The Air We Breathe

The Air We Breathe

"World-mothering air, air wild,
Wound with thee, in thee isled,
Fast home, fast fold thy child."
   __ Gerard Manley Hopkins, "The Blessed Virgin Compared
       to The Air We Breathe"


  The breath of life has always had a special, sacred meaning for people worldwide, since it is the mark of our mortality. The first and last breaths are marked with particular attention: as air is drawn into a baby's lungs for the first time, the sould is considered to be truly incarnate; as the death rattle heralds the last exhaustion of air, we know that the soul is unhoused, free to return to the unseen world. Our continued breathing in and out is a reminder of these two moments wherein we are recreated anew.

  The air that we take for granted is now polluted by industrial production, petroleum funes, and other unpleasant exhalations. The immensity of this descration of our atmosphere leaves us feeling powerless, since its cure depends on the whole world cooperatively using wiser strategies to protect the environment from damage. It may mean using our cars less, or switching off the motor when we are waiting; it may involve us in influencing governments and industries to use environmental-friendly solutions, remembering that politicians are in power because they represent people. But the task that we can each engage in on a daily basis is a respectful acknowledgment of the sacred breath of life. The Irish expression for takine one's time translates literally as 'drawing one's breath'. If we make it our practice to spend a short time each day remembering the holy element of ai8r, we restore the original blessedness with our prayerful in-and-out breathing: "Blessed be the precious and preserving air that sustains our life!"

"Mediate upon the air as you draw it into your lungs and then exhale. Be aware of the whole atmosphere of the earth breathing."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit"]


I though I would begin including some of the excerpts of Mara Freeman's book "Kindling the Celtic Spirit"  It is subtitled 'Ancient Traditions to Illumine Your LIfe Throughout the Seasons'...   This particular essay I thought would goes nicely with above essay about air and breath.... and it is in chapter for September which we will soon be leaving...

The Breath of Awen

  The basic meaning of Awen is 'blowing, breath, wind,' for inspiration, literally, means to breathe (inspire) in.  Althought it refers primarily to poetic inspiration, where the words flow out on the breathy, it is essential to the smooth and skillful execution of all forms of art, as masters know. For example, in Japanese calligraphy the brushstrokes are dependent on the correct flow of breath as pen is applied to paper.

  Do this meditation before embarking on any particular form of artistic expression, whether playing an instrument, dancing, writing, or weaving:

  "Sit in front of your altar or other comfortable place, and imagine that you are sitting over a pool that is as deep as the ocean. As you take a long, slow, deep breath in, breathe the energy of that pool up into your body like a river..... and allow that river to float into your lower body up through your feet, your legs, and your pelvis like a silver stream of light.... Now bring it up through your solar plexus to your heart, and let it circulate there before breathing it out and down...down....down your lower body and out through your legs again.....
   Do this a number of times until you feel it's happening automatically in the background of your awareness... And now image that above you is a bright golden sun that is sending down beams of light through your body. Feel the golden light stream through your body. Feel the golden light stream through your head, down through your neck and shoulders, and into your heart, where it mingles and circulates withy the stream from below.... Now every time you breathe in, breathe in the energy of the realm of Sea, the silver light of the Underworld.... and breathe out the energy of the Sk, the golden light of the Upperworld  ...... and keep up the breathing until you feel a sensation of warmth, tingling or fullness in the heart area.... Let some of this flow down through your shoulders, arms and hands...."

    Continue for at least ten minutes, then still staying in this feeling, open your eyes and express yourself through playing music, painting, dancing, writing, and so forth. You can relax the breathing now, but still remember to breathe freely and deeply and let the inspiration flow from your heart into your work. If you feel blocked, totally let go of the idea that you 'producing ' something, and play spontaneously like a child. Don't worry about the outcome. Just babble, scribble, or jiggle with abandon - and have fun! This will free you up to bring more joy into your creative expression.