Element of Air
At first, it was thought to be a solid, unified element, but later it was discovered to be a mixture of gases (78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other). So let’s begin our reasoning from here. The balance of this mixture is of vital importance to us. How was this balance established over millions of years, and how does it still remain stable? Thanks to living beings that take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide while producing energy, and others that take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen through photosynthesis, this balance continues.
At this point, one might ask: the world is not homogeneous—there are massive cities clustered in some places, arid deserts in others, vast forests in one region, and endless oceans in another. How does the Earth maintain this balance in the air?
The answer leads us to the first characteristic of air:
1 – Movement
Air moves; it is fluid. This fluidity comes from its structure: because of its low density, it has no fixed shape or volume. Its energy is high, meaning it is well-suited for motion. But being suited for motion is not enough—how does air actually move?
The answer is simple—we just need to recall our elementary school lessons. For example, when the sun heats the air in a certain area, the air expands, its density decreases, and it rises. This creates a low-pressure zone. Cooling air, on the other hand, descends, becomes denser, and creates a high-pressure zone. Air always moves from high pressure to low pressure. This movement of air creates wind.
The most fundamental law of the atmosphere is this: if there is a temperature difference, air will move.
Now let’s connect this to our Air element:
A person has knowledge in some areas, and may lack it completely in others. No one knows everything. If we abstract knowledge as heat and ignorance as cold, then the “temperature difference” of the mind is curiosity.
Where there is a lack in one place and potential in another—thought begins to move.
That is why the Air element corresponds to mental movement: idea generation, associations, comparisons, abstraction, the desire to learn.
If air does not move, it cannot balance itself; its composition changes. And when the air’s composition changes, it can no longer sustain the life that depends critically on it—in fact, it may even harm it.
Similarly, when the mind becomes stagnant, life energy is negatively affected; creativity fades, perception weakens, a person cannot focus, and may even lose the ability to dream.
And what if air moves too much? Then the world is filled with dust and smoke. A constantly blowing wind leaves people disoriented. A breeze in moderation spreads seeds, supports birds, fills sails, and brings fruitful rains. But too much wind breaks seedlings, prevents birds from flying, snaps masts, and causes storms.
When the Air element moves too much, it brings unrest. The mind is in a constant storm. Ideas are abundant, but none of them take root—they scatter and disappear. Structures that are being built fall apart. Decision-making becomes difficult because everything happens too fast.
The mind grows tired, and the movement sparked by curiosity drifts away from its purpose; the connection it seeks to make with life weakens in unexpected ways.
2 – Space
Air cannot be fixed in shape or volume. It wants to fill the entire space it is in. With this quality, air represents both the desire to expand and the need for space.
On the mental plane, air requires space for expression. Thoughts want to spread, turn into words, and reach others. The space a person has for communication strengthens their freedom of expression.
Humans experience air most directly through breathing. Breath moves into our lungs according to the same principle of pressure difference. It fills us to the extent that it finds space. Air connects with our inner being through breath. Beyond supplying oxygen to keep us alive, breath is also the foundation of our inner communication.
As breath passes through the throat, it vibrates the vocal cords, sparking outer communication as well. The vibrations we create with our vocal cords travel wave by wave through the air, reaching objects—and, of course, another person’s ear.
Both inner and outer—air is the foundation of our communication.
If the Air element cannot find space, it becomes compressed. Everything compressed longs to expand and applies pressure outward. If air cannot expand, it also cannot carry vibrations. Communication becomes impossible. Air that cannot find room in the lungs creates the feeling of suffocation. One cannot express themselves and becomes isolated.
If space expands too much, density decreases; rising too high, it drifts away from the Earth. When space grows excessively, dispersion begins—the person’s identity, boundaries, and characteristics become blurred. Distances widen, and it becomes harder to reach every side. Air can no longer choose where it wants to be. The effort to fill every empty space ends in exhaustion.
Excessive breathing leads to hyperventilation. The very breath that fills us with life begins to harm us; muscles cramp, consciousness scatters, and panic takes hold. The person tries to communicate, even obsessively, but the communication they believe they are making turns into mere chatter. It is as if the distance between their mouth and ears has grown—what they hear and what they say drift apart.
3 – Direction
When Air finds space and begins to move, it also needs a direction. The wind comes from somewhere and goes somewhere, carrying ideas, sounds, news, and scents.
Direction is determined by differences in pressure; air moves from high pressure to low pressure. This movement born of imbalance is, at its core, the desire for balance.
On the mental plane, this means intention, focus, and goal.
Ideas may flow, but it is not enough—only when they find direction do they reach a meaningful place.
When the mind aims at a goal, ideas converge with purpose.
If the Air element lacks direction, chaos arises. Winds with no clear direction create storms. Thoughts rush in from every side. A wind without direction benefits no ship. Ideas are many, but they take the person nowhere.
If the direction of air is too fixed, everything becomes one-sided. Its communication with its surroundings hardens—it only feeds and is fed in one way. A one-directional wind erodes rocks, bends trees, floods seas, or dries fields.
In the Air element, overly rigid directions destroy flexibility and turn into obsession. A person becomes fixated on a single idea. Since the mind is nourished only one-sidedly, it cannot develop healthily. Because communication is carried on in a narrow and one-sided way, it loses the ability to interpret reality correctly.
How can the air element be balanced?