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How to Work with the Magical Element of Air, by Astrea Taylor

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

The element of air is all around us, but many people don't feel connected with it (as compared to the other elements). I believe this is because air is invisible, unlike earth, fire, and water. We simply can't see it most of the time. On top of that, many people only think about the physical and personal aspects of the element of air, such as the winds that blow and the breaths we take.

There's a whole other world hidden in the air around us, which is known as the magical element of air. You could think of it as its own energetic realm, with spirits, energies, psychic messages, and connections to everything else in the world. It has the same corresponding traits as the physical and personal aspects of air, such as communication, change, beginnings, spirit, travel, expansion, and so on, but it's one step beyond. It exists solely in the energetic realms, which are far more nebulous.

We live in the magical realm of air everyday, breathing it in and passing through it. It saturates our mindsets and spirits, but like fish in water, we aren't conscious of it. Without training, it's easy to ignore the subtle energies that tell us that it's there, that it's powerful, and that it wants to interact with us.

I've developed a few ways to work with the magical element of air to help other people get in touch with it. These techniques involve envisioning or imagining you can see it, but don't be fooled into thinking that envisioning is mere fantasy. It's a useful tool that helps us strengthen our minds and our magical work, especially when first dealing with things that are invisible to us. With time and practice envisioning the magical element of air, you may begin to see it for yourself.

Envisioning the Magical Element of Air
The simplest way to envision the magical element of air is as an energetic field. You could imagine that it's thicker than normal air, or you could pretend it's a vast ocean of air all around you. In your mind's eye, see this energetic field stretching up into the sky and outward, to all of the horizons. See it saturating the world around you as far as you can see. Now, envision the mass of air flowing over the earth, always moving, with little ripples here and there.

The magical realm of air interacts with you and everything else on earth and in the heavens. Everything is connected via thought and energy. You have several nodes that link you to the people with whom you're closest, your altars, your home, your pets, your neighborhood, your co-workers, and beyond. Many people perceive these connections as white or silver strands. Imagine you can see connections coming off you and traveling outward in a radial flow. The strongest connections may look thicker than the other threads.

Next, think of someone you're close to, but with whom you don't live. There's a thread linking the two of you, and there are threads that link you and this person to other people, things, and places. This person also has strands that connect with other people with whom you're not connected. Now, add a couple more people to the vision. See your connections with them and all the threads they have. If you keep doing this, you can start to see a picture of a web, in which we are all connected.

The magical realm of air is an active place. Messages and information are constantly being sent and received at lightning-fast speeds all across the world. In a way, it's like wifi. Every time a thought enters our minds, we have the potential to emit a message along this network, and people who are sensitive to the magical element of air may receive our signals. However, it's important to note that we do have some control over what's sent and what's received. Protective measures can be implemented to not broadcast your thoughts to everyone and to not receive thoughts from others.

Envisioning the Magical Element of Air in Witchcraft
The athame is a powerful tool that can cut through the air. If you cast a circle with one, envision your athame cutting through the fabric of the air to create a place between the worlds, perhaps in the magical realm of air. If you use an athame to draw pentacles in the air, as you do so, envision the athame cutting the air and leaving the marks there until you take them down. If possible, sustain the imagery of the athame cuts in your mind's eye for the duration of the working.

Athames can also be used to sever the threads that connect us with others. Although the strands may reform, they will not be as thick as they originally were.

Athames that are made of steel or another iron-rich metal also have the power to cut spirits, which is why they're used to banish them. If you use an athame to banish spirits, imagine your blade as a threatening weapon and in your mind's eye, see the offending spirit flee.

When you're raising energy for ritual or a spell, the air around you can often change. This is especially true if you're in a circle. The air can become thick, hot, dense, and even electric with magic. Try to see this change in the air—you may see wavy lines of heat or blurred, congealed shapes. You may even see a cone of power. If you use a wand to pick up the energy, envision the wand actually grasping onto the air for a moment before flicking it off at a higher energetic state. You may even be able to see the energy in the air around you as it rises higher and higher.

Wands also come in handy when you're releasing your magic into the world, as they can easily connect with the magical realm of air. When you're ready to project your magic outward, raise your wand. Allow your powerful will to shoot your intentions into the wand. In your mind's eye, see your wand either touch or zap one of the threads of the web of connections. See your intentions transfer to the air, travel along multiple strands at a lightning speed, and transmit your desires far and wide.

Envisioning Spirits
All kinds of spirits fly through the magical realm of air with ease—several ancient Pagan cultures believed that the air was full of spirits all the time. This mindset likely continued for several millennia before it was stamped out by the church and reductionist philosophies.

Try to envision the spirits in the air around you. Start by imagining your ancestors and beloved dead gazing lovingly at you. They may appear as congealed forms of air in human shapes. Next, imagine your guardian spirit as a peaceful, slightly larger entity nearby. After you've pictured that, look at the sky and try to see the spirits flying high in the air above you, perhaps on a mission somewhere.

The spirits in the magical realm of air have all kinds of forms, colors, shapes, and sizes. Some look almost human-like, and others look more like animals or a combination. Other spirits are nothing more than a shadow or a tiny point of light. When we astral project into the magical realm of air, we can see them and interact with them.

Spirits and thoughts can travel easily in the magical realm of air, and spirits are very sensitive to thoughts. They can hear the thoughts you transmit, and if their energy is similar, they may be attracted to you. Unless you have protective measures in place to keep away unwanted spirits, they can come to you as if called and mirror your energy back to you, sort of like an invisible correspondence or support system. You receive constant affirmation of whatever energy you project. This is one reason why it's important to keep your thoughts positive and supportive. It's also why it can be hard to break out of a rut or get into higher energetic modes.

If you haven't yet done so, learn how to protect yourself from spirits who may be malevolent or trickers. Learn how to banish spirits who aren't in your inner circle of ancestors, beloved dead, guardians, helpful spirits, and familiars. If you wish, you can also learn how to listen to those spirits and evaluate whether they're helpful or not before banishing them or allowing them to stay.

Negative spirits sometimes appear as shadowy figures that often prefer the corners of a room. These spirits should not be envisioned, as doing so can attract them. However, when negative thoughts and spirits arise, it's important to be conscious of them and face them, not ignore them. Often, these spirits act as sympathetic company to your shadow self, which ultimately wants you to face your issues and heal. The spirits that are attracted to negative thoughts can, in some ways, help you see the state you're in because they enhance that state. Negative thoughts happen to everyone from time to time, and they often contain valuable lessons about who you are, what you want, and what you need your boundaries to be. When you experience this, envision seeing your shadow self before you. Think of this part of your spirit as lovable, and perhaps as a protection mechanism you put in place to defer the conflict. I like to envision hugging my shadow self and merging with it. Once that happens, you'll start to heal and attract more beneficial spirits again.

Spirit work with the element of air includes automatic writing, divination, astral projection, communing with your beloved dead, receiving and relaying messages, protection, doing work for you in the world, creativity, and assisting you with your magic.

I hope these insights about the magical element of air have been helpful. Even though air is an elusive element for many people, it's definitely rewarding. My air magic practices have helped my practice evolve so much.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2021. All rights reserved.

I keep hearing that my astrological sign is incorrect due to something called a wobble that has thrown off the constellations and added a 13th sign, or moved everyone's sign. I'm totally confused. My birthday is in early June, which would make me a Gemini. Am I really a Cancer? Or does it go backwards, making me a Taurus? What's the scoop?

Brian

Astrea:

The famous astrologer Carl Payne Tobey is credited with the discovery of Moon Wobbles, which always occur when the transiting Sun makes contact with the lunar nodes. They happen about four times a year and generally are about two weeks in duration.

Moon Wobbles create events and cause things to happen that are similar to a Mercury Retrograde, so things seem to be unsettled or intensified during these times.

Generally, Moon Wobbles can be held responsible for car crashes, mechanical breakdowns, and people over-reacting to emotional issues. On the positive side, sometimes they produce increased awareness and creativity.

Moon Wobbles don't determine your Sun Sign, but where your Moon is in your chart will usually show what kind of reaction you will generally have during one of these astrological events. Your personal horoscope probably contains information as to whether you were born at one of these times or not. If your astrologer omitted that information, it's easy enough to look up on the internet.

During a Moon Wobble, it's not advisable to sign a new lease, buy or sell a home, plant a garden or travel, unless you can be extremely flexible. Try to avoid arguments with others, especially with spouses, parents and children, as conflicts that begin during these times can be volatile and very difficult to resolve.

It's best not to start a new job or project or have major repairs done to your car or your home. Following the same precautions advisable during a Mercury Retrograde can help you stay on a smoother track. The key to doing well is to try not to react to things that would normally push your buttons.

As a Gemini, flexibility won't be a challenge for you, and during a Moon Wobble (especially if you were born during one) this trait would intensify. Expecting the unexpected is a way of life for Air Signs, so living with all sorts of surprises and sudden shifts may be fun for you. Nevertheless, it's still wise to take extra care during volatile periods.

While I think that this is an interesting feature of astrology, for me personally, it's not something that is in effect all the time; it comes and goes. Some people do just fine and hardly notice these planetary changes in their lives.

I'm pretty old-fashioned in my astrology work, so in my view, they're not all that important when it comes to a person's life and personality. However, this is something fun to study and find out about in your own chart.

*****

Susyn:

Thanks for a great question. This is a theory that popped up in the mid-1990's and has been causing quite a stir ever since. It's based on a scientific study that measured the shift in the earth's axis (called the wobble). This study suggests that the constellations are no longer moving in sync with the ancient dates assigned to the zodiac in early times.

This was used by skeptics as just one more reason why astrological practices aren't valid, and it generated a lot of confusion about sun signs, as your question indicates. Unfortunately, this whole theory was based on a misconception about how the signs of the zodiac came into being and what they are based upon.

In truth, the signs, degrees and divisions of the zodiac have no connection to the heavenly constellations that bear their same names. Instead, they were originally based on an imaginary elliptical belt surrounding the earth. These sign designations are determined by the seasons of the year, not the stars above.

An easier way to view this is to remember that our seasons start on the first day the Sun enters a particular sign, so the first day of spring (in the Northern hemisphere) corresponds with the onset of Aries; for summer, it's the first day the Sun is in Cancer; for autumn, it's the first day in Libra, and for winter, it's the first day in Capricorn.

Because the constellations are fixed stars in the sky, they hold little place in the reading of an astrological chart, as they don't create transits or vary from client to client. The signs of the zodiac were created over 2,000 years ago, as first recorded in Greek history; they were named long before most corresponding constellations were identified or named.

So you can rest assured that you are still a Gemini. Since that means there are already two of you, I'm sure you don't really want to add another sign to the mix!

Just for reference, however, there are some instances where you may experience a change in your Sun sign. For example, if you decide to explore Vedic astrology, your Sun would move 23 degrees backwards, which could easily identify you as a Taurus instead of a Gemini born within the first 23 degrees of your sign.

Keep in mind that Eastern and Western astrology are two very different practices. One leans more toward predictive readings, while the other finds its center in spiritual growth and development. Both work well for the purposes for which they were designed, and by understanding the difference, you can get the information you're seeking.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.