The Air Element

Today, we're going to talk about the Air Element, the third element.

The signs that compose this element are: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.

Air is the vital energy associated with breath, or what yogis call "prana."

This element possesses Yang, solar energy, one of the highest expressions in the world, which is also reflected through communication and social relationships.

The Air Element is about Language, about "giving names to things." For example, when I say that I wrote this text on my computer, you may have never seen my computer, but you can imagine one in your head. In this sense, you can see how naming things greatly facilitates our communication.

Air is about establishing relationships between things, about seeing things from another angle, and this facilitates our understanding of the world. The world of Air is quite mental, intellectual, and abstract... it is the world of concepts.

A very important point here is the exchange of ideas, where ideas "circulate" and where there is interaction between people. That’s why this element is so connected to social relationships! It's where exchange happens, where I realize that there is someone different from me who is just as interesting, with their ideas, their point of view, and their own way of thinking.

When I think about Air, I really like the idea of developing perspective. There’s an image circulating online of two people facing each other with a number on the ground. The first person looks down and sees the number 6. The second person looks down and sees the number 9. In the image, they are fighting to decide who is right! But, in fact, both are right! For me, the energy of Air is precisely that which looks from above and says, "Folks, it's 6 and 9! And that's perfectly fine."

Dealing with an Excess of Air

At this point, you might be strongly identifying with this mental, thought-based energy, perhaps even being one of those people with a very active, "electric" mind. In these cases, it might indicate an excess of this Element, which calls for a pause, accompanied by deep breathing, and, when possible, meditation to help you return to center.

You might tell me:

— Kim, but I can't meditate!

I know! Precisely because of this, it's important to start small so that this practice can help you to "lower" that mental energy a bit, which is often so intense that the person loses connection with their own body, forgetting to eat, to sleep... and before they know it, the day is over.

If "traditional" meditation seems too challenging for you, an alternative is to start with active meditations, which first move the body before quieting the mind.

Dealing with a Scarcity of Air

Conversely, for those who perceive a lack of the Air Element, reading is very important. Reading is a way to connect with language, to visit other ways of thinking, other places, other cultures—everything that helps one realize that there is a different way to see things... it brings new perspectives.

Another tip for those who notice the absence of this energy is that group activities are essential because they give you the opportunity to realize that people are different and think in distinct ways.

Physical Connection

To conclude this line of reasoning, physical contact with this Element happens through Nature, through the Air.

The other day, I was working with a client who has a significant presence of the Air Element in her chart, and she just told me, "I just want to go to the beach now and feel the wind on my face."

Stephen Arroyo says it would be beneficial to go to a very high place, like a mountain, where the air is pure, as that would be a place of important contact with this element.

To illustrate a bit about this element, I'll tell you something: I have a Gemini friend with A LOT of Air in her chart, and I remember when she moved into an apartment that was a loft (a single room). She told me how she had arranged the furniture in the new house. But on the day I went to see the new apartment for the "Welcome House Party," the house was already completely different. So I said:

— "Wait, didn't you say you put the bed near the window?"

She then told me:

— "Yes! But then I couldn't get close to the window, and it gave me the impression that the Air wasn't coming in, so I preferred to take the bed out of there and leave the corridor free for the window."

In her case, the window enables the connection with this element.

And you? Do you identify with the energy of the Air element?

Do you know someone with this energy?

Tell me here in the comments—I'd love to know and share our experiences.

With love,

Kim Bins