We are all children of the stars, born beneath one of the twelve zodiacs.
Each constellation of the zodiac has ties to a temperament or element: earth, wind, water or fire.
Each element has its own set of personality traits and growth patterns tied to it — the characteristics of your element help to define your thought patterns as well as your innate tendencies.
The Characteristics of Air
Air is all-encompassing yet detached from everything. It is continually flowing, never still. Air, or the components of air, is necessary for life.
Although air is vital for life, it can also be a destructive force, especially when mixed with other elements like fire and water.
Air is elusive
yet all encompassing
All energies in life are divided between yin and yang or feminine and masculine. Air is masculine energy. People associated with the air temperament are assertive and goal oriented. Their ability to communicate and dominate social events makes them skillful at leadership.
The air element signifies intelligence, spiritual awareness, and objectivity. Zodiacs of the air element are prone to lose themselves to their thoughts. They tend to overthink situations and search through the abstract to find answers to their problems.
Zodiacs Related to the Air Element
Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini are the cardinal, fixed, and mutable signs of the air element.
Libra is the cardinal sign of the air element. People born beneath the Libra constellation tend to meditate for clarity of mind. They value the number of relationships in their lives and focus on the arts.
Aquarius is the fixed sign of the air element. People born beneath the Aquarius constellation tend to be a bit rebellious and rely on their ingenuity to solve their problems.
Gemini is the mutable sign of the air element. People born beneath the Gemini constellation tend to be communicative and rely on their intuition. They continually struggle with the balance of yin and yang in their life.
Air Signifies New Life
Air is necessary for life. The first thing a child does after it is born is to gulp air into its tiny lungs. Therefore, air is associated with new life. Springtime is the herald of birth, hence the season of air.
After the winter hibernation ends, nature starts to spurt out new life. The sound of baby birds chirping can often be heard from every home outside the city. The brown grass gradually turns green. Flowers poke through the earth and bloom with the suns warmth. Life begins anew.
Air Means New Beginnings
The sunrise is also related to air as it proclaims the dawning of a new day. A new day brings with it new possibilities. It is another chance to make a difference, to leave your mark in this world.
The sun rises in the East. Therefore the East is also associated with air. Many ancient civilizations built their temples facing the east. They worshipped the sun god and sacrificed to him regularly in hopes that the sun would not disappear forever. Spirituality and the dawn of a new day went hand in hand.
The Spirituality of the Air Element
People born to the air element have deep spiritual roots. They are inherently sensitive and more intuitive than people born to the other temperaments.
The god Vayu in Hindu is probably the most notable “air god” in history. Vayu would noisily ride his chariot of purple and white horses into battle. He was more powerful than the other gods.
Throughout history, there have been air or wind gods. Greece had Aura. Rome had Venti. The Nords (Vikings) had Borrum. Air is a sign of power, both life-giving and destructive.
The Connection Between Air & Moon
Air is also associated with the waxing moon or crescent moon. The crescent moon is curious, peaking from behind the shadow of the earth. It is open to new experiences as it looks upon the earth to watch humankind.
Air Elementals (Sylphs)
Some cultures believe in creatures born of air called elementals. Air elementals have been portrayed in ancient myths and were otherwise known as Sylphs.
Stories of Sylphs started to multiply during the 17th century when Alexander Pope wrote The Rape of the Lock. His poem details the conflict between the light and dark vapors within the sylphs. The sylphs were believed to have too much dark vapor, thus hindering their ascension to the next life.
In the late 1700s, the novel the Sylph was published. It portrays the Sylph as a protector of the feminine. With attractive feminine properties, the Sylph was seen as a guardian spirit for the female protagonist.
More recent depictions of Sylphs can be seen in movies and books of today. In The Chronicles of Riddick, the Sylph is seen as an older woman who possessed charisma, poise, and intelligence. Her character portrayed the traits of a sylph perfectly: the ethereal body, the grace, the ability to soar within the air as both corporeal and incorporeal at the same time.
Air elementals can also be found in the legend of the Avatar. The Avatar was said to control the four temperaments. He/she would use the temperaments to maintain peace, uncover truths, protect the innocent, and uphold justice.
Air In Relation To The Other Temperaments
Air & Fire
Air is necessary for the birth of fire. Fire cannot exist without the presence of oxygen. When you add more air to the fire, the flame burns hotter and brighter. Too much air and fire will extinguish the flame. Likewise, too little and the spark will not light.
Air & Water
Water cannot exist without the presence of air. Air is also necessary for life to exist below the surface of the water. Fish, algae, and other water creatures need the components of air to survive. Nature naturally aerates water through the water cycle. When you keep a fish tank, you need to add an aerator or else your fish will die.
Air & Earth
Air is the polar opposite of earth. Where air is free, fluent, and incontainable, earth is deeply rooted, stable, and dependable. Earth does not need air to exist. However, it does need air to produce life. Earth relies on the air to permeate the soil. The air adds oxygen to the ground, and thus, life can begin.
The Superiority of Air
Air is the superior of the four temperaments. Its ties to the planet Jupiter give air a convincing manner with higher mind thinking. Jupiter is closely linked to intellectual ability. Expansion of the mind through abstract thought and objectivity helps people of the air element work toward bettering society and the world in general.
