The purification breaths of the elements are slightly different than the breaths used in the walks. The walks, however, are a very good introduction to the purifications and can be used in connection with them. You can read about the walks on another page. If you use them before doing the purifications, you may find it easier to connect to the elements in turn.
Consider that the elements are found in the bodies of people on all levels, as well as their minds, including attitudes, feelings, and thoughts. In addition, these elements make up each of the levels ranging from the least to most dense. The bodies, and mind, are affected by numerous stimuli. Thoughts, attitudes, desires, and attachments all crystallize at various levels and leave both a residue and pattern of energy. Some can open a way for enhancing the flow of Spirit in matter and the correction and growth of personality. Others can hinder the process. Input comes in many ways to bodies - from the foods we take in, to the air we breathe; the thoughts we and others think; the conditions of the mass consciousness or mind, the desires or aspirations we have, the intentions we have, what we identify with, and also the more real and lasting underlying Being and existence of what is.
From one point of view, in approaching purification practices one attempts to get rid of those things which are negative, limiting, harmful, and lower in order to make one more in harmony with the universe, lighter, and in tune with the Divine. It is a cleansing on many levels.
From another point of view, by eliminating the lower, one releases the anchors that keep one's awareness, identity, and function bound to the earth and the lower planes. In this way one naturally rises to the higher of what one is. Along with that one also increases the capacity for the Divine Ideal to come to and through, to work on - and both fill one and express through the person.
From another point of view, the person expands to include more and more, and in so doing provides the capacity to affect those additional levels as oneself. One becomes the cleaner and purifier of oneself as a larger body and being. Finally, from another point of view, one prepares the vehicles for expression of the Divine personality from that perspective - through the vehicles and bodies of form on all levels - including the personality and expression of the human.
Thus purification can both take place on many levels, and/or be perceived and function from many points of view. To start, one sits quietly and breathes. Look at the articles on "sitting" and "belly breathing" for some pointers. Let the breath get rhythmical and refined: balanced. Then breathe out what you can - letting the inbreath come as a natural reaction. Try this again a few times, breathing deeper each time. When you think your breath is out, try to let a little more go. Then just sit with easy, rhythmic, balanced breath for a minute or so. You will then start with the actual purification breaths, intentions, and practice. Go from the heaviest to the least dense. Begin with Earth and end with Ether. Along the way, refine and expand each practice to include higher or less dense levels and bodies, together with an expansion of awareness and identification. This shift continues until at the end, one bathes in the purity of light and love without end.
Earth:
The breath of Earth is in the nose and out the nose. It can be done standing or sitting. Breathe the magnetism of the Earth up the feet and legs and up the spine. Go as far as the heart and breathe down into the earth. Feel the connection to the earth, extending like roots of the tree, deep into it: deep into form, deep into matter. On each in breath feel the connection to the earth growing and the magnetism purifying the body. It affects all things of form on their level equivalent to earth - that is, their most dense and crystallized. Thus actions, thoughts, attitudes, and desires can crystallize and leave residue in the body, as well as physical input of food, air, water and day to day activities. As you breathe in the magnetism of the earth feel yourself being in more harmony with all the earth and all form. On the outbreath feel the residue of crystallization and any impurities flow into the earth. Feel yourself as part of the body of the earth. Then, as you get the flow and pattern more, introduce the breath coming down from the heavens through the crown and down the spine to the heart. Feel it ordering those things of density and solidity with the Divine. Feel the patterns of light breaking any bonds of crystallization, cleaning it and expelling residue up the spine on the outbreath. Then add this to the breath and movement of the magnetism of earth. Much like an accordion effect results. Now, when this is established add the breath of the Divine - from above with the magnetism and breath of solidity and form from below and mix them in the heart. On the inbreath the breaths and energy comes up and down and blends in the heart. On the outbreath it goes out the legs and feet, out the head and radiates like a sun from the heart - purifying all the bodies.
Feel this extension affecting the levels of solidity - the earth element - of your thinking, attitudes, perception, intentions. Feel it cleaning, purifying, and ordering the flow of energy and light with the subtle or solar body - like a large cell.
As you do that, sense the matrix of existence, of a web of light, energy, and mind interconnecting all matter, all form. Feel yourself extend more and more to that. Incorporate the earth within your body with your heart at the center. Look from there and on the inbreath order your bodies; and in the outbreath, purify the world. Extend yourself further and feel the connection to, with, and through all matter and form on all levels. Let the breath and heart act on it - loosening anything within you - from tension within your body to crystallized impurities of action, thought, feeling, attitudes, or desires; - to limitation of point of view - and putting them in line with the light and love of the Divine. These are the solid, formed levels of those attitudes or impurities. As you do this, as a by-product, you understand more and more of what, if anything, needs to be changed and harmonized as the anchors of the earth are lifted.
Water:
The breath of water is in the nose and out the mouth. It is up through the feet and spine and through the body. It goes up to the heart on the inbreath - as one is tapping into the great cosmic ocean which cleans everything. It rises up through the body on the inbreath. On the outbreath, which is like a very fine mist through the mouth, there is a feeling of fine moisture - cleaning everything. It extends up the spine through the head and out the crown; bubbling up and feeling like a fountain. It flows out the arms and fingers and through all the cells, dripping and radiating out like a mist. It loosens all forming or partially solid - not yet crystallized attitudes, thoughts, feelings, intentions. It softens and aligns the heart with the Divine. You flow outward with this, losing yourself in and becoming the ocean of cleansing. This is the level of form which has not yet become solid. It acts upon the attitudes, feelings, and thoughts - and the heart - that are still flexible, and washes them; tenderizing, lightening, cleaning, expelling any qualities of hardness; and then harmonizing with the flow of and being of the endless ocean of the Divine. This is the baptism of water.
Fire:
Fire burns the impurities of desires and attachment and identification with the lower self. It transforms and raises - impels with added life and energy toward the desire of the Divine, and identification with the One. It cleans and burns anything less than the Real. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The breath is in through the mouth, fanning the fires which consume lesser thought, feeling, desire, and personality. It is focused in the center of the body in the area around the solar plexus - from all directions in. The color associated with this is red. On the in breath it fans these fires and destroys the bonds and clinging of the lesser personality. There then is a pause in breathing. In this pause the breath is held and turns cold. It then turns toward the heart and is raised on the outbreath - which is through the nose. As this takes place, all the residue or ash of the lower is radiated out through the heart in golden light and love - until finally there are not desires left nor identification with or as a separate personality. This is the action of raising without trying to do it; putting all the lesser on the altar to be consumed and raised as the phoenix.
Air:
Air is the breath of transcendence without boundaries. It is the purification of the breath. In air one starts with a fine breath in the mouth and out the mouth. One feels the breath of the Divine blowing through all being and form. On the inbreath one becomes. On the outbreath one becomes not: losing all boundaries, all edges, all form. This can then be refined further, moving to a breath in and out the nose, feeling the flow of the Divine Breath, and identifying with it; feeling oneself being breathed as the breath - becoming, becoming not.
Ether:
The breath is refined. Experience, be. Attune to the Love and Light. Breathe love. Let it become oneself. Oneself becomes oneself. It integrates and raises all to the next level. It is that from which form comes and to which it dissolves. Breathe in the nose and out the nose. Breathe love. Feel your refined self merging with your Ideal.
Read another description of the breaths. It is helpful.