What are breath prayers?

I’ll tell you...

Sitting atop the toaster oven in my kitchen is a small wooden sign that reads, “Inhale the present. Exhale the past.”

Said another way, it might read, “Inhale peace. Exhale anxiety.”

Or feel free to fill in the blank with whatever you need to breathe in, and whatever you need to exhale today.

A breath prayer is precisely that: a prayer you can say as you inhale and exhale.

The beauty of a breath prayer is that you can offer it up any time, any place. You don’t have to purchase a meditation cushion or light candles or sit cross-legged, touching your thumb to your index finger and humming OM. While that is exactly what I do at times, a breath prayer doesn’t require anything other than your attention and your breath.

Whether you’re sitting in the parking lot at work, hiding out in your car before the next dreaded work meeting, swimming laps at the pool, or standing in the shower (hoping your children don’t kill each other), you can literally offer a breath prayer in any setting.

How does it work?

Much like the sign that sits on my toaster oven, you meditate on a particular phrase as you inhale, and pray a response to that thought on the exhale. Doing this helps to rid yourself of any external distractions for a few moments.

So, in the example of sitting in the parking lot at work, maybe you silence your phone and turn off the car stereo while you pray. 

If you’re looking to increase your inner-peace, and could use some help exhaling the b******t, listen to this 15-minute snippet from tonight’s group coaching session. I pray it helps you slow down and just be for a while.

I’m in your corner,

Steve

P.S. I still have 3 spaces available for “Jesus Coaching.” If you’d like to sign up for the 8 sessions, just email me back at [email protected] today! <3

“Some days I am not sure if my faith is riddled with doubt, or whether, graciously, my doubt is riddled with faith. And yet I continue to live in a world the way a religious person lives in the world; I keep living in a world that I know to be enchanted, and not left alone. I doubt; I am uncertain; I am restless, prone to wander. And yet glimmers of holy keep interrupting my gaze.” -Lauren Winner, Still

Let’s begin with a few what-ifs:

* What if this journey toward Jesus came with even more freedom than you can imagine?

* What if the American version of Evangelical Christianity isn’t 100% right 100% of the time?

* What if God is even better, more loving, more inclusive, more patient, and more present than we ever imagined?

* What if?

In The God-Shaped Brain by Dr. Thomas Jennings, he says that a healthy view of a loving God can literally transform our brains.

Side note: did you know that just meditating on a God of love for 12 minutes a day can actually rewire your brain? Sure, it’s a slow, patient process, but it’s one worth starting as soon as possible.

So where do you begin? Today, I want to give you what I believe are the first three steps in healing your image of God.

Listen to this free podcast, and pre-order my new book, Hiding in the Pews, by clicking here.

*”Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” performed by the ever-magical Stella Hess.

In this special episode of the #CatchingYourBreath Podcast, Steve Austin talks with one of his best friends, Joshua M. Casey, author of the new book, Tracking Desire. The guys talk about favorite and least favorite books, the writing process, and losing religion without losing your soul. Listen to this 30-minute episode today! And order Tracking Desire on Amazon by clicking here.

Welcome back to Catching You Breath: The Podcast, with Steve Austin. If you listen to this episode, you'll learn 10 ways to deal with criticism, plus Steve will walk you through an affirmation to let go of the fear of disappointing others.

Show notes:

• Steve's courses and coaching


• Steve's new #BreatheWithMePodcast


• Order Catching Your Breath


• Download Steve's free self-care journal


• Music: "Weak Sometimes" by Devin Balram

The holiday season can be stressful for lots of folks. If you are looking for a way to slow down, let go of worry over your future, and regrets about your past, this is the guided meditation for you.

Stay connected at catchingyourbreath.com.

Maintaining your mental health is hard enough. Add a seemingly never-ending global pandemic to the mix, and life can feel particularly heavy.

In this episode, Steve Austin will guide you through:

1. Letting go.


2. Holding on.


3. Looking up.

Download Steve Austin's free self-care journal by clicking right here.

Today, I have the privilege of speaking to you on the topic of Hope.

Hope - but what the heck does that even mean? 

Hope is an elusive concept: like trying to hold water in your hands or get Jello to sit still. Just when you think you’ve got it, the mystery of hope slips right through your fingers. 

But I’ve spent the past year (since I was with you last) researching hope, and I’m so excited to share a bit of what I’ve learned with you today.

Show notes:

1. You can read more David’s work and pre-order his new book of poetry, The Wrestle, at his website, DavidTensen.com


2. 
   

    Making Hope Happen: Create the Future You Want for Yourself.

   
   


3. Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm. https://amzn.to/3k9Z9Kh


4. Download Steve's free self-care journal here - https://catchingyourbreath.com/free-self-care-journal/

Reflection questions:

1. What would happen if we learned to live in the tension of both sides of Jesus’s statement, understanding that earthly life is suffering, but eternal life is joy?


2. What is one way you can be kind to yourself as you consider starting this journey toward embracing and enduring suffering, in order to find hope and healing?


3. What is one thing in your life—a pet, a skill, a person, a memory—that brings you moments of joy in your pain? Can you hold it in your mind, letting yourself feel the goodness of it like a cat basking in the sun?


4. What is one vulnerable thing you can share with one safe person today? Get gut-level honest about what you need right now, and then don’t be afraid to share that information with your doctors and others in your inner circle.

Welcome to Catching Your Breath: The Podcast, episode number 64. I’m your host, Steve Austin, and I’m so glad you’re here today. If you listen to this episode in its entirety, you’ll learn how to determine if your life is well-balanced, plus I’ll teach you 25 practical ways to find balance. And at the end of today’s episode, I’ll lead you in a guided breath prayer: a simple way to center yourself, even on the most chaotic of days.

Before we dive into that, I want to say thanks for listening. There are a gazillion life coaches you could be listening to, but you’ve chosen to hang out with me for the next half hour, and that means a lot to me.

If you haven’t left an iTunes review, would you take a couple of minutes to do that now?

And please don’t forget about my book, Catching Your Breath. You can snag a copy today on Amazon, and join me on the sacred journey from chaos to calm.

A quick personal update: I’ve nearly completed my second manuscript of the year, Slow Miracles: 99 Doses of Hope and Healing, which will release next Fall with Broadleaf Books. As a result, I’ll be returning to the podcast more often. And I’d love to know what topics would be helpful to you these days. Also - what guests would you like to hear from on this show? Do you have a favorite author, teacher, pastor, or coach who would be a perfect fit for my podcast? Shoot me a quick email at [email protected] and I’ll get to work creating new content!

In today's episode:

1. Transcript of today's episode.


2. Become a VIP Member

This bonus episode is from a sermon I delivered at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham on Sunday, August 2nd. In it, I share my story, plus several ways your church can become a place of healing, rather than a place of shame, for those with mental illness. Connect with me via my website at catchingyourbreath.com and support the show at patreon.com/iamsteveaustin.

Welcome to Catching Your Breath: The Podcast, Episode 63.

Today we’re discussing the power of non-judgmental presence. How can co-suffering with hurting people change everything? These notes are the bits and pieces that didn’t make it into my upcoming book with Fortress Press, but because I’m so passionate about this topic, I just couldn’t scrap them. So, I’m sharing them with you today.

Show notes:

• Support the show at Patreon.com/iamsteveaustin


• Join the Catching Your Breath Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/catchingyourbreath


• Sign up for my "Emotional Health 101" course at EmotionalHealthNow.com


• Follow Ann Ahrens' blog annahrens.wordpress.com


• Read my latest blog on The Mighty: The Church Needs to Learn How to Co-Suffer with Hurting People


• Music at the end of this episode - "Hold On, Honey" by my dear friend, Devin Balram. https://listen.lt/DevinBalramHoldOnHoney