The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life [Paperback]

Deborah Lipp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2004

Earth, Air, Fire, and Water - not only are these elements the building blocks of the universe, but also potent keys to heightened self-understanding. The Way of Four helps you determine which of the four elements are prominent and which are lacking in your world using a variety of custom-made quizzes. It includes a multitude of methods to incorporate and balance the elements in your environment, wardrobe, and even your perfume. This is a fun and valuable sourcebook for anyone seeking balance and beauty in a hectic world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What is the dominant element in your life—Earth, Air, Fire or Water? It matters, says Wiccan high priestess Lipp, because the dominant element affects "how you relate to the elements" and "your perceptions of the world"—and also has ramifications for work, love and other aspects of daily life. Lipp explores the meaning of the elements and offers easy-to-do quizzes, exercises and rituals to determine your dominant element and create the elemental balance needed for self-actualization. An Air personality, for instance, might have creative ideas, but needs some fire to be able to execute them. In Water people, on the other hand, emotions rule, and they can be "strikingly magical." Rituals involve chanting, visualization and the use of easy-to-find objects that represent the elements. Lipp also provides simple and practical tips on how to bring the elements into your daily life (adding pillows for Earth; put seashells in a vase for Water, etc.). For those with an interest in Wicca and the influence of nature on people’s personalities and lives, Lipp offers a pleasant and positive-toned handbook to achieving balance.
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Review

"Lipp offers a pleasant and positive-toned handbook to achieving balance."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (August 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738705411
• ISBN-13: 978-0738705415
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #720,683 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Create Balance With The Elements, September 12, 2004

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life (Paperback)

This book shows you how to create balance in your life using the four elements: air, fire, water, and earth. The author shows you how to experience and "feel" each element for yourself through guided meditations and conscious ritual. Also included in the book are a variety of cutom-made quizzes and checklists to help you determine which element/s are abundant or lacking in your life. Quizzes and checklists include What I Like About Myself and The Elements In Daily Life, where the reader assesses the elements in home, clothing, art, work, and so on.

Perhaps the neatest aspect to this book is that the author has amassed a comprehensive perfume/cologne database listing the primary elements for popular fragrances. (For example, Happy from Clinique is Water, while Tommy for men is primarily Air.)

I am not a Pagan or Wiccan (I'm a "New Ager"), so the "spells", rituals, and pagantalk were lost on me. Still, even those not of the Pagan traditions will find value in consciously learning how to promote balance in life. For example, I'm primarily Airy and knew this from both my astrological chart and from intuition. My weakest element, by far, is Earth. (This "air head" needs grounding sometimes!) So I appreciated the practical help this book affords so I can consciously add elements into my life to remind me of the need for balance.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go collect some rocks...

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, useful book, July 29, 2004

By 

Dehlia "Dehlia" (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life (Paperback)

Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. The author tells us that they are *everything* and she shows us how to take advantage of that knowledge.

I love the nature exercises and meditations, which seem deep and real. I love the quizzes, which are fun and informative. There's humor (like why each element gives flowers), there's practical tips (like home decorating for the elements) and there's magic.

Deborah Lipp's book The Elements of Ritual, was for Wiccans and was very structured. But The Way of Four is for everyone, really--Pagan, Wiccan, or New Age--and is very do-it-yourself.

Five stars.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the Elements for Themselves and Within, March 27, 2006

By 

Monarch (San Fran Bay area, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life (Paperback)

After reading this book I feel that I have a much firmer grasp on the concepts related to each element and their balance with each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the quizzes throughout to better understand how the elements are coming through me and my lifestyle. I found that to be most enlightening. The book was very well written, and has wonderful exercises for bringing any of the elements into your life more, as well as attuning with any of the elements.