Facets of a Diamond - Blog

Artwork by John Diamond, M.D.

There must be an unconscious association between our words (and therefore our concepts) breath and breast: their etymologies are so close that they must have been derived from a single primitive source.

Breath is from the root BHEREU, to stir, to warm, to boil. Hence brew, burn, ferment and fever.

And breast is from BHREUS, to swell.

Breath – breast. Her breast and the breath of life: somewhere deep within us we know they are one.