The Name that Sounds Like Breathing

By Patricia Ryan, Integrative Health Expert

Try saying the name without vowels - YHWH

There was a man named Moses.  He asked God what God’s name was. The name God gave is recorded in the original Hebrew as YHWH in Exodus 6:2.   YHWH sounded to Moses like the breath of God. There were no vowels in the name. Adding “a” and “e” we hear this name today spoken often as YaHWeH. Without the vowels I think the name sounds like breathing. YH (inhale): WH (exhale).

Think about the following use of breath:

A baby’s first cry, his first breath, speaks the name of God.  Yh (inhale) WH (exhale)

A deep breath of a sigh calls His name – or a groan or gasp that is too heavy for mere words. (breathiness)

When a person leaves this earth with their last breath, God’s name is no longer filing their lungs. (no breath)

Living and being alive – breathing - must mean I speak God’s name constantly.

Not only human have languages, but animals breathe. The exchange of oxygen and CO2 between animals and vegetation express “let everything that has breath praise the Lord, Ps.150:6”

When I am quiet, I hear my breathing speaking louder.

Sometimes in fear or a moment of trauma, I have held my breath.

A deep breath can help one to relax or calm down.

I have found myself taking a deep breath when about to do something hard or outside of my comfort zone. Perhaps it’s an expression of praise because I know where my help comes from.

When something is so beautiful and it fills me with an emotion, I have gasped a beath.

God chose to give himself a name that if I can’t speak at a moment, I find myself reacting with breath.

While I’m awake or sleep (this breathing keeps) the name of God on my lips. Just maybe I have something in common with that man named Moses.   How I breath is important in my health.