public link.

https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/archaeology-and-history/symbolism-four-cardinal-directions

2 Likes

Not absolutely on topic but regarding the directions on the compass:

When the Sun or Moon are in the North, they are beneath the Earth and therefor Earth is between you and the Sun or Moon.

So North is Earth.

When the Sun or Moon is in the South, it is at it’s highest point and the temperature is also the highest.

So South is Fire.

When the Sun is in the East he is rising, when the Moon is in the East she is declining (waning).

So the masculine energy is advancing while the feminine is retreating.

When the Sun is in the West he is setting, when the Moon is in the West she is rising (waxing).

So the masculine energy is retreating and the feminine is advancing.

Therefor it seems logical that East and South are male, and West and North female.

1 Like

Nice work and interesting many thanks.

1 Like

Great link! Thanks.