My view of this is similar to Modesty's, about Chaos. To me, Chaos is the great Mother, great Creator and everything. I feel like elements are born from the distinct threads and concepts of chaos that we can grasp, predominant energies. I do not consider Spirit an element, but a very distinct and powerful energy.
My "questionable elements" are things like shadow, electricity, ice, etc. Some people call them "sub-elements", which I guess I can agree with, but I don't see them as such pure energies as the regular old Fire, Water, Air, Earth. They seem messier, and less distinct than the Four lol. I guess I just don't like the use of the word "element" when applying it to stuff like that; maybe "Distinct Energies", or something more confusing, lol. XD
I'll gladly share as long as people don't start telling me I'm wrong. That's why I was so reluctant to join this site, so many people in the world claim to be open minded, but when they are in a discussion about something that is different from what they believe, they tell you your wrong and this is why.
Some say ether is the 5th element. Some say spirit is consciousness, and thus cannot be an element. Some say it combines or is the foundation of all elements, which would contradict that elements represent form and spirit the formless. There are so many different definitions of spirit, that the argument of whether it is an element or not is pointless, whereas the four elements are pretty much well defined.
Is spirit chaos? Chaos means either disorganization or endless space.
I personally believe that spirit is an element, I speculate that without it our bodies would not be animated. It makes up our souls and auras. As for chaos, I don't think that it is an element. It's not "the void" or "nothingness" but it is everything all at once. The epitome of sensory overload. If it was "the void" then it would be more calm then chaotic because there isn't anything in the void to register as being in existence. Including yourself.
"As far as chaos is concerned I don't really think its an element since chaos is the absence of order which is soul."
^-------------Kala.
However, Kala, this is not so. If you look at the butterfly model (can't remember the exact name of the graph, but it is a 3-D rendering of chaotic things that ends up looking like a butterfly when graphed out) the things which seem chaotic are in fact, not. They are ordered. It is a common misconception that chaos is unordered, there is an order to it, even if you do not see the order.
Also, I feel spirit as more of an soul or perhaps as the energy within us rather than an element itself. Chaos however, if one looks into creation myths, was there in the beginning and therefore can be considered to be a primal force or even an element. I myself consider it an element because of this.
The spirit/soul is more of a pure consciousness living in us.Its an element or so much of us perceived it to be.Feeling the spirit/soul is hard depending on how much personalities you have created out of your mind.The mind isn't pure consciousness but a small part of consciousness of the spirit/soul that just guesses.
As for chaos.It is both nothing and everything.I can only tell that chaos is infinite in terms of space.And for that,i believe that it was chaos that brought matter in.
