Do you go through life feeling as though you are becoming a better version of yourself every day? More energized than exhausted? Or do you deal with a lot of physical pain and emotional discomfort in your life?

Alive can be a subjective term. Being aware of our thoughts and feelings can greatly impact our ability to discern God’s voice and presence. My own journey with breathwork started in the secular realm, with a focus on the mind and the body. Eventually, I landed in the spiritual realm, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:46, “What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.”

I grew up playing semi-professional tennis, then went on to participate in numerous ultra-endurance events. These athletic pursuits drove me to appreciate the power of breath. Being a science geek by nature and an engineer by education, I started studying more about the heart and its relationship with breath, the role of hormones, and how various chemicals in our bodies can affect our state of mind—including how happy or sad we feel.

During a period of upheaval, I often sought solitude to hear God’s voice so He could continue to guide me, one step at a time, amid the chaos. I am grateful for the anchor of my unceasing breath, which gave me a glimpse of what it felt like to pray unceasingly. It led me to surrender to God and, eventually, allow Him to take control of my life.

During all the years that I invested in understanding my body and my mind better, I didn’t realize that I was seeking truth and love. Today, I can confidently say that encountering God gave me both. I did not know it then, but I was seeking Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, and aligning my mind and heart helped in my journey.

After all, He tells us, “…Everyone who seeks, finds” (Matthew 7:8).

The first step to experiencing silence in your daily life is by checking to see if you can hear yourself breathe. If you can, what would it take for you not to make any sound? If you said, “Slow it down!” you answered correctly.

There is a direct correlation between your respiratory rate and your heart rate. When you’re sitting down, both rates should slow down. When you run, your breath rate and your heart rate should rise. Faster breathing leads to sound as well. Think of the amount of sound a waterfall makes compared to a meandering stream of water. Ideally, when you’re not engaging in strenuous activities, the flow of air going into your nose should sound like a meandering stream instead of a waterfall.

To prove this, I stopped most major sporting activities for a year and focused on doing my breathing exercises. After a year, my resting heart rate had fallen even lower than it had been the previous year with all my athletic activities.

“From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help” (Psalm 130:1).

By becoming aware of your breath, you are not just calming your body. You are creating space for God to breathe life, peace, and clarity into every corner of your heart.

Adapted from Seeking the Spirit Within: Experiencing Union with God Through Breath by Shereen Yusuff, © 2026, Penguin Random House Christian. All rights reserved.

For deeper reflection, listen to Psalm 130.