Etymology of "spirit" and "breath" in Arabic goes beyond them

In many languages the words for spirit and breath are the same.

It is interesting that in Arabic, it goes beyond that. If you look at the root for both spirit and breath "rouh" (روح), you will also find that it has many other meanings that come as a result of breathing deeply and being spiritual, such as relaxation, happiness, relief, livelihood, sustenance, inspiration, strength, etc.

The common root of the words spirit and breath is used as an argument for the importance of focusing on the breath for physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

In yoga, the breath is seen as the connection between the body and the mind, the physical and the non-physical. By learning to control your breath, you can learn to control your thoughts. You can also learn to control your body, including involuntary function such as influencing heart rate, blood pressure, circulation and digestion.

Breath is believed to represent the movement of spirit in the body and the central mystery that connects us to all creation.

In "Lissanul Arab", the most extensive Arabic dictionary, the root for breath and spirit in Arabic "rouh" (روح) has 11 pages of definitions. Similarly, the root for soul (نفس), is the same root for breath. According to Lissanul Arab, spirit and soul are the same thing, but soul is more individual.

Here are just a few of the derivations for spirit روح:

روح spirit
رِيحُ wind
الرُّوح inspiration
راحة rest, relaxation
رَوْحِ mercy
روْح happiness
الرُّوحُ blow, puff
رائحة pleasant smell
مِرْوَحَة anything that provides relief, fan
الرَّاحُ wine
التراوح أو المُراوَحَة alternating
استراحة place or time for rest, breather
ترويح ventilation, providing leisure
ترويحة resting period
الرواح going home
مريح comfortable
وتذهب ريحكم: ريح strength, victory
ريّح relaxing, pleasant
التشمم :الاسْتِرْواح carefully smelling something, enjoying a smell
سبحان الله ورَيْحانَه: ريحان livelihood, sustenance
فروح وريحان: ريحان blessing
الأَرْيَحِيُّ easy going person, pleasant to be with
الرَّواح end of the day
راح to leave, go away
الرُّوحُ The Quran
الرَّيْحانُ basil
الرُّوح The Archangel Gabriel
الراحة palm of a hand

Here are just a few of the derivations for soul نفس

نَفْس soul, individual spirit, blood, mind, brother, self, eye, same
نَفَس breath
الفَرَج من الكرب: النَّفَس relief from difficulty
تنفيس deflate
تنفيس release from anxiety, tension or hardship
النَّفَس drinking
النسيم: النَّفَس breeze
نَفِيس precious, desired
نَفِس بالشيء، بالكسر، أَي بخل became stingy
النِّفاس accouchement
المَنْفُوس: المولود born
تَنَفَّسَ الصبح awakened
تنافس competition
منفوس something that is desired
دارُك أَنْفَسُ من داري: أنفس wider, more spacious