Breathing Out

Allow me to introduce you to a good friend of mine. She is a Sylph, an Elemental of the Air. (She usually seems feminine to me but I know that can change in the space of a breath!) I believe the Sylphs were the first Elementals I actually met – and we have had such fun ever since! She is so ethereal that a name doesn’t stick to her, but she is definitely herself! I am very aware of her all the time, but especially when writing music or singing songs. Apparently, the Sylph and the Muse are best friends!

Breathing out…

Take a moment to breathe with intention… Inhale deeply, using your stomach muscles. Hold it for a few seconds, feeling the air filter through your lungs – then, exhale slowly, letting yourself experience the flow of your breath to the outside world. Our breaths are so automatic that taking this life-energy for granted is easy. However, if you have had any kind of respiratory illness, you know how precarious that next breath can be!

Breathing in…

Take another deep breath, this time with a greater intention to be open, to interact with the Element of Air as you breathe. Whisper to the Sylphs, the elementals of Air, to be with you as each breath fills and sustains your life. Let your thoughts float for a moment, expanding your conception of the ways that Air fills every moment of our lives…

Air! It is truly the Element of our Breath. But it is also the Element of our Voice, of Sound and Song. Our greetings, our prayers, and our spells all dance upon the Air. Our vocals join with plucked strings and wind-blown instruments. Waves of sound reverberate from skins and shakers, drum beats that travel on the Air to our own heartbeat!

Air, come dance upon my skin…

Beyond our human breath lies the larger domain of Air – the Winds, the breath of our Mother Earth, if you will. As I sit here writing about this beautiful element, I hear the voice of the mighty winter storm winds howling through the trees and streets of the city. It is a low, visceral sound that I love. I’ve learned to listen. I can often hear when the Winds are saying the season is changing or bad weather is coming!

The Sylphs bring knowledge of other places, too. Think of the scents of flowers in spring, or the smell of a campfire in the evening. Sometimes, there are warning odors, too, that the Element of Air will bring. I know to pay attention to those!

Lifting, changing, moving, filling…

Air seems to interact with the other Elements more often. It brings us the heat of the summer, and there would be no bubbles without the Sylphs and Undines (water elementals) playing together! The sounds of birds and beasts travel on the wind, sometimes for miles to bring mates together. And birdsong is not the only wind traveler! It is the Element of Air that fits so perfectly under a bird’s wing that allows it to fly! The rumbles of the Earth as she moves and quakes are brought to us through the air as much as through our feet. Stormy weather lets us see how all the elements can dance together, from lightning and thunder to whirlwinds, tornadoes, and hurricanes!

I know some folks can wax poetic regarding the scientific aspects of Air, but I take delight in my more magical encounters with the element. In my earlier life, the Elements were just part of the natural world. Personification was discouraged and you certainly didn’t direct any spiritual communication with them. At least, that was the “party” line!

I had the advantage of parents who loved and honored classical knowledge and respected mythology. So, one of my companions as I grew up was a wonderful children’s mythology book. It was there I learned to call out to Zephyr, the friendly warm Wind of the West! I loved being able to call to the Merfolk – even though our little creek could barely sustain a water baby! As a child, I truly WAS on a first-name basis with much of Nature!

Once I was in school, however, much of that had to be repressed or hidden. Teachers and students alike were very dogmatic regarding anything remotely pagan! There was always the potential for detention, parent conferences, and “re-education” to maintain the doctrinal mindset!

However, once my feet were set upon the Pagan Path, an entire universe of wonder re-opened to me. The Elements were among the first to welcome me to finding that spirituality. I constantly delight in the touch of the Sylphs tousling my hair or touching my skin! I love responding to them in speech or song. In the voice of the Wind, I can hear bits of the Big Song that maintains the harmony of the Universe. And, in that Voice, I am often “given” new melodies to share…a gift I am forever grateful for!

Breathing out…

It makes me feel so wonderfully small! At the same time, there is an awareness of fitting in, of being an integral part of that huge existence. I revel in those moments because, for me, it is Manifest Deity! Spirit is all around me and I can sing along!

This same spiritual intimacy and interaction holds true for all the Elements! The Elementals are our perfect interface for dancing with Spirit. Each Element offers a different path to that spiritual access. When we accept that invitation, we are always walking in Spirit’s presence and experiencing the wonder and beauty of our own existence in the Universe!

Breathing in…

So, I encourage and challenge you to make a point of opening up to experiencing the Element of Air. From your own intimate breaths to the great winds that dance across our Earth; from the sounds of Nature to a newborn’s cry; from the scent of a rose to baking bread.

Honor the Element of Air and the Sylphs who dance within it. Let it become present to you. Speak to it. Sing with it. Revel in its touch and know that it provides a closeness with Spirit… reachable, touchable, real.

click above to hear Ginger Ackley’s song, “Breathing Out”, on YouTube

We have other articles related to the Elements, which you can find here in the Pagan Song Book of Shadows. Particularly recommended is Calling the Element of Air: A Ritual

For more information about Ginger Ackley, including her collected articles here on Pagan Song, her bio, and links to Ginger’s sites on the web, check out Ginger’s page on Pagan Song.