Air, in Alchemy, is an active, light, male element, composed of Heat and Humidity. It corresponds to the breath, the wind, the Spirit. It is the cosmic breath that is identified with the flow of the Word; it is the invisible ether that pervades the entire Universe and which we absorb when breathing.
All the faculties of the mind and intellect, both intuitive and rational, correspond to Air, as to it belongs the whole world of Archetypal Ideas (placed behind the veil of the physical world, these Ideas, like Air, are not seen and cannot be grasped, yet they exist and govern the whole of existence).
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Air is a vital element, and several deities and gods are associated with it in various mythologies and religious traditions. Here are some deities commonly linked to the element of air:
- Vayu (Hinduism): Vayu is the Hindu god of the wind and air. He is a vital force in the universe and represents the life-sustaining breath of all living beings.
- Aeolus (Greek Mythology): Aeolus is the Greek god of the winds, responsible for controlling and directing the various winds in Greek mythology. He is often depicted as a keeper of the winds in a bag.
- Enlil (Sumerian and Akkadian Mythology): Enlil is a Mesopotamian god associated with the air, wind, and storms. He was considered a powerful and sometimes destructive deity in ancient Mesopotamia.
- Shu (Egyptian Mythology): Shu is the ancient Egyptian god of air and wind, often depicted holding up the sky to create space and separation between Earth and the heavens.
- Amun (Egyptian Mythology): Amun is another Egyptian deity associated with air, often regarded as a hidden and mysterious god. He symbolizes the invisible air and the breath of life.
- Notus (Greek Mythology): Notus is one of the Anemoi, the wind gods in Greek mythology. He is associated with the south wind and represents the hot and stormy winds.
- Quetzalcoatl (Aztec Mythology): Quetzalcoatl is a prominent god in Aztec mythology, often associated with the wind, air, and the breath of life. He is a creator god and represents wisdom and knowledge.
- Stribog (Slavic Mythology): Stribog is a Slavic god of the wind, air, and sky. He is depicted as a divine old man with a flowing beard and is considered a protector and giver of life.
These deities and gods associated with air highlight its significance as an essential element in the natural world and in the beliefs and mythologies of various cultures. Air often symbolizes life, breath, movement, and the unseen forces that shape the world.
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4 Deities That are Associated with Air
Aeolus and his brothers
Aeolus is God and Lord of the Winds. A descendant of Poseidon and grandson of his namesake, Aeolus (from the Greek ‘aiolos’ which means fast), he was officially the son of Metaponto (king of Icaria) and Teano.
His twin Beotus settled in the land currently known as Boeotia, which became his kingdom, while Aeolus wandered to Magna Graecia, finally settling on Lipari, an island in a small archipelago north-east of Sicily, together with his twelve children, six males and six females, who married each other.
There he became tamer of the winds and advisor to the gods, giving his name to the entire archipelago, the Aeolian Islands. When Zeus decided to enclose the winds in amphorae, since he considered them dangerous if left in the wild, his wife Hera suggested that he hide them in a cave in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and entrust their custody to Aeolus.
The winds, after causing great damage (including the detachment of Sicily from the continent) and guilty of the various storms and storms on the sea, had to be constantly kept under control by the gods. So, Aeolus directed them, freed them, or closed them inside caves and inside skin in Lipari, one of the Aeolian islands, where he had erected his splendid palace.
When Ulysses, a veteran of the Trojan War, landed in the Aeolian Islands, Aeolus hosted him and, moved by the story of the Greek hero, gave him the leather skins inside which the winds against navigation were locked up.
During the voyage, while Ulysses was asleep, the sailing companions, believing that the wineskin given to her by Aeolus was full of treasures, opened it. This released the winds that unleashed a terrible storm across the seas. Aeolus only saved the ship of Ulysses.
Among the winds ruled by Aeolus were four brothers (associated with the four main winds):
- Boreas, the most violent, North Wind who, for the love of the Dardanus mares, turned into a horse and produced twelve foals as fast as the wind. It was considered as the very breath of Zeus, it is an impetuous wind that blows from the North with great force, particularly revered by the Athenians, convinced that it had taken steps, with a tremendous hurricane, to vanquish the fleet of Xerxes, the Persian king who had threatened Greece with a colossal expedition.
- Zephyr, Wind of the West, sweet and beneficial that announces spring, created Xanthus and Balio, the two horses of Achilles, called by the Romans Favonio, and is particularly appreciated because it announces spring and the beautiful season, favoring germination of seeds and the recovery of nature from winter sleep.
- Euro, East Wind, sometimes stormy and sometimes dry that brought good weather, and which the Romans called Vulturno.
- Austro, South Wind, very hot and humid, bringer of rain, was always depicted wet.
Also read:
A List of 3 Deities That are Associated with Sun [With Stories]
A List of 4 Deities That are Associated with Water [With Stories]
Ilmatar
Goddess of wind, air, and sky, as well as storms, hunting, and cold. Her mortal incarnation is one of the main protagonists of the epic poem known as Khal-Valàn: in the work, Ilmatar is presented as a fierce and indomitable warrior, daughter of Harkel and sent by the Goddess of Creation to defend the three bloodlines in their struggle against their enemies: the violent and impulsive Savages and the cunning and ruthless sorcerers of Ilsanora.
The cult is strongly localized in the northern regions of the Continent of Sarakon corresponding to the current duchies of Feith and Gulas of the Grand Duchy of Greyhaven and the Elven Republic of Lankbow.
In many cases, it can be considered as a direct extension of the cult of Harkel and therefore attributable to the dictates of the Church of Light: however, there are several communities, both among elves and humans, where the veneration for the Goddess of the wind (and/or Harkel) is accompanied by a total lack of interest in other deities.
Njörðr
Njörðr is a god from Norse mythology. Belonging to the Vanir lineage, he was received as a hostage in that of the Æsir to sign peace between the two factions after the conclusion of the conflict that divided them. It is said that Njörðr will return to the Vanir after Ragnarök.
God of the sea, of the wind, of disturbances, of fertility and of wealth, the giver of fortunes and misfortunes to sailors and fishermen, Njörðr is the father of Freyr and Freyja, who he had by joining with his sister.
Amon
Amon was a dark deity of the Theban region in the Old Kingdom. Its name derives from the root imn which has the meaning of “conceal, hide”. Amon was therefore the “hidden god”.
He was depicted anthropomorphic (with human features), the head adorned with the tiara with two high feathers and also cryocephalus (i.e. the head of a ram) in its Amon-solar assimilation.
The ram was the animal that, together with the goose, was associated with him by the priests of the time. Already during the XI dynasty, his presence in Thebes is attested, which will become the main center of his cult.
It seems that he was once also worshiped in Koptos, the ancient Kebti, where the local deity, Min, has many points in common with Amun. Originally, Amon, was one of the eight primordial deities worshiped at Hermopolis Magna, Greco-Roman version for ancient Unt, where he symbolized air and invisible space.
The air elements are so important and so are the deities associated with it! If you want to boost your spiritual energy and create a deeper connection with this element, you can connect with one of these deities to do it in a mindful, beautiful way.
Other Deities Associated with Air
Deity Name | Pantheon | Symbolism and Attributes | Offerings and Rituals |
---|---|---|---|
Zeus | Greek Mythology | God of the sky, thunder, and lightning | Incense, libations, offering of fresh air, wind chimes |
Shu | Egyptian Mythology | God of air and the breath of life | Feathers, breath work, meditation in open spaces |
Enlil | Mesopotamian Mythology | God of wind, air, and storms | Wind-blown offerings, chanting or singing in the wind |
Vayu | Hindu Mythology | God of the wind | Bells or wind chimes, wind-swept spaces, meditation |
Hermes | Greek Mythology | Messenger of the gods, associated with communication | Writing and communication, offering of lavender or mint |