Breath prayer
Be still
Psalm 46 · for panic and pressure
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10 · King James Version
The rhythm
- 4 counts in — Be still
- 2 counts held
- 6 counts out — and know that I am God
- 2 counts rest
How to use it
This is not a relaxation technique with a verse attached to it. Breathing slowly is simply what a body does when it is not afraid, and doing it on purpose tells your body the truth before your feelings have caught up. The words are the point. The breathing is the pace.
The lines, in order
- In: Be still · Out: and know that I am God
- In: God is our refuge · Out: and strength
- In: A very present help · Out: in trouble
- In: Therefore will not we fear · Out: though the earth be removed
- In: There is a river · Out: that makes glad the city of God
- In: The LORD of hosts is with us · Out: our refuge
This is not mindfulness. It is the old Christian practice of praying one line of Scripture on the breath — a phrase going in, a phrase going out — which predates every wellness app by roughly seventeen centuries. If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally; if you have a heart or lung condition, ask your doctor before making a practice of it.