004 | Breath Prayer
Today is the start of a big week. I’m not usually an anxious person but I’m noticing the extra hum of uncertainty in my shoulders and neck and shallower breathing. Today I’m focusing on creating space for calm in myself—in my body and in my spirit.
One way to do this is with a simple breath prayer. You can do this any time of day, wherever you find yourself, when you need to center or calm yourself so you are better resourced to navigate your day or the situation before you.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
As you inhale deeply, use a word or phrase to focus your mind on being fully present to your breathing. Then exhale slowly. Repeat three or four times—or as many times as you need to to notice a shift in your body as your breathing slows and your muscles start to lose their tension.
𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲:
Not sure what word or phrase to use, here are some possibilities. I like to use a two breath cycle with these phrases because it helps slow the whirl in my brain.
(Inhale) 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥... (Exhale slowly and inhale again) 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 (Exhale slowly)
(Inhale) 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥... (Exhale slowly and inhale again) 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 (Exhale slowly)
(Inhale) 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 ... (Exhale slowly and inhale again) 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 ... (Exhale slowly)
(Inhale) 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 ... (Exhale slowly and inhale again) 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦 (Exhale slowly)
(Inhale) 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴... (Exhale slowly and inhale again) 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (Exhale slowly)
You can always use a single word to help you focus: peace, love, hope, calm, or whatever word your spirit needs this day.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿?
𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 ________.
Write your word in the comments below.
