The Stillness of Breath Prayer: Three Ways Breath Prayers Anchor our Prayer Time

John Newton wrote,

“Jesus is always near, about our path by day and our bed by night; nearer then the light by which we see, or the air we breathe; nearer then we are to ourselves; so that not a thought, a sigh, or a tear escapes his notice.”

I remember hearing this quote as tear indeed ran down my cheek, smiling because I knew Jesus was noticing it, even then. As my breath prayer practice cemented into my life, this quote became an anchor. To me breath prayer is a way that my soul breathes.

In this practice, we inhale and exhale the Spirit’s presence using a prayerful phrase. Noticing our breath grounds us and connects us as whole beings: soul, mind, and body. This tri-level connection is what I like to call “the stillness of breath prayer.” It is difficult to feel untethered when we are present to our bodies.

The beauty of breath prayer is not only that it makes us present to ourselves, but that we are made aware of the presence of God. Breath prayers can help still our racing minds and hearts, and provide a foundation on which to build our prayer time. We are meant to be in communion with God, and prayer is the conduit to experience the fullness of his presence. After all, He is what our hearts long for.

The How of Breath Prayer

There are two parts to breath prayers.

The first part is to create a phrase that can be split in two lines. This can be anywhere from 6-10 words, but the shorter it is, the easier it is to remember.

Here’s an example:

Inhale: Jesus

Exhale: not my will but yours be done

On an inhale, speak the first phrase, and on an exhale, speak the second phrase. This can be done with our eyes closed or open, while we are doing something else, or while we are completely still.

It is truly a sweet and surrendered way to breath God in throughout the day, and breathe out anxiety and stress.

Three ways that breath prayers can help us return regularly to the presence of God:

Focus

I find that when I begin to pray, instantly my thoughts begin to race. My focus is no longer on my prayer time, but competing thoughts attempt to steal my focus. These competing thoughts are not necessarily bad, but they intend to distract.

Before I begin, I read a Psalm, then choose a phrase from that Psalm to carry into my prayer time. This phrase then helps me to return to presence when my mind drifts. On wordless days where I don’t know where to start, this phrase can help me begin.

This one practical, strategy is so meaningful because I want to be a person who notices when I am distracted, so that I return to the Lord. What a wonderful Shepherd we serve, his staff continually available to provide the strength and grace to try again.

Summarize

Have you ever left a prayer time wondering what exactly you had prayed for? I know I have. I love that breath prayers help me find that one important thing to remember. Even if it’s not the entirety of your prayer, maybe what will be summarized are the words your soul heard from the Lord. This allows us to take with us a phrase that will become a ballast in our day.

Meditation

After we focus and summarize our prayer time, we now must get up from our prayer time, ready to meditate on God throughout the day. Sometimes I revert back to childhood, and write on my hands, privileged to have God’s word on me physically. I come back to this verse:

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9

I want to meditate as I go about my day, knowing that he has called me to it and longs to commune with me. I know myself, and know that I am a distractible person. I need to have a reminder close by to help me seek and meditate on the goodness of God. Writing my breath prayer on a piece of paper to slip in my pocket, or taping it to the mirror or computer screen helps give me a concrete reminder of the One to whom I am bound.

Scripture for Meditation:

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

-Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Questions for Reflection:

1. Do you have any practices you use in your own prayer life? If so, what do they look like?

2. Have you tried breath prayer before? Why or why not?

3. What is one way you can weave breath prayer into your own life this week?