Elemental Magick: Salamanders

Salamander Elemental (Photo credit: Pinterest)

The symbolism found within fire tends to focus on the sun and its life-giving properties. Many religions use a Sun God as the creator of life or the most powerful deity of their pantheon. One interesting thing I learned while researching the Fire element deals with the insight that Fire exists on and above the earth, which actually connects us to the God force in a close bond. As I mentioned yesterday, we have countless stories surrounding the fire element. It’s easily the most captivating element to our eyes.

A major symbolic figure for Fire is the salamander. The myth that salamanders are borne out of flames, or that they at least live in any fire, has persisted for numerous ages throughout history. The salamander actually got its name from the Greek word “salamandra,” which means fire. In historic ages, the salamander was believed to be a tiny dragon that surrounded itself with fire whenever man created camp fires or lit their fireplace. Some even believed that salamanders could be seen in the licking flames of a bonfire or the way fire dances on a lit candle.

The ironic truth about the salamander myth had been revealed to me years ago. Salamanders often burrow underground and live in small subterranean homes where the earth is moist enough to keep their amphibian skin from getting dry. These small lizards react to rapid temperature changes so when you had men setting up campfires in the woods, the salamander would feel the heat through the ground and climb his way straight toward the source and escape its perceived danger. Thus, through many experiences, people thought that salamanders were fire spirits and that they must come from fire itself.

While we have a real-world explanation to the salamander myth, it doesn’t take away from the salamander representing fire in spirit. Salamanders can still be invoked and called through ritual. I am, of course, talking about the spirits we see in dancing flames. To summon a salamander through ritual, you have to be of pure intent without a shred of petty emotion or vindictive desire. Summoning a salamander is meant to promote love, excitement and creativity. They also represent will power and protective strength during difficult times.