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{{disambig-more|Spirit|[[Spirit (disambiguation)]]}}
'''Spirits''' are the essential beings who generally dwell in the [[Unseen]], and whose nature generally does not include a corporeal body. 

[[Ilúvatar]] creates spirits from nothing through the [[Flame Imperishable]].<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref>

==Groups==

===Ainur===
{{main|Ainur}}
Before [[Eä]], [[Ilúvatar|Eru]] [[Creation of the Ainur|created]] the spirits known as the [[Ainur]], the Holy Ones. The greater were called [[Valar]] and the lesser [[Maiar]].<ref name=SII>{{S|II}}</ref>

Some of the spirits were associated with a certain [[Wikipedia:Classical element|element]], or physical phenomenon: 
*''Air spirits'': Spirits shaped like [[hawks]] and [[eagles]] delivered messages to [[Manwë]] as he sat in his throne in [[Ilmarin]] upon [[Taniquetil]].<ref>{{S|1}}</ref>
*''Fire spirits'': The Maia [[Arien]] is said to have been "''from the beginning a spirit of fire''".<ref name=S11>{{S|11}}</ref> Melkor seduced some of the fire spirits, which became known as the [[Balrogs]].<ref>{{S|IId}}</ref>
*''Water spirits'': A host of spirits followed [[Ulmo]] to maintain the waters of [[Arda]], of whom the Maiar [[Ossë]] and [[Uinen]] were the greatest.<ref>{{S|1}} ("''Salmar came with [Ulmo] to Arda, [...] and Ossë and Uinen also, to whom he gave the government of the waves and the movements of the Inner Seas, and many other spirits beside.''")</ref> Perhaps [[Salmar]], and [[Goldberry]] and the [[River-woman]] were such water spirits.

===Evil spirits===

All Ainur originally adhered to Eru, but the Vala [[Morgoth|Melkor]] became corrupted and fell from the grace of [[Ilúvatar|Eru]].<ref name=SII/> Upon the creation of [[Arda]], Melkor "''gathered to himself spirits out of the voids of Eä that he had perverted to his service''", and these became known as the [[Úmaiar]] or [[demons]].<ref>{{MR|P2}}, pp. 53 (§17), 79 (commentary to §30)</ref>

It is told that [[Morgoth]] sent "''[[spirits of shadows]]''" against [[Tilion]] and the vessel of the [[Moon]], as he hated the light of the [[Sun]] and [[Moon]].<ref name=S11/> There was a strife in [[Ilmen]], but Tilion was victorious against these evil spirits.<ref name=S11/> They may possibly have been among the spirits Morgoth gathered to his service.

In the late [[Third Age]], spirits of "''evil vigilance''" are said to have abode in the [[Two Watchers]].<ref>{{RK|VI1}}</ref> The [[Barrow-wights]] are furthermore said to be evil spirits who had entered in deserted mounds, stirring the bones of the dead.<ref name=Eriador>{{App|Eriador}}</ref>

===Other===
[[Tom Bombadil]] was probably a "spirit" (of some sorts) of the earth.<ref name=coghill>Tolkien described Tom as "The spirit of the this earth made aware of itself": [[Letter to Nevill Coghill]] (Excerpt reproduced [http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/tom-bombadil-addenda-corrigenda/ here]</ref> [[Goldberry]] and the [[River-woman]] would perhaps belong to such an order.<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/Bombadil4Spirits.html|articlename=What is Tom Bombadil? Viable Theories: A Nature Spirit?|author=Steuard Jensen|website=[[Tolkien FAQ]]}}</ref>

The ''[[fëar]]'' are the spirits (souls) that inhabit the bodies of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]; Some fëar also, and "spirits from afar", were sent to inhabit the [[Ents]].<ref name=L247>{{L|247}}</ref><ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref> [[Unbodied]] fëar, could be controlled by necromancy<ref>{{MR|P3II3c}}, p. 224</ref> (See also: [[undead]]).
==Other names==
In [[Quenya]], a collective name for the spirits is ''[[ëalar]]'', actually meaning "beings".<ref name=MR>{{MR|P3I3}}, p. 165 (commentary on § 18)</ref> Another word was [[súlë|''thúlë'', later ''súlë'']], from the [[Sundocarme|root]] [[THŪ]], related to words for "wind".<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, THŪ-</ref> It was also the name for one of the [[tengwar]].<ref>{{App|Letters}}, Note, ''The names of the letters''</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In ''[[An Evening in Tavrobel]]'', an early poem from Tolkien's youth, tiny, gleaming spirits appear dancing in [[Tavrobel]].<ref>{{ATB|A2}}, pp. 284-5></ref>

In a draft of ''[[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]'', Tom explains that [[Old Man Willow]] is a "grey thirsty earth-bound spirit" that had "become imprisoned in the greatest Willow of the [[Old Forest|Forest]]".<ref>{{RS|Tom}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Sprites]]

==External links==
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/12/03/who-were-the-spirits-from-afar-that-yavanna-summoned/ Who Were the Spirits From Afar That Yavanna Summoned?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
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[[Category:Spirits]]