Learning Breath Prayer
When you don’t want to go it alone anymore, Breath Prayer can remind you that God is with you throughout your day.
A lot can be said for taking a deep breath. My therapist encourages me to take deep breaths; I encourage my kids to take deep breaths. Deep breaths can fill us up, calm us down, and give us a new perspective.
Scripture says God is closer to us than our breath (Psalm 34:38), and the imagery of God breathing life into us is used repeatedly (Genesis 2:7, Isaiah 42:5, John 20:21-22). So, perhaps it isn’t too far of a stretch to say that taking a deep breath might be a way to draw near to God.
There are many ways to pray, but one of my favorite ways to anchor myself in the day is with Breath Prayer. It is quick, calming, and helps me take truths from God more deeply into my heart.
Breath Prayer is a prayer of two parts. The first part is said to ourselves as we inhale, and the second is said on the exhale.
Often, Breath Prayer can use a verse of Scripture, for example, on the inhale: “The Lord is my shepherd…” and on the exhale: “...I have everything I need.”
Taking a verse and breaking it up this way can help the truth sink more deeply into our hearts. How, you ask?
Here’s a mini science lesson for a moment:
We have two states of being that are highly controlled by our breath: “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous system) and “rest and digest” (parasympathetic nervous system). Breath is connected to both. When you are scared, what does your breath do? You inhale, hold your breath, and prepare to survive. This activates your fight-or-flight response.
But when you finish your work for the day and sit down in a comfortable chair with a cup of tea, you might give a big sigh and exhale. This lets your body know you can “rest and digest.”
So, bringing this back to how truth sinks more deeply into our hearts...
When we attach a truth, either from Scripture or something else God is doing (I’ll touch on this more in a moment), to a deep breath, we think of that scripture as we engage our parasympathetic nervous system. This is a state of being in which our minds can take in that information more easily.
So, the practice of Breath Prayer can actually prepare our minds and hearts to receive the truths we pray more deeply.
When it comes to the content of Breath Prayer, you’ve got options.
It is important to remember that, like any prayer, Breath Prayer is a time to connect your heart with God in truth and genuineness.
Here are some ideas of some of the things you might pray in a Breath Prayer:
A verse of Scripture that is speaking to you lately. (For example, Inhale: “Delight yourself in the Lord…” Exhale: “...and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
A truth you have been trying to remember lately (For example, Inhale: “I am God’s child…” Exhale: “... my Father loves me.”
Something God has been teaching you lately (For example, Inhale: “I am ok…” Exhale: “...God is with me.”
The last thing you underlined in your Bible. It stood out to you for a reason. Perhaps it’s worth meditating on.
What do you need to hear from God? What themes have been coming up in your life lately? Let Breath Prayer be a way for you to remember that even on a busy day, God is with you, wanting to connect with and anchor you.
Take a deep breath. You are loved.
