How and Why Breath Prayers Work:
Breathing our prayers is a great way to engage with the Word of God while also using the science behind our breath to settle down our hearts and spirits. At some point, you've probably had someone tell you "just breathe."
This is because intentionally slowing down our breathing helps calm down our nervous system. It's an effective way to bring the focus away from the stress and anxiety that has taken over our bodies, minds, and spirits, and bring us back down to earth.
As Christians, we don't want to just shift our focus back to the world around us though. Instead, we can pray scripture as we breathe, and shift our focus back to God. This allows us to become more aware of God's presence, and to contemplate the scripture as we tell our bodies and spirits to slow down.
If you know me, you also know I'm a huge advocate for scripture engagement. This means reading our Bibles with depth, contemplative practices, and genuinely meeting God in His Word.
When we practice breath prayers, we also are memorizing and speaking scripture over ourselves. This helps to truly engage with God's Word throughout your day.
Breathing is also a symbolic practice in and of itself. God has given us breath, and the fact we are breathing and alive is a gift and speaks to the purpose God has for our lives. The Word says, "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the almighty gives me life." Job 33:4
Breathing our prayers reminds us to be grateful and present in the current moment, and to express gratitude for the breath in our lungs.
I hope this helps give you an introduction into breathing your prayers!
