Christian Meditation and Scripture: The Perfect Duo

Breathing is an essential component of Christian Meditation. In this lesson, we learn to integrate and apply it to scripture. 

We begin by considering the following scripture and what the Bible says about breathing.

Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. (ESV)

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (ESV)

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (ESV) 

Now reread the scriptures and, in your own words, write what you believe the scripture conveys regarding the breath. 

Hopefully, these verses paint a clear picture of how beautifully divine our breath is. It’s something God gifted us with and perhaps one of the most underutilized tools we can draw from in our day to day lives. 

How exciting and honorable to teach our students that our breath connects us to God while providing supernatural energy, clarity, and peace during the practice!

As an instructor, you’re teaching them an important life tool to practice on and off the mat—how to breathe! With Christian meditation, we can make it even more magnificent as we apply scripture! 

Loved by all Christian yoga practitioners, it’s sure to be a teaching tool you regularly incorporate into your personal practice and instruction.

Traditionally known as Breath Prayer, used for over a millennium, this style of Christian meditation combines scripture and breath. In the PCYTT, we call it Scriptural Affirmation. 

There are two ways we practice Scriptural Affirmation.

The first is called Breath Meditation.

Put It Into Practice

Scriptural Affirmation: Breath Meditation

We begin by selecting a scripture from our Master List created in Module 1. 

Step 1: Select a Scripture from the Master List. Step 2: Divide the scripture into two equal parts. Step 3: After dividing the scripture into two equal parts (in half), we add our breath. We inhale the first portion of the scripture, and we exhale the second portion of the scripture. 

Take Note: Selecting a verse that is shorter in nature will keep things simple. Dividing a long scripture can be hard to make flow with the breath. If you choose a long scripture, consider using a portion of it and not the entirety. It’s okay to do this as long as the scripture’s overall meaning is not diminished, changed, or lost. 

Going Deeper: 

Let’s look at this example for clarity. We apply a three-step process to illustrate how Scriptural Affirmation works. 

Step 1: Select Scripture 

We select the theme of perseverance and use Philippians 3:14.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Step 2: Divide the Scripture

I press on toward the goal

to win the prize in Christ Jesus. 

Step 3: Add the Breath

Inhale: I press on toward the goal

Exhale: to win the prize in Christ Jesus

Moving on, we now go over the second type of Christian meditation used in PCYTT, “I AM” Statements.

Scriptural Affirmation: “I Am” Statements

In traditional yoga, you may have studied mantra. Rooted in Hinduism/ Buddhism, mantra repetitiously uses a phrase, word, or sound to aid in concentration. Since it’s founded in eastern religious practices, we will not incorporate them into our teachings. 

Instead, in Christian yoga, we make a more significant impact with a God-honoring form of Christian meditation by creating “I AM” statements.

It’s biblical to affirm who we are in Christ. He is our foundation and our source for all things in life. God is known as the great “I AM” and calls himself this in Exodus 3:14. Therefore, when we take our scriptural theme for a class and convert it to an “I AM” statement, it roots, grounds, and immediately acknowledges our oneness with The Creator. 

Going Deeper: 

We can repeat “I AM” statements several times in class to enhance the meaning and create spiritual depth to the practice. Make no mistake, “I AM” statements are very empowering and inspiring.

Please practice the Christian yoga Master Class Video from this week to see how to successfully “I AM” statements during class.

Let’s look at an example for clarity and apply the three-step method to illustrate how Scriptural Affirmation: “I AM” statements work. 

Step 1: Select Scriptural Theme: 

We use the theme of strength and select Deuteronomy 31:6. (NIV)

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Reminder: In Module 2, we learned to say the scripture at the beginning of class. Once you have said your initial scriptural theme, you can then choose to use this type of Scriptural Affirmation, the “I AM” statement. “I AM” statements can be used multiple times in a one-hour class format.

Continue with step 2 and transform your scriptural theme into a scriptural affirmation. 

Step 2: Divide the Scripture

We can then break the scripture down to using the first sentence only, Be strong and courageous. We then take the keywords from the sentence, strong or courageous, or both, and add them to an I am statement. 

I am courageousI am strong and courageous. 

I am strong

Step 3: Add the breath.

Inhale: I AM Exhale: Strong and Courageous

Inhale: I AM Exhale: Courageous 

Inhale: I AM Exhale: Strong 

Final Thoughts:

You may want to guide your class into a breathing exercise before you add a scriptural affirmation. This can set the tone for a long, slow breath that will accommodate the words of scripture. Take Note: You are guiding your students with their breath as you say the scriptural affirmation aloud. They say the “I AM” statement to themselves (mentally) and focus on breathing.

Into Action:

Practice balanced breathing before integrating scriptural affirmations. 

Practice Inhaling and exhaling for 4 counts, then inhale and exhale for 6, and finally inhale and exhale for 8. 

Once you have established a long, slow breath, then add the scriptural affirmation. 

Put it Into Practice: 

Now it is time to put Scriptural Affirmation into practice. 

Use Scriptural Affirmations; Breath Meditation for the first three scriptures by dividing them in half. 

Select 6 scriptures from your Master List.

Follow the 3 step method of: 

Step 1- Select the Scripture

Step 2: Divide the Scripture

Step 3: Add the Breath 

Inhale: The first ½ of scripture

        Exhale: The Second ½ of scripture

Reminder: You may have to shorten the phrasing of the verse to accommodate breathing. 

Use the scriptures selected from the Master List and apply the “I AM” statements.

Follow the 3 step method of:

Step 1- Select the Scripture

Step 2: Divide the Scripture

Step 3: Add the Breath 

Inhale: I AM

          Exhale: ____

Call to Action: 

Once your lesson is complete, share two scriptural affirmations ( one Breath Meditation, and one “I AM” statements) to the PCYTT Facebook page. This can be a video or with a written post.