How to Incorporate Breath Prayer into Your Prayer Life
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Maybe you’ve heard the term “breath prayer” and were curious. What exactly is this? Is it biblical? Is it some sort of Christianese jargon for meditation or mindfulness?
When I heard the term, I imagined a breath prayer was focusing on my breathing while praying. While that’s not far off, it’s not completely correct, either.
A breath prayer is a short prayer that is timed around a single breath, usually with a phrase for the inhale and a phrase for the exhale.
Let’s take a look at what breath prayer is, what the Bible says about this practice, how it can expand your faith life, and how you can get started.
What Is a Breath Prayer and How Do You Do One?
Breathing is an automated reflex of our body, an involuntary response we perform without even thinking. Day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute it happens. We breathe in and we breathe out, the air filling and then leaving our lungs. Without it, we’ll die. Life and breath are completely connected.
However, we can also control our breathing. Think about holding your breath, and then do so. There, you can control it. But you also do it without even planning, in your sleep, while under general anesthesia, always.
With a breath prayer, a person becomes conscious of their breathing and focuses their mind and body upon God. They focus on one brief phrase or sentence, and then incorporate that into their breathing.
For example: As you inhale, say in your mind, “Heavenly God.” Then, as you exhale, say in your mind, “Thank you for the gift of life.”
Breathe in — heavenly God — breathe out — thank you for the gift of life.
And again. And again.
Over and over, in and out, you focus your breath and this beautiful prayer of gratitude toward the Lord and throughout your consciousness until it is all you know.
Sometimes, a breath prayer is done during quiet times, or while walking or doing some other repetitive motion. Other times, a breath prayer is done during busy moments. For instance, parents of young children, whose ability to seize “quiet time” is often difficult, frequently benefit from breath prayer, as they can stay in continuous connection with God while also making breakfast, washing dishes, changing diapers, or rocking an infant.
Where Did the Practice Originate?
Scholars say breath prayers originated centuries ago, not long after the formation of the early church around the sixth century. It’s often associated with the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, but over the centuries, many other Christians adopted the practice.
The Orthodox Church of America lifts up what they term “The Jesus Prayer,” which is the line, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Praying this sentence repetitively on an inhale and exhale — “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God” (inhale), “have mercy on me a sinner” (exhale) — helps us draw closer to the Lord and embrace the gift of salvation and the extravagance of God’s great love for us all in spite of our sins.
It's not only an effective spiritual practice, but it has great psychological and physiological impacts, too. There is a real scientific connection between prayer and focusing the breath and our ability to experience peace and freedom from anxiety. Counselors often teach things like “square breathing” for people who struggle with generalized anxiety disorder or panic attacks, but breath prayers take things to a deep spiritual level, helping us focus our thoughts on the Lord even in the most difficult or traumatic — or boring, or busy — seasons.
What Does the Bible Say about Breath Prayers?
The phrase “breath prayer” doesn’t appear in the Bible, but neither does “prayer chain” or “prayer email list,” and there is nothing anti-Christian about any of these. To make sure your prayer is biblical, just be sure you are praying to the Lord.
You can pray a short verse directly from the Bible, such as “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) or “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Or you can pray something you come up with yourself that honors the Lord, such as “Jesus Christ, thank you for salvation,” or “Help me, Lord, to surrender my worries to you.”
How Can a Breath Prayer Expand Your Faith Life?
For people who are chronically busy and have difficulty carving out regular quiet time, a breath prayer can be a great way to be in relationship with and focus on the Lord. You can do it while driving, working, or cooking dinner.
It can also help all people — busy or not — understand how important it is to cultivate mindfulness, which is simply becoming fully present and fully aware of your surroundings. In our fast-paced world, this is a very important skill to develop and a beautiful way to draw closer in your relationship with God.
It’s also a practical way to reflect what Paul advised us all to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The idea of praying “continually” is hard for us to imagine, but a breath prayer can help us get closer to this.
How Can You Get Started with Breath Prayers?
One way to get started with breath prayers is to take a moment alone, find a comfortable place, calm your thoughts, and close your eyes. How are you feeling right now? Anxious? Fidgety? Restless? Happy? Sad? Is there a short Bible verse that comes to mind, or is there something you’d like God to help you with?
Come up with your phrase, then divide it in half. Half the phrase goes with the inhale and half with the exhale. Repeat, then repeat again. And again. If you’d like, set a timer for five minutes, and keep up your breath prayer until the timer goes off.
Another option is to think about when you’re feeling restless. Your commute? On the phone? While monitoring a group of kids on the playground? Do your breath prayer then. If you get interrupted, simply continue.
No one has to know you are doing your breath prayer. This is between you and God.
What Are Some Examples of Breath Prayers?
Anything that speaks to your current spiritual state makes a good breath prayer. Consider your soul. What are you experiencing? Feeling? Thinking about? Are you joyful, fearful, or angry? Are you bogged down remembering the sins of your past or wrongs that have been done to you?
If you’d like to start with Bible verses for your breath prayers, I do an internet search for Bible verses about what is on my heart that day.
For example, if you are worried you won’t be able to complete a difficult task and suspect you are in over your head, you might search for Bible verses for courage or stamina, such as the following:
Inhale — “I can do all this through him” — then exhale — “who gives me strength” (from Philippians 4:13).
Inhale — “So do not fear” — then exhale — “for I am with you” (from Isaiah 41:10).
Inhale — “ Have I not commanded you?” — then exhale — “Be strong and courageous” (from Joshua 1:9).
You can even shorten some. For example, a modified Matthew 11:28 would be:
Inhale — “Come to me” — then exhale — “and I will give you rest.”
Now it’s your turn: Consider what you are struggling with or experiencing today. What do you want to focus on with God? Time to breathe and begin.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/recep-bg
