Effect of ambient air on the body

Air is an element that is part of our body and our pneuma. Although air is an element of our body and pneuma, it is at the same time a reinforcement coming to the pneuma, and causes its improvement not only as an element, but also as an active, that is, as a balancing factor. We have already stated in the foregoing what we mean by pneumo: by this word we do not mean what philosophers call soul.

The balancing that occurs in our pneuma from the air is associated with two actions, namely, refreshment and purification.

Refreshment is balancing the nature of hot pneuma, most often when it is overly closed, and changing it.

By balancing I mean relative balancing, which you already know about. This balancing is communicated to the pneuma by drawing in air through the lungs and also through the pores adjacent to the arteries.

The air surrounding our body is very cold compared to the innate nature of the pneuma, not to mention the nature resulting from the closed nature of the pneuma. Having reached the pneuma, the air hits it, merges with it and does not allow it to go into a state of fiery, resulting from isolation, which leads to damage to nature and deprives it of the ability to perceive the influence of the soul, which is the cause of life, and also prevents the dispersion of the very substance of the pneuma, vaporous and wet.

And purification consists of the fact that the air takes with it, when exhaled, smoky vapor, which is given to it by the discriminating force. Smoky vapor is in the same relation to the pneuma as excess juice is to the body.

Balancing occurs due to the entry of air into the pneuma during inhalation, and purification occurs due to the exit of air from the pneuma during exhalation. The fact is that in order to balance the pneuma, the air entering the body must initially be actually cold; when it changes and turns, having warmed up from a long stay in the body, as pneuma, then its usefulness will cease. It becomes unnecessary, and there will be a need for new air to enter the body and take its place. Therefore, if necessary, it will be necessary to remove it in order to make room for subsequent air and so that excess pneuma substance is released along with it. As long as the air remains balanced and pure and is not mixed with any foreign substance inconsistent with the nature of the pneuma, it acts to benefit health and preserve it; when it changes, it produces the opposite effect.

With the air there are natural changes, unnatural changes and changes that deviate far from the natural path, opposite to it. Natural changes are changes according to the seasons: in each season the air changes and takes on a different nature.