Last week, Rob Bell’s reflection on the Spirit “breathing” within us concluded with an invitation to “slow down, and become aware that it is in the Divine Name, in ‘Yod,’ ‘Heh,’ ‘Vav,’ ‘Heh’ that we live, and we move, and we breathe.” Easier said than done, you might say! Here is a practical exercise to help us get in touch with the indwelling Spirit of God:

A Breathing Prayer

As a means of entering into prayer, the rhythm of our breathing can be a useful tool. This is so for several reasons. On a practical level, since we’re always breathing, it is a constant presence in our lives. This fact calls to mind, secondly, the connection between breathing and God, since God is the giver of all life. Finally, because we “breathe in the good air and breathe out the bad,” the rejuvenating process of breathing calls to mind a deeper, spiritual cleansing that comes through prayer: moving from willfulness to willingness, from resistance to surrender.

Instructions: Sit somewhere comfortably and quietly where you will not be disturbed.

Breathe somewhat more deeply than usual, becoming more conscious of the air entering your lungs when inhaling—and then, after a brief pause, also the air that leaves when exhaling.

As you develop this rhythm, focus your mind upon God, guided by the following reflection: