The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (442 page)

Braslav
asidim
(Jewish group)
:

see
NA
MAN
.

 
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Brautmystik
(bridal or nuptial mysticism)
:

see
RHENO-FLEMISH SPIRITUALITY
.

 
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Breastplate
.

Metal pendant hung in front of the covered
Torah
scrolls among the Jewish
Ashkenazim
.

 
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Breath
.

As a necessary and manifest condition of life, breath and breathing have a literal and metaphorical importance in religions. Basic words which come to identify a real and continuing self originate as ‘breath’ (
see e.g.
rua
in Hebrew,
R
(
NAFS
),
TMAN
); and ‘breath’ becomes the vehicle of divine communication and presence—hence Rua
ha-Qodesh, i.e. the
Holy
Spirit, and the invocation, ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew …’. The understanding and control of breath is an important part of
yoga
, especially within
Ha
ha-yoga
, and as pr
ayama, the fourth in the eight stages (mentioned by
Patañjali
, 1. 34, 2. 29 and 49, but later much elaborated). In W. religions, breathing is used for the control of the mind and for bringing a person without reserve or distraction into the presence of God. In Christianity, see JESUS PRAYER;
HESYCHASM
; in Islam, see
DHIKR
, in which a common technique is that of saying
la ilaha
(‘there is no God’) while breathing in, and
illa Allah
(‘except God’) while breathing out.