January 15, 2024
“They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, ‘Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!’ Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, ‘Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!’” ~ Mark 10:46-48 ~ The Message
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
One of the highlights of our trip to Maui was discovering a woman making bubbles on a hillside above Kamaole III Beach. She showed up several mornings in a row, calmly making bubbles that were carried by the wind past the beach and over the water. She did this just for the fun of it. Se didn’t pass out business cards or have a basket for donations. She did it for pure, free, and priceless joy.
Years ago, when I was working as a therapist, I kept a small bottle of bubbles in my office to provide a way to connect with children. I quickly realized that I benefitted from the bubbles as well. I began to pull out my bubbles after particularly difficult sessions and spend a few minutes blowing bubbles. As I took a deep breath in, I imagined the peace and calm of Jesus. As I blew out through the bubble wand, I imagined the stress and the stories of trauma that had been shared with me dissipating in beautiful bubbles reflecting a prism on colors as I exhaled slowly.
That practice was, in essence, a breath prayer, an ancient spiritual practice of Christians based on an adaptation of the words of Bartimaeus to Jesus, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.” Try it a few times. As you take a deep breath in repeat in your mind “Jesus, Son of God.” As you take a slow breath out, “Have mercy on me.” Repeat.
Research has shown that Voluntary Regulated Breathing Practices (VRBP). VRBP is “particularly useful with those who have experienced symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, depression, stress- and trauma-related disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia, and substance abuse.”[i]
I think it’s time to revive my bubble blowing prayer practice. Try it (but not in a room with a wooden or tile floor that could create a slipping hazard), you might like it as well. ~ Anne
[i] Gerbarg, Patricia and Richard Brown, “Neurobiology and Neurophysiology of Breath Practices in Psychiatric Care,” Psychiatric Times 33 no. 11 (Nov 30, 2016) Online, available from Internet, https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/special-reports/neurobiology-and-neurophysiology-breath-practices-psychiatric-care (accessed January 28, 2019).
Wayfinding 