“We have already mentioned the Hindu Shakti, called the Great Mother of the Universe, and the Christian Holy Spirit, which the early Gnostic writer, Irenaeus, called the First Woman, or Mother of All Living. Both are regarded as the energy through which Deity creates the universe, as well as being linked with healing and prophecy; gifts also associated with Awen. Mircea Eliade (Patterns in Comparative Religion, p.21) says that

"The Sioux call this force Wakan; it exists everywhere in the universe, but only manifests itself in extraordinary phenomena (such as the sun, the moon, thunder, wind, etc.) and in strong personalities (sorcerers... figures of myth and legend, and so on)."

The Melanesian term, Mana, has been used as a universal term for such spiritual forces.

Not all people and things are equally endowed with this spiritual force; some possess it very strongly, and become, therefore, objects of power and reverence, while others seem to lack it almost entirely. It is possible for individuals to accumulate this energy in themselves, and to channel it into other people or into objects, for the purposes of healing, inspiring, or empowering.”       
                                                                           

“Ruah is a homonym, signifying "air," that is, one of the four elements. Comp. "And the air of God moved" (Gen. i. 2).

It denotes also, "wind." Comp. "And the east wind (ruah) brought the locusts" (Exod. x. 13); "west wind" (ruah) (ib. 19). In this sense the word occurs frequently.

Next, it signifies "breath." Comp. "A breath (ruah) that passeth away, and does not come again" (Ps. lxxviii. 39); "wherein is the breath (ruah) of life" (Gen. vii. 15).

It signifies also that which remains of man after his death, and is not subject to destruction. Comp. "And the spirit (ruah) shall return unto God who gave it" (Eccles. xii. 7).”       
                                                                           

“u asked me why i considered Shree Mataji as a saint. Well I feel this way because of the experiences which i got. first of all the experience of vibrations was very prominent in my case. I
could actually feel the cool breeze flowing out through my Sahastrara
right from the beginning. Secondly I feel that very few people in this world give self realisation to individuals with so much of ease. Mataji has given me self realisation and i totally believe in it.
Hence I feel that an individual who is capable of giving self realisation to any person staying in this world, has to be a saint. She cannot be a normal human being. She definitely has a certain
amount of power (or shakti).”       
                                                                           

“This is the greek rendering of the Hebrew word Ruah which means 'spirit', 'wind' or 'breath', and is used in the OT to express the Spirit of God, eg in the creation account in Genesis.  Schnackenburg comments that "God .... reveals himself by the way his Spirit rules over creation and history."  This life-giving breath quickens Adam in Genesis 2:7, breathes life into the 'dry bones' of Ezekiel 37.  The focus and thrust of Ruah in these passages is creative.

John by contrast emphasizes the role of the pre-existent Logos giving life to the world as it is created.  This distinctive emphasis is heightened as Jesus breathes over the disciples in Ch 20 to dispense the Holy Spirit to them (another distinctive touch.  It's the Father who gives the Spirit in Luke after Jesus' ascension).  Jesus, then, is firmly identified with both the creative role traditionally assigned to the Spirit, and to the 'Lord' who dispenses the Spirit, and commissions him in creative and other work.

The Ruah empowers people to enable them to : perform feats of strength ( Judges 14:6); prophesy (1 Sam 10:10); have visions (Ezek Ch 1); Anoint them for service (Isa Ch 61) .  In the NT, Holy spirit enables Jesus' disciples to exercise charisms (Acts Ch 2; Ch 10; I Corinthians Ch 12; 14)

John does not mention these charismatic/ecstatic features, for example, he includes no exorcisms.  Jesus, although anointed with the Holy Spirit (Jn 1:32-34) is not described, as in the Synoptics as being 'full of the Holy Spirit', or 'driven by the Holy Spirit.  Neither does he, as Luke/Acts does, have others inspired by or acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  It is only after Jesus' resurrection/ascension in Ch 20 that the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, and can begin to do the 'greater works' that Jesus has promised they will do, and to receive the 'things to come' that the Paraclete (later, dears!) will declare to them.”       
                                                                           

“The Spirit of the Old Testament

Diverse symbols were adopted in the Bible to describe the Holy Spirit. The wind, water, and fire were the most common. Water was the sign of the spirit that purifies. . . .

But certainly the most important image is that of the “wind.” (It is important to state here that there is no specific word in Hebrew for the idea of spirit.) The word “wind”, taken from context, indicates this idea. In Hebrew, wind is “ruah” which also means breath, a light breeze, a puff of wind. It is not easy, therefore, to select the right meaning in every case. In short, we must say that the two principle meanings for this word also express two different ways of the appearance of the spirit: that which is linked with natural phenomena (ruah as wind), and that which concentrates on man (ruah as breathing, puff of breath). We now offer you a glimpse into the first meaning.

Wind is always connected in some way with the appearance or the action of God, but indicates, however, a reality that is always in motion. In Psalm 18:11 it says: “He mounted a cherub and flew, borne on the wings of the wind”. God appears to Ezekiel in a stormwind (Ezekiel 1:4). God speaks to Job “from the midst of the storm” (Job 38:1). The encounter of the prophet Elijah with the Lord is manifested as a gentle breeze, “the whisper of a gentle breeze” (1 Kings 19:12). Still, there is need to pay be attentive to all this in way as not to be misunderstood. The fire, the stormwind, the earthquake are only manifestations. God “was not in the wind ... in the earthquake ... in the fire” (1 Kings 19:11-12). E.g. “The Lord swept the sea with a strong east wind” (Exodus 14:21), and so the people were able to cross the Red Sea. In the Book of Jonah, God sent “a burning east wind, and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head” (Jonah 4:8). “In hurricane and tempest is his path” (Nahum 1:3). Briefly then, whether it is a question of a gentle breeze (Job 4:15) or of a mighty wind (Job 8:2), or even a violent storm (Psalm 55:9), it is always God who is moving it. And it is always God who is the source of the action sustained by ruah.

The prophecy of Isaiah 32:15-20 is very interesting: the ruah will transform the desert into a garden bringing forth peace and justice. Here, it is not possible to translate the Hebrew word as wind. Ruah expressly signifies spirit, understood as a power capable of transforming not only natural phenomena, but also the hearts of men. The wind is as if always the object of the action of God; man observes it (2 Kings 3:17), but is never able to control it (Ecclesiastes 8:8). The power present in the wind, and no one knows where it comes from, are elements which make it possible to see in them the mysterious presence of God.”       
                                                                           

“The Spirit Speaks

In this Christian study of Air it is useful to probe the depths of some of our beliefs and consider what light other religions and systems of thought shed on our theology. In India and South Asia the Puranas (ancient Indian religious writings) considered Air/ Wind/Breath a God and named that God ‘Vayu’. Vayu pervades the whole world and symbolizes the presence of God everywhere – like Air. 

In later Indian thought (the Vedantas) Vayu is not deified as such, but recognized as one of the five inter-connected elements that make up the world.  When Vayu indwells a human person it becomes the life-giver –Prana (life itself). Prana is the essence of all the members of the body.  When the self departs Prana follows. When Prana departs all the organs follow. 

In the multi-religious world in which we all live today, it is against this background of the world’s religions and philosophical thought that we must consider the symbolism of Wind (Air) in Christian thought. When Air is in motion (wind) it is capable of producing incalculable energy. So while Air symbolises the omnipresence of God, wind reminds us of God’s limitless power. Omnipotence and omnipresence are characteristics of God well symbolized in Air and Wind.

The Spirit speaks in the Bible Genesis 1 teaches us that the world was a great void before creation –a formless Chaos (this is the Hebrew term) – and when a ‘wind from God’ (NRSV translation) or the ‘Spirit of God’ (RSV translation)* began to move upon the face of the waters, Chaos gave way to light, order,  life, form and beauty. All this was – no, is – the activity of the Spirit  of God. Genesis 1.1 correctly translated and understood would have  us see creation as an on-going present activity. So do the Creeds in which we speak of the ‘Maker’ of Heaven and Earth. The activity of  God’s Spirit is as timeless as the Wind and Air which symbolize it.”