Breath Prayer in Acute Fear

Sometimes fear arises when we are alone — for example in half-sleep or upon waking, when we have less control. With the following breath prayer, we gently shift attention away from circling worries toward conscious awareness of the body and gain inner distance. At the same time, we entrust ourselves to God in this uncomfortable state. Many experience this as comforting and relieving.
We intentionally use a proven breathing technique for emotional regulation: when exhaling, we take about two seconds longer than when inhaling. This extended exhalation has a calming effect on the body and nervous system.