The Element Air – How It Can Inform A Tarot Reading

I associate the Element Air in a Tarot deck to the suit of Swords. This association is not set in stone; in fact there are plenty of variations on this, and if you use a deck that associates Air to a different suit, then please go ahead and adapt the information in this article to the appropriate Tarot suit. The Major Arcana or Trump cards can also have Elemental associations; I use the Golden Dawn system as a basis of attributions, again, you may wish to adapt the information to be more aligned with your personal preference or in line with whatever Tarot deck you use. This article will explore how the Element Air can be understood through everyday life and also how that very understanding can play a valuable role in our interpretation of Tarot readings.

Air is invisible

Of all the four Elements, Air is completely invisible. For this reason, Air is often used as a metaphor for absolutely nothing. In the Trump cards, the Fool can be assigned the Element Air – he is after all, an airhead. He has nothing in his ‘head’ but Air. There are spiritual implications to this association but for the time being, simply think of the Element Air as absolutely unusual in that it represents ‘nothing’.

In language, the idea of ‘nothing’ can be seen in such common phrases, as “running on empty“, or “the person vanished into thin air”.

Air is fickle

Air is an incredibly fickle Element. When we associate the Element Air to the natural phenomena of Wind we get some pretty interesting results. In our use of language, we can think of events to be like the Wind. Although the wind can sometimes be on our side, it’s not something to be relied upon. There is nothing consistent with wind. “Winds of fame and fortune” are notoriously fickle, prone to turn around suddenly and blow the other way. Alternatively, the winds of change (Air being the most changeable of all the Elements) sweep away all that is. This can be perceived as either a good thing or a bad thing.

In a Tarot reading the Element Air might be thought of as a purifying influence, cleansing and clearing negativity. It could also indicate a ‘clearing of the air’ between two people.

To be in the doldrums

The doldrums is a region of the ocean near the equator in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This area has weather characterised variously by calm air, light winds, or squalls or thunderstorms. Hurricanes can often, but not always, originate from here. This area of the Earth’s oceans are notorious for unpredictable weather patterns. One of the greatest fears sailors had was the wind literally ceasing to blow. This deadly calm could see sailors stranded in the doldrums for days on end, waiting for the weather to change.

Being in the doldrums is a state of depression that people can find themselves in when nothing much is happening. In a Tarot reading the lack of the Element Air might suggest the doldrums.

Air is action

I mentioned earlier that the Element Air is the only Element which is invisible. This means that the only way to see its influence is when the Element Air acts. Every time we see trees blowing in the breeze, the sails billowing on a boat – we see the Element Air in action. In many ways this Element can only be seen, felt or even noticed when it’s active; in other words this Element, being invisible, and its influence is only seen through the effects of its actions.

Air and flight

The Element Air can help us feel on top of the world. Its present every time we glide through life or when we succeed and seem to be walking on air or being on cloud nine. Without Air we would never be able to soar to new heights of experience. In fact, if there was no Air (an airless planet), there would be no flight, and birds would never be able to get of the ground.

In a Tarot reading, Air can often be seen as the ‘inspirational’ component; the wind beneath my wings. However, Swords, as a suit, is often associated with problems; yet it’s in the midst of great difficulties that inspiration can be found.

Air – scent and sound

Without Air, there would be no sound, nor would there be any sense of smell. Both our sense of smell and the ability to hear depends on Air. In the vacuum of space, there’s no sound; in space no one can hear you scream.

Interestingly, our planet supports Air – based on current understanding this is a highly unusual occurrence.

Air fills the available space

The Element Earth can be thought of as a solid; Water, a liquid; and Air, a gas. The Element Earth, being a solid, has a fixed volume and shape. This ‘fixed’ nature of the Element makes it very useful for predictive Tarot readings. However, the Element Air, being a gas, has no fixed volume or shape. Instead, the Element Air expands outwards, filling all available space. This peculiar characteristic of the Element Air means that it has no ‘fixed’ boundaries. It goes where it wills – free, unconstrained, irresponsible and irrepressible.

Air is the most spiritual of the Elements

Air has the capacity to be a highly spiritual Element. The word spirit comes from a Latin word for breath; and the Latin word anima – variously meaning air, breath, or soul – gives us our verb ‘animate’, to endow with life. The connection with the Fool card in the Tarot cannot be ignored.

The Element Air is linked symbolically with Wind and Breath; it can be thought of as the breath of universal life. It’s also the intermediary between Fire and Water, and can be thought of as the principle of harmonisation and fructification. It can be linked, as an Element, to the universal soul and we can also think of this Element as the channel of communication between heaven and earth.

The saying, “…easy as breathing”, has enormous implications for a Tarot reader. The more like breathing a Tarot reading becomes, the more unconscious (in the way breathing is unconscious) and perhaps spiritually balanced your readings will become. Also, the lack of tension implied with breathing, in the sense that breathing is often used to combat tension, is a good way of seeing how effortless a Tarot reading can be.

Conclusion

An understanding of the Element Air can enhance your ability to connect to the Tarot, particularly during a Tarot reading.

By understanding and feeling the Elemental influences in everyday life, we can come to a greater appreciation of how these forces interact, not just in life, but within a Tarot reading itself. Like a breath of fresh air, the Elemental influences provide clarity when all other methods have been exhausted.

I’ve included information on the Element Air that I find most interesting. This means that I’ve excluded a lot of relevant information. Let me know if I’ve missed out something that just has to be included, or, what you find most interesting about the Element Air. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this

Image by ESA

(Theoretically) Related Posts:

• The Complete Guide To Using Elemental Dignities In A Tarot Reading!
• Tarot Lexicon
• The Four Elements
• The Opening Of The Key
• Tarot Surgery: Why Objectivity Will Help Your Tarot Readings!

Tagged as: Air, Breath, four Elements, Soul, The Elements, The Fool, Wind