There is a form of prayer that is sometimes known as the ‘breath prayer’.

I was introduced to this way of prayer 38 years ago, at a time of personal crisis and deep personal pain by a holy woman who later became a friend.

Now deceased, she was at the time both a highly skilled and experienced spiritual guide as well as a practicing Doctor of clinical psychology. 

The ‘breath prayer’ is an ultra-simple way to pray, to the point where your prayer quickly becomes part of your unconscious.

You don’t even realize that you’re praying.

But you are.

In this prayer, you present to the Lord what you consider to be your SINGLE MOST urgent need.

But you must take time —i. e. a day, a few days, or a week —to decide what you need most right at that particular moment in your life.

You must not rush this process.

The breath prayer relies on the simple repetition of your need to the Lord.

In preparation for the breath prayer, you reflect for a day or a few days on what you most need from God, right now, for your current situation/circumstances.

You must take the time you need to think about what you really need MOST.

This need must be ONE thing only, not more.

This is why you need time to reflect on the ONE need that exceeds all your other needs at the time.

Once you have decided what your most pressing need is, you make this need into a prayer consisting of not more than seven syllables.

For example:

‘Lord, give me wisdom/ joy/ patience/healing /peace/faith/ strength, etc.’ (only ONE of these!)

                                                     or

                                       ‘Lord, I need mercy’

                                                     or

                                  ‘Lord, give me an answer’

                                                     or

                                      ‘Lord send me grace’

                                                     or

                                     ‘Lord, give me healing’

                                                     or

                            ‘Lord, let me FEEL your LOVE’

Get the idea?

Just ONE thing that you MOST need right now.

Once you begin to pray, don’t change the need that you have chosen after careful reflection to put before God.

Stay with this need until you see that the Lord has answered your prayer —which He will.

As I recall, this form of prayer is called the ‘breath’ prayer because you pray it all the time —just as you breathe all the time.

Note

This does not mean that you should ever try to pray the breath prayer in rhythm with your breathing!

 

You keep praying the breath prayer throughout the day whenever you remember.

The time will very soon come when, having repeated it so often, you won’t need to remember to pray.

Your little prayer becomes so deeply lodged in your unconscious that it will pray itself —even while you’re sleeping.

You will know when your prayer has been answered.

Then you can let go of this particular request you’ve made to the Lord.

The important thing is: do not change your prayer until you feel your chosen need has been met.

Then, if you have another very special need, you choose a new breath prayer.

I have found the breath prayer incalculably valuable at any time.

But it is particularly helpful at times of special challenge, confusion, overwhelm, or crisis.

I first used it as a young married woman of thirty-five.

Now, 38 years later, as a woman of nearly seventy-four, I still use the breath prayer in times of special need, confusion, or crisis.

 

Note:

The breath prayer

• is a very effective ‘back-up’ to all your other ways of prayer
• is not intended to replace any of your other forms of prayer such as prayer of the heart, praise, intercession, worship, etc.
• works, I can assure you! 

 

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