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Breath Prayer

"Breath Prayer" combines deep, intentional breathing with short, prayerful phrases to foster connection with God and emotional calm.

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  • Breathing & Spirituality: Breathing is foundational to life and spirituality. Ancient spiritual traditions recognized the link between stress, shallow breathing, and mental/emotional strain.

  • Impact of Shallow Breathing: Under stress, our breath shortens, impairing brain function and leading to overactive emotional responses. This can hinder our ability to think clearly, communicate, and act wisely.

  • Power of Breath Prayer: Unlike secular breathwork or mindfulness, breath prayer invites God's presence into the practice. It's not just about physical calm but spiritual renewal - allowing the Holy Spirit to bring clarity, peace, and healing.

  • How to Practice:

  1. Choose a short, God-focused phrase (from Scripture, devotionals, etc.).​

  2. Sit quietly and breathe deeply to establish a rhythm.

  3. Silently say the first half of the phrase while inhaling, and the second half while exhaling.

  4. Continue for at least one minute, or longer as comfortable.

  • Examples of Phrases:​

    • "The Lord is my shepherd; I don't need anything more." (Psalm 23:1)​

    • "Help Lord, I'm drowning!"

    • "Yah-weh"

  • Flexibility: Breath prayer can be practiced anywhere - while walking, swimming, trying to sleep, or during daily frustrations.​

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This content is adapted from Jennifer Tucker's book "Breath as Prayer", which offers additional insights and devotional phrases.

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