My friend Lex suggested I see a Nooma video called, “Breathe”. So here I sit with Brian and Candi being taught by Rob Bell as he makes his way through a subway system. I am captured by his words; what he is teaching validates what I am experiencing with my breathing experiments. Our bodies are built for breathing 4 to 6 times per minute, long and deep from the gut. But we tend to take more like 15 short and quick breaths from the chest, especially when stressed out. I find this fact fascinating. Rob also teaches that the 4 letters used in the name given to God by the Hebrews actually make the sound of breathing. So with every breath we speak the name of God; we witness to the giver of life just by the sound of our breathing.
I breathe the name of God!
So this challenges me. Instead of setting aside special time for the breathing prayer, what if I was to just be intentional throughout the day to breathe the name of God? What if I could remember at times to simply slow down and deepen my breaths as I make a conscious effort to breathe the name of God? Can I do this while performing daily tasks? Okay, as I write these words right now at this very moment, I am intentionally breathing the name of God. I am doing it. And I am still doing it. And even now, as I continue typing this, I am conscious of the fact that God’s name is on my lips and His Spirit fills my being. So if I can do that while I am writing these words, then I also have hope that I can go about my daily activity with an awareness of breathing deep the name of God.
p.s. I am still doing it...
Posted on
Sat, March 7, 2009
by Chris Spitters