Breath prayer is a great way to simply meditate on God and commune with him. It is a way of sinking deeply into your relationship with him, and, when your breath prayer is based on Scripture, to sink deeply into the meaning of the text.
Breath prayer is a repeated, short prayer that is said or thought in conjunction with our breathing. As we tie our prayer to our breathing, it helps us settle into the prayer and to let the prayer settle into our spirits. Ultimately, the very act of breathing becomes a prayer. It is not simply vain repetition, it is savoring the Word and the presence of God.
A breath prayer is normally one sentence. The first part of the sentence is a name or title of God. The second part of the sentence is a request, thanksgiving, praise, or other response to God. As we breath in, we pray the name or title of God. As we breath out, we pray our response to God. We repeat this process over and over, in time with our breathing, sinking into the prayer.
Start by settling your heart and mind. Ideally, set time a time for however long you want to pray (I recommend starting with five minutes). Take a few deep breaths and focus your attention on God. When you are ready, begin to pray. Pray the first part of the prayer as you breathe in and the last part of the prayer as you breathe out. Let your prayer and meditation become a rhythm that moves in time with your breathing. If your attention starts to wander, focus on your breathing and let it draw you back into the an attitude of prayer and meditation. When the timer goes off, gently pull your attention back. Sometimes we notice that the prayer stays with us as we go throughout the day reminding us of our connection with God.
David Dalton
Breath prayer is a repeated, short prayer that is said or thought in conjunction with our breathing. As we tie our prayer to our breathing, it helps us settle into the prayer and to let the prayer settle into our spirits. Ultimately, the very act of breathing becomes a prayer. It is not simply vain repetition, it is savoring the Word and the presence of God.
A breath prayer is normally one sentence. The first part of the sentence is a name or title of God. The second part of the sentence is a request, thanksgiving, praise, or other response to God. As we breath in, we pray the name or title of God. As we breath out, we pray our response to God. We repeat this process over and over, in time with our breathing, sinking into the prayer.
Start by settling your heart and mind. Ideally, set time a time for however long you want to pray (I recommend starting with five minutes). Take a few deep breaths and focus your attention on God. When you are ready, begin to pray. Pray the first part of the prayer as you breathe in and the last part of the prayer as you breathe out. Let your prayer and meditation become a rhythm that moves in time with your breathing. If your attention starts to wander, focus on your breathing and let it draw you back into the an attitude of prayer and meditation. When the timer goes off, gently pull your attention back. Sometimes we notice that the prayer stays with us as we go throughout the day reminding us of our connection with God.
David Dalton