Dr Kelly Fleming

Living with chronic pain has taught me that prayer doesn’t only happen with the mind. Sometimes the body needs to pray too.

Over the years I’ve developed a simple practice that combines gentle stretching, deep breathing, and the Jesus Prayer. This isn’t yoga, nor is it intended to replace the prayer life of the Church. It’s simply one way that I have found to quiet both my body and my mind so that I can give Christ my full attention.

The movements are very simple.

One stretch I do while standing. I bend forward from the waist until my hands touch the floor. As I slowly breathe in from my belly, I pray:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…”

Then I slowly walk my hands back up my legs until I’m standing upright again. As I breathe out, I finish the prayer:

“…have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Most of my stretching is done sitting because of my disabilities. I sit with my legs stretched out in front of me and bend forward, reaching toward my ankles. As I breathe in, I pray the first half of the Jesus Prayer. As I return to an upright position, I breathe out while praying the second half. Every upper-body stretch follows this same rhythm.

The movement isn’t the important part. The prayer is.

Over time I began to notice something beautiful about the breathing itself. As I breathe in, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,” it feels as though I am inviting Christ ever more deeply into my heart. As I breathe out, “have mercy on me, a sinner,” I let go of the sins, worries, and burdens I’ve been carrying, trusting that Christ alone conquers them.

When pain becomes overwhelming, it’s easy to become consumed by it. This gentle rhythm reminds me to lift my eyes back to Christ. He is the Great Physician, the One who heals in ways that reach far beyond the body. While physical healing is not the purpose of this practice, placing myself in the presence of the Great Physician brings a deep sense of peace. Whether He grants healing, strength to endure, or simply the grace to carry the cross for another day, I know I am resting in His loving care.

I’ve found that as my muscles begin to relax, my breathing slows, and my attention returns to Christ, the anxiety that often accompanies pain also begins to loosen its grip. My circumstances may not change, but my heart does.

This isn’t a technique for achieving some extraordinary spiritual experience. It is simply a gentle way of praying with both body and soul. For me, it has become another way of fulfilling St. Paul’s words to “pray without ceasing.” Even in pain, every breath becomes a prayer, every movement an opportunity to turn again toward Christ, and every moment another reminder that His mercy is new every morning.

🙏🏽❤️🤟🏽