It is odd to be writing about the breath and breathing to discuss spiritual teachings in the Christian church, but the influences of Eastern and New Age spiritual practices have so deeply impacted the culture (and now the church), that it is a natural consequence.
Divine Breathing
I was asked about the technique of “divine breathing” recommended in a book by Lisa Harper which is a study on the book of Hebrews. I was sent a screenshot from this book which states:
“Spend a few minutes doing what I like to call ‘deep divine breathing.’ Inhale deeply, thinking, ‘I’m inhaling God’s peace.’ Hold that breath for several seconds; then exhale as long as you can, thinking, ‘I’m exhaling anxiety.’ After following this deep breathing protocol at least three times to calm your heart and mind, write down some of your thoughts about Jesus under the ‘Consider Jesus’ heading below.”
Harper’s suggestion is not new and, in fact, this type of breathing technique has become very popular. Breathe in while thinking a word like Jesus, peace, rest, or love, and breathe out while thinking something such as “I release worry/fear/sorrow/anxiety.” A variation on this is inhaling while thinking or saying, “I will fear no evil” and then on the exhale, think or say “for you are with me.”
This technique is primarily from New Thought and the New Age, but also has origins in mystical practices using the breath. Figuring out how a practice is related to others of the past is often tricky because there are blends of influences. The specific technique of breathing as suggested by Harper is related to the idea of affirmations, which originated in New Thought and then absorbed by the New Age. In the New Age, one breathes in while thinking or speaking something positive or good and breathes out while thinking words such as fear, anxiety, grief – or whatever the issue may be. The belief is that by doing this you are actually taking in positive energy and getting rid of negative energy. Hundreds of New Age and New Thought websites are easily found that give such breathing suggestions.
This practice relies on a manmade technique not taught or demonstrated in Scripture, and the idea is contrary to biblical principles about God and man. Harper and others who teach this technique strongly imply that one is getting God’s peace (or whatever is being sought) by doing this practice. This technique is also aligned with the power of suggestion – therefore, if you do this and believe it works, you might feel better and feel like you have God’s peace. But do you really?
Prayer from God
If Christians want to experience God’s peace, we need to see how God tells us to do it in Scripture. We do not want to seek a method that is from pagan thinking. Just because it is in a Christian book does not make it of value or biblical, especially now when so much New Age thinking and mysticism has crept into the church.
What God calls his flock to do throughout the Bible is to trust him, to pray, and to read and believe his word. We are to trust God for anxiety (or whatever the problem may be), not a method that works on the power of suggestion and yields a false, temporary good feeling. In fact, God addresses this very issue of anxiety and how to receive his peace in Scripture:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be ANXIOUS about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the PEACE of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – From Philippians 4,:4-7 ESV (letters in caps for emphasis)
Those verses pack several elements together. God tells those in Christ to:
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Be reasonable/gentle/moderate/forbearing (commentaries suggest this is a trait about being sober and restraining passions, which would help in responding to conflict or sources of anxiety *see Addendum)
- Remember that the Lord is near (this could refer to the second advent of Christ or his presence in the church as its head *see Addendum)
- Pray with thanksgiving
and God gives peace to our minds and hearts, out of his grace, not from a pagan technique.
Verses 8 and 9 that follow give further advice to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute and “the God of peace will be with you.”
The so-called ‘divine breathing’ is a substitute for that. It seems harmless but it takes one away from authentic biblical prayer and from God’s word which addresses these issues (ironic for this to be in a Bible study – the enemy likes to sync with God’s word so the teaching looks credible).
Doing this method might bring relief or a good sensation but that is only temporary. And it is not even really going to yield the peace of God because it is through a pagan method and it will only be a feeling. Feelings do not last; feeling good is not the same as having God’s peace.
Moreover, how does this breathing help you think about Jesus? Notice in the quote that Harper asks her readers to write down thoughts about Jesus after doing this little exercise. These thoughts will not be from God’s word but from an experience using this pagan method. It would make more sense and be in keeping with a helpful Bible study if one wrote down thoughts about Jesus after reading the relevant passage in Hebrews, not after doing this breathing technique.
Breath Prayers and Related
The technique from Harper is sometimes called a breath prayer, although breath prayers also refer to praying under the breath, usually in a repetitive way. The Eastern Orthodox Jesus Prayer is an example of this and has inspired many similar practices. Interestingly, this prayer was a feature in J. D. Salinger’s popular book Franny and Zooey, which I had to read as a Literature major in college (or perhaps in high school, memory is blurry). Salinger’s character, Zooey, gets the Jesus Prayer from an 1881 Eastern Orthodox book, The Way of the Pilgrim, about the mystical meditative practice of hesychasm. Salinger was Zen Buddhist but explored other religious thought in his books.
“The history of the Jesus Prayer goes back, as far as we know, to the early sixth century, with Diadochos, who taught that repetition of the prayer leads to inner stillness.” – From an Eastern Orthodox website
The above quote demonstrates the false idea that one can find peace through an “inner stillness” resulting from repeating this prayer. This ignores and is even opposed to the purpose of prayer and how God demonstrates prayer in the Bible. Even the Eastern Orthodox church gives cautions on the Jesus prayer such as seeing apparitions or lights, and the advice is given that one must be regularly partaking of the Eastern Orthodox sacraments to use this prayer.
There are evangelical variations on such prayers There is even a book, Breath As Prayer, by Jennifer Tucker, which teaches these techniques. There now seem to be as many websites for the Christian versions of the New Thought/New Age/ affirmations and mystical Eastern Orthodox prayers as there are for the original New Age and Eastern versions.
Often combined with these teachings is the false idea that saying God’s name, Yahweh, is equivalent to breathing so that breathing is saying God’s name.
None of these practices are derived from God’s word. In fact, they are contrary to God’s word and to how prayer is depicted in Scripture. They are specifically mystical and/or New Age.
Breath is idolized in New Age and Eastern beliefs; breathing certain ways is considered a spiritual practice that cleanses and also can alter the mind. This is man-centered, not God-centered, religion. Deception comes when pagan techniques and concepts of breathing and prayer are mixed in with teachings on supposed biblical prayer. What better way to corrupt prayer than to disguise pagan practices as biblical prayer?
God’s words in Philippians are so rich and wise. Rejoice, pray with thanksgiving, remember Christ – these are the true ways that heal our wounds and worries. We have God’s wisdom at our fingertips in his Word, so why practice a pagan technique that will not help in the long run and does not offer the true treasure of biblical prayer?
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
Addendum
* The lexicon on Bible Hub shows this about the word translated as “reasonable” in some versions:
Definition: Gentle, reasonable, moderate, forbearing
Meaning: gentle, mild, forbearing, fair, reasonable, moderate
This word is found in 1 Tim.3:3, Titus 3:2, James 3:17, and 1 Peter 2:18
In James 3:17, it is used to describe the wisdom that is from above (from God)
I like the commentary at Bible Hub on “the Lord is at hand” from Matthew Poole:
“The Lord is at hand; considering the cogent motive of the Lord’s approach, as Hebrews 10:25 Jam 5:8; not only in regard of his Deity, whereby he reigns amongst his enemies, Acts 17:27 Jeremiah 23:29; nor in regard of his special aids to his servants: Psalm 14:5; but in regard of his coming to judgment, and setting all things right in a just distribution of rewards and punishments, to comfort his children, and confound those that disobey him, Matthew 18:34,35 Mr 10:29,30 Col 3:24 Colossians 4:1 Hebrews 10:37 1 Peter 3:8,9 Re 22:20. But still we must remember, when we conceive of the Lord’s being at hand in regard of death and judgment, we must not take our own but God’s measures, in waiting our appointed time during his pleasure, Matthew 24:36 Acts 1:7.”
More explanation of Hesychasm
Interesting secular article by Andrey Astvatsaturov on J. D. Salinger and the Jesus Prayer
Quote from one of Salinger’s characters in Franny and Zooey giving a Buddhist reaction to the Jesus Prayer
Short link for article: https://tinyurl.com/5env35nr