When I was in high school I ran track and cross-country. My dad, also a runner, gave me a piece of advice that I follow to this day. He said that it was good to have a consistent breathing rhythm, but every once in a while to try to take a bigger breath -- from all the way down, deep within. Then go back to the previous steady rhythm. There were so many times I used this technique and that extra oxygen to my body helped me to run faster and stronger.
Breathing. We do it every day. All day. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of our lives. It’s automatic. It’s on autopilot. We don’t even notice it. It’s one thing that doesn’t have to be added to our ‘to do’ list, right? Well, this pandemic has reminded us of how precious that breathing is and that God is the one who gives breath to us, as Isaiah 42:5 NLT teaches us.
God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth.
So let us be grateful for the gift of breath, and also mindful of our breathing. It’s important to our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
When everything around us is chaotic, our breath is something we can control. When I begin to feel anxious, one of the first signs is my breathing. It becomes rapid and shallow. It is mirroring my intense inner feelings and the hamster wheel in my mind. When I notice that my breathing is reminiscent of when I ran marathons, I try to become mindful of my breathing. Moving away from the panting breaths to bigger breaths -- from all the way down, deep within. (Thanks, Dad!)
I know many of us are having “all the feelings” right now. And God not only cares about those, but also about you taking the time to recognize and care for those feelings. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Jesus also set the example of going off by himself to pray. The Bible is full of Godly men and women who take the time to pour out their emotions in order to reset their focus on God. Meditation on God’s word is mentioned many times in scripture. And I fully believe that some deep breathing happened in the Psalms before the laments turned to praise.
This “self care” does not have to mean a bubble bath, quiet music, with the lights off and a candle burning, though it certainly could. It can be as easy as taking five minutes wherever you are and doing a few simple exercises. (I am going to recommend closing your eyes for some of this. If you aren’t comfortable with that, keep your eyes open. The idea is for you to be able to relax, and that is different for everyone.)
First, grab a glass of water. Drink deeply. This sounds strange, but when my emotions are threatening to overwhelm me, I forget simple things, like water. So just trust me…and go get the water.
Grab your Bible, a pen and paper. Try to find a quiet place. If you can, sit outside and get some fresh air. But this can be done anywhere -- at a desk, in the bathroom, on the couch, etc.
Write down a favorite verse, song lyric, attribute of God, or short prayer. The idea is to ground ourselves in truth, to meditate on God and who He is.
Sit comfortably. Relax your shoulders. Relax those face muscles. Close your eyes a minute and take a deep breath in, filling your belly with air. Exhale slowly, deflating your tummy. Just focus on your breath in and out. When your mind wanders, think back to your phrase as you continue to breathe.
Now, look at the phrase you wrote down. Meditate on it. And as you do, breathe.
Then whisper that truth to yourself. Breathe. Close your eyes. Whisper it to yourself again.
Keep your eyes closed. Visualize your phrase. This might be visualizing the actual words one at a time. Or maybe it’s visualizing the imagery in the phrase. Breathe.
Now think of a place where you feel completely safe, comfortable and at peace. Or maybe it’s a favorite memory that brings up joy, laughter, love. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Mine is simply sitting out on a dock by the lake on a summer night.
Continue to focus on breathing as you take a mini vacation to this place/moment.
Using all five senses, think of as many details as you can to recreate this scene.
For example: I am sitting on a dock by the lake. It is quiet. I hear the soft lap of the waves hitting the shore. I feel a slight breeze on my face that whispers through the reeds. The dock is hard beneath me, a little gritty from sand. It gently rocks in rhythm with the waves. The night air is cool and fresh. My light jacket is soft and cozy. I stick my feet in the water. It is chilly, refreshing. I smell the lake water and flowers. I lie back and stare at the millions of stars in the sky. They are brilliant, shining. The moon is full. I feel at peace.
When you’re finished, take a few deep breaths and slowly open your eyes again.
End with a simple prayer of praise and gratitude for who God is. You can pray scripture, like Psalm 61:1-3:
Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge
a strong tower against the enemy.
One last time, look over your phrase. Keep it close by to help you to refocus throughout the day.
And remember to breathe. Breath is life. Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” As you breathe imagine it is God who is breathing new life into you. Breathe in His truths, His promises, His goodness and grace. Breathe out praise. And if all of these instructions are too complicated and overwhelming, just do one thing: Breathe.
Listen to Breathe by Jonny Diaz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Danielle (Dani) Rupp grew up in a small town in Ohio and is a true Buckeye fan, though she tries not to be obnoxious about it. In 2011 she came to Pennsylvania to earn her Master of Social Work degree. Dani just returned from South Asia, where she volunteered with International Justice Mission, learned to tolerate spicy food and cross the roads without being hit.
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