Exercise 53: You, who are closer than our breath, speak to us from the silence

Background:  My wonderful spiritual community is praying through the psalms, one a day.  The Pastor recommended ‘Psalms for Praying’ by Nan C. Merrill.  I had planned on ignoring her.  I felt like I could navigate through the difficult language that pops up in many of the psalms as they are traditionally translated.  Then she gave me the book, and it felt ungrateful not to read them there.  And I was glad I did.

As we read psalm 45, I approached it in a lectio-kind of mind set, looking for some words that spoke to me.  A few stanzas in, I came to this: “You, who are closer than our breath/  speak to us from the silence.”  As you can see below, I took a few minor liberties with the phrasing.

It felt right to build in increasing empty spaces in this exercise.  A precise count is not particularly important.  Therefore, one approach to “five deep breaths” Is to simply accept that 4 or 6 will also do.  The alternative is to use the thumb and finger tips to help keep track: On the first breath, touch thumb of both hands to pointer finger of both hands.  On the second breath, thumb to middle finger.  On the third thumb to ring finger.  On the fourth thumb to pinky.

The Exercise

1.  Release your worries and expectations with a deep exhale.
2. Inhale.
3. Take two more deep, cleansing breaths.
4. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
5. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
6. Inhale.  Exhale.
7. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
8. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
9. Take two deep breath.
10. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
11. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
12. Take three deep breaths.
13. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
14. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
15. Take four deep breaths.
16. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
17. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
18. Spend a time in wordless communion.  Try to release all of the words.
19. When you feel that you have begun to drift off, or are ready to resume the practice,  With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
20. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
21. Take four deep breaths.
22. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
23. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
24. Take three deep breaths.
25. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
26. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
27. Take two deep breaths.
28. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
29. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.”
30. Take one deep breath.
31. With the next inhale, think or say “You are closer than our breath.”
32. With the next exhale, think or say “Speak to us from your silence.

Know that you can return to these phrases through out your day.

 

 

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