Breath prayers

The invitation to embrace the ancient practice of breath prayers is a simple but powerful one. The Hebrew word for God is literally an inhale, Yah, and an exhale, Weh. So just breathe. Breath in. Deeply. Breath out. Slowly. Pray ‘Yah-Weh.’ Our very breath is prayer. Just by living and continuing to breathe we are with the One who promises to stay, to remain with us, always. Becoming aware of God’s presence by praying ‘breath prayers’ is an ancient Christian spiritual practice that is not only simple but transformative when words elude us.

Sometimes our prayer life can seem/feel barren and dry. Prayer becomes hard. Maybe you’ve become a bit ‘stuck’ in your prayer life. Maybe you’ve even stopped praying. That’s ok and it’s certainly not unusual. God could be inviting you to try something new. Experimenting with different forms of prayer can enrich your relationship with God—which is the main purpose of prayer.

You may already be familiar with The Jesus Prayer—the most common breath prayer in the Christian tradition—but you can write your own or use a psalm or the words of a song or poem. There’s no special ritual or method, just the rhythm of your breath as you inhale and exhale. You can pray a breath prayer in the car, on a long walk, in your prayer chair, or even in bed. You just need a quiet moment and some intentionality—like a retreat day!

Using The Jesus Prayer as an example of how to pray a breath prayer, simply inhale—feel your chest expand as your lungs fill with air—pray: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, son of God’. Exhale slowly and fully, pray: ‘Have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Repeat this practice for at least ten breaths.

Christian author and blogger Sarah Bessey offers a few alternative original breath prayers that may be useful or inspirational for writing your own.

Inhale: Friend of my soul

Exhale: Come rest with me

Inhale: Jesus you are with me here

Exhale: Emmanuel in my sorrow and my joy

Inhale: I release my need for control

Exhale: I trust your goodness and purpose will prevail

Inhale: I choose your love over fear

Exhale: God you are steady in every struggle

Inhale: When life is hard

Exhale: I will make joy my practice

Inhale: Joy will be my dwelling place

Exhale: Your peace is my sanctuary

Inhale: May I know you Jesus

Exhale: In ordinary and quiet faithfulness