To Breathe is To Pray. To Pray is to Breathe.

Discover Your Coherent Wholeness in God.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the connection between breathing and praying. To say that breathing and praying are connected might sound a bit odd, because don’t we usually think of praying as saying to God what we’re thinking in our mind? And because sometimes we think of praying as telling God what is wrenching our heart. So, what does that have to do with breathing?

Turns out, it has everything to do with breathing, especially for those of us who have been spiritually abused in our faith community — who knows — maybe for every human being. As a beginning explanation, I’ve begun to think of breathing as a vital element on a “Trauma and Coherent Wholeness” Spectrum/Scale. See what you think.

The spectrum might look like this:

Subconsciously “Holding Breath” because of spiritual shock;

“Shallow Breathing” because of energy-depleting emotions such as anger, grief, or brokenness.

“Tearful Breathing” because of the depth of the wound hurting so bad.

Toward the other end of the spectrum of “Trauma and Coherent Wholeness,” we might begin to find “Deep Resilient Breathing” in the creative potential of our healing, when our heart and mind are in sync with each other, and we experience a Coherence and perhaps a bit of Wholeness, tantalizing us forward along the scale. Living life along that spectrum involves going on an Inner Journey that holds many adventures, mishaps, and finding our way again.

You might ask, “But what does breathing have to do with praying?” Praying can occur in any part of our being – spirit, soul, or body, or in all aspects of our essence simultaneously. Praying, like breathing, can be shattered when we’ve been abused. The shock of the abuse can take away our ability to pray. In that moment, it is as though praying and breathing are intimately related. Both are stunted and numbed into a painful silence.

Scripture tells us in the very first chapter of Genesis that God’s “Ruah” breathed everything into existence. The Hebrew word “Ruah” translates into English as “Spirit” or “breath.” God creates with his very breath in his Spirit.

What if it were possible for His breath and our breath to be in sync with each other?...

Just thinking about that concept, being in sync with God’s breath, brings me closer to my “Coherent Wholeness.” I can sense it. The older I get, the more I’m convinced that our heart-felt prayers and our breathing from our inmost place of intimacy with God have everything to do with each other.

So BREATHE… Breathe...Breathe a bit deeper and slower than usual from your inmost place of intimacy with God. As you become more aware of your breathing, listen for what God’s breath is breathing in you.

That, perhaps, can be the most profound and healing prayer that you could ever pray.