“I carry the dust

of a journey 

that cannot be

shaken away.

It lives deep

within me

for I breathed it

every day.”

Excerpt from song “Pictures At An Exhibition" album,

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.

     Relax and take a deep breath in and out.  Since humans first drew breath, in general terms, this act has been much the same.  The people of ancient times breathed in and out, lived and died, had babies and ate food.  How and why we breathe was then, and is now, in the larger sense related to the meaning of life, a mystery.  We need the air and water to live.  The science and physiology of respiration can be explained in many ways and in great detail, though we do not know the true nature of the atom, the real ways of energy, or the true origins of human life. We are of the Earth, and made of Earthly material.  Life breath is filled with mystery.

     This mysterious process of breath, taking in the stuff of life, relates to the origins of the word and term, spirit.  Throughout history, all humans have had this common experience.  Throughout history also, many different ideas, notions, beliefs and myths have been applied to this common act.  From heavens and hells, gods and ghosts, to mother nature, humankind has had an innate need to bring some kind of knowledge or system to the mystery of the unknown. It is unfortunate that these varied beliefs and myths have also lead to great gulfs in understanding, and to fear, hate, and wars.  As time goes by, more and more versions and variations appear.

    Though I do not know who you are, holding this book and reading the words here, I do know what you are doing, and what your ancestors were doing many generations before you.  You are breathing in and out. The mystery of who and what we are is related to each breath we take. Respiration is part of the stuff of life for all people. What makes us alive is still a mystery, but it is still related to and inspired by our ability to take in air and use it within our systems.

    Prior to the discovery of molecules, atoms and subatomic particles, etc., air itself was a great mystery.  Some cultures had a personal name for wind and rain, and clouds, thunder and lightning, snow and hail, all had sources in the supernatural.  It was not known what air was or why people needed to breathe.

    Inspiration…in respiration…in spirit…the word spirit is related to the life giving air we breath. It was not until various systems of belief made of this inspiration different, and often conflicting, ideas that this universal commonality was lost in chaos of dogma, religion, and philosophical debate.  The notion of a separate “spirit” unrelated to air, earth and water, made for endless stories of various entities, deities, ghosts, and so forth.  Even within the same religious group, there are often as many variations in the details of definitions as there are people.  

    Now, with modern science having broken down the nature of various gases, chemicals, cellular structures and interactions, breathing is a bit less of a mystery.  Yet, the notion of the mysterious separate spirit persists for many people.