It depends on who you ask.  The 2 main authors I deferred to for this article have VERY differing opinions (see references at end of article for more info).

            Dion Fortune believes that human contact with incarnated elementals is detrimental, destructive, and dangerous to humans.  When I say “humans” here, I am speaking of the souls incarnated in human bodies that are “four element” and decidedly NOT incarnated elementals.  In other words, your normal, every day people. 

In her experience as a psychoanalyst, Dion found incarnated elements to be amoral, and usually lacking in compassion, gratitude, and common courtesy.  She also noticed that incarnated elementals have a tendency to inflict hurt on those who love them.  It’s not that they mean to hurt their loved ones…it’s just that their nature & their needs are so VASTLY different from the average human nature, that hurt is bound to occur.  It is for this very reason that Dion STRONGLY recommended AGAINST marriage between a human & incarnated elemental spirit.

Fast forward about seventy years, and Doreen Virtue presents a very different picture of incarnated elementals.  Sure, she admits that they can be mischievous, mal-adjusted, and have no respect for earthly rules.  On the other hand, according to Doreen, incarnated elementals have a divine mission to help the rest of us learn how to play, enjoy life, and respect nature. They are very inspiring, uplifting, and motivating to others.

Dion Fortune describes incarnated elementals by saying, “They have the beauty & aloofness & charm of the cat, and the amusing, mischievous, destructiveness of the monkey.” Doreen Virtue says that incarnated elementals “prefer the company of animals or plants to humans” and “hold an innate anger towards the human race for hurting the planet”.  However, according to Doreen, many incarnated elementals are involved in the “helping professions”, but only because they feel that they have a “mission” or they “have” to, not necessarily because they want to.

            Either way you look at it, incarnated elementals are different than their human spirit counterparts. 

They value the plants, animals, and Mother Earth herself over humanity’s needs or desires.  They are also EXTREMELY independent, with values & beliefs that may different from the so-called “norm”.  They don’t care much for rules, or at least, other people’s rules.  Incarnated elementals are also generally more wild & less civilized or “tame” than their human counterparts.  This is why incarnated elementals may have issues with “committing” in a relationship, or showing up on time for work.

If you believe that YOU are an incarnated elemental, my advice to you is to take the time to get to know yourself and who you truly are.  Learn about how your essence differs from those who are more “human” in nature.  Recognize that even though your spirit may not be human, your current body is, and that it would be helpful for you to learn how to get along in the human world. 

Try to show more patience & understanding with humans, particularly when it comes to ecological matters.  They really can’t help it when they do things out of ignorance!  It is YOUR job to assist in educating humanity about the sacredness of all things natural.

To feed your spirit, and help you recover from the harshness of the human world, remember to laugh and play often, and spend time daily in nature.  If you live in a city, then get away to the country as frequently as possible, or fill your home with house plants.

If someone you love is an incarnated elemental, try to be compassionate.  They are very different from most of the rest of us humans, and don’t find it particularly easy to control their desires or play by “the rules”.  Understand that an incarnated elemental is who he or she is….she cannot be anything differently, and you are not going to make her (or him) “conform”. 

Remember too that these beings love deeply & passionately but often without attachment or monogamous commitment.  Don’t take it personal. They don’t.  If they ever do form an attachment, or decide they want to be monogamous, it will probably be for a lifetime, although the primal, unfettered sexual energy is strong in these beings.

            If you, or someone you love, is an incarnated elemental, you might consider talking with a counselor or a therapist who is familiar with these concepts, or at least, open-minded enough to consider your different kind of “heritage”.  It is also a good idea to try to make friends with other incarnated elementals.

            In closing, I’d like to share some links & resources with you that might be helpful in determining if you (or someone you love) is an incarnated elemental…..

http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?action=go_detail&obj_id=110405&filter=popular&time_span=latest&sub_action=take

            (quiz based on Doreen Virtue’s “Earth Angel” book)

http://members.enchantedfolk.com/earthangels/blog/cat/incarnated_elementals

(not a quiz but a very quick & informative “Check list”)

http://peperonity.com/go/sites/mview/earth-angels/11712953

(short, and the type is tiny, but has some very good information)

            All of these above-mentioned links will help you to identify whether you or someone else in your life is an incarnated elemental.  The information they provide will also help you to more effectively deal with any incarnated elementals that you encounter in your day-to-day life (believe me…they are more common place than you would think!).

http://www.fairiesworld.com/spirits.shtml#fire

(breaks down some of the basic types of elementals)

http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/devas.htm

(goes even FURTHER into the different types of devas & elementals)

This author uses the term “deva” to refer collectively to BOTH angelic & nature spirits.  That is NOT how I am using it in this post.  Instead, I understand the angels & fairies to be of two different (but related) evolutionary lines.  Nonetheless, there is a LOT of good info on this site.

In addition to the web resources listed at the end of this post, the two main sources I have used for this “article” are:

“Psychic Self-Defense” by Dion Fortune, originally published in 1930.  Dion was a pioneer in the field of psychoanalysis, and a remarkable occultist in the old European style.  She was a truly brilliant woman & celebrated intellectual in her time.

The other book that I would refer you to is “Earth Angels” by Doreen Virtue.  This book was published in 2002, seventy two years after Dion’s book.  It’s funny how the names “Dion Fortune” and “Doreen Virtue” have a similar sound.  What’s even more interesting is the fact that Doreen is a “metaphysical” psychologist, and Dion was considered to have been an "occultic psychotherapist".  As I was writing this, it occurred to me that it’s possible that “Doreen Virtue” could be Dion Fortune reincarnated. Just a thought.