TAKE 5 | BREATHE: A Spiritual Practice

What’s something you take for granted? Maybe its time with a loved one or your health or your job. Today Gem reminds us of how we can take our breathe for granted and uses our precious breathe as a way in which we can rest in and experience God.

I encourage you to Take 5 | Mini Retreat. Take a few moments to rest your soul and grow in your intimacy with Jesus. May you experience the deep restoration God describes in Psalm 23:1 “…he restores my soul.”

Reflecting,

Sean McFeely

The Oasis Ministry Ventures Team

Blog by Gem Fadling

Breathing. We breathe all day long without giving it a thought. It’s just one of the many astounding aspects of our God-given bodies. I’m grateful for all the processes that continue to keep me healthy and alive, aren’t you?

 

Today, using the word BREATHE, I’m going to guide you in a spiritual practice that you can use in the middle of any given day. We’ll make the unconscious, conscious and give our souls space to breathe.

 

We’re going to dive right into this practice, so if you can, get comfortable in your chair and close your eyes. This is meant to be used in the middle of a regular day.

 

We’ll allow the letters in the word BREATHE to bring us into the present moment and engage with God.

 

As we begin, let’s take a deep breath. And really take your time on the exhale…

 

Let’s BREATHE together and we’ll start with the letter B.

 

B

Be

Be here

Not somewhere else

Not some time else

Now

Here

Be

 

R

Relax

Relax your shoulders

Relax your eyes

Relax your jaw

Relax your belly

Relax your mind

Relax

 

E

Encounter

Encounter God

Remember you are not alone

God is not elsewhere

God is with you

Right here

Right now

Encounter

 

A

Awaken

Awaken to your emotions

Are you anxious?

Are you joyful?

Are you sad?

Do you feel rushed?

Happy?

Frustrated?

God is with you as you feel this

Awaken to God’s presence

Awaken

 

T

Thank

Thank God for being with you

Thank God for this moment of respite

Thank God for reminding you to pause

Thank God for whatever is in your heart

Gratitude is a natural attitude shifter

Thank

 

H

Hope

Hope in God

Hoping in circumstances is shifting sand

But hoping in God strengthens you

Ask God for help

You are not alone

Trust God to care for you

Hope

 

E

Engage

Engage your life with more peace

Resume your task with a lighter heart

Reenter a relationship with a little more perspective

Engage from a place of grace

Engage at the pace of grace

Engage

 

Be

Relax

Encounter

Awaken

Thank

Hope

Engage

 

B R E A T H E

 

Reflection

If you only had time right now to simply read this email, that’s okay. My invitation is for you to set aside time this week to try this on. Take five minutes, sit in a chair, close your eyes, and practice BREATHE-ing.

Sean McFeely

Sean is Executive Director of OMV and helped found the organization in November of 2020.

https://www.oasisministryventures.org
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TAKE 5 | 3 Reasons We Don't Rest Well