What do you think?
Rate this book
Elements: Chaos, order and the five elemental forces
ElementsFollowing physician and occultist Robert Fludd's (1574–1637) order of the elements, Ellcock guides readers through a remarkable selection of images, ascending from earth through water, air, and fire before culminating in the most spiritual of the elements, celestial aether. He makes parallels with the five elements of eastern philosophies and their relationship to the chakras, acupuncture, and Chinese astrology. Introductory text explores how the elements have defined the components of Earth and the heavens since the ancient creation myths from around the world that first proposed the elements as the fundamental substances of the universe. Insightful panel texts punctuate the pages, illuminating key concepts. Pertinent literary, philosophical, and spiritual quotations are interspersed with the amazing images, presenting further commentary on the overarching themes. At a time when humanity's relationship with the Earth teeters on the edge of catastrophe, this compendium of images exploring the natural elements envisions the possibility of earthly and spiritual harmony emerging from the chaos.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published November 19, 2024
8 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 10, 2025
Beautiful images.
October 21, 2024
🩵 Blurb-
Elements is an eclectic, evocative and resoundingly beautiful treasury of imagery exploring depictions of the elemental forces that reveal their profound significance to ancient philosophers, alchemists and astrologers, and modern artists, photographers and scientists alike. Expertly curated, themed and paired by image alchemist Stephen Ellcock, modern and visionary images are juxtaposed with the ancient and arcane; the creative power of the elements is contrasted with the disastrous; and the connections of the elements with the seasons, the humours, the signs of the zodiac and parts of the body are revealed.
💜 Review -
The only non fiction books that I normally read are biographies so this book was very different for me. I found the book interesting and fascinating and I enjoyed reading and learning about the different elements. Also the pictures and the diagrams in the book were beautiful and fitted in well with the book. I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be reading more by the author and other non fiction books. I highly recommend it.
💚 Thank you to Tandem collective, the publisher and author, Stephen Ellcock for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Elements is an eclectic, evocative and resoundingly beautiful treasury of imagery exploring depictions of the elemental forces that reveal their profound significance to ancient philosophers, alchemists and astrologers, and modern artists, photographers and scientists alike. Expertly curated, themed and paired by image alchemist Stephen Ellcock, modern and visionary images are juxtaposed with the ancient and arcane; the creative power of the elements is contrasted with the disastrous; and the connections of the elements with the seasons, the humours, the signs of the zodiac and parts of the body are revealed.
💜 Review -
The only non fiction books that I normally read are biographies so this book was very different for me. I found the book interesting and fascinating and I enjoyed reading and learning about the different elements. Also the pictures and the diagrams in the book were beautiful and fitted in well with the book. I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be reading more by the author and other non fiction books. I highly recommend it.
💚 Thank you to Tandem collective, the publisher and author, Stephen Ellcock for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2024
What a wonderfully put together book!
Not only do we get descriptions and information, background knowledge and history, but we also get beautiful and thought provoking imagery.
You can match your element as you go through the book to see which you may feel most connected with.
There is lots of information to absorb so I did find myself getting through it quite slowly but that's because I wanted to enjoy each section and take in as much as possible without simply flying through it.
The imagery within is beautiful and definitely gets you thinking about the world around us, and seeing how things have changed over time to give us different perceptions.
The book gives us the beliefs of ancient philosophers to start, developing into modern opinions, and all sorts in between. Including the applications of elemental beliefs, such as within medicine. Another example is information on the history of acupuncture. As someone who has had acupuncture (and found it being the key to succeeding in a medical based problem) it's very insightful and evocative.
I'd recommend anyone to pick up this wonderful book, even if non fiction isn't your usual genre to enjoy I would highly encourage reading through this.
Fantastic!
Not only do we get descriptions and information, background knowledge and history, but we also get beautiful and thought provoking imagery.
You can match your element as you go through the book to see which you may feel most connected with.
There is lots of information to absorb so I did find myself getting through it quite slowly but that's because I wanted to enjoy each section and take in as much as possible without simply flying through it.
The imagery within is beautiful and definitely gets you thinking about the world around us, and seeing how things have changed over time to give us different perceptions.
The book gives us the beliefs of ancient philosophers to start, developing into modern opinions, and all sorts in between. Including the applications of elemental beliefs, such as within medicine. Another example is information on the history of acupuncture. As someone who has had acupuncture (and found it being the key to succeeding in a medical based problem) it's very insightful and evocative.
I'd recommend anyone to pick up this wonderful book, even if non fiction isn't your usual genre to enjoy I would highly encourage reading through this.
Fantastic!
January 12, 2025
A captivating collection of mesmerizing images, perfect for occasional browsing. Despite the flood of visuals on social media, Ellcock manages to spotlight numerous references to artists unfamiliar to me. Thoughtful book design and elegant typography make this a truly handsome volume. I haven't yet spent time on the texts. I’ll be adding the companion editions - The Cosmic Dance and Underworlds - to my library as well.
January 1, 2025
I was lucky to be a part of the @tandemcollectiveuk #readalong for the beautiful book Elements by @stephenellcock
The book covers the five elements.
Earth 🌱
Air 🌪
Water 💧
Fire 🔥
Aether ✨️
There are lots of beautiful photos, artwork, and sculptures featured within the book that have been created throughout the ages to explain the significant importance of each element in creating a happy, balanced environment.
The information is fascinating, as I am a Virgo whose star sign is an earth sign. This book really opened up my eyes as to why we are drawn to certain environments. I love walking through the forest and watching the trees change through the seasons. The sights and scents are so relaxing.
This is the perfect coffee table book to inspire interesting, thoughtful discussions.
The book covers the five elements.
Earth 🌱
Air 🌪
Water 💧
Fire 🔥
Aether ✨️
There are lots of beautiful photos, artwork, and sculptures featured within the book that have been created throughout the ages to explain the significant importance of each element in creating a happy, balanced environment.
The information is fascinating, as I am a Virgo whose star sign is an earth sign. This book really opened up my eyes as to why we are drawn to certain environments. I love walking through the forest and watching the trees change through the seasons. The sights and scents are so relaxing.
This is the perfect coffee table book to inspire interesting, thoughtful discussions.
November 6, 2024
This is such a brilliant book. It is full of information, from background and descriptions to stunning pieces of art and history. It shares the elements and you can match with your element or even that which you feel most connected with, and learn more of the background and beauty behind it.
I absolutely enjoyed reading every element, the history of philosophy behind what makes up the world and humans in general, as it is interesting to see how the mindset of what makes us has evolved over time.
Overall, this was an interesting and very stunning book. It is a slower read purely for the fact that you take in all the information and really enjoy the art and depictions throughout.
I absolutely enjoyed reading every element, the history of philosophy behind what makes up the world and humans in general, as it is interesting to see how the mindset of what makes us has evolved over time.
Overall, this was an interesting and very stunning book. It is a slower read purely for the fact that you take in all the information and really enjoy the art and depictions throughout.
October 21, 2024
Elements is an absolutely stunning tome of visual imagery and art depicting the five elements; Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Aether.
Before opening the book I had visions of it being a very complex and hard to understand book - it wasn't - to be honest I was left a little disappointed that there wasn't more text and the majority of the pages are only images that pertain to the relevant element.
It's a fascinating read and I feel I've come away having learnt something.
Definitely one for the coffee table as a talking point.
Before opening the book I had visions of it being a very complex and hard to understand book - it wasn't - to be honest I was left a little disappointed that there wasn't more text and the majority of the pages are only images that pertain to the relevant element.
It's a fascinating read and I feel I've come away having learnt something.
Definitely one for the coffee table as a talking point.
November 9, 2024
Non fiction isn't my usual genre, but I'm so glad that Tandem sent me a copy for a Readalong. It's a beautiful book to take your time with. It teaches you about the history of the elements and goes into detail of each one with beautiful illustrations and photos. I'm air for my star sign Gemini and I definitely feel an infinity for air after reading and reflecting on this book.
A gorgeous book for a gift.
A gorgeous book for a gift.
June 24, 2025
This was an interesting compilation of art, words, culture, and history surrounding the elements.Seems nerdy, but it sparked my curiosity and I really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews