Simple, life-giving practices to help us walk more closely with God, one breath at a time
As part of our Mission Action Plan (Signs of the Kingdom), Holy Habits invites us to discover ways of drawing near to God in everyday life. But what about the days when prayer feels too hard? When grief grips our chest? When the words simply won’t come?
This month, we offer a quiet, grounding practice for such times: Breath Prayer.
Rooted in the ancient Christian tradition, breath prayer is a way of praying with the rhythm of our breathing. It’s simple, a few words repeated slowly, inhaled and exhaled, become a space where God meets us in our need.
How to Practise Breath Prayer
- Be Still – Sit quietly. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable. Breathe gently, not forcing anything. Just notice your breath.
- Choose a Simple Phrase – Something short and simple.
- Inhale: “Jesus is the Light of the World…”
- Exhale: “…a Light no darkness can ever put out.”
But you can create your own, depending on what you need:
- Inhale: “God, I need you …”
Exhale: “…and I trust you are near.” - Inhale: “When I am afraid…”
Exhale: “…I will trust in you.” - Inhale: “Even here…”
Exhale: “…you are with me.”
- Let the Words Settle – Repeat the phrase gently with your breath for a few minutes. Don’t rush. Let it be a prayer from your body as well as your heart.
- Return to It Through the Day – Use it while walking, waiting, or when anxiety rises. Your breath becomes your prayer, your reminder: God is here with you, you are not alone.
Why Try It?
When grief or stress makes it hard to speak or focus, breath prayer helps calm the body, still the mind, and open the heart to God.
This month, let your breath become your prayer.