This was one of the books that were recommended in the book How to Pray, and I found it in a PDF on the author's website. How generous of him! It is a short book, and I found it helpful for understanding and explaining "Breath Prayer." Just the day before I read this, I had a session with a directee who relayed her "Blessed History" to me, and how she would say this short prayer to God through a very difficult time of her life, and how meaningful it was. She didn't even refer to it as a "Breath Prayer" though.
According to the author:
The breath prayer is a short prayer of praise and petition that has been used since ancient times. As we breathe unceasingly, our breathing supports life and renews our corporeal system. When we use the breath prayer to develop our ability to pray unceasingly, God’s love supports and renews us.
Historically, the breath prayer rose out of the Psalms. Repeated phrases from the Psalms became short prayers to remind one of the entire psalm.
In some religious traditions, various forms of a breath prayer have been called “aspiratory” or “ejaculatory” prayers. The term aspiratory comes from the Latin word meaning “to breathe,” and ejaculatory from the sport of javelin throwing. Such prayers have traditionally been short and have risen from individual circumstances. In times of stress, need, or joy we may pray, “Jesus, help me” or “O God, hear my prayer” or “Praise to thee, O God.” Such prayers rise spontaneously from within, sometimes flowing from us without our being consciously aware that we are praying.
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