Discover how breath can connect you to the divine, refresh your spirit, and root you in love—no matter where you are or what you’re facing.
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Do you ever feel exhausted by the slow pace of change in the world? On this episode of Compass, we’re exploring the practice of rest and renewal—starting with something as simple as your next breath.
This mini episode (much of it originally recording in June 2020) offers a guided experience in centering, renewal, and finding spiritual presence through the simple act of breathing. As conversations around justice, rest, and weariness continue in faith communities, this episode provides a practical technique for those feeling spiritually depleted or seeking a moment of peace amidst struggle.
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This episode posted on June 10, 2026
Episode Transcript:
Ryan (He/him) (00:04)
Back to Compass, where we find glimpses of the divine in the everyday. My name is Ryan Dunn. It is early June 2026 as we're recording this. I hope that you're transitioning into the summer season quite well. Things are a bit hectic in my world in the moment, and I'm sure you can relate, it happens, right? So in this mini episode, we're gonna jump back into one of our now 180-plus episodes of Compass.
And revisit a practice that I introduced to the podcast about six years ago. It was June of 2020, as a matter of fact. We were still social distancing from the COVID pandemic at that point. George Floyd had recently been murdered in Minneapolis, and all of it felt like a lot. We were wearied. In short, we were looking for renewal for the challenging work of healing, reconciliation, and justice that lay ahead of us. Maybe.
not too dissimilar from today. So that is where we will pick up in this episode with audio borrowed and remastered from June of 2020. And it's a practice that I hope leads you to a place of hope and rejuvenation. And I'll talk to you fresh really soon.
Ryan Dunn (01:18)
How do you find rest and renewal? Are there specific practices that rejuvenate you? How do you find renewal for your soul? For many people, they find clarity and renewal through some kind of centering practice. You can call that meditation or contemplative prayer or silent time. With our urge to find energy and renewal, I thought I might offer a simple mini episode.
Detailing a centering practice focusing on our breath. So that will be this episode. Now, I recognize that you may not be listening to this in the most optimal environment for contemplative practice. I often listen to podcasts while I'm doing something else, like driving or walking the dogs. So this will be an adaptive practice.
Meaning you can go the whole nine yards and sit someplace comfortable with eyes closed, or you can pray with eyes open and body moving and hopefully encounter a sense of presence and renewal even as your body moves. Again, the important focus of this practice is breath, which I hope is a part of your activity no matter what you're doing.
My friend Joseph Yu recently posted an article on our website at umc.org that reminds us that God's name is reflective of breath. Even our westernized version of this name sounds like breathing. Yahway. What a fantastic reminder of God's presence. So let's start there.
Get as comfortable as possible in whatever space you're in and focus in on your breath.
Let's become totally aware of our breath. There's a little game you can play to bring hyper awareness to your breath. We're gonna breathe in for a steady four count and then breathe out for an eight count at the same tempo. So it goes like this. In, two, three, four, and out to
Three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Again it's a centering practice. Take a breath in and a breath out and again in two three four and out. Two three four five six seven eight again.
Two, three, four, out. Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Are you aware of your breath? Are you aware of your need for breath? Let your breath go now. Breathe naturally. And as you breathe, feel God's presence.
Each time you pull that air in, and each time you let that air go. Yah way. First John 4 says God is love. God is known in love. Each time you breathe in, you are breathing in love.
As you breathe out, you aren't relinquishing that love, rather, you are exhaling love into the world. You are releasing love to a world desperately in need of more love. You are a conduit for that love. Breathe in, breathe out. Let's spend a moment there. Breathe in grace. Exhale inhale.
And release love.
You may find the distracting thoughts of life intruding into your practice here, and that's okay. No admonishment is needed. You're not doing this wrong. Simply acknowledge the thought as it comes to you, whatever it is, whether it's an idea, a thing to do, a worry, an external distraction. Acknowledge and release that thought to God as you breathe. In
and out. Release it for the moment and focus back on your breath. Each breath now you're falling more and more deeply into God's presence.
Again, outside thoughts will enter in. Offer them over to God. If you're able, turn your palms up in a gesture of relinquishing. Maybe you can lay your hands on your lap before you, or you can turn them up at your sides. Does this physical adaptation affect your mind? Breathe in.
Breathe out.
What is a word you relate to God? It may help to use that word as part of your practice. So maybe you think God and you think grace, or you think peace, or comforter, or salvation. Mentally recite whatever word comes to you as you breathe in. With each breath, then we acknowledge who God is.
And how we are encountering God in our lives. We encounter God in grace, in peace, in comfort.
Salvation.
Injustice.
Sometimes it's difficult to be still and silent in the mind. Maybe today you're just not locking in. Know that just as your breath is present, so is God and God's love. I imagine God delights in our attempts at intention to simply be present with God. And just as your breath is present despite a distracted mind, so too is God's love present.
Even when we're unaware of it.
May the knowledge and momentary awareness of that love bring you peace and restoration right now.
I'm gonna recede now so these next several moments may just be between you and God. The music will play, but please take as long as you wish engaging in this practice and presence. Peace.
