ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!: B Is for Breath!

ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!  B Is for Breath!

ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!  Bible Meditation Vs. Eastern Meditation

Introduction:  This lesson is one of twenty-six ABC lessons for parents, grandparents, kids, and teachers.  As of now:  D, L. O, Q, R, V, X, and Z have been posted.  Please scroll back to find the ones you haven't read. 

B Is for Breath

B is for breath
with which I can say,
"Praise ye the Lord!"
Any time, any day!"

A PTL Verse to Think On!

Psalm 150:6, the very last verse of the Psalms, is a grand meditation verse to ponder:  "Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD.  Praise ye the LORD!"  Think about this verse!  What is a reason God gives us our breath? 

Praise Ye the Lord!

Look at the beginnings and the endings of Psalms 146, 147, 148, 149, and 150.  What did you notice?  Highlight this in your Bible.  If you know the chorus "Hallelu" sing it.  Hear it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pbNBKK2jA0

P.T.L. Book Mark

Make a P.T.L. book mark.  If you have them, stick on large P.T.L. letters on one side and write the words on the other side.  Put it in your Bible.

I Can Meditate the Bible Way

I can meditate the Bible way
Any time, any day,
I don't have to breathe just right.
Nor push my thoughts out of sight.
Not at all!  For its God's words
That I recall--to think about them!
                                                LEP

Eastern Meditation

"The Take a Deep Breath" Red Flag

I was in a Pre-K classroom when I saw a "S.T.A.R." chart on the wall.  It meant "Smile, Take a Deep Breath, and Relax."  The words "Take a Deep Breath" made me stop and think.  Because I knew that  mindfulness meditation uses different ways to breathe, I wondered if something else was happening so I asked someone.  Sure enough, this chart was part of a program named "Conscious
Discipline."  Why, the lady said they had special ways to breathe, and they even used a "breathing tool" too.  Now, I was curious.  So I looked into the program.  How sad I was at what I found out was being taught to small children.  What could I do?  Well, I wrote an article; and I warned some of the Christian teachers using it.  This program could be in a daycare, Christian school, or public school near you.  Read more about it here:
https://whputnam00.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-conscious-discipline-programs-link.html    

Mindfulness
Meditation

Mindfulness
meditation
is all the craze,
as people breathe
various ways
to achieve calm
inside themselves.

Mindfulness Breath Obsession

Mindfulness teachers want kids to become obsessed or focused on their breath.  They invent all kinds of ingenious ways to help them do that be it balloon breathing, shoulder roll breathing, back to back breathing, belly breathing, buddy breathing, and the list goes on.   However, God never tells us to do that. Instead we are to use our breath in many ways to honor the Lord.  Can you name some of those ways?

Bless the Lord!

Don't obsess
over your breath,
But instead,
bless the Lord!

Psalm 103:1  "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name."

Breathing Tools for Kids

Not only are there innovative breath techniques, there are some unique breathing tools as well.  One of them is "The Hoberman Sphere" sometimes called "the breath ball," "the magic mindfulness sphere, " or even "the Breathing Orb."  This sphere comes in three sizes: the mini,  the original, and the mega which helps show how the lungs fill and release air or expand and contract. One then is to hold the sphere closed in front of the chest and with the in-breath to open the sphere to its full size.  Then, with the out-breath, close the sphere to its smallest size.
https://heartmindkids.com/hoberman-sphere-mindful-breathing/

Another tool is the Conscious Discipline's "multisensory tool" which is a pinwheel with a flower attached below it.  On the in-breath one inhales pretending to sniff the flower, and on out- breath one exhales as the pinwheel is blown.  View the "S.T.A.R." Breathing Tool Video" here.
https://consciousdiscipline.com/videos/s-t-a-r-breathing-tool/

Parental Suggestions:

Alphabreaths:  The ABCs of Mindful Breathing by Christopher Willard PsyD. and Daniel Rechtschaffen (May, 2019) is a new ABC book in the mindfulness tool box that through
unusual breath techniques lures parents and kids into breathing practices that seem so innocent.
View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnvn6t51TyQ and here: http://bestselfmedia.com/alphabreaths/

The author, Dr. Christopher Willard, is someone steeped in mindfulness teachings.  Willard has had retreats with Jon Kabat-Zinn. He's also studied under: Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Branch, and others.  Besides, he's spent time with Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dali Lama.  Mr. Rechtschaffen, as well, also has an extensive background in mindfulness.
As you view parts of the book, realize that the authors' agenda is to encourage kids to become lifetime mindfulness meditators.  On the other hand, a Christian's agenda is to encourage kids to become lifetime Scripture meditators!

Bible Breath Challenge 

Alphabreaths is filled with mindful ways to notice and to control one's breath, but the Bible is filled with God's ways to use the breath to worship the Lord.  Help your child find ABC Bible words and verses to describe ways we use our breath.  Here's a list to get your started.  Can you continue this list right to Zz?

A: Ascribe: Deut. 32:3  B: Bless: Ps.103:1 C: Come: Ps.95:1  D: Delight: Ps.1:2  E: Exalt: Ps.99:5
F: For: Ps.33:21  G: Great:  Ps.145:3 ….