on This Earth

Air is one of the most overlooked elements in the world yet essential for life. In fact, without air, no living thing can survive. Unlike water or fire, air is actually made up of many gasses like

• Nitrogen which makes up around 78%
• Oxygen which makes up around 21%
• Carbon dioxide which makes up around 0.04%
• Argon which makes up around 0.93%
• Water vapour and other gases
• Dust, pollutants, and smoke particles

All of these gasses and air particles contribute to our ecosystem. Oxygen is necessary for life on Earth and nitrogen is needed by plants to grow. Water vapour helps regulate temperature through trapping heat in the atmosphere and cloud formation. And carbon dioxide is needed for vegetation to create food through photosynthesis. However, carbon dioxide makes up only 0.03% about 100 years ago instead of the 0.04% today. This increase in carbon dioxide is a major drive of climate change.

At the same time, air pollution is increasing due to industrial activities, burning of fossil fuels, and more. This has led to negative consequences like

• acid rain
• ozone depletion
• climate change through the greenhouse gases

I have always been fascinated with the air, specifically the wind, given I lived on an island. So my first Master’s thesis was on modelling the land and sea breezes of the Sydney Basin. While it opened my eyes on the number of factors that affect the wind directly or indirectly like

• the surface temperature of the water and land through which it travels,
• topography of the land,
• the extent of tree canopy,
• evapo-transpiration and more,

modelling the wind movements is very different from experiencing it with our senses. And Scotland is a great place to experience the wind. Just this past Christmas, I was in the Pentlands for my annual Christmas walk and the winds were phenomenal.

Engaging the senses

Wind is the most tangible form of air that we experience but there are other forms of air. One of the most subtle forms of air, just because we take it for granted, is our breath. For this section, I want to explore how we can engage our senses with the two extremes form of air.

Sight

It is very difficult to actually see air. What we see are its interaction with other things, the ‘edges/marginals.’ I have always been fascinated by edges and marginals, defined as the “space” where two systems/elements meet and interact. It is at these points of contacts that we can experience the richness of our natural environment. This is brilliantly illustrated by the interaction of air and the clouds.

I took a video of the clouds and the wind-swept landscape below during the Christmas walk. You can “see” the speed of the wind by how fast the clouds are moving across the sky. Modelling may tell us numerically but it is the interaction of the wind and clouds that lets us appreciate:

• the speed
• the strength
• the direction

of the wind.

Watching how the fast clouds move, it reminds me of the verse in the Qur’an (Surah 34:12):

وَلِسُلَيۡمَـٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَہۡرٌ۬ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَہۡرٌ۬ۖ وَأَسَلۡنَا لَهُ ۥ عَيۡنَ ٱلۡقِطۡرِۖ وَمِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ مَن يَعۡمَلُ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۖۦ وَمَن يَزِغۡ مِنۡہُمۡ عَنۡ أَمۡرِنَا نُذِقۡهُ مِنۡ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ (١٢)

And to Solomon (We made) the Wind (obedient): its early morning (stride) was a month’s (journey), and its evening (stride) was a month’s (journey); and We made a Font of molten brass to flow for him; and there were Jinns that worked in front of him by the leave of his Lord and if any of them turned aside from Our command, We made Him taste of the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. 

The wind was travelling so fast by the speed at which it pushed the clouds, from the Pentland Hills in the south towards Edinburgh in the north.

Similarly, the interaction between the wind and the trees as per the video below demonstrate the wind strength and direction. It was swaying not only the leaves and branches but also the trunks. Without that visible show of force, we are not able to appreciate how strong the wind is.

Walking with my cat this early morning, with the clear night sky and shining stars, it made me realise something. The particles in the air also affect how we see things. The crisp morning air was devoid of or had minimal water particles or pollutant and there were no clouds. That allowed me to admire the Orion Belt in the south. There were other times when I could also observe the Big Dipper.

Yet when I have been walking in the fog, there are times when I can barely seeing anything in front of me. Then there is the haze in Singapore where the smoke particles obscure the sight. Once again, it is the interaction between light and air particles that allow us to see or not see. The edge effect.

Sound

In the videos above, you can also hear the sound of the wind. The only possible way of hearing the wind is via its interaction to the surrounding; the branches, grass, water surface, etc. The faster the wind is, the louder the sound gets until you can figuratively say that the wind is howling. The sound of a gentle breeze is soothing. When combined with the sound of waves, it is even more calming. You can hear this in the video below. That is why I love walking along the shoreline.

Scents

The air carries the scents of the things around us and, through our breath, we detect these smells. It could be

• the earthy scent of freshly dug soil when working in the garden
• the fragrance of the rose petals as they fall off
• the petrichor
• the pungent exhaust fumes

Or best of all, the crisp, fresh smell of clean winter air. All of these makes me appreciate the purity of the air that I breathe.

Touch

Our skin’s interaction with the air is one of the most intimate and constant type of edge effect there is. Being sensitive to touch, sensations caused by the air on my skin can either be very uncomfortable or very pleasurable. Recently during my trip back to Singapore, the humidity irritated my skin to the point that my eczema flared up. And the stinging cold air on my skin this morning was truly comforting.

Interoception (inner body sensing)

Breathing comes naturally to most living things, the moment you are born. It becomes a reflex action that we are not conscious of doing. But when we are mindful of the breath we take, it is one of the most miraculous sensation.

Through the inhalation and exhalation process of breathing, you can feel the movement of the air through the nostril. The air feels either cool or warm dependent on its temperature relative to the body. Then when it gets to the lungs, you can feel it filling up your chest.

Nothing teaches one to appreciate the breath better than being faced with the possibility of death by running out of oxygen. During a dive, I ran out of oxygen due to a malfunctioning gauge and my buddy was nowhere in sight. I could feel the burning sensation of having to hold my breath while swimming back up to the surface. Then gasping for air and choking as the strong waves on the surface blocked air access to my snorkel. And breathing deeply, filling up my body with precious oxygen on the floor of the boat when I was rescued. It is interesting what you remember in such a situation.

Reflecting on the breath and the wind

The breath is vital to all living things but in Islamic theology, the breath is an intimate connection to God. In Surah 15:28-29, God describes how He breathed life into Adam, the first of mankind.

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقُۢ بَشَرً۬ا مِّن صَلۡصَـٰلٍ۬ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬ (٢٨) 

فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُ ۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُواْ لَهُ ۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ (٢٩)
Behold! Thy Lord said to the angels: “I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape; (28) 

“When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him.”

It was God’s breath that bestowed life to humankind. Humankind whose role and responsibility was to be His representative, taking care of His creations, on the Earth. In Surah 2:29-30, God said

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّٮٰهُنَّ سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬‌ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٩) 

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)

It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to heaven and made them into seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge. (29) 

Behold thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” They said “Wilt thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?” He said: “I know what ye know not.” (30)

Each of us, from our first to our last breath, has been given that responsibility. And we have the potential to rise up to the challenge of that responsibility. Even as wars and the plunder of the earth continue, that precious breath of life means a chance to make our world a better place. It may not be in a grand scale but each tiny act contributes to the whole. Like the tiny air particle contributing to the wind, a wind of change.

The word ‘spirit/soul’ that God breathed into Adam has the same root as as the wind in Arabic. God describe the wind of mercy in Surah 30:48-50 as raising clouds and bringing rain, just as in the video at the start of this blog.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابً۬ا فَيَبۡسُطُهُ ۥ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجۡعَلُهُ ۥ كِسَفً۬ا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَـٰلِهِۦ‌ۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۤ إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ (٤٨) 

وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمُبۡلِسِينَ (٤٩) 

فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِ رَحۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ ڪَيۡفَ يُحۡىِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ ذَٲلِكَ لَمُحۡىِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ‌ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٥٠)

It is Allah Who sends the Winds, and they raise the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into fragments, until thou seest rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: then when He has made them reach such of his servants as He wills, behold they do rejoice! (48) 

Even though, before they received (the rain)― just before this― they were dumb with despair! (49) 

Then contemplate (O man!) the tokens of Allah’s Mercy! how He gives life to the earth after its death: verily the Same will give life to the men who are dead: for He has power over all things. (50)

As I reflect on that mercy, I know we will succeed in bringing justice and mercy to all creations. I may not see it in my lifetime, but I can keep the ball rolling.

Practice Session

At the end of October last year, I took a walk to Loganlea Reservoir and did a practice session:

• being still/silent
• observe
• reflect

With a cup of hot green tea, I sat in silence on a bench for ten minutes and observed my surroundings. The video below is a recording at 2x speed of my sit spot. Let’s a short practical ‘follow-along’ session:

• what can you hear from the video?
• what can you see?
• what can you tell about the wind from what you hear or see?
• what direction is the wind coming from?
• how is its interaction with the surrounding environment?
• what else are you able to observe?

As part of the reflection session, I practised the art of gratitude.

• thankful for the cool breeze and hot tea
• grateful for the lovely walk along the way
• grateful for the calming sounds
• but most of all, grateful for my breath and life

Out of that gratitude, I resolved that I will act to ensure such opportunities to enjoy nature should be afforded to everyone. If you are able to support my resolution, please pledge your action on the Action Pledge page.