The Breath of Life – Air (Element IV)

Air is the primary nutrient required for sustenance of any and all life forms on Earth. Yes, the Breath and the Air that connect all of us make the survival of all life forms possible. Survival without this “Breath of Life” can hardly last for a few minutes as the lack of Air element in our body quickly halts our life cycle permanently than the lack of any other elements like Water, Fire, etc.

Air and Breath

Air is an integral and inseparable part of any life form so much so that most of them take in and give out without any thinking. Have you noticed that your breath gets irregular or distorted when you are stressed? Constantly being in a stressful state and breathing in a distorted or scattered way may pile up your physical as well as emotional stress thereby adding more fuel to the fire creating a vicious circle of stressful relationships and exhausting physical and mental wellbeing.

Air and Movement

Air represents movement and all the movements that take place in the body right from the physical movements to emotional thoughts and sensations are due to the effect of the Air element. The circulation of blood, the inhalation and exhalation, movement of joints, the flow of nerve impulses and the swirl of thoughts are a few examples of the unnoticed role of this invisible Air element.

Pranayama

The nature of your breath, its depth, its sound, its rate are some of the factors that may reflect one’s mood and distortions in the same would have its adverse effect on physical and mental health and vice versa. To bring about a balance in your breath and the physical movements, concentrating your breath and regulating its flow through guided and suggested breathing techniques is of paramount importance. It is the essence of Pranayama- a distinct breathing exercise in the ancient yogic system.

Vata Dosha

The properties of the Elements Air and Ether or Sky combine in the Vata Dosha. Vata is responsible for our energy and movements and nerve impulses. We may see in detail about it when we deal with the Sky element or Ether.

Personality

Just as the dynamic quality of Air, as an Air person you have a dynamic approach to life but at the same time remain detached to your desires or goals. An Air personality may have a hyperactive mind. Just as the formless Air, you may have your thoughts and ideas reverberating across the waves of fantasy, aspiration and interests. Besides being creative, adaptable and innovative, you may also shine well as engaging storytellers, interpreters and journalists due to your excellent communication skills. Most of you may have good language competencies and usually know something about everything. You may also set standards for yourself such as the way you dress, education, job, family etc. As perfectionists and engrossed thinkers, you are known for your photographic memory.

You may easily get bored or depressed if your intellect is not stimulated. Due to your intense pragmatic approach, you may appear to be devoid of emotions to people around you. Being blessed with a rich mental capability, you are able to arrive at appropriate solutions or alternatives with much clarity and vision, after a thorough understanding of the specified situations and analysing the pros and cons of the concerned issue. You may surprise the people around you with the speed and clarity with which you may express your ideas. You may also like to travel a lot.

Imbalance

When the Air element is in balance you have a free, flexible and focused mind. You may be motivated, innovative and enjoy an effortless and great capacity to work. Your buoyant energy and seamless enthusiasm for life occur naturally. When your Air element is in balance, your physical body will also be endowed with the appropriate rhythm and timing in terms of its movements and biological functions and processes. Your intestines function happily without any excess strain and your muscles are relaxed as well without any spasms or disturbing tremble. As your organs are relaxed you have an easy, undisturbed sleep in the night. As a result of all these, you will be in a better position to handle any challenging situations of life, negating anxiety and stress.

We already saw that Air is the absolute necessity for all the movements in the body. Any disturbances or imbalances in its functions result in its irregular movements causing it to move overly fast, very slow or obstructed or blocked. Each of these imbalances may give rise to various setbacks depending on the place or location in the body where it is disturbed. 

When the imbalances occur in the Digestive system excess flow causes diarrhoea, deficient flow leads to sluggish bowel movements while blocked flow results in acute constipation and in more severe cases may lead to complete obstruction. 

In case of the Circulatory system, excess flow leads to rapid heart rate, decreased flow causes a drop in the heart rate or may cause a poor blood circulation, while a blocked flow may lead to more fatal consequences such as obstructing or stopping the blood supply to the affected area resulting in Ischemia of the tissues (condition of lack of oxygen or poor blood flow) which left untreated in severe cases may lead to the death of the affected tissue, a condition known as Necrosis.

Imbalances in the Nervous system leads to hyper-activeness when there is excess movement, while deficient flow results in sluggishness and blocked flow causes a complete nervous breakdown.

In the case of the joints, a deficient flow results in decreased range of motion and blocked flow results in frozen joints. Excess flow results in joint hyper-mobility syndrome which means that some or all of a person’s joints have an unusually large range of movement. Though it may benefit a certain group of people like ballet dancers, gymnasts and musicians because of the increased flexibility, some people with joint hyper-mobility may face symptoms such as pain and stiffness in joints and muscles, joints that dislocate easily, etc.

Imbalances may also occur at the emotional level causing a lack of desire or disinterest, becoming introverted, lack of self-esteem, resistance to change and attachment to past events. In the worst cases, it may lead to depression.

Tanmatra

Air and touch are inseparable as the Tanmatra or the subtle element of  Air is Sparsha or Touch. The skin through which we experience the feeling of Sparsha or Touch is the sense organ associated with the Air element. Hands are the associated organ of action through which we reach out and touch.

Therefore, any imbalances or disturbances in the functions of the Air element may get reflected as skin problems, disorders of tactile perception and those related to gripping or holding.

Organs

The Lung and the Large Intestine are the Organs associated with the Air element. Air containing the Prana is breathed into the Lungs, a solid organ, while Prana contained in the food is absorbed in the Large Intestine, a hollow organ. This provides an unquestionable connection between the two organs though they do not have any physically connecting organ. Diseases of these two organs are often interconnected so much so that by treating one, we can treat the other.

The tastes associated with the Air element are Pungent, Astringent and Bitter. The associated colour is White. Grief is the emotion related to the Air element. If you become too sad or depressed it might denote an imbalance in your Air element.

Prana and its Types

Praana is derived from the Sanskrit word “Praan” which means constant movement. It’s a continuous movement right from our conception, even as an embryo in the mother’s womb, till it leaves our physical body at the time of our death making it as the vital ‘ Life Force’ or ‘Vital Energy’.

In order to develop the physical organs, including the Five senses and the Mind Prana creates a distinct body in an embryo which makes it to surpass its superiority to any other Physical senses including the brain.

Prana is divided into five major types or forms based on its function and the area of working. The Five Pranas are:

1. Prana Vayu: Prana Vayu is situated in the heart and covers the chest region. It also works in the region from the diaphragm to the throat. 

Its flow is generally inwards and upward. It is responsible for the working of the respiratory system, pumping of the heart and swallowing of the food. It also nourishes the brain, balances the activities and movements of eyes and controls the reception of all things including food, air, thoughts and senses. 

An imbalance or a blockage in this Prana leads to shortness of breath, anxiety, low energy, poor immune system, depression and heart-related ailments.

2. Apana Vayu: It is located in the pelvic floor and its energy permeates to the lower abdomen. Its flow is downwards and outward. It is responsible for the working of the urinary system, reproductive system, kidneys and the large intestine. Its energy also nourishes the organs related to digestion, reproduction and elimination. It’s known for its elimination of carbon dioxide, urine, stool, etc. It is also responsible for the menstrual cycle for women. It is this Apana Vayu that helps to create a smooth passage for the child during delivery.

An imbalance in the Apana Vayu creates a feeling of ungroundedness and weakness in legs, diabetes, itching, laziness, depression and diseases relating to intestines, kidneys and urinary tract.

3. Samana Vayu: The Samana Vayu is the “ Balancing Air”  situated in the abdomen with its energy centred in the navel. Its flow moves from the periphery of the body to the centre. It is responsible for digestion and assimilation of food, air, thoughts, emotions and experiences. It governs the working of the digestive organs like stomach, liver and large intestine.

An imbalance of the Samana Vayu can manifest as low confidence, lack of motivation, poor judgement and may also be responsible for issues with digestion and metabolism deficiency.

4. Udana Vayu: Udana means “Fly” or that which carries upward. It is located in the throat in particular between the neck and head, from shoulder to fingertips and hips to the toe tips. It is only because of the Udana Vayu you are able to move the different organs of the body as it coordinates the neurons of the motor and the sensory nervous system. Its flow moves upwards from the heart to the head and also controls the five physical senses and brain.

An imbalance of the Udana Vayu can manifest as speech difficulties, shortness of breath and throat ailments. It can also make a person paralysed and can lead to impaired senses of the body, uncoordinated movement or loss of balance, vision problem and deafness.

5. Vyana Vayu: It is the outward moving air, located in the heart and lungs and flows throughout the entire body. Its flow moves from the centre of the body to the periphery. It flows through subtle energy channels called Nadis and provides necessary nutrients to needed organs via blood flow. 

An imbalance of the Vyana Vayu can lead to poor circulation, impaired nerve stimulation, skin disorders, lack of coordination between sensory and motor neurons, nervous breakdowns, weak muscular movements or tight muscles. It may also create disjointed, fluctuating and rambling thoughts, sudden emotional stress due to fear and heavy sweating.

Air Element Foods

• Fruits like Apple, Apricot, Blackberry, Blueberry, Dates, Guava, Pears, Pineapple, Pomegranate, etc.
• Vegetables like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Capsicum, Eggplant, etc. and greens like Cabbage, Celery, Lettuce, Spinach, etc.
• Beans or legumes like ChickPea, Green Beans, Red Lentils or Masoor dhal, etc.
• Grains like Puffed rice, Oat Bran, Oat Flour, Rice Flour, Popcorn, etc.
• Spices like Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander seed, Cumin, Fennel seeds, Ginger, Lemongrass, Mint, Mustard seed, Red Chillies,  Rosemary, Saffron, Turmeric, etc. and nuts and seeds like Walnuts and Pumpkin seeds.                                          

Lung Health and Symptoms

Lungs are the organs associated with the Air element. These are the active organs which help in feeding the oxygen to every cell of our body. Despite this, Lung health or care for your lungs often go unnoticed until you get a dry cough or moist cough with phlegm.

The Skin and its problems are closely linked to the Lungs. The skin may be flaky, dry and dull if your Lungs are weak. It may also result in eczema and skin rashes. Problems in the Lungs also get reflected in the cheeks as dark patches, pimples, etc.

Lung Problems also get manifested as pain in the shoulders. A stooped forward posture with the shoulders drooping is not good for Healthy Lungs. Tightness in the head and chest, stuffy nose and frequent sneezing may denote weak Lungs.

When Vata gets aggravated in the Lungs, you may experience a dry cough, asthma, breathlessness, respiratory allergies, broken voice, breathing discomforts etc. Similarly aggravated Pitta in the lungs causes inflammation of the Lungs, yellow or green spit, blood in the spit, bronchial or respiratory infections, etc.

On the other hand, excess Kapha in the Lungs leads to mucus congestion, phlegm, pneumonia, moist cough, etc. It may be useful here to recall the types of Kapha stated in the Water element that includes the role of Avalambaka Kapha in supporting the functions of the Heart and the Lungs.

Causes for Poor Lung Health

The Ayurvedic term for Immunity is “Balah” which means Strength. It is positively impacted by ‘Ojas’ which is the product of perfect digestion and plays a vital role in enhancing the overall health and wellbeing. On the other hand, Balah is negatively impacted by ‘Ama’ which is due to undigested food and thus lowers the body’s immunity as it clogs the channels of cell nutrition and also the channels that remove the wastes. Imbalance in Lung health is caused by excess Ama in the Lungs.

What causes the increase of Ama in the Lungs?  The following are the reasons:

1. Consuming heavy, non-vegetarian, oily, cold foods and eating the leftovers the next day will hamper your digestive system by building up the toxin accumulation and negatively impacting your lungs too.
2. Too much of strenuous exercise or complete lack of exercise hampers your lung health.
3. Excessive emotional stress, anxiety and grief.
4. Pollution and seasonal changes.

Care for your Lungs

1. 3 a.m – 5 a.m is the time of the Lungs. This is the time when your Lungs are at the peak of their energy and hence it is good to do breathing exercises or your moderate exercises during this time. A good way to keep your Lungs healthy is to get up early and practice deep breathing which increases your Lung capacity. 
2. If you find yourself waking up during the 3 a.m – 5 a.m. time not out of practice or as a routine, but from your deep sleep, it may signify underlying grief that may be bothering you or it may denote a need for attending your Lungs. 
3. Avoid synthetics and wear cotton clothing.
4. Try to be in touch with nature and avoid air conditioning, Teflon and Aluminium cookware, exposure to building materials and toxic paints.
5. Reduce the use of mobiles and exposure to electromagnetic radiation.
6.  Eat a healthy diet containing Apples, Apricots, Walnuts, Berries, Beans, Nuts, Carrots, Pumpkins and Capsicum. Including Cardamom, Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Licorice root and Tulsi in your diet helps in promoting your Lung health by clearing the toxin accumulation in the Lungs.
7. Having a glass of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric is good for your lungs. 
8. It is essential to drink at least a minimum of 6-8 glasses of water to keep yourself and your Lungs well hydrated.
9. A strict “No to smoking” if you really want to preserve your Lung Health.
10. Practice Yoga, Nadi shuddhi and Pranayama after learning it from a certified yoga practitioner.
11. A good cure for chronic Lung infections is to have warm castor oil packs which may improve lymphatic circulation, reduce inflammation and aid waste elimination.
12. Practice positive thinking and spend more time with optimistic and cheerful people. Feel Happy inside out!!!

Large Intestine

The Large Intestine is responsible for digestion and elimination and also relates to the body’s immunity. Overeating, eating at irregular hours, a sedentary lifestyle and stress may lead to most of the digestive problems. Imbalances in the Large intestine can result in constipation or diarrhoea, intestinal rumbling, and may also cause sinus, cold, mucus, cough and lung-related issues due to its causal relationship with the Lungs.

Symptoms of Large Intestine imbalance include holding onto old stuff or emotions, depression or stagnation, lack of energy, confused ideas, tendency to loneliness, too analytical and critical mind, feeling of guilt or regret, self-pity, rigid, indifferent, uptight and blaming the situations. It may also cause swollen lower lips and intestinal inflammation.

Care for your Large Intestine

1. 5 am to 7 am is the time of the Large Intestine or the Colon, making it a perfect time to have a bowel movement and remove toxins from the body. It is also the ideal time to wash your body and comb your hair. It is believed that combing your hair during this time helps to clear out unwanted energy from the mind.
2. Eat a high-fibre diet with lots of fruits and vegetables.
3. Drink adequate water to stay hydrated.
4. Avoid processed foods and leftovers.
5. Avoid yeast, baked flour, red meat, white sugar, alcohol, antibiotics, colourants and additives.
6. Consume whole grains and legumes.

If you want to take charge of your Prana to be physically and psychologically fit, you may be interested to watch a YouTube video from the link provided below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvIhe7-wsUQ

With Divine Love, 

Swarnalatha