The Breath Prayer
The Breath Prayer is a simple way of praying that can be used at any time. It is especially helpful in times of anxiety to bring focus and a sense of calm. This excerpt is from the book The Breath of Life: A Workbook. (Copyright) 1996 by Ron DelBene with Herb Montgomery and Mary Montgomery. Used by permission of the author. All rights reserved.)
Discovering Your Breath Prayer
The breath prayer lies within us like a tiny seed that, when nurtured, flowers into a new and deeper awareness of God’s presence. To discover your breath prayer, follow these five easy steps:
- Step One
Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, and remind yourself that God loves you and that you are in God’s loving presence. Recall a passage from scripture that puts you in a prayerful frame of mind. Consider “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) or “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10).
- Step Two
With your eyes closed, imagine that God is calling you by name. Hear God asking, “(Your name), what do you want?”
- Step Three
Answer God with whatever comes directly from your heart. Your answer might be a single word, such as peace or love or forgiveness. Your answer could instead be a phrase or brief sentence, such as “I want to feel your forgiveness” or “I want to know your love.”
Because the prayer is personal, it naturally rises out of our present concerns. One person may focus on physical health, another on becoming peaceful within, still another on learning to hear God’s voice more clearly or being released from guilt. Your response to God’s question “What do you want?” becomes the heart of your prayer.
- Step Four
Choose your favorite name or image for God. Choices commonly made include God, Creator, Teacher, Light, Lord, Spirit, Shepherd.
- Step Five
Combine your name for God with your answer to God’s question “What do you want?” You then have your prayer. For example:
What I Want Name I Call God Possible Prayer Peace God Let me know your peace, O God. Rest Shepherd My Shepherd, let me rest in thee. Guidance Eternal Light Eternal Light, guide me in your way.
What do you do if several ideas occur? Write down the various possibilities and then eliminate and/or combine ideas until you have focused your prayer. You may want many things, but it is possible to narrow wants to those most basic to your well-being. Thus, the question to ask yourself is What do I want that will make me feel most whole? As you achieve a greater feeling of wholeness; serenity will flow into the many areas of your life.
When you have gotten to the heart of your deep yearning, search for words that give it expression. Then work with the words until you have a prayer of six to eight syllables that flows smoothly when spoken aloud or expressed as a heart thought. A prayer of six to eight syllables has a natural rhythm. Anything longer or shorter usually does not flow easily when said repeatedly.
Some prayers are more rhythmic when you place God’s name at the beginning; other prayers flow better with it at the end. Sometimes rearranging the words gives the prayer rhythm. For instance, “God, let me know your peace” may be more rhythmic for you by changing it to “Let me know your peace, O God.” When your prayer seems right for you, use it again and again throughout the day.
