Ways of connecting withAir

The simplest , most instantly available method forattuning to the energies of Air is through conscious attention to our breath.There are many different meditative breathing exercises, practiced in a rangeof spiritual and healing traditions, that are worth exploring for their manyhealth benefits. But you can also simply sit with your eyes closed and noticehow it feels to breathe.

Another way to spend some time with Air is to watch howindividual leaves on a tree interact with the breeze. Anyone who has paidattention knows that leaves and branches don’t all move uniformly in responseto the push of wind—although in particularly strong winds, this may appear tobe the case. Most of the time, if you watch closely, some branches will bendlower than others, and some leaves will flip and flutter much more vigorouslythan others. Observed in this way, the unpredictable intricacies of Air’smovements can be fascinating.

Simply focusing your attention on how Air feels on yourskin can be reenergizing, particularly on a hot day when a cool breeze comessweeping in, even for just a moment. Burning incense is another potential wayto bring the positive qualities of Air into your awareness. If you’re luckyenough to live in an area that offers views from high elevations, spending sometime in such places is great for refreshing your perspective . Mountainlocations are ideal for this kind of communing with the Air Element, butrooftops, particularly on tall buildings, can also work wonders. Finally,resurrect that childhood habit of looking for shapes in the passing clouds. (Ifyou never did that as a child, make up for it by starting now!) Notice the paceat which the clouds are moving, whether crawling or racing across the sky, andhow their shapes are in constant flux, even when they appear to be relativelystill. Cloud-gazing can, with practice and intention, become a powerful methodof divination for those able and willing to receive information in this way.

Even when the wind blows hard enough to causeinconvenience, and even though temperatures may be too hot or cold for yourliking, be sure to appreciate and thank the Element of Air for its effortlessavailability in sustaining your life.