The Cardinal Directions

As the Earth spins on its axis, the four directions, North, South, East, and West, are generated. This defines the directions, but our experience of the directions is created by the apparent movement of the Sun, our source of light and heat.

The Sun approaches us from the East and heads West. The direction above this path is the North and below it is the South.

The West represents moving forward since this is the direction of the Sun. The East represents moving backwards since this is where the Sun comes from. In the same way, the West represents the future and the East represents the past.

As a result, people from Western areas are more progressive, creative, and open to change. People who live in Eastern areas are more conservative, controlled, and resistant to change. 

Thus, the West is associated with the flowing, Water element and the East is associated with the solid, Earth element.

The Equator, which is at the midpoint of the Sun's annual path, divides the Earth into two halves. In each hemisphere, the direction away from the Equator represents coolness and reasoning and the direction towards the Equator represents warmth and feeling.

As a result, people who live in Northern areas (in the Northern hemisphere) are more calm, cool, and intellectual. People in Southern areas are more passionate and spontaneous, and exude warmth.

Thus, the North is associated with the breezy, Air element and the South is associated with the sparkling, Fire element (which is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere).

Consider the European continent: with the cool, intellectual British and Scandinavian northerners; the passionate Italians and Spanish in the South; the controlled Eastern Europeans; and the progressive Dutch and artistic French in the West.

Also, consider the United States: the Northwest blending Air and Water to create a progressive intellectual environment; the Northeast blending Air and Earth to create an intellectually authoritative environment; the Southwest blending Fire and Water to create a passionate, liberated environment; and the Southeast blending Fire and Earth to create a passionately conservative environment.

*The North-South axis is represented by a vertical line. This is the symbol of spirit and is represented by the etherial elements, Fire and Air. The East-West axis is represented by a horizontal line. This is the symbol of matter and is represented by the material elements, Earth and Water. Together, these lines form a cross, which represents spirit (observer-awareness) encountering sense conditions (existence-consciousness).