The mystic sees on the abstract plane one or other element predominating at a certain time, either ether, air, fire, water or earth. Every element in the finer forces of life is rendered intelligible by the direction of its activity and color, and the various forms of light show its different rates of activity. For instance the feeling of humor develops into greater humor, and sadness into a deeper sorrow, and so it is with the imagination: every pleasant thought develops pleasure and expands into a still pleasanter thought, and every disagreeable imagination grows and becomes more intense.

Again, on the physical plane we not only see men dwelling together in cities and villages, but even beasts and birds living in flocks and herds; coal is found in the coal-mine, and gold in the gold-mine, the forest contains thousands of trees, whereas the desert holds not a single one. All this proves the power of affinity which collects and groups the atoms of like kind and makes of them numerous forms, thereby creating an illusion before the eye of man who thus forgets the one source in the manifestation of variety.

The direction taken by every element to make a form depends upon the nature of its activity.

For instance an activity following a horizontal direction shows the earth element,
a downward direction the water element,
an upward direction the fire element;
the activity that moves in a zigzag direction shows the air element, and
the form taken by the ether is indistinct and misty.

Therefore the nature of all things is made plain to the seer by their form and shape, and from their color their element is known, yellow being the color of earth, green of water, red of fire, blue of air, and grey of ether. The mingling of these elements produces mixed colors which vary into innumerable shades and tones, and the variety of color in nature bears evidence of the unlimited life behind it.