the fifth element aether/$pirit is the energy in the space which seems to be blank
Due to this energy only the expansion of universe is taking place.$cientists are unable to detect why.
several natural phenomena, such as gravity and the movement of light is also due to this energy.
I Find the 8 element system of I Ching to be useful. Heaven, air, water, mountain, earth, lightning, fire, lake. The cardinal elements are practically parallel to the classical elements, just with different directions. In my system heaven is spirit, quintessence, aether, kether, etc.
I personally believe that the 5th element is spirit/quintessence. I believe that the spirit was the only element that existed before the creation of the world and that the 4 natural elements are actually made by dividing it.Such dividing has occured by the element's exposure to matter.At least, that is what I believe.
So basically, I imply that:
Spirit=Cosmic energy/quintessence.
When it comes to 5th element I`d go with Void(emptiness but also unity) as it contains all the Elements and none.
All in all working with Void means that you are working with 2 or more elements at the same time(basic four are called basic for a good reason they make all other), or simply working with raw energy(which is needed non the less, as "neutral" energy balances elemental ones).
First off it depends which system you are going with. Western European version? Or an oriental?
In Wicca, the standard european ones are used. Earth, Air, Fire and Water. As for a 5th? Well, it is generally stated that Spirit or Aether (also just spelled Ether) is the 5th. In a sense, they are the same thing.
Quintessence is more a scientific term for physics things than a magickal one. However, when you look into what it is....it is also the same thing as spirit and aether. I know that fantasy novels and shows have made the term more popular. W.I.T.C.H was one that used it as an element. However, the name itself hasn't been used all that long as a name for the 5th element though its Latin structure actually means "fifth essential".
Really the only difference is the name. Aether is just the more classical version.
As for energy or electricity, energy is basically another version of the above terms. They are fancy words for universal energy in a sense. Electricity on the other hand is considered a form of energy, just one form we can prove with science.
In the Chinese version though the elements are Earth, Wood, Fire, Metal and Water. Air is not listed in their version. Japanese though includes air as wind and has the fifth element as void. So theirs includes: Earth, Water, Wind/Air, Fire and Void. Sometimes Void is also seen as Sky/Heaven.
