Spiritual Breathlessness

I remember my good friend Tori telling me about the technique of circular breathing when playing the flute. It involves breathing in through the nose while blowing out through the mouth. It’s trickier than it sounds. Impossible, in my case. I failed to get a sound out of the flute no matter what breathing technique I used.

Obviously, it is necessary when playing sustained notes or at accelerated speeds. Learners probably take years of practice before they perfect the technique.

It makes me think of my connectedness to God. I need to be receiving his guidance and thoughts while speaking, interacting, in this world. Especially I am aware of my spiritual breathlessness when someone is upset or looking to me for advice on a situation or problem in their life. I am aware of my own lack of wisdom, and don’t want to be encouraging someone down the wrong path.

Like the technique of circular breathing, circular prayer takes time to learn. Unlike the technique of circular breathing, though, staying in touch with God to enable him to speak through my words and actions takes nothing more than my minute-by-minute receptiveness to him. As I open myself up and trust fully in him, he will put the words in my mouth. As James, the brother of Jesus, wrote, ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt…’

So today I determine to ask, to believe, and not doubt.