AIR

We have done a brief exploration of earth, water, and fire. Now we will explore the final of the basic four elements of our existence on this human journey—AIR.

The element of air encompasses the heart, the arms and hands, the circulatory system, ribs, thymus gland, breasts, lungs, shoulders, and diaphragm. It is also connected to the kidneys, the ankles, the ovaries, and the womb.

It has been discovered in recent years that the heart actually has a brain, the intrinsic cardiac nervous system. When we speak of following your heart or coming from the heart, we are truthfully speaking of focusing our attention on the area of the heart’s energies as a way of living. It is found that the heart’s energy informs the central nervous system, the brain. As you can see, there is deep importance to what we hold in our hearts. In view of this, we must learn to release the wounds of the heart, forgiving and forgetting, so that we can be in the present to give and receive love.

When we are experiencing positive air energy, our heart is open, love flows. There is giving and receiving that becomes a way of life. In positive air energy, we create healthy relationships, awareness, sensitivity and understanding, and we are generous and considerate of others as well as ourselves. This is where we experience faith and trust.

When we are experiencing negative air energy, we are no longer in the heart and are coming from a place of greed and speed. In this experience, there is never enough time, money, love—there is never enough of anything—even when there is abundance.

The challenge to our human journey is to give freely, release emotional wounds, slow down, stay in the present moment, appreciate what one has, and revel in being rather than doing. No longer needy, wounded, fearful, angry and helpless, but returning to a happier being and peaceful existence.

When the air element is out of balance, such as speed and greed, we can experience breathing problems, gas in the digestive tract and in the muscles, as well as shoulder, arm, and hand problems. If we are lacking enough air element, we can experience slowness, breathing difficulties, and lack of oxygen in the body. Any imbalance in our air element can affect the organs and systems we have outlined within this writing.

We can find healing air energy through breathing exercises, yoga, oxygen therapy, fresh air such as ocean, desert, country, or mountain. Emotional counseling, psychotherapy, and bodywork to open the heart, breast, and shoulder areas are very helpful.

Now that we have briefly tipped into the four basic elements, I suggest a deeper dive into discovering more about them to help bring about an expanded understanding toward better health and happiness. Walk barefoot on the earth. Become like moving water. Energize through exercise, and breathe.
I want to thank my teacher, Farida Sharan @ PureHealth.com, and School of Natural Medicine, who generously shared much of this information in her teachings.