The Spiritual Meaning of Air

The Spiritual Meaning of Air

As one of the four classical elements, Air has always been considered to be of great spiritual importance. Physically, we know that we cannot live without the air that we breathe, just as we need water to drink, fire to keep us warm and earth to grow food – and it was once thought that these four elements were the base substances of all things. Just as we associate fire with the summer, earth with the autumn and cold water with the winter, Air is the element of the Spring –and thus, this is the perfect time to look deeper at the meaning of this element.

Collage of the Four Classical Elements

Just like the other classical elements, Air is symbolically represented in both the Tarot and the Zodiac. In the tarot, it is represented by the suit of Swords, indicating both freedom and rapid changes, whilst the Zodiac signs of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are the intellectual and communicative Air signs.

The Breath of Life

The strongest spiritual connection we all have with air is the breath – we all literally take this element into ourselves, over and over again, throughout each day of our lives, and the breath is one of the most easily marked signs of life. It is unsurprising, then, that so many cultures connect air directly with life. In the Christian Bible, God is said to have formed Man from dust and breathed life into his nostrils – this is an echo of the earlier Egyptian myth, in which the god of Air, Shu, was created from the breath of the first god, Atum. One of the most famous Egyptian symbols, the Ankh, is a representation of this breath of life.

Ankh iStock_000040097544_Small

The breath of life is also used as a greeting in some cultures – the traditional Hawaiian greeting, whereby two people press the bridges of their nose together whilst inhaling, is intended to share ha or the breath of the life and welcome the other person into their space.

Air as Symbol

Air is often connected with communication, because the same breath that gives us life also allows us to speak; our words are thus carried by air. This connection between air and communication has also led it to be used as a form of divination in many cultures – the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese frequently took insights from the way the winds were blowing. Mercury and his Greek counterpart Hermes were both associated with communication as messenger gods, and with the air, wearing winged boots or helms to symbolise this connection.

Air - iStock_000005789227_Medium

It is also a very changeable element – we all know from experience the rapidity with which the wind can change, and thus it is a powerful element to work with when change is what you desire.

If your path is uncertain, working with the element of air can be helpful, both to clear away the fog that obscures your path and to blow you in the right direction. If you would like to know which way the winds are blowing for you, you are welcome to contact me or my team for a psychic phone reading.

Call me or a member of my team to get a reading now.

To call me, the number for UK callers is 0800 999 3831. Australia 1800 558 140, Canada 1866 403 3407, USA 1855 864 9382, Ireland 015 060 692, Rest of the world +44 1749 860 777.

To call a member of my team, the number for UK callers is 0800 999 8831. Australia 1800 018 367, Canada 1866 76 9422, USA 1855 864 9383, Ireland 015 060 693, Rest of the world +44 207 111 6115.

Tony Hyland
tony@tonyhyland.com