This meditation combines breathing, focusing on God and praying for others. If you’re wondering why, read on.
Or to go straight to the breathing meditation:
Why breathing matters
Anything where you stop a moment and purposely slow down can help you to relax. But focusing on your breathing also activates the part of your nervous system that’s designed to reduce anxiety – your parasympathetic nervous system.
When you’re stressed you normally breathe faster. Your brain will notice and assume things are not OK. In effect, fast, shallow breathing tells your brain that you’re running from a wild animal!
But if you start to breathe slowly your brain will begin to think all is well and you’re actually in a place of calm (no scary animals here!) and you’ll start to feel less stressed. Your parasympathetic nervous system kicks into action and decreases anxiety as you breathe in and out… slowly…
If your outbreaths are shorter than your inbreaths, even better. This breathing pattern combats your fight or flight stress response by activating the vagus nerve, which causes your heartbeat to slow down via the parasympathetic nervous system.
In short, taking time out to focus on your breathing can help calm your mind.
Why God is important
Any kind of meditation can be beneficial with effects including:
- reduced blood pressure
- slower heart rate,
- less stress, anxiety and pain
- altered levels of the mood hormones melatonin and serotonin
- a boost to your immune response
And it can be helpful in managing depression.
But if you believe in God and focus on Him, even better. Spiritual meditation has been found to create an even greater decrease in anxiety and improved tolerance to pain.
And what about prayer?
Prayer is simply thoughts, words or deeds that address or petition your Creator God. And it’s a useful tool in meditation. It’s good to talk with God, develop a relationship with Him as a friend as He wants you to spend time with Him. When you do, it can feel amazing – to know you have a deep relationship with the creator of all things and that He cares about you!
Combining prayer with meditation will help you find space to listen to what God might be saying to you too. It can be easy to forget that a conversation goes two ways, but it must if you want to grow in relationship with Him and hear what He’s saying to you.
Then there’s praying for others. In this meditation I’ve included it as a simple overflow of good thoughts towards other people. I believe this will have positive effects on them because prayer changes things, but it can also have a positive effect on you.
Praying for others can…
- Bring a sense of belonging: even if you can’t be with others, praying for them can help you feel part of something bigger, like you’re a proper part of a community
- Help you keep things in perspective: you may find your own problems receding into the background as you focus on others
- Help make the world a happier place: I believe prayer affects situations, so your prayers can literally change the world
So go on… Have a listen…
Transcript:
Sit comfortably, on a chair or cross-legged if you prefer. Hands on knees, facing up or down.
Close your eyes lightly, relax your jaw and focus on your breathing. In for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4…
Imagine you’re in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day, with God. All is well, life is good.
Breathe in for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4…
The sun is shining after a squally shower. Green leaves and luscious flowers shimmer under raindrops balanced delicately on foliage and petals. It smells fresh and clean.
You hear the birds wheeling through the air before you see them, dancing through sunbeams. And there’s a rainbow on the horizon.
Breathe in for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4
As you look around, you spot a large tree. It’s bursting with life – the leaves are green, buds opening into flowers, and birds are building their nests in the branches. Cattle rest in the shade of the tree and insects buzz around going about their daily business.
Breathe in for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4…
Now as you breathe in, inhale all this goodness, this life, giving thanks to God for His provision, His care and His love.
Breathe out, overflowing with His life, passing it on to other people as you exhale…
Lord, I pray for my friends, family and others I know, that they catch your goodness and are drawn to you. May they drink in your life today.
Breathe in for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4…
And now, continue breathing in His life, overflowing as you exhale…
In for 3… out for 4… in for 3… out for 4…
Keep going for the next few minutes.
Now, as we bring this meditation to a close, I thank you Jesus for the time I’ve been able to spend with you. Resting in you and soaking up your presence.
I go back to my day now, feeling refreshed and alive.
Gently open your eyes and let the light in. Sit a while and shake out your arms (?and legs). And bring your senses back into the room, or wherever you’re sitting.
Amen