Breath Prayer
Breath prayer is an ancient Christian practice dating back to at least the sixth century. And it's exactly what it sounds like: a prayer attached to our inhaling and exhaling.
It is intended to be a very short prayer of praise or petition, just six to eight syllables. It is a way to rest in prayer. We rest our overactive, hardworking minds from the need to put everything into words. We rest from clinging, grasping, and trying to figure everything out.
Breath prayer does not replace other ways of praying; rather, it is a foundation for our prayer life. The breath prayer helps us pray when we don’t know how to pray. There is nothing magical or mystical about breath prayer. It is not the same thing as a mantra of Eastern meditation practice. Rather, this prayer arises from deep within our being as a personal response to God at work within us.
“You don't think your way into your breath prayer; you discover it by listening to your deepest longings and desires in God's presence.” -Ruth Haley Barton
Learn how to practice breath prayer with Pastor Cody Abercrombie: