>re:
> Let me explain for northern hemisphere readers: The traditional (northern
> hemisphere) attributions of the elements to the cardinal points are well
> known: Earth = North, Air = East, Fire = South, Water = West. These
> elemental attributions are based on the movement of the sun through the
> northern hemisphere sky......

 

 

traditional in some groups only- i have worked with, and witnessed groups in the UK who swap fire for air, and some groups for whom, without recourse to a compass simply say that "forward" is to be considered as East, and work from there

 

i have heard something about the trad directions, but have not yet been able to verify this academically:  Gerald Gardner imposed them on Wicca, having got them from Free! masonry, but his lowly level of Masonic initiation was such that he had not been given the totally correct compass-element attributions by the Masons (part of their 'large secret, slowly revealed' angle) by the time he left them and went on to be a Witch.

 

 

dave e