Hello,
And welcome to Methods,
An exploration in guided prayer and meditation.
In our modern culture,
We have access to many different forms of faith or spirituality,
But oftentimes it's all about thinking the correct things or behaving a certain way.
We go into some form of a building,
Maybe bow our head,
Close our eyes,
Sing a hymn or a song of worship,
Then listen to someone speak in a teaching posture and try to find applicable ways to implement that teaching in our daily life.
But there's more to faith than just head knowledge,
And there are many more ways to connect with God.
For thousands of years,
Saints and prophets have been able to encounter the presence of God through many different methods,
Some as simple as just sitting down.
In Methods,
We invite you to take time away,
Just as Jesus often did,
And to encounter the divine in secret.
In our first season,
We gave you a bird's eye look at a few different prayer practices that are often overlooked in the Christian tradition,
To Ignatian contemplation or imaginative prayer,
Verbal mantra meditation,
The Jesus prayer,
Cataphatic and petitionary prayer,
Thanksgiving,
And Lectio Divina or holy reading.
This season,
We will dive deeper into one particular method,
Starting with the breath.
The breath is foundational for most contemplative or meditative practices in any faith tradition.
This may be because our breath is with us our entire life.
From birth to death,
We inhale and exhale,
Often without even being aware of it.
Our breath can anchor us and give us peace during stressful situations if we just give our attention to it.
Once practiced,
Finding your breath can have helpful carryover to other forms of prayer and meditation,
As well as in our daily lives.
Since many people struggle with what they do or don't believe about God,
We'll start with a simple mindful breathing meditation that requires no theological belief or non-belief.
You may have recently heard of this practice,
As it has been gaining popularity in recent years due to extensive research on its benefits to our health.
It has been implemented in schools,
Prisons,
And workplaces around the world to help alleviate anxiety,
Depression,
Aggression,
And chronic pain,
As well as to promote healthy brain function,
Increased focus,
Self-control,
And empathy.
The method goes like this.
Begin by finding a quiet place to sit in an area away from distractions.
It can be in a chair or cross-legged on a mat or cushion on the floor,
Just as long as you're comfortable.
You can do this while standing or lying down,
But sitting is preferable for most.
Silence your phone or place it on airplane mode so that it won't distract you.
The world will still be there when you're finished.
Now close your eyes.
Place your hands slightly in your lap.
Take a deep inhale through your nose.
Hold your breath for just a moment.
Now exhale slowly through your mouth.
Do this a few more times,
Really letting the air fill your lungs entirely.
And slowly release.
Exhale through the nose,
And exhale slowly through the mouth.
Bring your attention to your breath.
Just observe the natural flow of it without trying to change or adjust it.
Feel the air as it enters your nose,
And pay attention to the temperature.
Notice the temperature of the air warmed by your body as it exits your nose or mouth.
Watch the air move through your throat and into your lungs.
Focus on the rise and fall of your chest,
Or the expanding and contracting of your belly.
Breathe in,
Knowing that you're breathing in.
Breathe out,
Knowing that you're breathing out.
You may find that your mind wants to wander,
And that's okay.
Our minds are moving all day long,
Sloshed around like water in a bottle.
It can take some time for the water to settle and be still.
If you find your mind wandering,
Just notice the thought,
And gently bring your attention back to your breath.
The breath in this practice is our anchor.
It centers us in the present moment.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Continue like this for a little while longer,
And remember to be gentle with yourself.
Meditation is not about stopping thoughts,
But simply detaching from the hold they have on us.
So getting pulled away by thoughts is normal and expected.
When this happens,
Ever so gently return to your anchor,
Your breath.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
When you're ready,
Slowly let the room come back into your awareness.
Open your eyes and look around.
Try to carry this feeling of inner peace and tranquility with you throughout your day.
And when you notice yourself being caught up in the waves of emotion or thinking,
Just return to your breath.
Thank you for participating in this episode of Methods.
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Until next time.
