Chapter 3: Air
We begin life on earth with our first breath. The quality of our life directly relates to the quality of the air we breathe. Our capacity to breathe during difficult circumstances can radically alter the outcome. The air element also relates to mental activity, intellect, and language. The life force of the breath is interwoven with our speech, it is associated with ideas, communication and social interaction. Breath plays a dynamic role in every system of the body, the more expansive the breath, the more vitality in our bodies. The yogis of India are masters of their breath and energy. They confirm that learning to control or to utilize the breath consciously may liberate the body from disease and bring about spiritual alignment. Breath practices are powerful tools for healing and altering states of consciousness.
The breath helps us activate our will forces, breath is movement, the internal current of life that oscillates through us and can teach us when to act and when to be still.
If we desire to conquer our impulses, mastery of breath is essential. Impeccable speech follows alongside a heightened sense of discernment.
The flow of voice is a form of movement, and singing or chanting is a form of movement meditation. Our voice is a unique blueprint of our personality, its our signature. Children have the capacity to express the full range of emotions through their voice. Singing, crying, screaming and shouting are sounds that belong to the flow of energy. Many of us lost our voice early on in our development due to imposed forms of conduct or rules. We were told not to shout or cry, we were punished for expressing ourselves so honestly thus we learned to shut down and soon realized that in order to maintain our attachment, we needed to be seen and not heard. Reclaiming our power is interwoven with the activation of our voice as a tool to transmit information and spiritual vibration. Our voice has frequency and it communicates the truth beyond language. According to creation stories of various cultures, the world was created through the word, through sound vibration. We too create our world through words, through the stories we tell ourselves. Language influences reality.
Visualize your breath flowing through your body like the winds moving through caverns or valleys. The winds move on their own accord, just like your breath flows with its own intelligence. When we consciously slow or speed up our breath to a specific rhythm, we engage with magic. We become active participants in the process of life. Instead of being tossed about with the chaos of the collective field, we individuate and respond from the centering wisdom of our breath. Erratic breathing leads to impulsive decisions. Fear holds the breath hostage and consequently life itself. Consciously controlled breathing leads to grounded choices and contentment.
Reading material (optional):
The Third Perspective by Africa Brooke
Word Magic by Pao Chang
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Gift Poems by Hafiz