Take a look at these are surprising mystical connections in some of
the world's oldest languages and religions (Judaism, Christianity,
Roman and Greek paganism, Buddhism and Chinese Taoism)...

BREATH - SPIRIT - WIND
----------------------
Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "ruach" was used for
the "Holy Spirit" or "Holy Ghost". Ruach can mean wind, breath,
spirit or mind. In Genesis, God "breathed the breath of life into
Adam".

In Aramaic, the language that Jesus (Yeshua) spoke, the Judeans had
an equivalent word, pronounced "Rukh".

In the New Testament Christian gospels, The Greek word "pneuma" was
used. "Pneuma" also refers to "wind", "breath" or "spirit". This
Greek root gives rise to modern usage of terms like "pneumatic" (air-
powered), "pneumonia" (lung disease), and "pneumatology" (study of
spiritual or paranormal beings or activities).

In Latin, the language of the ancient Romans, we find the
word "spiritus", also meaning breath or spirit or wind,
from "spirare" (blow or breathe). This Latin root gives rise to
modern usage of terms like "Spirited", "Dispirited", "Respiration"
and "Inspiration".

"To Expire" literally means "To breathe out", but is also used
for "To die" or "Give up the Ghost!"

"Ghost" , as in "Holy Ghost", comes from the Old English word "gast"
and the German "Geist". "Gast" appears still in modern English words
such as "aghast" (be shocked, terrified, - rendered breathless)
and "flabbergasted". Again the link between spirit and breath is
present. The German word "Zeitgeist" meaning "spirit of the times"
is also becoming popular in English.

The Winds of Life
------------------
"Wind" in these connections, links well with the Buddhist concept
of "The Winds of Life" - the "8 worldly winds" (ebbs and flows) of
praise/blame, success/failure, pleasure/pain, fame/disrepute.
Becoming too attached to any of these "impermanent" cravings sets us
up for loss and suffering when the "winds of life" inevitably change
direction.

In Taoism, this concept is also mirrored in the yinyang holistic
symbol i.e. life is made up of opposites.

So where now?
-------------
The "to-and-fro winds" of material life are an important part of
the "game of life". We can enjoy this game so long as we do not need
too badly to be constantly winning, after all, as it says in
Ecclesiastes: "We come into the world naked and shall return as we
came and shall take nothing of our labour"

However, WE DO NOT LEAVE THE WORLD EMPTY HANDED!
As famous psychotherapist, Dorothy Rowe, points out in her
bestseller "The Successful Self",
http://www.stress-counselling.co.uk/sunflower/BOOKS/SUCCESS.HTM
we leave with our "life story" and there is an important art to
constructing the kind of life story that we would be willing to die
for!

Another tip for surviving the impermanent WIND of possessions,
relationships and pleasure, is to take up the art of meditation:
http://www.stress-counselling.co.uk/sunflower/STRESS/CENTRED.HTM
(great soundtrack on this webpage!)
which allows us to connect, via our BREATH, to our eternal SPIRITual
nature (http://www.lovehealth.org/books/genesis.htm)
and experience our eternal SOUL CONSCIOUSNESS - see
http://www.brothermichael.org.uk/resources/soul2.htm

"Be Still and Know both Day and Night!"
--------------------------------------
This free meditation will take place in Cambridge on Friday February
17th 2006 at 5.30-6.30 pm. No prior experience of meditation is
necessary. Details at: http://www.sunflower-health.com/workshops.htm


Namaste!
Mike
http://www.lovehealth.org