In the last couple of posts I’ve been talking about the importance of focusing on your breath as it relates to being more mindful — paying attention to your life. It’s a practice that is overlooked, but I think that is essential to being more attune to each moment. Another way to say it is that practicing breath work can help us be more mindful, therefore helping us be more discerning in our daily lives.

As a Christian I ground my life in my relationship with God. It is this relationship that helps me connect to my Truth (the term we use at The Hideaway Experience), therefore allowing me to live a life more congruent with who God has created me to be.

So essential to my breath work is not just the ability to slow down and be present in the moment — for the moment’s sake…though that is important and has great value — but it allows me to slow down and be present with God. And it is in those moments of mindfulness with God that I feel a strong connection to He who has created me.

Connecting Breath to Prayer
There are a myriad of ways that one can practice breath work and incorporate it into their daily life of prayer, but let me tell you of what it has looked like for me.

Step One: Begin the breathing exercise that we discussed on Friday.

Step Two: As you do this exercise focus on a passage of Scripture or a few words in Scripture that have been very meaningful to you recently. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be a verse — it could be just a few words that you pray — but I have found the use of Scripture as extra meaningful in my breathing. It helps ground me in the Biblical text.

Step Three: As you breath in, say silently, or verbalize out loud the first part of that verse or the first few words. As you breath out, say silently, or verbalize out loud the second part of that verse or the remainder of the words you have chosen.

So for example, I have really been meditating on Psalm 46:10 in my life:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (NIV)

So I slowly breathe in while saying “Be still” and I breathe out while saying “know that I am God.”

I have found this to be a very powerful practice in my life. It has kept me calm and grounded. And it has helped me really slow down and connect with God. Not just talk to God, but really listen to His voice.