Spiritual Discipline: Breath Prayers

Much of our spiritual formation is accomplished through sacred rhythms and practices, like the spiritual disciplines, faithfully worked out in our lives. The spiritual disciplines are a vital means by which God spiritually forms us, so we want to give you a simple, practical next step to make them a part of your life.

Breath Prayers

Breath prayers are exactly what they sound like: prayers that can be said in a single breath.

This is an ancient discipline that has been practiced by Christians throughout history in order to remind us of God’s beauty, authority and presence in our lives.

To practice this spiritual discipline, simply take in a deep breath and, while exhaling, pray quietly or aloud a simple phrase meant to reorient you to God’s presence, God’s glory, and His relationship with you. The practice itself is similar to fasting in that it is a practice that brings the whole person — their heart, mind, and body — back to an awareness of God’s presence and glory throughout the day.

Many people begin this practice with the first line of the Lord’s Prayer: ”Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.”

Consider also a favorite verse of Scripture and adapt it as a request to God.

Matthew 11:28 where Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest.” can become “Lord, I am weary, give me rest.” Romans 8:1 can be prayed as a reminder that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”

Other creative ways to utilize breath prayers are through songs or hymns. After all, songs are sermons that you won’t forget by Monday. The line “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free;” from Charles Wesley’s classic hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”, is an effective way to re-orient your day around who you are in Christ.

On the other hand, if you enjoy more contemporary music, the line “You turn graves into gardens, you turn bones into armies” from Elevation Worship’s appropriately titled, “Graves into Gardens” reminds us of God’s power in the world and in us. Really, the creative possibilities are endless because each phrase is like the tip of an iceberg: it reaches back into a deeper, richer story and roots us God’s presence and our relationship with Him.

The real beauty of this practice is its simplicity and portability. There is no place, no meeting, no encounter in life where one can’t stop, take a slow, deep breath and pray.

Much of this post was inspire from Mike Cosper’s excellent book on the spiritual disciplines, Recapturing the Wonder.