Mtr Taylor Devine

Dear Friend,

It has been a while since I have shared a “breath prayer”. I know shared a lot of these in the early days of the pandemic, when we were reminded to breathe, take care of ourselves and others, do our best with what we knew. It was a scary time and has become one with some distinct memories. The evening that it was announced that John Prine had died our neighborhood park was full of walkers and runners and people playing games. The weather was still nice and those doing remote work knew that they needed to get outside, it seemed. From across the park we heard music and decided to take a lap around the walking path where we found an impromptu concert of John Prine songs. It was…lovely. A thoughtful tribute, a gift to our little corner of Tucson at sunset.

That kind of hyper local event, not one you can plan for, not one you can plan to return to, is the kind of thing you have to be paying attention to not to miss. Luck and timing helps too. The practice of paying attention, of looking for the every day miracles can be aided by this kind of practice, if its one that works for you - a breath prayer. Slowing down, praying slowly, allowing the prayer to pray itself in you. When you pray a prayer like the one in the image below you also join an ancient pattern practiced in monasteries and communities that practice communal daily prayer. Those praying the Psalms together take a pause at the asterisk, enough time for a breath. Not quite enough time for reflection, but enough to really hear the words, to really hear the silence. As the world seems to keep picking up speed it is perhaps a good time not to forget pace, breath, care for self and others, doing your best with what you know.

In Christ,

Mtr Taylor

Inhale: the Lord is my shepherd
Exhale: I shall not want