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An Advent prayer: “Move over the face of my deep, my darkness, my endless restless chaos, and create, O God: trouble me, comfort me, stir me up, and calm me, but do not cease to breathe your spirit into my wakening soul.” Jan Richardson. (Night Visions).

 Breath. Life. The two words are inseparable. Although we are unconscious of our breathing most of the time, it is that simple inhale and exhale that defines our existence. Breath of God.  This is why all forms of meditation pay attention to the breath. It is the foundation for returning to the center of ourselves, our soul and listening for God. Meditation can begin by just noticing the air as it comes in and goes out. It is powerful because we are focusing on that which defines life. It’s a simple wonder that we breathe. We breathe. The whole earth breathes, relying on that exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. What a miracle.

There are many ways to deepen the meditation of the breath. One that I learned fifty years ago from a Catholic nun who had just returned from India, was to breathe in a count of four, and breathe out a count of eight. The count can be shorter or longer, but the principle is to have the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation. We know the value of this inherently when we sigh. It is a natural tension reliever.  Another counting option is to breathe in four, hold for seven and exhale for a count of eight. (helpful for sleep).

Another way to meditate on breath is to notice the air when you first sense it at the nostrils on the inhalation. Then notice the difference when the air leaves the nostrils. Another option is called cleansing breaths—breathing in through the nose and forcibly exhaling through the mouth, usually three times; it is a great reset for the nervous system. 

There are literally hundreds of more ways of using breath to center and return our attention to the inner silence and to an appreciation not only of life-giving breath, but also to the Giver of Life.

As a spiritual practice this week, try one of these as an Advent practice, if even for a minute. Notice if there is a way you might begin incorporating an awareness of your breath, as a way of intimacy with God in your daily lives, “breathing Spirit into our awakening souls.”

Pastor Marcia Wakeland is a retired ELCA pastor, a spiritual director and a listening advocate. She is interested in the actual experience of having faith and how that is lived out. She can be reached at mwakeland@gmail.com for comments or more questions Her ongoing blog of living out spiritual practices is listeninglife.live