Be Still and Know: Breath, Belonging, and the Sacred Wisdom Within

Jun 1

Hey, Collective,

If you’re wondering why this post is coming to you a day late, it’s because I was so tired yesterday, y’all. Not the kind of tired that leaves you weary, but the kind that settles in your bones as evidence that you showed up fully. That you held sacred space. That something meaningful moved through you, and now your body is asking for stillness, not as surrender, but as reverence.

What was it that had me surrendering to stillness? Leading and hosting our church’s first annual Healing Out Loud: Faith. Freedom. and Wholeness summit. We weren’t sure what to expect, since mental health remains a deeply stigmatized topic in the Black church, but 120 people showed up. And what unfolded was nothing short of sacred. Hosting this summit in a Black church, representing the intersection of Black culture and faith, felt like a quiet revolution. For generations, the stigma surrounding mental health has kept us silent, teaching us that expressing inner turmoil is a sign of spiritual weakness. But what if it’s the opposite? What if naming our pain, tending to our bodies, and seeking support is not a break from faith, but the fullest expression of it?

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Yesterday, I had the honor of leading two somatic healing sessions: “Be Still and Know: Breath, Belonging, and the Sacred Wisdom Within,” grounded in Psalm 46:10, and “Peace Lives in Me: Finding Calm and Confidence Inside,” created for youth to learn to trust the wisdom already alive within them. In both spaces, we explored the truth that the body is not a barrier to healing; it’s the bridge. From breath prayers to embodied stillness, we practiced listening to what our bodies are still teaching us: that healing is sacred and stillness is powerful.

One participant told me that her devotional that very morning had featured the same scripture that grounded our session:

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

It was a gentle but powerful affirmation—that the sacred work we were doing together was not only necessary, but divinely aligned. That stillness is not just a posture, but a practice of remembering who we are and who God has always been.

It’s in that spirit that I want to offer you the same questions I shared during our time together, questions meant to guide you on the journey toward becoming a fully integrated, whole, and intact being. Because to be still and know is also to return to yourself. To release what the world tries to pile on and reconnect with the truth of your design. This is the heart of Healing Out Loud: telling the truth with your body, your breath, and your being until nothing within you feels fragmented, hidden, or silenced.

Power of Discovery

The Power of Discovery invites us to slow down and turn inward by engaging in identity reflection and body-based awareness as a way of noticing patterns, pain, and presence. It asks us to get curious about what our bodies are holding, even before we have the words to explain it.

In our adult session, this began with a single question: What have I been carrying in my body that I haven’t yet spoken out loud? That one question opened the room. Whether it showed up as tightness in the shoulders, fluttering in the stomach, or restlessness in the feet, we practiced compassionate curiosity together. Through breath, movement, and gentle observation, we learned that the body may be the archive of our pain, but it is also the instrument of our healing.

During our breath prayer practice, the room energy shifted. Eyes closed. Shoulders dropped. A calm settled in. This is the power of stillness. This is the power of presence.

Discovery Curiosities

What have I been carrying in my body that I haven’t yet spoken out loud?
What’s one message about my body or identity I’ve internalized that I’m beginning to question?

Power of Discernment

The Power of Discernment calls us to listen beyond our thoughts to the truth held in our bodies. It invites values-centered reflection by noticing where tension, ease, or emotion lives, aligning our physical awareness with our emotional and spiritual clarity.

We turned to scripture not as distant doctrine, but as embodied truth:

Romans 12:1 reminded us that the body is a sacred offering.
Genesis 2:7 returned us to our breath, which is our first holy gift.
Matthew 6:26 affirmed that our value is inherent and unearned.

We practiced the STOP method (Stop. Take a breath. Observe. Proceed with care) and guided self-touch to reconnect with our sacredness. We honored the body’s divine whispers: “You are tired.” “You need stillness.” “You must be present.”

Today, one participant shared that after our session, she noticed a yoga studio for the first time. She walked in and wept because it felt so in alignment with what we had just discussed. She committed to returning to yoga as part of her healing and grief journey. These are the sacred ripple effects of slowing down.

We also talked about the grounding power of nature, and how placing our feet on the grass, standing in sunlight, or holding a stone can remind us that God meets us in creation, too. As God’s greatest creation, we become grounded when we connect with all He has made. The earth, in all its stillness and beauty, mirrors the same divine care and intention that lives in us. When we return to creation, we return to ourselves.

What this Looks Like in Practice

At the center of it all were small wooden fidget crosses, each with a heart painted into the center and a soft dip that cradles your thumb. Though simple in design, they carried deep meaning.

People outside of my session asked about them later, moved by the reverence with which others held them. These weren’t just objects. They were invitations to presence, representing the vertical connection to God, the horizontal connection to others, and the heart at the center where presence becomes practice.

Rooted in God. Reaching toward others. Resting in love.

The cross became a somatic anchor—a 5-step rhythm for sacred awareness:

Center the body and take a grounding breath.
Breathe vertically, visualizing connection with the Divine.
Stretch horizontally, offering compassion outward.
Return to the center, hand to heart: “I am here. God is here. This moment is holy.”
Close in stillness, letting peace settle in the body.

Discernment Curiosities

What emotional and spiritual needs does my body need more of to feel safe, seen, or supported?
What does it mean to honor my body as part of my worship?
How might I treat each breath as a return to God’s presence?
What would change if I truly believed I was cared for?
Where in my body do I feel most grounded, and what makes it feel that way?

Power of Determination

The Power of Determination moves us from reflection to action by establishing body-based strategies that keep us anchored amid the spiritual and emotional demands of daily life. This is where intention becomes rhythm, and rhythm becomes practice.

Our youth created Calm Kits, which were personal collections of sensory tools to help them return to a sense of safety when their feelings grow overwhelming. Our adults were introduced to mirror work to affirm worth, sacred stretches to release tension, and tapping rituals to restore calm. Each practice served as a pathway back to presence and a reminder that the body is not something to ignore, but something to attune to. A sacred vessel. A temple designed to heal.

Determination Curiosities

What daily rhythm will help me return to my breath and my faith when life gets overwhelming?
What practices help me stay connected to God and myself?

The Invitation

This week, I invite you to…

Create your own rhythm of calm: one breath prayer, one stretch, one daily pause.
Integrate body-based healing into your worship, your parenting, your leadership.
Speak to yourself the way God would: “You are enough. You are whole. You are held.”

If this reflection stirred something within you, I invite you to subscribe to my Substack for weekly roundups and early access to the Living in 3D Power podcast (new episodes drop every Wednesday).

As always, please go to our website to suggest further questions or topics we can discuss. And don’t forget to listen (or re-listen) to Episode 20—Part One of our series on living in your truth. Then send it to someone who helps you feel safe enough to be seen.

Suggest Podcast Questions

Together, let's keep building spaces where authenticity leads and restoration follows.

And if you're a leader or mental health professional ready to build a culture rooted in restoration, belonging, and courageous leadership, let’s talk.

In solidarity, action, and love,

Amber