Breath Prayer

Adapted from Spiritual Disciplines Handbook - Adele Calhoun

Breathing is an unconscious thing. And breath prayer reminds us that just as we can’t live on one breath of air, we can’t live on one breath of God. God is the oxygen of our soul, and we need to breathe him in all day long. After all, it is in him that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Breath prayer reminds us that each breath we are given is God’s gift and that God’s Spirit is nearer to us than our own breath.

This prayer has been practiced in the church for millennia.

Practice

To practice breath prayer, ponder the nearness of God. Settle deeply into the truth that Christ is in you. Deeply breathe in, repeating any name of God that is dear to you. As you exhale, voice a deep desire of your heart. When you exhale, offer up the desire of your heart. The brevity of the prayer (how short the prayer is) allows it to be repeated over and over throughout the day.

Examples of breath prayers are

  • breathe in “Abba”, breathe out “I belong to you.”

  • breathe in “Healer”, breathe out “Speak the word and I shall be healed.”

  • breathe in “Shepherd”, breathe out “bring home my lost son.”

  • breathe in “Holy One”, breathe out “keep me true.”

  • breathe in “Lord”, breathe out “here I am.”

  • breathe in “Jesus”, breathe out “have mercy on me.”

Step by Step

  1. Become comfortable. Breathe deeply. Intentionally place yourself before God. In rhythm with your breathing, gratefully inhale the breath of life. Exhale remembering that Jesus lovingly gave his last breath for you. Gently and thankfully repeat, “Breath of life, breathe on me.”

  2. Decide to pray any of the prayers above or another scriptural breath prayer as often as you are able during one day. If you worry about forgetting, set a clock at every hour to remind you, or put the prayer on your car mirror. Reminders should be gentle and not forced. In the evening spend time telling the Lord what it means to you to be able to return to him again and again during the day with one particular prayer.

  3. Is there someone for whom you wish to pray ceaselessly? Listen deeply to what desire Jesus may have for this person. Form a breath prayer naming God’s adequacy and that desire for the person. Throughout the day as they come to mind, offer up your prayer. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into long prayer dialogues about what you want God to do in this person’s life. Let the breath prayer carry all your desire to God.

  4. Begin and end each day with your breath prayer. Let it be the word that comes to mind as you wake and as you fall asleep.

  5. Tell someone what breath prayer means to you.

  6. Help a child form a breath prayer to say while at school or play.