Interested in opening up your higher mind, getting clear on your life’s mission, expanding your creative potential, and feeling inspired daily? Connecting with air element energy is key to this expansive way of being. In this post (the 2nd in a 4-part series on healing with the elements of nature) we’ll explore the wonderful qualities of the air element. Not only that – I share healing practices and air element spiritual rituals to build up the air element within you.
Let’s talk about what the air element is, what it’s associated with, instances when you may need to work with it in your life to achieve more balance, and my favorite 3 practices to engage it.
What Are Air Element Characteristics?
The Air element is formless. We engage with it in our environment, and it’s easily assimilated within us through our breathing. It’s an obvious, strong connection between our inner and outer worlds. While many people are skeptical of what they can’t see, no one doubts the importance of air since it keeps us alive. We can feel it and we can conceptualize it well.
That being so, AIR element energy is associated with:
- Our mind, thoughts, ideas, spirituality, and our life force energy
- Ascending, free floating energy, from the earth & our bodies up to spirit (pretty much the opposite of Earth, which is why I’m doing these elements back to back – it’s easier to understand them juxtaposed this way)
- Source energy, the Universe, our Spirit Guides, and God
- Enlightened perspective of having a higher purpose
- Inspiration – both definitions. As both (2) bringing in the breath (inhalation) and (2) also how someone is internally moved and motivated to do or create something. Air inspires, “giving rise” to something positive and meaningful.
- New ideas; clear, unrestricted, free thinking; and unpredictability.
- Our ability to integrate but also freely let go of what we don’t need – just like the action of breathing
- The invisible energy that animates us all – our Qi, Life force
- Yang, masculine energy which governs change and evolution
- In Tarot, the suit of Swords which can also signify conflict with the unpredictable change
- The astrological signs of Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius – known for being the thinkers of the zodiac and doing things in unique, intelligent ways
When Do You Need More Air Element Energy?
- You’re feeling sluggish, unmotivated, uninspired, antisocial, and hopeless (this overlaps with fire – both AIR and FIRE are sparks we need for internal motivation)
- When your mind is overwhelmed with details or taking in too much stimuli from the collective
- Indecisiveness
- Wanting to create space for new ideas, projects, and endeavors (not too spacey which indicates a greater need for Earth)
- If you’re having a hard time being self led. Freedom to make your own way in the world and unpredictability of the future scares you – always need someone to tell you what to do. Letting spirit lead lifts out of self-doubt
- When the Full and New Moon is in one of the Air astrological signs – Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. Read How To Live By The Moon For A Magical Life for more information on how to align with the lunar cycles.
How do you do this? There are many ways
My 3 Favorite Air Element Spiritual Rituals And Practices
There are so many ways to engage the air element! I’m giving you variations on each because it’s so hard to make just 3 solid recommendations.
1. Breathing practices
The first practice that I recommend is, of course, a breathing practice. I have several videos on YouTube that can help you explore the air element inside you and also in the environment.
To make simple breathing more of a ritual, it’s important to connecting the air element and your breath – to your life force. Whether you’re doing a breathing practice or a meditation focused on watching your breath, feel how imperative it is to have this connection. Recognize that each breath is keeping you alive!
Thinking of the breath this way connects you to the spiritual aspects of air. It requires you to be fully open to going that deep with these practices though.
2. Engage with sound
The second practice I recommend is working with sound. Sound sound carries on the air. We can either explore the air and atmosphere by extending out our own voice OR receive sound (and air) to make it part of us.
Here I offer a few variations on what you can do with air and sound:
- Singing – Use your voice to explore from your being out into the environment. It makes a difference what you are singing and what words you are using. Make sure they are positive and uplifting to interact with air in a benevolent way. Or choose not to use words! Just let sounds move through and out of you, like we do with “soul songs” in shamanic healing. It can just be tones and humming. Let the focus be a joyful expression of your soul and exploring the air around you.
- Sound as your focus of awareness in a meditation – Explore the air element, your inner & outer environments, and your formless nature by working with sound in meditation. Place sound in the foreground of your awareness in your moment to moment experience. Be fully present with each sound you notice, without judging how important or pleasant it is. Allow it to penetrate into your ears, into your Consciousness and become part of you.
- Sound healing – An in-person sound bath with a practitioner who does singing bowls is a lovely experience. If this is not available to you when you need it, you can listen to binaural beats instead. Here’s my binaural beats playlist on YouTube that I use for myself and clients. Regardless of how you’re experiencing the sound vibration, it is helpful to be an active participant. You aren’t just spacing out, but you are integrating it into your being. Stay open, porous, and receptive. You can also use this sound therapy to clearing out any stagnant energy that might be blocking your energy channels just like a strong gust of wind clearing any debris. Your health and wellness will benefit on every level!
3. Connect With Higher Consciousness and Beings
My next recommendation is to do an Upper World shamanic journey. For the Earth element I was recommending a Lower World shamanic Journey because we’re talking about polar opposite energies. The Upper World is where we meet the ascended masters, Angels, our higher self (all related to air element qualities). We lift our Consciousness to receive higher wisdom as we journey.
I teach shamanic journeying in my Holistic Healing Sessions and also in my Pathway to Empowerment program if you’re interested.
You can also connect in with your Higher Self through meditation and visualization. A really good place to start doing this is to download my free 3 Essential Meditations.
I do a grounding meditation, a centering meditation, and a raising your awareness meditation. It’s the Raising Your Awareness meditation that will help you experience this Higher Consciousness.
I’m curious to know: Is the air element strongly present within you? If you feel it’s lacking, which healing ritual are you most likely to do that I listed? Or do you have any other ways to work with air? Please tell us about it in the comments below!
Next week we’ll be covering the FIRE element. I look forward to connecting with you then!
