Tips For creating a bible study routine
If you’re a Christian woman who struggles to stay consistent with a daily contemplative Bible study routine, or feel as if something is missing in your quite time, here is an empowering truth you should know:
Sometimes the issue isn’t discipline, it’s disconnection.
You may be trying to meet with God while your body is stuck in survival mode, contracted, & disconnected.
This is hard to fight against because 80 % of the messages you receive about your environment & how yoou should act in a situation comes from your body, not your mind.
Which is why spiritual rhythms that engage and honor your mind, body & Spirit can be so life changing.
Prior to beginning our contemplative time & open God’s word, when we pause to bring our full selves into the present moment & honor our bodies, we cultivate space for deeper presence, peace, and connection with the Lord.
If you need help cultivating a Spiritual rhythm like this, here is an example of my Aligned & Renewed Embodied Biblical Practice.
It is a simple rhythm you can integrate into your Bible study to honor your nervous system and help you embody God’s peace, and root your mind in His truth.
Sometimes it is not just about doing more or reading more...
It’s about slowing down, breathing deeply, and helping our bodies to soften & return to the One who restores.
If you are up for trying something new, here are the steps:
Step 1: Set Your Environment & Intention (1 minute)
Why it matters: Your nervous system constantly scans your environment for cues of safety or danger (this is called neuroception). By creating a calming sensory environment, dim lights, or warmth, you send subtle signals to your brain and body that it is safe to settle and time to contemplate.
This can look like:
Light a candle or sit by natural light.
Find a quiet space and sit in a comfortable position.
My favorite: find a quite place to sit & place your hand over your heart or belly to connect with your body before opening in prayer.
Step 2: Practice a Grounding Breath & Scripture Focus (2–3 minutes)
Why it matters: Slow, deep breathing is one of the most direct ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system through the vagus nerve. My favorite way to do this is through breath prayers. Breath prayers are a form of a “vagal brake” which can slow your heart rate and shift your body out of fight-or-flight.
When paired with Scripture (my personal favorite Psalm 3:3:
“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head”)
your breath becomes a tool for both physiological regulation and spiritual grounding. This forms a bridge between body-based calm and truth-based anchoring.
Here is an example:
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4
Hold for 2
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6
As you breathe, repeat a Scripture-based breath prayer like:
Inhale: “You, O Lord
Exhale: are a shield about me”
Inhale: my glory...
Exhale: and the lifter of my head.”
Repeat for 3–5 cycles, letting your body soften into safety.
Step 3: Embodied Bible Study
(5–7 minutes)
Why it matters: Reading Scripture slowly and reflectively, rather than rushing, mimics ancient contemplative traditions like Lectio Divina. When practiced in a state of safety (vs. stress), you are more able to receive, embody, and integrate truth.
This also counters our modern tendency to approach Bible study cognitively only. By engaging posture, presence, and personal reflection, the Word reaches your body, not just your brain.
What it can look like:
Choose 1–2 verses to reflect on (e.g. Psalm 23:1-3, Matthew 11:28-30, or Romans 12:2)
Read slowly, 2–3 times.
After reading, ask:
→ What stands out to me in this moment?
→ How does this verse speak to my body, mind, or Spirit today?
→ Is God inviting me to notice or release anything?
Step 4: Gentle Movement While Contemplating (2–3 minutes)
Why it matters: Movement helps discharge lingering sympathetic energy (stress) and supports nervous system flexibility. Rhythmic movement like swaying, stretching, or even walking regulates vagal tone.
I personally sway while practicing my deep breathing, praying, or contemplating on scripture. I find the gentle swaying very regulating and it is something I have done intuitively over the years.
In Christian ancient rituals, movements like bowing, raising hands, or kneeling were not only symbolic, turns out they were neurologically regulating too.
Each of these steps in my morning routine integrates a physical practice (posture, breath, sound, movement) with a spiritual intention (truth, presence, worship), honoring your mind, body, & Spirit connection.
They are also evidenced based & science back, according to Stephen Porges for example, these kinds of rituals serve as neural exercises that shift our body out of defense and into restoration.
Want to learn more about honoring your God designed body & bridging the gap between neuroscience and Bible study?
Join us inside the Aligned & Renewed Wellness Collective, a biblically grounded wellness community for Christian women seeking whole-body healing and renewal.
It is a community where we blend evidenced-based functional medicine principles, spiritual formation, and the biology of trauma and nervous system regulation, creating a safe, supportive space for you to break free from survival mode, embody your God-designed vitality, and start thriving instead of simply surviving.
