Fire

The basic alchemical symbol for Fire is an upward triangle, and it is the opposite of the Water symbol. It is considered to be more male/masculine in nature, representing light and in the physical plane, the flame or the sun. It is recognised as the first element, relating to being the first element to be born when the universe was created.

The further properties assigned by Plato are warmth/heat and dryness. Emotions associated with it are the fiery ones, such as passion, love, anger, hate, etc.

Fire corresponds to the direction of South, however this is generally assigned to the Northern Hemisphere, as that is the direction of the sun, so in the Southern Hemisphere it would be North. Its correlating season would be Summer, and colours associated with Fire are red and orange. In astrology the Fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.

Fire has purifying and transformational qualities, and as such, is a key component in many indigenous and religious ceremonies. While it enables life and gives warmth, it can also burn and destroy.

This element symbolizes passion, freedom, energy, power, activity, creativity, vision, love, strength, anger, will, courage, dynamism and assertiveness.