Air and Spirit Quotations

Painting by Douglas A. Sirois, Used With Permission

Lately, I've become obsessed with air. When you don't have enough of it, you understand in a new way the critical role of this invisible, mysterious element's in all our lives.

When I'm not a skeptic, which I often am, I believe that the air we breathe contains the spirits of our ancestors--we are literally breathing them in and out, just as we breathe in the spirits of all those living on the earth right now, which helps to nourish our bodies. We are all interconnected. When we expire, or "give up the ghost," our spirit joins the atmosphere, made up of the spirits of those who have gone before.

I realize this idea perpetuates the separation of the body and spirit (or mind, if one prefers) that has fallen out of favor since Descartes announced it with "I think, therefore I am!" However, I do rather believe that when this shell we inhabit falls away, our spirits will soar. When I'm not being a skeptic, that is.

Meanwhile, I'm a collector--not of a lot of tschotches or such, but of things I love--rocks, fallen birds' nests, owl figurines, fabric, beads, to name a few of my obsessions.

This is my collection of words and phrases in our everyday speech and quotations on air and spirit, to be added to as time goes on. Feel free to send me a comment with your own to add to the list!

It's fascinating to me that the word "spirit" originates from the Latin root "spirare," to breathe. Spirit and air began as one concept, and I often feel they remain one concept.  Etymologies of the following words were found at Online Etymology Dictionary.

• Words with the etymological roots "spirare" (Latin) - To breathe, and "spiritus" - Air, spirit

• Spirit - mid-13c., "animating or vital principle in man and animals," from Anglo-French spirit, Old French espirit "spirit, soul" (12c., Modern French esprit) and directly from Latin spiritus "a breathing (respiration, and of the wind); breath; breath of a god."

• As this etymological record states, the origin of "spirit" is the Latin word for "breathing," both the air we breathe in and the wind, or atmosphere, around us.

• Inspire/Inspiration - "Inspirare" (Latin) To breathe or blow into - mid-14c., enspiren, "to fill the mind, heart, etc., with grace, etc.);" also "to prompt or induce (someone to do something")," from Old French enspirer (13c.), from Latin inspirare, "inflame; blow into," [from the Latin "spirare" (to breathe)]

• So interesting that to inspire is to breathe in, though we usually use the word to describe the feeling of inspiration--to "breathe in" and incorporate new ideas!  

• Expire - 

c. 1400, "to die," from Old French expirer "expire, elapse" (12C.), from Latin expirare/exspirare "breathe out, blow out, ehale; breathe one's last, die," hence, figuratively, "expire, come to and end, cease.  "Die" is the older sense in English; that of "breathe out" is first attested 1580s."   

• However, as noted, the sense of "last breath" did exist for the Romans. 

• Also, the book Waiting to Exhale gives an additional meaning to the word--a long, long wait filled with spiritual/emotional angst.

• Breath of life
• Taking a last breath
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