Breath Prayers: An Ancient Christian Antidote to Anxiety

We live in an age of worry. Anxiety seems to plague nearly everyone in some way or another. The breath prayer, an ancient Christian form of prayer, could be a tool in your arsenal for fighting anxiety and stress. Breath prayers are a simple way of praying where you inhale, saying or thinking one line of Scripture, and exhale, saying the following line. Breath prayers are most commonly associated with the Jesus Prayer, a famous prayer out of the Eastern Orthodox tradition where people inhale, saying "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God" then exhale saying, "have mercy on me, a sinner." However, this form of praying, breath prayers, can be adapted for more than just the Jesus Prayer. It's great for praying Scripture of all kinds. Additionally, it is a contemplative form of prayer that is incredibly peaceful, helping you focus your mind, heart, and soul on God. Also, breath prayers allow you to meditate on Scripture and work towards praying continually. If you're looking for a way to grow in your faith and want to find new ways to pray this could be for you.
In this video, we cover what breath prayers are, the history of breath prayers, why you should try breath prayers, and how you can implement them. Plus, at the end there is time for a guided breath prayer/christian meditation. I think you'll really enjoy it.
About me:
Hey! My name is Austin, and I'm a 21 year old guy with a passion for people. I believe the good news is that God is better than we could've ever hoped, and I love sharing this message of grace and love with anyone that will listen. I'm the former Digital Marketing and Video Production Coordinator at a large, evangelical church in Frederick, MD, and I'm currently a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. When I'm not writing papers or making KZread videos, I do freelance work as a Wedding Photographer/Videographer and social media consultant. On any given day you can find me with my nose in a book or a guitar in my hands. Want to get to know me more? Follow me and say hi on Instagram at: @austin.suggs
Video Stuff:
Camera: Canon 80d
Lens: Sigma 17-50 F2.8
Edited in FCPX
Music:
Bowmans Root - Isaac Joel
Can't Explain - Tide Electric
In Loving Remembrance - Outside the Sky

Пікірлер: 103

  • @user-on7zd8yi8g
    @user-on7zd8yi8g Жыл бұрын

    Wow, I just found this. I’ve been repeating the phrase “The Lord is my shepherd” over and over at night when I can’t sleep and my thoughts are all over the place. I will try these breath prayers during the daytime now!

  • @alekm.9616
    @alekm.96163 жыл бұрын

    Christ is Risen. I am having an anxiety attack and this literally is helping to stop it. May God continue to bless you and his light to shine upon you!

  • @chrishatch1008

    @chrishatch1008

    3 жыл бұрын

    Anxiety is terrible. I hope this prayer is still helping you.

  • @pilgrimcarolee7294
    @pilgrimcarolee72943 жыл бұрын

    Read "The Way Of The Pilgrim ". It explains the Jesus Prayer in full.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    I have! Great book

  • @hiall6899
    @hiall68992 жыл бұрын

    Praying with every breath....is the best thing a Christian can do!

  • @jessicaharvey8785
    @jessicaharvey8785 Жыл бұрын

    My therapist suggested breath prayers and I was looking for how to start thanks for this information

  • @alyderuby2480
    @alyderuby24803 жыл бұрын

    OMG I literally shed tears in this 2-minute prayer. 😭

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Wow! I’m so glad it was impactful for you!

  • @jamiepittman8389
    @jamiepittman8389 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you. I need this. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. But, God told us to meditate on His Word. Thank you.

  • @TaiEast7
    @TaiEast72 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely love breath prayers with Scripture!!!! ❤❤❤❤

  • @spych102
    @spych1023 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, as someone who finds it difficult to pray sometimes you have shown me a rhythmical framework that really helps.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm so glad to hear that!

  • @yellowmama89
    @yellowmama892 ай бұрын

    This video is so good! I love how you explain with context and scripture. It's so important and still relevant although this video was made 4 years ago. Breath prayers are a brilliant practice. It's great to have the mindset that we are breathing in the word 🙌🏽. Mental health is running rampant. Romans 12 talk about renewing the mind It's so incredibly important so we can have freedom and grow in our focus and relationship with God. My therapist suggesting breathing exercises so I looked up this topic of breathing with God. Thank you for this video it is spot on.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    2 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @lightoftabor
    @lightoftabor2 жыл бұрын

    Glory be to God 🙏☦️🙏

  • @akivaelhart1011
    @akivaelhart10114 жыл бұрын

    I love breath prayer! The verse you shared Psalm 131:2 works really well as a breath prayer in Hebrew too - "im lo shiviti / ve'domamti nafshi" ("indeed I have calmed / and quieted my soul").

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Alan Elhart that’s so cool! Thanks for sharing that!

  • @miriam4091
    @miriam40913 жыл бұрын

    I pray the Jesus Prayer daily with my prayer rope and many times throughout the day while quietly doing my chores and find it very uplifting both in waking and sleeping hours. I love to pray with Scriptures and will use your suggestion of breathing prayer with a Scripture verse. Lovely scenery in your video; I was waiting for Jesus to come walking out of the mountains! God bless.....

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    I love that!

  • @auradiana
    @auradiana3 жыл бұрын

    wow! awesome, you will either transform evangelical Christianity or become frustrated by your peers who dont get you to become a practical Mystic (which you are talking and sounding like). All the best, this was wonderful! I am a Catholic following the Mystical tradition and this was very comforting.

  • @ErickMiguelPoaty
    @ErickMiguelPoaty2 жыл бұрын

    Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me and the BREATH of the Almighty gives me life” recently the Holy Spirit spoke to me about breathing prayer! Thank you for this confirmation.

  • @doloresreinhard3856

    @doloresreinhard3856

    2 жыл бұрын

    Me too!! In February of this year..that’s why I’m here ..

  • @bonniejohnstone
    @bonniejohnstone2 жыл бұрын

    I enjoyed listening to this again. I taught my little grandchildren to sing the Jesus Prayer. It is sweet to hear them spontaneously sing as they play or do chores. The lyric’s for them are ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on me a sinner. Mercy is help… “Jesus Help Me!” (Something I need all the time)

  • @mjwontstop
    @mjwontstop3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you

  • @OutOfTheAether
    @OutOfTheAether4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for trying to ease the older generation back into remembering the many spiritual practices that they were at some point walled off from learning about.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    It's my pleasure! I think recovering some of these practices can have profound impact on our lives

  • @wendyfinlan1151
    @wendyfinlan1151 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you, love it!

  • @ochukoesidje4663
    @ochukoesidje46632 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I think I found some thing I was looking for.

  • @davispatch
    @davispatch2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks, great explanation and something to add to my prayer life.

  • @Highdesertqueenie
    @Highdesertqueenie Жыл бұрын

    ❤thank you for this gift.

  • @LinguaMami
    @LinguaMami3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this video! I love your energy, and passion for Jesus. So happy to have found your channel 🙏🏽

  • @Jordan-hz1wr
    @Jordan-hz1wr2 жыл бұрын

    I am on board with doing literally ANYTHING the desert fathers did. The most holy of all the fathers/mothers.

  • @TheLadydee1st
    @TheLadydee1st Жыл бұрын

    Wow, just found this, and did the practice. What a blessing, and, a life changer. Thank you for letting the Lord use you! I will be incorporating this into my life! God bless!❤

  • @kimberly27285
    @kimberly272852 жыл бұрын

    I never heard of this before but I already love it so much. Thank you for sharing.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    2 жыл бұрын

    I'm so glad!

  • @googlechat7226
    @googlechat7226 Жыл бұрын

    That's awesome thank you so much God bless you ❤❤

  • @pyushjoshifanclub7135
    @pyushjoshifanclub71354 жыл бұрын

    Great!

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @bennycolaco2262
    @bennycolaco22622 жыл бұрын

    I liked it something new I learnt in my life.

  • @susannalim5144
    @susannalim5144 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!! I was really looking for a video on breath prayers and this was it! God bless!

  • @auradiana
    @auradiana2 жыл бұрын

    never apologize for history lessons or rich vocabulary, you are intelligent, those that arent will complain but they can do the heavy lifting, research and be motivated to know more or tune out. The right audience appreciates the nerdy stuff...which is not really nerdy ...(its what we have been called by lazier minds). Blessings. LOVE THIS VIDEO!

  • @thisearlyview
    @thisearlyview3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this video! I love this!

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    My pleasure!

  • @albertaowusu3536
    @albertaowusu35363 жыл бұрын

    Lord Jesus Christ Son of The Living God, Have mercy on me a poor dinner for deepest inhalation and exhalation. Or just Jesus, Mercy. And anywhere in between.✝️✝️✝️

  • @jesuschristbiblebiblestudy
    @jesuschristbiblebiblestudy4 жыл бұрын

    Amen

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Jesus Christ, Bible, Bible study thanks for your continued support!

  • @ShatteredRippleBooks
    @ShatteredRippleBooks3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing I have extremely bad anxiety so I will definitely try this.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    I hope it helps!

  • @sollgp8492
    @sollgp84923 жыл бұрын

    Muchas gracias por este gran compartir!! Pd: La parte histórica me fue de ayuda y fue interesante

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    De nada!

  • @mikkis668
    @mikkis6684 жыл бұрын

    Good stuff! I do the Jesus prayer, sometimes combined with the Apostles Creed, before doing the liturgy of the hours or lectio divina. Calming down my breathing and hectic mind, hinders me from just quickly reading through the prayers just so I get'em done.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Mikki S glad you liked it! Combining the Jesus prayer with the Creed is a really neat idea. I might have to try that!

  • @mikkis668

    @mikkis668

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@GospelSimplicity Thank you for your kindness. I pray the Creed in a normal slow tempo, not synced with my breathing. I use a Orthodox 33 knot bracelet. It starts with a pearl (=Creed), followed by 16 knots (=Jesus prayer), then a cross (=Our Father), and 17 more knots (=Jesus Prayer) and you're back to the pearl (= prayers for my familly or the task at hand).

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Mikki S it’s my pleasure. I really like that

  • @barbarahowell5492
    @barbarahowell54924 жыл бұрын

    Thanks again Austin Amen. Very needed in these days.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Barbara Howell it’s my pleasure, Barbara! I appreciate you keeping up with and engaging with my videos. It means a lot!

  • @joannhacker9120
    @joannhacker91203 жыл бұрын

    My son and me did a zoom this week with an Orthodox priest and he led us through this type of prayer. He sent us information but I will have to read it today. Thank you for this.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    That’s wonderful!

  • @sammisaylor2173
    @sammisaylor21732 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, my spine is crooked and I found this

  • @curlyhead94
    @curlyhead943 жыл бұрын

    I tend to go straight for the Jesus Prayer so I've never thought of using Bible verses but I absolutely love that idea - I'm going to give that a go, thank you :)

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Glad that this gave you a new idea! Hope you enjoy it

  • @brncandelaria
    @brncandelaria4 жыл бұрын

    Hi, Austin. Please don't stop making videos. They help me a lot! Thank you

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for your encouragement, Brian! It’s truly my pleasure

  • @jackieparry4259
    @jackieparry42593 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant!

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @emmaff5
    @emmaff54 жыл бұрын

    Love this! I hadn’t heard of breath prayer until now I love it :)

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    Emma m Glad you enjoy it! I only heard of it in the past year, and I’ve found it to be a really great practice for my life

  • @emmaff5

    @emmaff5

    4 жыл бұрын

    Gospel Simplicity that awesome!

  • @CezzyHaag
    @CezzyHaag4 жыл бұрын

    I do love the Jesus prayer. Have you tried the Devine mercy chaplet? It's not a breath prayer, but another type of meditative prayer and I think you'll really like it. I got into it, because I'm a protestant turning catholic. Eventhough I now do believe that asking Mary to pray for us is a good thing, the rosary still feels strange and conflicting, but I love the meditative aspect of it. In the Devine mercy chaplet I found a great alternative. It only has one Hail Mary, but you can just skip that part. ;)

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    4 жыл бұрын

    I haven’t tried that. I’ll check it out! I really appreciate you passing that along!

  • @gabriel.stcharles

    @gabriel.stcharles

    3 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y5hrltSchcmWldo.html I too had questions about Mary, but this video really helped.

  • @pilgrimcarolee7294

    @pilgrimcarolee7294

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes, the Devine Mercy Chap let is another but The Jesus Prayer is different than all others. You would have to read The Way Of The Pilgrim, will tell you everything about the benefits of the Jesus Prayer!

  • @Grace8381
    @Grace83813 жыл бұрын

    I believe the breathing and recitation happen simultaneously. Great video ☺️.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Correct

  • @ronnasnyder
    @ronnasnyder Жыл бұрын

    "And God breathed into Adam the 'breath of life', and Adam became a living being...." Breath is SO important to God that if you research the meaning of the word "Spirit" (as in Holy Spirit) it means breath. Recently read a great illustration that even a new-born infant's FIRST breath is a gasp in... as if saying a single syllable, "Yah"....and a huge exhale or even cry that feels in the mouth an awful lot like the syllable "Weh". The writer's point was that an infant's first breath literally utters YahWeh....another name for God. Try saying YahWeh internally and you'll see what the writer was alluding to.

  • @user-on7zd8yi8g

    @user-on7zd8yi8g

    Жыл бұрын

    I love that! 🥰 Yah Weh, that sounds like a great breath prayer !

  • @miriam4091
    @miriam40913 жыл бұрын

    Just to add - many people are not aware that the Jesus Prayer - "Jesus have mercy on me a sinner" comes from the Bible Story you mentioned. The breathing during prayer is to relax, but also acquire a rythm that brings one into a more meaningful intention - like a mantra.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @adamhorstman3398
    @adamhorstman33983 жыл бұрын

    What's the soundtrack/video you're using here for the exercise? It's beautiful!

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    In the description :)

  • @skyemanion947
    @skyemanion9472 жыл бұрын

    Will you do a longer version of the breath prayer?

  • @jennymallin9404
    @jennymallin94043 жыл бұрын

    This is beautiful,Hi recently feel compelled to start teaching kids yoga, I am in a part of the US considered to be the Bible belt, I am a Christian, and I am offering a class for Bible affirmation for kids and this helps me explain it to the parents in a much broader way thank you very much

  • @LinguaMami

    @LinguaMami

    3 жыл бұрын

    Where are you? Im inSC. Id love to get my kids involved if possible. Can you post more info?

  • @jennymallin9404

    @jennymallin9404

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@LinguaMami I am in Florida, on the Emerald Coast - Destin area , if anyone comes this way to visit I do classes for our vacationing guests as well, Search kidding around yoga online and they will have a directories of teachers near you also they offer some wonderful training to become a kids yoga teacher. www.jennymallinoils.com/yoga-for-children

  • @LinguaMami

    @LinguaMami

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jennymallin9404 awesome, thank you jenny! I actually grew up vacationing there-grew up in Bham. Its heaven on earth! I would love to connect with you whenever we’re down that way.

  • @jennymallin9404

    @jennymallin9404

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@LinguaMami that would be wonderful - you can connect with me via www.jennymallinoils.com/yoga-for-children

  • @duckmeat4674

    @duckmeat4674

    Жыл бұрын

    Why, as a Christian, do you teach yoga, a form of Hindu worship for kids?

  • @thomaswhite8822
    @thomaswhite88223 жыл бұрын

    Check out Patrick Lenk. His music is great to listen to while playing. I listen to his Kytie while saying my Office. It helps me center myself and focus on the readings.

  • @GospelSimplicity

    @GospelSimplicity

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @Shardalon
    @Shardalon Жыл бұрын

    I'm confused, do you actually say the scripture? Or do you simply think it? Because early in the video I thought you said you think the scripture, but in the how to, you kept saying it.

  • @michaelnaughton400
    @michaelnaughton4002 жыл бұрын

    “To be deep in history is to cease to be protestant.” ~John Henry Newman Clearly not for this guy lol No, but seriously I’m surprised being so knowledgeable in ancient traditions hasn’t effected your faith.

  • @ptah4611
    @ptah46113 жыл бұрын

    This is Jewish

  • @duckmeat4674

    @duckmeat4674

    Жыл бұрын

    No

  • @jcentricity
    @jcentricity Жыл бұрын

    Breath prayer is not biblical and draws from Christian mystics aka Apostate forms of Christianity. Breath prayer gateway to Yoga / Pilates = Paganism stay away from breath prayer exercise

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