Yesterday I was awarded a t-shirt for my 500th yoga class. There are many benefits to yoga not the least of which is learning to breathe. By that I mean learning to think about breathing. Yoga teaches you to breathe with your belly which encourages a deeper and more controlled rhythm of breathing especially when your body is being stressed or asked to work hard. It's also a unique experience to find yourself breathing in sync with the entire class. We're discovering more about how "breath work" can be calming and healing and even energizing. Breath prayers are also becoming a more common practice for those who want to be more mindful about the presence of God in their daily lives.
Recently, the author Sarah Bessey shared some of the breath prayers she uses to encourage a joyful experience of God in her day-to-day life. Here are a few.
Inhale: Joy will be my dwelling place
Exhale: Your peace is my sanctuary.
Inhale: Tune my soul's antennae to Your eternal frequency
Exhale: of beauty and goodness and rest.
Inhale: Let me healing joy oveflow
Exhale: into the communities I love.
I'll be breathing in the lovely breezes of Lake Michigan next week and am grateful to God for some time to camp with my husband.
Deep blessings to you.
Ruth
