Wednesday: Breathing, Gratitude & Mindfulness
September 3
- Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 — “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Reflection: One aspect of Godself is the Holy Spirit, also imagined by humans as God’s breath or heaven’s holy wind. In Genesis, that Spirit moved over the waters of creation and shaped the world, according to our Biblical origin stories. It uttered the first word and gave creativity and order through language.
When we breathe, we are also connecting to something bigger than ourselves. To a holy presence. To the wider universe. Use whatever language describes your awareness of this presence.
Meanwhile, on a pragmatic level, mindful breathing helps us center ourselves and come into focus. It is an exercise used across many faith traditions as well as within healing, therapeutic, and body-mind-spirit practices. Breathing helps release stress. It connects us to our own body. It calms the activities in our brain and consciousness.
How do you breathe mindfully? You can sit down and relax your body. Or you can do it while walking! It’s all about paying attention.
Learn from practitioners such as the community founded by Thich Nhat Hanh called Plum Village (full article). He taught, “… we should enjoy our in-breaths. Every inhalation is joyful and nourishing and every exhalation can release tension. When you walk … while breathing in, take two steps and become aware of the touch of your feet on the floor. And when you become aware of the meeting between feet and floor [ground], you stop thinking … enjoy every step. When you take the first step, say “I’ve arrived.” And when you take the second step, again say, “I’ve arrived.” To arrive here is to arrive in the here and now.”
“While breathing out, take three steps. This is because our out-breaths are normally longer than our in-breaths. When you take the first and second steps, say ‘I am home’. And when you take the third, say ‘I am already home’. Your true home is in the here and now and you can get in touch with life.” - Spiritual Practice: Try the two steps of in-breath and three steps of out-breath described above. Use the mantra of “I’ve arrived.” for the inhalation and “I am home” for the exhalation.
Song:
- Thank You Lord by Don Moen: https://youtu.be/sax4aTgZ9dw?si=xR_efHspXcCKWOLo
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” — Melody Beattie
Sept 3 Daily Devotional