I too often use air metaphors, particularly when describing my flying thoughts
normally i also use my fingers/hands to visually show the thoughts flying out of my head (this also helps show the speed rate as well, lol)
for me, water is more the emotional aspects
our emotions can work for us...and against us...often at the same time
and every description i gave of water in the post above....applies to emotions as well, imo
though i can see how Ni might associate with water as well, particularly when talking about flow and such.
but still, i wouldn't put much stock into using air/water/fire/earth as consistent symbols due to the various associations that can be made to them.
Thanks for providing the link, though.
[sidenote] this reminds me of the first time i went to see a hypnotherapist. I had warned him that i love water images, i don't like ocean water and beaches. he, apparently, had a set patter for "going in" and "coming out" which involved the use of lying on a beach and having waves washing over you....which to him, was meant to be a symbol of calmness and peace. but the images i kept getting were of disgustting salt water getting onto my skin and hair, floating bits of debris being deposited on me, in my hair, and all around me. Mentally and even physically i was cringing inside, but i didn't know that i could say anything, i was trying to be a good patient, but the whole time i was uptight and miserable.
After the session, i was violently angry and i didn't know why. I went home, storming up and down the trail by my apt until i was finally able to figure out why i was so angry. One reason was because of the beach images he kept having me think about.
I went back for the next appt to tell him where to stick it. I reminded him that i had said that i didn't like beaches, that they are disgusting things to me, littered with garbage and all sorts of ickiness like sand fleas and sharp broken glass, and various other insects and critters, and salt salt salt and such. The guy had the nerve to tell me that HE'S been to beaches that were very pretty (on the islands!!!). But by this time I knew that it wasn't supposed to be about HIS associations when hypnotizing/therapizing someone else, it was supposed to be about MY associations.
Needless to say, i didn't see him again, nor did I pay him. [/sidenote]