I’d been home alone
for several days when one of the guys from the cave expedition called. “Hey, we are heading out tomorrow to find the
next elemental. You in?”
“Of course,” I reply,
not sure if I wanted to be in our not, but I was not going to miss a weird thing happening.
We started out before
daylight and we drove. We drove east and
hurried the sun’s daily birth along at 70 miles per hour. Then, the clouds came. They were black and ominous, completely blacking
out the horizon and the morning sun.
We turned down a dirt
road and got out of the vehicle. The
clouds were thick and rolling, but didn’t seem to hold any water. There was only wind. Dust kicked up from the road. Debris was dancing across the ground. Our vehicle rocked gently.
Then, a funnel dipped
toward us.
Before we could react,
we were pulled off of our feet and into the air. The being that met us looked so alien. Its head and tail (it had no legs) swirled
like the funnel and its arms, with its exaggerated hands and fingers, looked
like lengths of twisted rope.
We all hung in
mid-air, not really still, but not being violently thrown around, either. “You have no fear. Why?” It asked.
Its voice was like the
whisper of butterfly wings. It was
there, but gentle. We all looked at each
other, confounded, until I spoke. “We
seek to know your mysteries.”
The being’s laugh was
that gentle breeze that catches your hair and makes it tickle your face. “You
can not hope to know all of my mysteries,” it replied, “however, since I have
already introduced you to flight, I will also introduce you to whimsy.”
With that, we began
tumbling within the whirlwind. We went
up. We went down. We circled each other
in an ecstatic dance none of us were in control of. Only when we were all laughing hysterically
with joy did the being put us down.
We landed on the grass
of the ditch bank on our rumps. Our
sides hurt. Our cheeks hurt. We were all out of breath. I was the first to look up. The sky was no longer black. There were no clouds. That show, I think, was just for us.
Then, a brightly
colored butterfly fluttered toward me and landed on my forehead.
The Air element is, like the others, a mystery to know. Air is something we know quite intimately,
having to breathe it and all, but it is also something we can not see. Air can skew our perception. It can clear our vision. It can build walls between us. In much the same way the other elements have
their constructive and destructive attributes, Air can help create or destroy.
Air represents thought and intellect, mirroring beautifully
the physicality of thought as something real but intangible. It coincides quite gracefully with that which
is logical, intellectual, and devoid of emotion. Yet, if we did not have the Air element, there
would be no laughter, no breath, indeed, no life at all (as we know it!)
When working with the element of Air, it is so important to
remember that Air is not all work and no play.
The eastern element is a place of beginnings, so it also corresponds
with childhood.
Have you ever watched children play? They play with abandon. They don’t need a reason to laugh. They don’t need a reason to love or to include
anyone in their play time. Children
embody much of the good of the air element.
They think, but they don’t over
think.
Over thinking is one of the destructive forces of the Air
element. It’s how we talk ourselves out
of things. It’s how we become convinced
that a good idea really isn’t a good idea at all. Over thinking anything is a sign of too much
air.
If the Earth element represents the winter time, then the
Air element represents spring. Much like
physical air, springtime is full of potential energy. Not every bud on a tree becomes a leaf. Not every bud on a tulip becomes a flower
however these things do have that
potential. In much the same way, the
sweet, warm breeze can become a tornado.
Have you ever spoken to the Tulip People? What about any of the other spring
flowers? Have you spoken to the
Robin? Maybe the Earthworm? All of these spirits can give you exceptional
insight into spring as a beginning.
Remember, though, etiquette is different for them than it is with
humans.
So, then, what happens when the Air element gets out of
balance? Well, too much air can lead to
a lack of emotions. We all know that one
person who is like a Vulcan. That’s a good example of too much
air. Something we don’t think about,
though, is that too much air can also lead to not being too fun to be
around. Whimsy, like the flight of a
hummingbird, is also governed by the air element.
What would a lack of air look like, then? Maybe too much emotion? Melodrama?
Excitement or depression? Maybe a
lack of air would look like one is being illogical and unreasonable. We all know that person, too, that free
spirit who simply floats along following the whims of the universe.
To balance Air, one must decide if there is an abundance or
a lack of. Some activities I like to do
to balance out my own Air are coloring, drawing, playing games, walking,
reading something light-hearted, and even being around children, such as at a
park. I also like to swing on a swing
set or porch swing. For me, activities
that get me out of my own head are perfect.
Of course, if one doesn’t have enough Air, then activities
like putting together a puzzle, reading something ‘heavy’ but interesting, like
an instruction or reference booklet on a topic of interest are both good ways
to step back into ones head or get ‘out of the clouds’.
With Imbolc coming soon and spring following soon
thereafter, the perfect time to explore the air element is upon us! If you have suggestions for Air activities,
please, feel free to comment. There can
never be too many different ways to commune with the Elementals.
Brightest Blessings, Friends!