Lesson 1 – Breath Prayer
I am pleasantly surprised at the response of so many to want to deepen their prayer life. Here’s what I’d like to do, weekly there will be a teaching then each of us is to practice that teaching, journal on it. Then individually we will, through email, talk about how that particular prayer practice is affecting us. Of course, there may be a week for me or you where a crisis happens (by the way busy-ness is not a crisis nor an excuse) where I am unable to get the study out or you cannot participate. If that happens we’ll just trust the Lord that He knew we needed more time for whatever exercise was the week before.
This is not a head activity, this is a heart activity. That means you can’t just read these emails and do NOTHING… If I read all about J. but never get intimate with him our marriage will soon be in trouble! We can know all there is to know about Jesus but not know Jesus and soon be in trouble! Prayer is giving all of oneself to God through Christ by the Spirit.
Lord, I am so inadequate for this task. Your disciples asked You to teach them to pray and You did so. Now, these precious brothers and sisters ask the same of me. I really can’t do this without you, so please help me, guide me and impart to them you sweet Spirit that when none of us know what to say, the Holy Spirit cries out for us. We beg this in Jesus name. Amen.
Starting points – Begin a journal. Yes, you can keep it simple (please do). It can be a school spiral notebook or whatever. No, you don’t have to do it everyday, but I do ask that you would make an entry once a week (at least while we are learning something new) AND anytime the Lord really speaks to you. I will be using as a resource the book “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” by Adele Calhoun (don’t let the title scare you). J As well as my own personal walk, experience and whatever grain of insight the Lord has given me. If the lesson during any particular week is a means of prayer you are already using. Then continue to do so, sharing your insights with me and if not intensely private I will share with the others. We want to learn from each other. I do want to assure you anything really private will not pass through me.
Prayer is a word that describes a relationship. It is a dialog with God. Prayer is not a duty it is a desire to connect and grow in intimacy with the Trinity. There are multiple ways of entering into prayer. We will work on a variety of different types of prayer, we will discuss them then practice them with one of the exercises listed with each prayer. Some exercises may not appeal to you but please practice at least one of them anyway. After a week of practice we’ll talk about them again.
Breath Prayer
Breathing is an unconscious thing and breath prayer reminds us that just as we can’t live on one breath, 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. 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 is a type of prayer you can do many, many times a day to keep you focused and aware of God’s presence.
Breath prayer (or sometimes called “prayer of the heart”) has been practiced in the church for over one thousand years. The Eastern Orthodox Church in particular has seen breath prayer as a way of living out Paul’s instruction to “pray without ceasing.”
Examples of Breath Prayers
Breathe in “Abba,” breathe out “I belong to You.”
Breathe in “Healer,“ breath out “speak the word and I shall be healed.”
Breathe in “Shepherd“ breath out “bring home my lost son, friend, etc.”
Breathe in “Holy One“ breath out “keep me true.”
Breathe in “Lord,“ breath out “here I am.”
Breathe in “Lord Jesus“ breath out “have mercy on me.” (This one is known as the “Jesus prayer”) or sometimes done breathe in “Lord Jesus Christ” breath out “have mercy on me a sinner.”
Before you begin the exercises below write these questions in your journal and answer them. Then choose one of the Breath prayers from above or create your own and write it in your journal.
- How do you currently practice the injunction from the Apostle Paul to pray without ceasing?
- How does the thought of repetitive prayer strike you?
Exercises (Chose one)
- Become comfortable. Breathe deeply. Intentionally place yourself before God. In rhythm with your breathing, gratefully inhale the breath of life. Exhale remembering that Jesus gave his last breath of love for you. Gently and thankfully repeat one of the breath prayers… Done, it takes one minute. Now you understand why you can do this multiple times per day. Practice it though out the day.
- Decide to pray the Jesus prayer or which ever one you use as often as you are able in one day. If you worry about forgetting, set a clock or your cell phone every hour to remind you.
Personal things I done which have helped me with this particular prayer…
I practice breath prayer when I’m driving, currently I am using the Jesus Prayer.
I have a really good friend who is battling cancer. There are times when I cry out to God for longer periods of time for her. But I last spring I began using the breath prayer of … Breathe in “Healer,“ breath out “speak the word and Susan shall be healed”… it really helped me pray persistently and constantly for her.
Sometimes I practice this when I am confined to a waiting room or at Sonic waiting on my food J, it can be used anywhere, silently or out loud.
Lord, I ask that you would help each of us pray continually, giving you thanks in all circumstances. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Resource: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
