To Breathe and to Pray

One of my lived realities is that my youngest daughter has Tourette Syndrome.  The nature of Tourette's is that it ebbs and flows over time, and is more than just tics, but also includes issues such as anxiety, OCD, and a variety of other things.  We have been very blessed that for the better part of a year her tics have been almost non-existent with medication.  This week however, we started a new "flowing" phase which has left her feeling scared and frustrated and me feeling extremely overwhelmed.  In moments like these, I have a simple (yet profoundly effective) go-to that helps me to move from overwhelm and paralysis back into life one step at a time:  breath prayer.

Breath is fundamental to life -- we inhale and we exhale.  When we get scared or anxious and our breath races, we slow down and breathe slow and steady to settle us down.  When we get excited or upset, our breath catches.  When we take in the beauty of the earth , we often find that breathing deeply grounds us in the moment.  Beyond being a source of life, it is a piece of our faith.  Breath is a way in which we relate to the Spirit -- the breath of God. With a biblical model for linking Spirit with breath, I find myself naturally drawn to the very simple, yet profound practice of breath prayers -- especially when life gets to be too much.  The great thing about breath prayers -- they are completely customizable for the moment and very short in nature.  These prayers are intended to cooperate with your breathing patterns -- short and sweet and easily repeated.  With an inhale, a phrase is prayed -- perhaps a name or image of God.  With an exhale, our request is lifted.  Each breath being filled with a prayer lasting just a few syllables.  Each prayer easily being breathed.

What are the benefits of this prayer?  First, it slows us down.  For me, it gets me out of my cycle of spinning out.  It makes me mindful of my breathing and of my surroundings.  And perhaps most important, the repetitive nature of this prayer helps to focus less on me and more on the power of the Spirit -- looking to and trusting God to lead me through the moment.  Breath prayers are not just for moments of chaos, but for moments of peace, as well.  They call us to a more contemplative stance and lead us towards being more mindful of each other as God's creation, living with God and trusting in God's provision.

How do you make a breath prayer?  Easy Peasy.

1. Choose a name or image of God/Christ/Spirit that speaks to you.  Perhaps it is a favorite phrase, image or biblical description. This name, you will prayer upon inhaling. 
2. Consider your need at the moment -- shrink it into as few words as possible.  This phrase should fit into the space of an exhale.   
3. Put these two pieces together to form your prayer. Breathe in - praying God's name.  Breathe out - praying your petition.  Of course, if you choose to reverse the order and pray the petition first, that is completely acceptable -- to each their own.  

Some examples:

Giver of life, calm my soul

Spirit of wisdom, lead me on. 

Grant me grace, Merciful God. 

Holy Lord, heal my heart.  

Do you have a go-to breath prayer?  If so, share it in the comments -- more often than not, our prayers inspire one another. Whether this is your first breath prayer or your 101st, stop now, take a moment to breathe and invite the Spirit to help you form the prayer of your heart at this moment.  Take the time to breathe and to pray -- your soul and your God will thank you.