The Airts

“Airt” (pronounced ‘eight’) is a Scottish word that indicates a compass point or direction. In witchcraft, the Airts are the guardians of the magic circle, each one standing in its Quarter. They are the essence of the building blocks of the world, so by invoking the Quarters in magic or ritual, you are connecting to the universe and everything in it.

You can use many things to symbolize the Airts: colors, symbols, animals, a personified guardian, a personal deity, whatever feels right for you.

The Airts correspond to the four directions and each has its own element. Different traditions ascribe different colors and elements to the quarters, so you will need to do some research and consider which has meaning for you.

For our purposes, we will discuss the MoonShine interpretation of the Airts.

• The East (Ddwyrain) represents Air, the Dawn, beginnings of all kinds, thought and new ideas. The color is green.
• The South (De) represents Fire, Noon, manifestation and action. The color is yellow.
• The West (Gorllewin) represents Water, Dusk, emotion and reaction. The color is blue.
• The North (Gogledd) represents Earth, Midnight, integration and wisdom. The color is black.

Names of the Airts from other traditions

Tradition	North	East	South	West
Egyptian	Hapi	Qebesenuf	Tuamutef	Amset
Roman	Boreus	Eurus	Notus	Zephyrus
Ceremonial Magic	Auriel	Raphael	Michael	Gabriel
Scottish	Tuath	Aiet	Deas	Iar