the Jesus prayer

Been talking to a lot of people about depression, anxiety, ptsd, etc. these days. One person was telling me about how when she’s stressing her breathing becomes faster and faster. Someone else has the opposite problem. When this person stresses they just stop breathing.

I told them about the ancient practice of the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me.” It’s a prayer taken right out of the Bible and brings just about everything together in one simple sentence.  It’s often suggested that you tie this prayer to your breathing–or your breathing to this prayer.  While you’re inhaling you pray, “Lord Jesus Christ”, and then while you’re exhaling you pray, “Son of God have mercy on me.”

Seriously, it’s amazing. In less than a minute you begin to feel the calm of the presence of the Lord. A few minutes of this praying and the stress or trauma your facing doesn’t seem quite so monstrous anymore.

Worth a try–and you don’t even have to be freaking out to do it. This prayer is even good when you’re feeling peaceful already!