Breath prayer
The Name
Proverbs 18 · for fear
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10 · King James Version
The rhythm
- 4 counts in — The name of the LORD
- 4 counts held
- 4 counts out — is a strong tower
- 4 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: The name of the LORD · Out: is a strong tower
- In: The righteous runneth into it · Out: and is safe
- In: God is our refuge · Out: a very present help
- In: The LORD is my light · Out: whom shall I fear
- In: He hath not given us · Out: the spirit of fear
- In: But of power, and of love · Out: and of a sound mind
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.