Spiritual discipline of breath

In the last edition of Tidings, we explored the spiritual disciplines of solitude and silence and how these practices can draw us into closer relationship with Jesus.

When we cultivate time and space to be alone and to find external and internal silence, our hearts often become more attuned to the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can refocus on our identity as beloved children of God. We are able to recenter ourselves with the person and character of Christ being formed in us. We can be filled up with the love of Jesus in a way that allows us to re-enter our lives and pour out that same love onto others.

If you did not get a chance to read our last edition, you can find it on the First Church website at FirstChurchTulsa.org/stories. If you have not yet had a chance to explore solitude and silence, I would encourage you to step into them as a spiritual practice and be curious about what might come!

Stepping away from the busyness of life, as Jesus often did within his years of ministry, is invaluable. However, the commitments and movements of our day-to-day might not always allow us to “retreat to the mountainside.” (Luke 6:12) But the presence of God is always accessible to us and an intentional practice of pausing to take notice of and tap into the presence of the Holy Spirit is a beautiful part of maintaining our connection with Jesus throughout the day. One ancient tool that we can utilize as an intentional practice of connection is breath prayer.

Scripture teaches us that prayer can take many forms. Yes, it can be spoken words as Jesus exemplifies in Matthew 6:9-13 when he teaches us The Lord’s Prayer. Prayer can also be listening through silence and solitude as portrayed in Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God;” and John 10:27, saying “My sheep listen to my voice.” Prayer even happens through music and song as we communicate our worship to God as Psalm 96 says, “Sing to the Lord a new song!” Could prayer also happen through our breath?

The Holy Spirit is identified as “breath” or “wind” throughout Scripture in both the Hebrew “ruach” and the Greek “pnuema.” Physiologically, breath is our constant companion and gives us life. Spiritually, the breath of the Holy Spirit acts as a connection to our source of life.

If we choose to intentionally focus our physical breath as a spiritual practice, this necessary habit becomes a powerful way to pray. It is also a way to step into 1 Thessalonians 5:16 admonition to “pray continually.”

Breath prayer is an ancient tool and involves choosing one or two phrases to meditate on and inhale, and then exhale through them. The most utilized prayer is the Jesus Prayer, which is based on the healing miracle of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10. The practice is simple and can happen anywhere you find yourself:

There are many possibilities and iterations of this prayer. Before you begin this practice I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to drop a word or phrase into your heart that will provide the nourishment or guidance you need for the day.

Maybe you need grace for the day and your prayer could be:

Perhaps you're hungering for the person of Jesus, and you pray:

Often we need peace and could pray:

I wonder if you might even incorporate a favorite scripture like John 15:

My hope and prayer is that this simple tool will become a spiritual practice that takes you deeper into your love and relationship with Christ and brings the presence of the Holy Spirit more powerfully into the moments of your day. The Gettys have given us a beautiful perspective on the power of the living breath, which is in each of us. Take with you the opening words of their song “Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God.”

About the author:
Julia Metcalf is the associate minister of our Next Generation Ministry. Julia found her passion for working with young adults while she was an intern at the American Church in Paris. She earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton in 2020.