(author), DiMartino, Michael Dante (author). ↑ Hamilton, Joshua and Hedrick, Tim (writer) & Zwyer, Mel (director).↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Heck, Colin (director).↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Hedrick, Tim, Hamilton, Joshua (writers) & Heck, Colin, Zwyer, Melchior (directors).↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Graham, Ian (director).↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 DiMartino, Michael Dante (writer) & Graham, Ian (director).The locket found by Zaheer that bore Laghima's image resembles a Thai Buddha amulet.Laghima was the earliest known user of a specialized bending technique, having unlocked the airbending sub-skill of flight around 3,829 BG.It specifically deals with becoming almost weightless, which corresponds to Guru Laghima's character as he attained weightlessness prior to his death. In yoga, "laghima" is a supernatural power attained through a spiritual practice known as a siddhi.Laghima is the first and only Air Nomad from the Northern Air Temple ever introduced in either series.Laghima is one of two known airbenders to have achieved flight, the other being Zaheer.New growth cannot exist without first the destruction of the old.Instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong.As a result, the guru's abilities were no longer dismissed as legends. įollowing P'Li's death, Zaheer was able to let go of his final earthly tether, unlocking the ability of flight on top of Laghima's Peak. While presenting the mission of the Red Lotus to Avatar Korra in Xai Bau's Grove, Zaheer quoted Guru Laghima and stated that new growth cannot exist without the destruction of the old. Zaheer also recited excerpts from Laghima's poems several times, such as to several White Lotus sentries outside his cell prior to his escape, and to Ikki while on Air Temple Island after finding a locket bearing Laghima's image. Zaheer found a locket with Laghima's image in Tenzin's study. Consequently, he believed that the guru had truly discovered the ability of flight, and after gaining airbending, Zaheer attempted to obtain the ability himself. Nevertheless, Laghima's literature profoundly impacted Zaheer, who used his poem about the false nature of instinct to realize that basing expectations of reality on what was immediately observable blinded oneself from the possibilities of something new coming to light. Even Tenzin, himself a renowned airbending master, did not believe in Laghima's ability to fly. Over time, however, the truth about his achievements was lost and his abilities were dismissed as children's stories and legends. A mountaintop near the Northern Air Temple was named Laghima's Peak in his honor, and several caves located two miles from the Northern Air Temple are adorned with statues of Laghima, along with other influential monks. Laghima's poetry survived the Hundred Year War, which ended nearly four thousand years after his death. Avatar Yangchen was among those who studied Guru Laghima's writings, in addition to the works of Shoken. He remained well known not just among the Air Nomads but also in the Earth Kingdom, and his philosophy remained much more popular than that of his rival. Guru Laghima's poetry and writing were extremely influential and were later grouped together in at least one collection known as Poems of Laghima.
Several monumental statues of Laghima were carved into a mountainside near the Northern Air Temple. By relinquishing his earthly attachments, Laghima achieved flight and was able to live the last portion of his life untethered from the earth. Although the details of Laghima's life have become unclear in the face of the disappearance of Air Nomad culture from public knowledge, it is known that he discovered the secret to weightlessness forty years prior to his death. He began writing poetry about subjects such as instinct and illusion, and had at least one contemporary philosophical rival, Guru Shoken. Guru Laghima grew up at the Northern Air Temple, at a time when the four nations had not yet been formed.