Breath prayer
Come unto me
Matthew 11 · for the worn out
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 · King James Version
The rhythm
- 5 counts in — Come unto me
- 5 counts out — all ye that labour
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: Come unto me · Out: all ye that labour
- In: And are heavy laden · Out: and I will give you rest
- In: Take my yoke upon you · Out: and learn of me
- In: For I am meek · Out: and lowly in heart
- In: And ye shall find rest · Out: unto your souls
- In: For my yoke is easy · Out: and my burden is light
- In: Cast all your care upon Him · Out: for He careth for you
- In: He giveth His beloved · Out: sleep
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.