Tuning Into God: 4 Spiritual PracticesSample

Your breath can be a powerful connection to God. 

With his own breath, God made the first man come alive. A practice of tuning into God through your breath can remind you that everything good – including life – is a gift from your creator. 

Many ancient meditative practices focus on slowing down and paying attention to your breath. One such prayer was described in “The Way of the Pilgrim” in the 19th century. It’s called “The Jesus prayer” because with every breath you recognize your need for Jesus as a savior.

The Jesus Prayer uses your natural breath pattern to meditate on the words “Lord Christ, have mercy on me.” On each inhale you say the words “Lord Christ,” and on each exhale you say, “Have mercy on me.”

This phase comes from Luke 18:38, in which the man who calls out to Jesus is healed. 

You can try the prayer with other phrases that remind you of your reliance on God. For example, you could repeat the words “Father… I belong to you” which comes from Psalm 73:23. Another phrase which is used by prophets in the Bible is “Lord… here I am” (Isaiah 6:8, 1 Samuel 3:4).

Practice the Jesus Breath Prayer:

• Breath in and repeat the words, “Lord Christ.”
• Breath out and repeat the words, “Have mercy on me.”
• Repeat this prayer 10 times, or until your breathing becomes calm and slow.

Prayer: Lord, every breath I take comes from you. Help me connect with you, the source of my life.

Further Exploration: Read about using prayer triggers as reminders to tune into God .