Breathing as Spiritual Practice

Experiencing the Presence of God

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Pub Date Oct 08 2019 | Archive Date Aug 08 2019

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Description

A guide to meditative breathing practices in Western religions and how these practices provide a direct experience of God

• Reveals how Western spiritual traditions, such as the Book of Genesis, the Jewish teachings of ruach, and the poetry of Rumi, contain hidden instruction for meditative breathing practices

• Explains how breathing practices can bring all of us, including Christians, Muslims, and Jews, closer to a direct experience of the palpable presence of God

• Provides guidelines and best practices for meditative breathing through a personal journal of the author’s own meditative retreat

Surprised by the number of attendees from Western spiritual traditions at his Buddhist retreats, Will Johnson wanted to understand what drew them to this type of spiritual experience. He found many devoted Christians were in search of a more direct experience of God beyond faith alone, so he began exploring what breathing practices could be found in the sacred texts of Western monotheistic religions. Johnson discovered that, like their Eastern counterparts, Western traditions speak of gaining direct access to God via the breath. After experimenting with these teachings during a 10-day retreat at a desert monastery, he discovered that each of us has the potential to open up to the presence of spirit in every breath.

In this book, the author offers a close look at the importance of breath in each major Western religion, including the Jewish teachings of ruach as life-giving spirit in the form of breath and the Islamic poetry of Rumi, which describes breath as essential for cleansing the soul. He then ties each breathing tradition to the Book of Genesis, sacred to Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” Just as God blew life into Adam, every breath we take--if we follow the breathing practice of surrendering completely to inhalation--can open us up to the presence of God.

Through his own contemplative journey, Johnson shares his experience of striving to surrender to the fullest presence of God through each breath. As he takes the reader step-by-step through his own breathing practice, the author explains his physical and mental techniques for meditating successfully through breath and provides helpful guidelines to get the most out of meditative retreats. Johnson also offers deep reflections on how these shared practices of experiencing God through the breath transcend religious differences.

A guide to meditative breathing practices in Western religions and how these practices provide a direct experience of God

• Reveals how Western spiritual traditions, such as the Book of Genesis, the...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781620556870
PRICE $14.99 (USD)
PAGES 160

Average rating from 4 members


Featured Reviews

The author took himself into a monastery in the desert for ten days to focus his attention on his breath to deepen his awareness of the presence of God. This book tells of his experiences with his practice each day and his honesty is quite refreshing. Expertly woven through each of the ten chapters is some history and Info from different world religions on the use of breath to bring ourselves closer to God (or God closer to us, as the case may be). Very well done and an inspiring read. There is much to ponder here. I am much more aware of my own breath now!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Will Johnson’s “Breathing as Spiritual Practice” is a breath of fresh air. As a Christian, I am always looking for a book that has depth and that leads me deeper into the presence of God; a place where I can also experience a deeper awareness of myself. Johnson’s breadth of knowledge of various religious traditions and spiritualities, including the topic of expansive breathing, brings forth rare gems of insight that is bound to unbind the tethered soul to busyness and performance-driven mentalities and lead them to the liberation of the spirit. A fascinating read indeed!

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