Breath as a Living Pattern for Daily Rhythms and Prayer

A few notes on rhythm for the early years and beyond

Dear friends,

I’ve given myself over to September energy. Freshly sharpened Ticonderoga pencils sit on my desk, a batch of homemade applesauce simmers on the stove, and book club returns. Michaelmas invites little ears into stories of bravery with freshly baked bread, shaped to resemble a dragon. I prepare for a change in seasons by washing the couch covers and cleaning out my car. I am overcommitting in full force, but my heart yearns for this time of year and I will not be put off from enjoying it as much as possible.

One of the newest commitments this fall includes a preschool-at-home curriculum. Are we homeschooling? Yes! Not yet! I’m not quite sure. Either way, we just finished our fourth week of gently organized read-alouds and crafts.¹ Most mornings we chat about the days of the week, say a poem or verse together, and press our noses against the window looking for signs of that day’s weather. 15 minutes later, whether we spot the sun’s warm light or a downpour of rain, we pull on our coats to get outside.

Michaelmas is a festival celebrating bravery as seen in Revelation 12:7-9.

As magical as that sounds, we’re home quite a bit. This means toes get stepped on and the walls close in on long days. I rely upon our daily rhythm to inspire resilience through occasional pandemonium. Predictable, but flexible points in our day prevent too much restlessness: consistent mealtimes, a non-negotiable nap (or quiet time), mornings for outings and afternoons spent at home. Beyond this skeleton there are regular times for glorious free play, chores, and stories. The strength in this structure is the ability to model our day after the very breath we breathe.

Shea Darian, a Waldorf-minded parent and spiritual director, encourages parents to use this pattern for life at home. Alternating times of inhalation and exhalation creates margin during the day’s physical and emotional demands. In her book, Seven Times the Sun, she includes a few examples:

“Breathing in” is a time when one can focus inwardly and privately. This might include such activities as reading by oneself, stringing beads, resting, etc. “Breathing out” is a time of moving out to interact with the external environment. Such activities might include free-play with others, making a craft project together, visiting friends, etc.”

Small children aren’t the only ones who need anchors within time like this. The invitation is open to all. It’s necessary, even, for each of us. Instead of stringing beads or play dates, our interpretations of inward and outward grow with us.

Going back to the basics is far from elementary. Breath is not only fundamental to the survival and health of our brain and organ function, our breathing also impacts our critical thinking and bodily movement, our imagination and stamina, and our spiritual life. Breathwork practices such as pranayama or anapanasati, Hindu and Buddhist meditation styles respectively, Christian centering prayer or hesychasm from the Byzantine Orthodox, the Zikr breath prayer of recollection from Sufism, among other styles of breath prayer draw attention to the presence of the divine through one of our most instinctual bodily rhythms.²

Our Christian scriptures tell us breath is borrowed from God. They describe God’s breath as the substance which gave Adam life.³ Job circles around the idea of sharing breath with God’s Spirit.⁴ Ezekiel’s vision sees God infusing wind, or the very breath of God, into bones thought to be past the point of rescue.⁵ (How often is this my prayer, as a parent with weary bones.) Being mindful of this spirit-wind inside of us is a beautiful opportunity for reflection and prayerful response.

Breath is a mysterious gift offering life itself alongside connection, endurance, playfulness, strength, and prayer. I notice the world around me echo its pattern. I watch the river’s tide from my kitchen window rise and fall throughout the day. Light slowly withdraws into the horizon. The red and yellow foliage framing the riverbank signals a time of dormancy or inhalation is coming near. All of this rhythmic wisdom lives inside of us, thanks be to God’s Spirit.

Freshly picked apples ready to be heated and put through the food mill for applesauce.

As my family experiments with our daily rhythm, I invite you to bring greater awareness to your own routines and commitments, especially on the cusp of a busy holiday season.

• When you think of an average day or week, where do you inhale or exhale?

• Where are you living life out of breath? Or as if holding your breath?

• How might you include a “deep breath” in your day?

Reflection Practice

If tending to your daily, weekly, monthly rhythms is of interest to you, I invite you to join me as I chat about writing a Rule of Life over the next few months. Paid subscribers will have access to these videos, as well as related outlines and resources.

Currently Reading

• The Book of Belonging by Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor (I was delighted to be able to share my thoughts with Bekah McNeel, a writer for Sojourner Magazine. Read her article here.)

• The Mother Artist: Portraits of Ambition, Limitation, and Creativity by Catherine Ricketts

• What is Contemplation? by Thomas Merton

Other Waldorf books I’ve read recently:

In the past few years I’ve been reading into the philosophies of Charlotte Mason and Rudolf Steiner. Here’s a few books I’ve really enjoyed learning from recently, specifically from a Waldorf (Steiner) perspective. They blend well with my interests in home education and liturgical time. If this piques your interest, let me know and I’ll consider writing more on it!

• Seven Times the Sun: Guiding Your Child Through the Rhythms of the Day by Shea Darian

• Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Age Seven by Barbara J. Patterson

• You are Your Child’s First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child’s Natural Development from Birth to Age Six by Rahima Baldwin Dancy

• A Child’s Seasonal Treasury by Berry M. Jones

1. I’m using a fun mix of Playing Preschool, Ambleside Online’s Year 0 reading list, and a free Waldorf reading list for 3-4 year olds.

2. Religious practices centered on the breath may be attempted with caution or a trained practitioner.

3. Genesis 2:7

4. Job 12:10, 27:3, 33:4

5. Ezekiel 37