22 New Breath Prayers: Faithfulness
Sincerity over cynicism, faithfulness over despair.
Hi friends,
I’ve been writing and breathing my way through a new handful of prayers over the past few weeks and so I thought I’d share those with you today. (For our newer subscribers, writing breath prayers is a relatively daily thing for me personally and every few months, I share a small batch of them for you to borrow or adapt. If you keep scrolling, you’ll see links to previously shared breath prayers on themes like joy and hope among others at the end of the newsletter.)
As I went back over my scribbles in this last season, I realised that the prayers have a theme of faithfulness: my own desire for faithfulness as a responsive practice to the questions of our time and also much-needed frequent reminders of God’s faithfulness. Apparently I’ve been circling these themes for the past little while without being fully aware of it, writing and praying through faithfulness and its connection to tenacity, stubbornness, transformation, community, peacemaking, and hope. I’ve been unconsciously recalibrating myself on what I believe to be true about God’s faithfulness, especially right now, when everything feels heavy and heartbreaking. I suppose that’s not a huge surprise because I have always found breath prayer particularly needed or beneficial in my life during times of uncertainty, anxiety, and worry. These help to recentre me on what I most hope is true.
I hope that one or two of these will meet you well, too.
First, A Reminder: How to Practice Breath Prayers
Breath Prayer is an ancient form of prayer, passed down through the Church and still practiced today. It is easily adaptable. Simply choose one or two lines to meditate on and inhale and then exhale through them. It really is that simple.
You can pray a breath prayer literally anywhere without any special rituals or whatever but I’ve found that I like to find a quiet corner for a few minutes and I usually start by lighting a candle.
Then just quietly become aware of your body. Sit in a way that is comfortable for you, a position that will allow you to take a deep breath in and out. Close your eyes.
Imagine a room or a place where you feel safe, your own sanctuary: it can be a real place or one that exists in your imagination.
Breathe slowly and deeply while holding that place in your mind for a few moments, until you have all the details of it gathered around your soul.
You’ll enter into your time of prayer or meditation from within that sanctuary.
As an example, one historic form of breath prayer is known as The Jesus Prayer. So, with that as our basis, here’s how it works:
Inhale. Fill your whole self with breath. Feel the air in your lungs. And then pray aloud or to yourself:
“Jesus Christ, son of God,”
Exhale slowly and fully.
“Have mercy on me.”
And then simply repeat this practice. Start with ten good breaths in and out, with the words being spoken aloud or quietly held in your mind, it’s up to you.
Faithfulness: 22 New Breath Prayers
Each couplet of inhale/exhale stands is its own stand-alone prayer. Don’t see this as a litany of words to just gallop through as a huge recitation, but simply pick one(!!) that speaks to you and adapt it you like for your own prayer practice.
(From Psalm 26:3 NIV) Inhale: I have always been mindful of your unfailing love Exhale: and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. Inhale: I will hold fast to Exhale: your Gospel of love and healing.