Circular Breathing

I remember someone saying to me that there are some musicians and singers who have trained themselves in circular breathing. Inhaling while they are still pushing out notes. It’s not easy, and it’s not natural.

I was never able to do it. I really didn’t know how.

I had forgotten about it until Sunday. On Sunday as I stood still in worship, hands lifted, heart open, pushing out every note, I was breathing circular.

Not my lungs, but my soul.

I had made it a point that morning to let my glory rise to Him. To take Him literally and awaken the dawn of His calling in me…

“O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.” Psalm 108:1-2

What could my glory offer? I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure of what that even meant, but I determined that I would give my best. My singing voice wasn’t stellar, my throat was dry, the notes cracked upon exiting. My appearance wasn’t anything special, jeans and a white blouse. My hair was washed…on Saturday. My back hurt. My heart was leaning sideways inside, but I knew who I was and I knew that God had put so much inside of me. My glory was my understanding. My glory was my acknowledgement of Him.

That was how I worshiped.

Suddenly He was whispering in my ear. Truth was entering me as I praised and the circular breathing of deep unto deep, Spirit within hungering for communion, began to flow.

It was not a magical experience, a jolt of electricity or a supernatural wave of ecstasy. It was simply connecting to God and realizing my glory was still being expelled as I inhaled His grace.

I’ve found it’s easy to sing without worshiping. It’s easy to listen without hearing and it’s easy to act without loving. Our Christian life shouldn’t be a measure of our ability to know the rules. It should be a practice of continuous circular breathing.

Inhaling Him. Filling our hearts with Him. So much of Him that even as we exhale His love, He is refilling our souls. Teaching us, as we offer Him.

Everyday I drive through the school zone. There are signs advising us that children are present, drive slowly. Everyday, the line of cars follows the rule. As soon as they pass the sign though, the feet go for the accelerator. Zoom, we push forward, despite the fact that there are still children walking on the sidewalk past the point of the school zone.

We only follow the rule. The letter of the law instead of the spirit of it.

Our Christian life should reflect the spirit of the law, the purpose and passion that drove a loving God to set boundaries of protection around us. He isn’t interested in ticketing us for our trespasses, His interest is in entering us as we acknowledge His love.

Circular breathing isn’t found in the letter of the law, the do and don’t part of the law, the judge and condemn part. The law is good, we need it’s guidance, but our goal is not to walk right while we’re between the signs, it’s in the Spirit and Truth of acknowledging Christ in everything we do and say. Don’t try to only obtain it, offer it…even with your glory.