Appreciating the Air Element and Its Impact on Our Lives
How often do you pay attention to the air around you?
Maybe on a wild, windy day or when it’s crisp, clean, and fresh outside? As we enter Autumn in the Northern hemisphere, it's the perfect time to embrace the air element—an invisible yet powerful force of nature that plays a significant role in our lives. In Ayurveda, the transition to Autumn is regarded as a time to reset and regenerate both body and mind. This page aims to guide you through that process.
What You'll Discover:
- The power of Vayu, the living consciousness we associate with wind and prana
- Autumnal practices to balance the air element - coming next week
- A meditation to help you gain a greater perspective - we’ll add this in the coming weeks - stay tuned!)
- Join our free Ayurveda challenge to 'reclaim your calm'.
- Thought-provoking questions for your classes, clients, or friends
The Ancient Power of Air
In ancient times, people deeply understood the power of the air element, despite its invisibility, and across many traditions air has been connected to Gods, Goddesses, and Deities.
In Hindu mythology, Vayu, the God of Wind, symbolises the consciousness of prana, the mighty strength inherent in the wind. This powerful force influences both the cosmos and our human awareness.
This energy is reflected in the ancient story of Hanuman, the son of the wind (Vayu), who would later be recognised as the epitome of service to the Divine. As a child, Hanuman mistook the sun for a fruit and, being the son of the wind, soared up to grab it like a ripe pomegranate. The sun, offended, struck him down, breaking his jaw, which is how Hanuman got his name, meaning "broken jaw."
Furious at the sun’s overreaction, Vayu, the god of wind and father of Hanuman, withdrew his life-giving breath (prana) from the universe, causing chaos amongst all creatures. The devas -the great holders of consciousness in the world - approached Vayu to apologise, and he relented, restoring prana to the world. He then asked the devas to bless Hanuman, who was gifted with the flow of water, the steadfastness of earth, and the radiant knowledge of the sun, among other divine qualities.
How Does This Relate to Us Today?
We can draw some important lessons from this story. First, when someone makes a mistake like Hanuman did, don’t overreact—support them in their growth. Second, life force, or prana, is vital to all beings. You can cultivate it by connecting with Hanuman or Vayu, the wind's prana or life force. To honour life force when the wind approaches, don't resist it. Feel its energy and let it enter your being. As you breathe in, recognize it as the wind and prana, and as you exhale, let it settle within you. When you encounter sources of energy, such as a mountain, tree, or waterfall, welcome the prana they offer, be grateful, and honour it.
This tale highlights air's dual nature: it can nourish life or cause imbalance if not respected. In Ayurveda, this is reflected in the vata dosha, which governs movement, energy, and flow. When balanced, vata fosters creativity and well-being, but when out of balance, it leads to restlessness and anxiety.
As autumn is governed by the air element, it's the perfect time to connect with Vayu's energy. By practicing grounding techniques, you can balance vata and invite the wind's power to create peace and flow in your life.
Reclaim Your Calm
3-Day Ayurveda Self Care Challenge - 25 to 27 October, 2024
Welcome to a transformative journey of relaxation, restoration, and rejuvenation-designed to help you reduce cortisol levels, achieve revitalizing sleep, and integrate nourishing daily practices into your life.
Reflective Questions for Your Classes, Clients, and Friends
- Connection with Air
How could you bring more awareness to the air element this week? Perhaps by incorporating mindful breathing or an air walk, paying attention to how the wind feels on your face and body. How could you integrate this into your yoga classes? - Lightness and Movement
Air is associated with movement, lightness, and freedom. Think of a time when you helped someone experience these qualities. How did it feel to share that sense of freedom and movement? How can you recreate it? - Heart and Compassion
The air element is linked to the Anahata (heart) chakra, symbolizing love, empathy, and compassion. Heart-opening yoga postures, like backbends, are excellent for balancing this element. How could you incorporate heart-opening poses into your practice this week? - Breath as Connection
Our breath is our most direct connection to the air element. How do you feel when you focus on your breathing—whether during meditation, yoga, or simply while sitting still? Consider how mindful breathing can help regulate your emotions and energy. How could you integrate more conscious breathing into your daily routine or your classes? - The Healing Power of Touch
In Ayurveda, touch is closely linked to the air element, representing the subtle connection between the skin and the world around us. Practices like Marma therapy, which involves stimulating energy points through touch, can help balance the air element and promote healing. How can you incorporate intentional touch into your self-care routine? Whether through self-massage (Abhyanga) or a guided Marma session, explore how conscious touch can help restore balance and enhance your sense of connection to both your body and the world.
Sky Meditation
We hope you enjoy this beautiful meditation from the Dru Meditation DVD, designed to help you regain perspective on your life.
Wonderful, thank you, Andrew 😀🌸
A very beautiful meditation Andrew, thank you xx
Wonderful!! Thank you Andrew 🙏🏼
Vielen Dank, das war großartig!
Thankyou Andrew that was a lovely meditation