Elemental Magick: The Power of Air

In witchcraft and other spiritual practices, the elements represent particular aspects of our mental, physical, and emotional selves. Earth is our sense of security and abundance; Air our wisdom and how we act up on it. Fire is our passions and desires; Water our love and compassion. Spirit is our connection to the Divine and the mysteries of the subconscious.  By studying the characteristics of these energies, you gain a greater understanding of yourself, as well as your magick and spellcraft.

We begin in the East, with the element of Air.  In the simplest explanation, Air represents the power of the mind. It is the realm of thought, the intellect, and wisdom. It is within the realm of Air that we embrace our logical mind, our left-brain thinking. Air is the power of study and of following instructions. When we are well balanced in our Air element, we think clearly, we take a balanced view of our problems and work to solve them efficiently, for the good of all.

Air is the literal breath. Within the power of Air we are reminded that the quickest, easiest way to regain calm and peace is to take a nice, deep breath. Meditation is a skill of the Air element, as it includes the power of the breath and the skill of the mind through visualization. Because of this, Air is also a doorway to transcendental wisdom, in regards to connecting to self-awareness. It is here we learn to trust ourselves, our thinking, and our connection to the Divine. We learn to believe and have faith in the things we cannot see; in Air we experience the intangible blessings of the universe. This foundation applies to trusting others as well, and our powers of discernment and healthy communication.

Air also holds the power of the future, in regards to making a plan for one’s life. Within the Air element we have the opportunity for freedom; whatever kind of life we want to make for ourselves, we realize we have the power, the tenacity, and the skills to do so. Too much of the Air element, and we slip into daydreams without the courage to brings those visions into reality. We become “flighty” or “faery-like” – tons of ideas, but no plan of action.  Not enough Air, and we tend to brush our fantasies/goals aside, declaring them too difficult, unattainable, or unrealistic.

Keeping a balance of the Air element in our spirit allows us to embrace our dreams and goals in a logical way. Air supplies us with the creativity to create a new life, and the logic and wisdom to plan out, step by step, how we can make our dreams come true.

 

Correspondences

Rules over: Sacred Life. Intellect, logic, wisdom, memory, learning, theory, knowledge, study, mental clarity, confidence, self-knowledge. Artistic endeavors, music composition, travel, speaking, writing.  Happiness, joy, cheerfulness, divination, the breath of body.  New beginnings, starting over, planting for the future, making plans, setting things in motion, starting a journey. Aromatherapy.  Meditation.

Direction: East

Time of Day: Dawn

Season: Spring

Colors: Yellow, white, lilac, sky blue, pastels

Sense: Smell, hearing

Astrological Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Tarot Correspondence: Swords

Type of Energy: Projective

Tools: Wand, athame, sword, censer

Natural Symbols: Feathers, incense smoke, fragrant flowers, eggs, seeds

Animals: Birds (hawk and eagle in particular), insects, spiders, butterflies, dragonflies, griffons

Places: Mountaintops, windswept plains, cloudy skies, high towers, airports, schools, libraries, offices, travel agencies, psychiatrists’ offices.

Ritual Forms: Tossing objects in the air, the breath, visualization, positive thinking, planting seeds, burning incense.

Air Goddesses

Review the correspondence list for the aspects Air rules. Any Goddess who also has rules these aspects can be considered an elemental Air Goddess (however, remember Goddesses can connect to more than one element). You can perform ritual, meditate on, evoke/invoke, even build an air-inspired altar to the Goddess to embrace these element qualities into your life. Wearing essential oil blends and burning incense are also effective and simple ways to invoke/evoke an Air Goddess. Simply research the scents sacred to Her, and find the ones that resonate with you.

Here are a few examples of Air Goddesses:

Aida Wedo (African)

Arianrhod (Welsh)

Ma’at (Egyptian)

Minerva (Roman)

Nu Kua (Chinese)

Oya (African)

Sophia (Middle East/Gnostic)

Spider Woman (Native American/Indigenous)

Ushas (Hindu)

Journal Questions

• Do you consider yourself to be intelligent? Why or why not?
• What do you consider to be more important: book smarts or street smarts?
• Is there a subject you’ve always been interested in but afraid to pursue?
• What would your life look like if it were “perfect”?

Bonus Activities

• Go through the list of Air Goddesses above. Pick one or two, and research Her qualities and maybe even a myth or two. Can you understand why she would be considered a part of the Air Element?

• Visualize the “perfect life” you wrote about in your journal. Note how fantasizing about this life makes you feel. Does this version of existence feel attainable to you? If not, why not? If so, what is the first step to manifesting this lifestyle?

Also check out:

The Power of Fire

The Power of Water

The Power of Earth