HEALING WITH THE ELEMENT OF AIR
Mind • Breath • Knowledge • Communication
Assigning environmental and societal action and self-care to a specific element can be arbitrary. Still, the Air Quarter generally focuses on mental health, new ideas, knowledge collection and sharing, creativity, understanding others’ perspectives, and all things related to air quality.
Healing Self
Breathing Techniques
Using breath and its cleansing energy can help ground and calm the mind and body. Finding a type of breathwork you can return to regularly further enhances its positive effects. Breathwork does not have to be a practice like pranayama, which you learn. You can also simply step outside and take a few intentional breaths. Visualize the air flowing into your body; each breath brings fresh, pure energy, and each exhale releases negativity, stress, and tension.
Explore Mindfulness
Yes, mindfulness has been over-admired, over-prescribed, and over-defined. So, begin by releasing whatever magazine or lifestyle blog image comes to mind. Instead, think of it as a mental version of living below your means. Explore what soothes your spirit, what grounds you, and what allows you to feel present in your body. Consider how you can unhook from consumer-culture notions like “busy people are important people” or “busy people are popular people”. From this more grounded place, you can better enjoy the beauty of a quiet moment.
Rethink Time
It is hard to talk about time in a non-consumer way; we spend time, waste time, save time, make time, and consider what to do with time. To step out of this perspective, it can be helpful to think of time as an energy river you travel along. From this perspective, you can explore your interaction with this energy. Do you feel aligned with its flow? Are you feeling grounded in the present? Do you seek out positive strands of this energy flow? Are you flowing in a space with room for the people and activities you love? Look ahead to understand where the energy flow is headed. Where within this flow would you like to find yourself? Are you prepared for the near and distant parts of this flow? In this flow, there is no rushing ahead or being left behind. You move as the universe moves.
Rethink Scent
Everything is scented these days. This is bad for your health in two ways. First, it is overwhelming for your psyche. Your sense of smell creates scent maps of your surroundings, helping you understand the natural world. If everything around you is scented artificially, your psyche becomes overwhelmed and anxious because you can no longer rely on your sense of smell to navigate your world. Second, scents are created using chemicals such as phthalates, formaldehyde, musk ketone, methylene chloride, styrene, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and certain alcohols. These chemicals can cause health issues like allergies, asthma, reproductive problems, and cancer.
You benefit in two ways by using scent-free products in your home and on your body. First, your body does not have to expend energy to remove these chemicals. Second, your neurological system will feel calmer because your surroundings are no longer chaotic. You can now enjoy fragrances with intention. A little dab of your chosen fragrance on top of unscented body products lets you fully enjoy the scent. Furthermore, when you use different fragrances for different occasions or seasons, the smell can help your psyche feel more at home in the moment. And you do not become nose-blind to your favorite scents.
Pursue Knowledge
An engaged mind is a mind that stays younger longer. Choose something that fosters curiosity and brings you joy. Reading, writing, or learning something new are great ways to engage the mind. But remember, knowledge does not have to come from a textbook or documentary. Exploring new and interesting food and its cultural origins or learning more about your body's erotic preferences are also forms of pursuing new knowledge.
Find Ways to Express Your Perspective in a Positive Way
The simple act of stating a solution or a hope rather than a problem or a grievance can be very powerful. It helps calm your mind when addressing challenging topics and fosters better relationships. Of course, many issues require frank discussion, but positively expressing your perspective is not the same as “positive thinking,” which can be a very toxic way to silence the need to acknowledge all of life’s ups and downs without blaming your thoughts for hardship, loss, or illness. Instead, expressing your perspective positively is a productive way to communicate. It helps you avoid self-defeating negative loops. Even when there is no obvious solution, you can still help create a shared vision for the future.
Using breath and its cleansing energy can help ground and calm the mind and body. Finding a type of breathwork you can return to regularly further enhances its positive effects. Breathwork does not have to be a practice like pranayama, which you learn. You can also simply step outside and take a few intentional breaths. Visualize the air flowing into your body; each breath brings fresh, pure energy, and each exhale releases negativity, stress, and tension.
Explore Mindfulness
Yes, mindfulness has been over-admired, over-prescribed, and over-defined. So, begin by releasing whatever magazine or lifestyle blog image comes to mind. Instead, think of it as a mental version of living below your means. Explore what soothes your spirit, what grounds you, and what allows you to feel present in your body. Consider how you can unhook from consumer-culture notions like “busy people are important people” or “busy people are popular people”. From this more grounded place, you can better enjoy the beauty of a quiet moment.
Rethink Time
It is hard to talk about time in a non-consumer way; we spend time, waste time, save time, make time, and consider what to do with time. To step out of this perspective, it can be helpful to think of time as an energy river you travel along. From this perspective, you can explore your interaction with this energy. Do you feel aligned with its flow? Are you feeling grounded in the present? Do you seek out positive strands of this energy flow? Are you flowing in a space with room for the people and activities you love? Look ahead to understand where the energy flow is headed. Where within this flow would you like to find yourself? Are you prepared for the near and distant parts of this flow? In this flow, there is no rushing ahead or being left behind. You move as the universe moves.
Rethink Scent
Everything is scented these days. This is bad for your health in two ways. First, it is overwhelming for your psyche. Your sense of smell creates scent maps of your surroundings, helping you understand the natural world. If everything around you is scented artificially, your psyche becomes overwhelmed and anxious because you can no longer rely on your sense of smell to navigate your world. Second, scents are created using chemicals such as phthalates, formaldehyde, musk ketone, methylene chloride, styrene, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and certain alcohols. These chemicals can cause health issues like allergies, asthma, reproductive problems, and cancer.
You benefit in two ways by using scent-free products in your home and on your body. First, your body does not have to expend energy to remove these chemicals. Second, your neurological system will feel calmer because your surroundings are no longer chaotic. You can now enjoy fragrances with intention. A little dab of your chosen fragrance on top of unscented body products lets you fully enjoy the scent. Furthermore, when you use different fragrances for different occasions or seasons, the smell can help your psyche feel more at home in the moment. And you do not become nose-blind to your favorite scents.
Pursue Knowledge
An engaged mind is a mind that stays younger longer. Choose something that fosters curiosity and brings you joy. Reading, writing, or learning something new are great ways to engage the mind. But remember, knowledge does not have to come from a textbook or documentary. Exploring new and interesting food and its cultural origins or learning more about your body's erotic preferences are also forms of pursuing new knowledge.
Find Ways to Express Your Perspective in a Positive Way
The simple act of stating a solution or a hope rather than a problem or a grievance can be very powerful. It helps calm your mind when addressing challenging topics and fosters better relationships. Of course, many issues require frank discussion, but positively expressing your perspective is not the same as “positive thinking,” which can be a very toxic way to silence the need to acknowledge all of life’s ups and downs without blaming your thoughts for hardship, loss, or illness. Instead, expressing your perspective positively is a productive way to communicate. It helps you avoid self-defeating negative loops. Even when there is no obvious solution, you can still help create a shared vision for the future.
Healing Society
Listen
First and foremost, you must practice listening with the intention of learning and understanding rather than preparing to reply. This is especially true if you come from a dominant group or class. To truly understand an issue that may not affect you, you must be open to hearing the other's perspective. While listening, it is essential to set aside defensiveness or guilt, as they are about how we feel, not the other person's experience.
Acknowledgment
When coming from the dominant culture, it is important to acknowledge your privilege. This may mean acknowledging that the land you live on once belonged to native peoples. This may also mean that the labor used to build the local infrastructure was slave labor, whether your ancestors directly enslaved people or not. Aside from remaining open-minded, there is often no obvious way to follow this acknowledgment with a social justice action. Meanwhile, you can help stop current cycles of cultural appropriation by being conscientious about which practices and traditions you “borrow” from minority cultures. You can also take some time to consider how your communities may still be repressing minority rights, traditions, and land access.
Support and/or Make Art
Art, music, theater, poetry, and books are often the mirrors of human society. It is a great way to express what you love, what you fear, what you suffer, and what you desire. When they serve as tools for discussing the issues of our time, they offer both inspiration and healing. If you do not relate to the larger, more mainstream venues, your communities may have small grassroots programs to support.
Try on Others' Perspective
You will not like or agree with everyone. Some of them may, in fact, be part of the problem. However, understanding their perspective can go a long way in formulating a more helpful response. You may find prejudices or misconceptions in your perspective that are worth examining. This process will not solve the other person’s contributions to the problem at hand, but it will help clarify the steps you can take in response.
Vote
Yes, the system has some problems. Yes, the party platforms and the candidates can be uninspiring. But change happens only when everyone gets involved. You can support candidates you believe in because your support allows them to shape the conversation even when your candidate has no chance of winning. This will, in turn, help shift the party’s opinions and policies over time. Change is slow, so be patient.
Freedom of Speech
The right to express thoughts, opinions, and beliefs freely, without censorship or fear of retribution, is vital to an open democracy. However, freedom of speech can be a mixed bag. On the positive side, it enables open dialogue, debate, and the sharing of diverse perspectives. On the darker side, it allows speech that promotes fear and hate. Part of supporting freedom of speech is finding ways to reconcile these sides and creating guidelines that protect people from that harm. It can be helpful to explore how your community navigates this issue.
Access to Information
Promoting transparency, open access to knowledge, and the free flow of information ensures that everyone can make informed decisions. Supporting universal access to the internet, public libraries, and unbiased media sources is one way to help your community.
Hand in hand with access to information is net neutrality. The internet is currently the primary way to communicate and share information. Net neutrality also means digital privacy. Together, these two ensure that everyone can freely express themselves and access information without discrimination. Supporting these rights can be challenging as national policies shape them. However, you can still write to your representatives.
Education for All
Access to quality education is critical for a just and equal society. It is also usually a more local issue, so it may be easier to support. You can begin by better understanding who is running for school boards and what they stand for. Beyond that, many communities have programs that help those who lack access or have fallen behind. English as a second language or GED programs are two programs that can always use support.
Whistleblower Protection
Whistleblowers who expose corruption, environmental harm, or human rights abuses often face retaliation. And how a community helps protect those who speak up says a lot about local priorities. Unfortunately, many communities have no say in corporate culture or corruption, but there are legal organizations whose mission is to help these whistleblowers. They are always looking for support.
Press Freedom
A free and independent press is essential for any community. This is especially true as so many local news sources are being nationalized. Studies have shown time and time again that communities with strong local news sources have less corruption and pollution. So, even if you don’t read it, having a paid subscription to your local newspaper is an easy way to protect your community.
Language and Cultural Rights
Part of social equality is the right to speak your language. Many governments and countries have a track record of suppressing the languages of native and minority communities. Even if this is no longer the case, languages are still being lost due to a lack of information and resources. Even if your people do not speak a minority language, there are ways to support organizations that work to record and teach these languages.
In communities with large minority populations, it is productive to have local government information available in those languages. Likewise, having community spaces where all religions and traditions can be celebrated enriches the community and supports minority cultures. You can help promote both by contacting your local representatives or by supporting local organizations or community centers.
First and foremost, you must practice listening with the intention of learning and understanding rather than preparing to reply. This is especially true if you come from a dominant group or class. To truly understand an issue that may not affect you, you must be open to hearing the other's perspective. While listening, it is essential to set aside defensiveness or guilt, as they are about how we feel, not the other person's experience.
Acknowledgment
When coming from the dominant culture, it is important to acknowledge your privilege. This may mean acknowledging that the land you live on once belonged to native peoples. This may also mean that the labor used to build the local infrastructure was slave labor, whether your ancestors directly enslaved people or not. Aside from remaining open-minded, there is often no obvious way to follow this acknowledgment with a social justice action. Meanwhile, you can help stop current cycles of cultural appropriation by being conscientious about which practices and traditions you “borrow” from minority cultures. You can also take some time to consider how your communities may still be repressing minority rights, traditions, and land access.
Support and/or Make Art
Art, music, theater, poetry, and books are often the mirrors of human society. It is a great way to express what you love, what you fear, what you suffer, and what you desire. When they serve as tools for discussing the issues of our time, they offer both inspiration and healing. If you do not relate to the larger, more mainstream venues, your communities may have small grassroots programs to support.
Try on Others' Perspective
You will not like or agree with everyone. Some of them may, in fact, be part of the problem. However, understanding their perspective can go a long way in formulating a more helpful response. You may find prejudices or misconceptions in your perspective that are worth examining. This process will not solve the other person’s contributions to the problem at hand, but it will help clarify the steps you can take in response.
Vote
Yes, the system has some problems. Yes, the party platforms and the candidates can be uninspiring. But change happens only when everyone gets involved. You can support candidates you believe in because your support allows them to shape the conversation even when your candidate has no chance of winning. This will, in turn, help shift the party’s opinions and policies over time. Change is slow, so be patient.
Freedom of Speech
The right to express thoughts, opinions, and beliefs freely, without censorship or fear of retribution, is vital to an open democracy. However, freedom of speech can be a mixed bag. On the positive side, it enables open dialogue, debate, and the sharing of diverse perspectives. On the darker side, it allows speech that promotes fear and hate. Part of supporting freedom of speech is finding ways to reconcile these sides and creating guidelines that protect people from that harm. It can be helpful to explore how your community navigates this issue.
Access to Information
Promoting transparency, open access to knowledge, and the free flow of information ensures that everyone can make informed decisions. Supporting universal access to the internet, public libraries, and unbiased media sources is one way to help your community.
Hand in hand with access to information is net neutrality. The internet is currently the primary way to communicate and share information. Net neutrality also means digital privacy. Together, these two ensure that everyone can freely express themselves and access information without discrimination. Supporting these rights can be challenging as national policies shape them. However, you can still write to your representatives.
Education for All
Access to quality education is critical for a just and equal society. It is also usually a more local issue, so it may be easier to support. You can begin by better understanding who is running for school boards and what they stand for. Beyond that, many communities have programs that help those who lack access or have fallen behind. English as a second language or GED programs are two programs that can always use support.
Whistleblower Protection
Whistleblowers who expose corruption, environmental harm, or human rights abuses often face retaliation. And how a community helps protect those who speak up says a lot about local priorities. Unfortunately, many communities have no say in corporate culture or corruption, but there are legal organizations whose mission is to help these whistleblowers. They are always looking for support.
Press Freedom
A free and independent press is essential for any community. This is especially true as so many local news sources are being nationalized. Studies have shown time and time again that communities with strong local news sources have less corruption and pollution. So, even if you don’t read it, having a paid subscription to your local newspaper is an easy way to protect your community.
Language and Cultural Rights
Part of social equality is the right to speak your language. Many governments and countries have a track record of suppressing the languages of native and minority communities. Even if this is no longer the case, languages are still being lost due to a lack of information and resources. Even if your people do not speak a minority language, there are ways to support organizations that work to record and teach these languages.
In communities with large minority populations, it is productive to have local government information available in those languages. Likewise, having community spaces where all religions and traditions can be celebrated enriches the community and supports minority cultures. You can help promote both by contacting your local representatives or by supporting local organizations or community centers.
Healing the Environment
Rethink Transportation
The most effective approach to transportation problems is to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. This is, of course, only possible in some situations, so the next best approach is to use public transportation whenever possible. Buying a hybrid or electric vehicle can also reduce carbon emissions. However, each car on the road requires earth resources to build and some energy to move. Electric vehicles may not emit carbon while driving, but the lithium mining and production process definitely does, and, depending on where you live, electricity production does as well. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road helps decrease air pollution. Carpooling, public transportation, biking, or walking helps mitigate these emissions.
Planting Trees
Trees capture carbon and help purify the air. The fewer trees that get cut down, the better. Deforestation can be a daunting subject, but every tree planted helps. Furthermore, planting trees in urban areas helps reduce local ground temperatures. Many reforestation and urban greening organizations need resources and volunteer hours.
Wind Energy
As of yet, there are few wind-harnessing options for individual homes. But there may be startups working to create them, who may be looking for investors. If you live in an area with a community-wide wind energy network, look at your electric bill to ensure you receive energy from this source. Another way to support environmentally friendly wind energy production is to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect birds and other wildlife from wind turbines.
Carbon Offsets
Many organizations and businesses offer carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon generated by an activity or the production of a product. For the most part, this involves paying for tree planting that will absorb the carbon produced. Nice in theory, but hard to verify. Even if the trees are planted, it will take many years for them to grow large enough to make a difference, assuming they reach maturity. Sadly, there are many ways the trees might not make it: some tree starts will not survive planting, animals might eat the small trees, and insect infestations will kill the larger trees. And if the trees survive these hazards, they could still die in a fire, flood, mudslide, or hurricane, releasing the carbon they hold. Furthermore, many carbon credits are applied to the same tree. And if the tree was being planted anyway, there is no net gain. In other words, it is a safer bet to change your behavior rather than counting on the trees to clean up after you.
Indoor Air Quality Awareness
Improving air quality inside homes and workplaces is crucial. This can be done by choosing a chemical-free cleaning product that doesn't cause asthma or other breathing issues. Another way to keep the air clean is to open windows to let fresh air into the building. If the air outside is not clean, improving the ventilation system or investing in a HEPA filter is the next best thing. Beyond these options, many houseplants will also help clean the indoor air.
Adopting Clean Cooking Technologies
A major contributor to poor air quality is the gases or smoke released during cooking. In some areas, new options such as induction cooktops are available as alternatives to gas stoves. However, in many regions of the world, there is still a heavy reliance on solid fuels like wood, coal, and animal dung. There are many organizations whose mission is to bring solar and other low-tech cooking tools to these regions.
Participating in Air Quality Monitoring
In many communities, there are ways to sign up for or participate in air quality monitoring programs. Data collected from these programs helps inform policy changes and empower communities to take action. So, it is an easy way to help keep local businesses accountable for their emissions.
The most effective approach to transportation problems is to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. This is, of course, only possible in some situations, so the next best approach is to use public transportation whenever possible. Buying a hybrid or electric vehicle can also reduce carbon emissions. However, each car on the road requires earth resources to build and some energy to move. Electric vehicles may not emit carbon while driving, but the lithium mining and production process definitely does, and, depending on where you live, electricity production does as well. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road helps decrease air pollution. Carpooling, public transportation, biking, or walking helps mitigate these emissions.
Planting Trees
Trees capture carbon and help purify the air. The fewer trees that get cut down, the better. Deforestation can be a daunting subject, but every tree planted helps. Furthermore, planting trees in urban areas helps reduce local ground temperatures. Many reforestation and urban greening organizations need resources and volunteer hours.
Wind Energy
As of yet, there are few wind-harnessing options for individual homes. But there may be startups working to create them, who may be looking for investors. If you live in an area with a community-wide wind energy network, look at your electric bill to ensure you receive energy from this source. Another way to support environmentally friendly wind energy production is to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect birds and other wildlife from wind turbines.
Carbon Offsets
Many organizations and businesses offer carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon generated by an activity or the production of a product. For the most part, this involves paying for tree planting that will absorb the carbon produced. Nice in theory, but hard to verify. Even if the trees are planted, it will take many years for them to grow large enough to make a difference, assuming they reach maturity. Sadly, there are many ways the trees might not make it: some tree starts will not survive planting, animals might eat the small trees, and insect infestations will kill the larger trees. And if the trees survive these hazards, they could still die in a fire, flood, mudslide, or hurricane, releasing the carbon they hold. Furthermore, many carbon credits are applied to the same tree. And if the tree was being planted anyway, there is no net gain. In other words, it is a safer bet to change your behavior rather than counting on the trees to clean up after you.
Indoor Air Quality Awareness
Improving air quality inside homes and workplaces is crucial. This can be done by choosing a chemical-free cleaning product that doesn't cause asthma or other breathing issues. Another way to keep the air clean is to open windows to let fresh air into the building. If the air outside is not clean, improving the ventilation system or investing in a HEPA filter is the next best thing. Beyond these options, many houseplants will also help clean the indoor air.
Adopting Clean Cooking Technologies
A major contributor to poor air quality is the gases or smoke released during cooking. In some areas, new options such as induction cooktops are available as alternatives to gas stoves. However, in many regions of the world, there is still a heavy reliance on solid fuels like wood, coal, and animal dung. There are many organizations whose mission is to bring solar and other low-tech cooking tools to these regions.
Participating in Air Quality Monitoring
In many communities, there are ways to sign up for or participate in air quality monitoring programs. Data collected from these programs helps inform policy changes and empower communities to take action. So, it is an easy way to help keep local businesses accountable for their emissions.