Classical elements and 4 cabalistic worlds...any cabalists on?

Question

is there an agreed upon correspondence between the 4 worlds and the classical elements?. I am researching and have found agreement that Aziluth corresponds to Fire and Assiah corrsponds to Earth. This makes very good sense to me, but I am finding some differences of opinion in the middle 2. Thanks.

Answer 1

I'd never call myself a "cabalist" but, according to David Godwins' Cabalistic Encyclopedia, Fire corresponds to Aziluth (or "Atziluth" in Regardie's GD brick), Water to Briah, Air to Yetzirah and Earth to Assiah.

This is the standard Golden Dawn scheme as indicated in Regardie's Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic. Whether it is the arrangement taught by all cabalists is quite possibly unlikely.

Intuitively, I would have placed the elements in what feels to me a "normal" order of increasing density: Fire, Air, Water, Earth.

Will Parfitt in The Elements of Qabalah describes the progression as creative fire, receptive water, formative air and material earth. He expands on this by explaining that Aziluth is a world of pure spirit which is associated with fire, Briah being associated with water to balance the fire, the third world of Yetzirah being air because before formative energy can move into manifestation it must be infused with the breath of the creator and the fourth world being the material world of earth.

Hope this helps.