I stumbled onto a short article in which an 80-year old, Klezmer music-playing clarinetist was asked about the importance of breathing. She said, “Relax. Inhale deeply. Sit up straight. Appreciate your lungs.” Then she went on to add this pearl of wisdom: “When you know how to breathe, the word ‘stress’ is not in your dictionary.” Given how commonly so many of us deal with stress, it is certainly good news to hear how we can remove stress from our lives if we will simply remember how to breathe. Take a moment right now to pause, to inhale and exhale three slow, long breaths, and see if you feel a measure of physical improvement and inner quiet.

“Stress” as a noun describing hardship and affliction dates back to the early 14th century, with specific references to it in religious writings from the middle of the 16th century. But despite its ancient lineage, it is a word that feels modern—as if it is a peculiar quality of life in contemporary society. Rather than offer a diagnosis for stress, I want to build on what the clarinetist said regarding getting rid of stress. Exercise—moments of quiet breathing and meditation—these things can definitely reduce stress.

Another option is to do a short reading in conjunction with a time of stress-reducing meditation. Back when books were only beginning to be mass-produced and still very expensive to own, people would save up to purchase a family bible as well as some sort of religious devotional. It might have been John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress or Thomas á Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ (both worth reading today, by the way). British and American 20th-century authors of this type of material include C. S. Lewis, Harry Emerson Fosdick, or G. K. Chesterton, who have lots of devotional works whose short chapters can be read in small, daily doses. This category of writing can expose you to thinkers from other denominations, such as African American Baptist preacher Howard Thurman (Meditations of the Heart), Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Cost of Discipleship), Catholic priest Henri Nouwen (The Genesee Diary), or Trappist monk Thomas Merton (Thoughts in Solitude). They can introduce you to wonderful people, such as in G.K. Chesterton’s biography of St. Francis of Assisi or reading Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love.

My point is this: Too often we allow the richness of Christian faith to be condensed into bumper-sticker quotes and fortune-cookie words of inspiration. But the stress of life can never be reduced by micro-doses of spirituality, taken like a couple Advils with a sip of water. First, relax. Inhale deeply. Sit up straight. Appreciate your lungs, your heart, your health in general. Then allow yourself to dip into Christian writings that can sustain your soul and quiet your spirit. Read only a page or two at a time. This is not a “self-help regimen” you have to add to your “To Do” list. Instead it is taking a moment to care for yourself by listening to other Christians whose life-stress was eased by faithful reflection, prayer, and trust in God. This month find a book you can slowly read. Put it on your nightstand or download it to your smartphone. And let me know what books you enjoyed. I’m always looking for new spiritual-literary friends!