Faith commentary: Celebrate the ‘breath of life,’ it’s a gift

But let me say it again: there is no such thing as bad breath.

Every time you breathe in, you bring life-giving oxygen into your body. Every time you breathe out you expel waste from your body: carbon dioxide. Breathing is a good, good thing. It is the most basic thing that you do.

You can go weeks without food, days without water, but how long can you go without a breath? The world record is 22 minutes, 22 seconds without a breath. But most of us aren’t underwater diver extraordinaire Tom Sietas.

We don’t pay enough attention to our breathing. We do it at the beginning of life. Mothers and fathers and medical staff waiting to hear that first gasp of air from their little one. What often comes right after that first breath? The first scream. The baby saying: “I’m here! I’m alive!” An infants’ first breaths are so precious, so vital.

We pay attention to breathing at the end of life. I remember my grandma’s breathing when her death was near and she lay in bed unconscious.

Her breathing became harsh and labored. It’s a normal thing that happens; it’s often called a death rattle.

At first it was unsettling to hear Grandma struggle to breathe but after several days, it seemed like Grandma was holding on for a reason.

My family had come into town from different parts of the country. Some of us hadn’t seen each other that year. Grandma’s death rattle became the music by which we sat and visited for several days in a row.

Getting a chance to reconnect was Grandma’s parting gift to us. It was the reason why she held on so long.

But in the meantime we usually go on autopilot with our breathing. Doctors and yoga instructors and pastors agree: get connected to your breath. Pay attention to it. Conscious breathing reduces stress and lowers heart rates.

Conscious breathing helps you nurture a grateful spirit. Your life is a gift from God. Each breath.

In the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet Ezekiel had a vision. The Spirit of God took Ezekiel out to a valley of dry bones, the slain from a horrible battle. God asked Ezekiel, “mortal, can these bones live?” Ezekiel probably said something snarky to the effect of, “Ummm… well usually bones don’t live; they’re dead.” And God said, “Speak the Word of God to these bones, Ezekiel, and tell them: I’m bringing the breath of life to you and you’ll come to life. I’ll attach sinews, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you.” And Ezekiel did as God said. He spoke the Word of God to the dry bones and they rattled and rattled as they bunched back together, forming into human figures. Sinews and muscles grew between the bones and flesh came upon them but OOPS! There was no breath in them.

Ezekiel turned to God and asked, “What gives?” And God said, “You need to pay special attention to the breath. Prophesy to the breath. Say these words, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe life into these dry bones that they may live!” And Ezekiel paid special attention to the breath and guess what? The bones lived. Paying attention to your breathing may bring you new life. It did for Ezekiel and those old dry bones.

We live so much of our lives on autopilot. Drive here. Park there. Stand in a line. Sit in front of a computer all day. The image of a rat race comes to mind; sometimes we are like rats running pointlessly and breathlessly around a cramped maze with no exit.

Newsflash: we aren’t rats. Thank God!

We are conscious beings. We have choices to make. Living life on autopilot is disastrous to our spirits. God didn’t make us to be rats. God made us to be creative and compassionate!

One way to tap into YOU as God made you (your spirit) is to practice conscious breathing. The word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus meaning breath. By consciously breathing, you are engaging your spirit.

Try a breath prayer. I think that’s what God was getting at when he told Ezekiel “Prophesy to the breath.” In a breath prayer, conscious breathing becomes the conduit of your conversation with God.

Eastern Orthodox Christians have been practicing conscious breathing for centuries. Breathe in deeply and pray in your mind, “O Lord.” Breathe out and pray in your mind, “Show me your way.” Repeat. Engage the breath.

Listen.

You might find yourself praying God’s response to you as you breathe in and out: “O my beloved, you are enough.”

Tyler Beane is pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, ELCA, in The Dalles. His passions are movies, conversations about faith, hiking the Gorge, a good imperial stout or syrah, singing, and trying (and sometimes failing) to follow Jesus. He'd love to hear from you: tyler.beane@gmail.com.