My new book, Storing Up Oil: The Lost Art of Biblical Meditation, grew out of one conviction: the nearness of God was never meant to belong only to the mystics of the past or the mountaintop moments of the extraordinary. It belongs to you — ordinarily, daily — if you’re willing to slow down long enough to receive it.

The church has largely lost the art of biblical meditation — not because it was ever unbiblical, but because history, culture, and understandable caution pushed it to the margins. Scripture’s own word for meditation, the Hebrew hagah, is far richer than the English word suggests — it carries the sense of murmuring, pondering deeply, even growling low like a lion over its prey (Isaiah 31:4). It’s active, embodied, sustained attention, not a single Sunday-morning thought.

I wanted to give you a taste of that recovery today — three of the foundational practices from the book, free, so you can start storing up your own oil right where you are. (A quick note: these practices are offered for spiritual and educational purposes. If you carry a significant trauma history or a medical or mental health condition, please read with a qualified professional’s guidance alongside you.)

1. Baseline Breath Awareness

Duration: 5–10 minutes  |  Difficulty: Beginner  |  Best time: Anytime, especially morning

This is the simplest and most foundational practice in the book. It teaches your mind to settle and your nervous system to recognize calm as a stable state — and it asks nothing of you except attention.

1. Sit comfortably, hands resting on your thighs or in your lap. Take three full, intentional breaths to signal the transition, and set your intention: “I’m opening myself to awareness of my breath and God’s presence.”
2. Close your eyes, or soften your gaze downward. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of your breath — the cool air at your nostrils, the rise and fall of your belly, wherever you feel it most vividly.
3. Simply notice: in-breath… out-breath… in-breath… out-breath. Your mind will wander — that’s guaranteed, and it’s not failure. Each time you notice it’s wandered and gently return, you’re strengthening the very attention the practice is meant to build.
4. Continue for 5–10 minutes. Before opening your eyes, take three more intentional breaths, and sit for a moment before getting up. Consider journaling one word that captures the experience.

If you felt nothing special — that’s excellent, and completely normal. This practice isn’t about a feeling; it’s about practice. Consistency is what creates the shift.

2. The 4-2-6 Vagus Nerve Breath

Duration: 10–15 minutes  |  Difficulty: Intermediate  |  Best time: Evening, before sleep, or anytime anxiety rises

This is one of the most scientifically validated breathing patterns for nervous-system regulation, and it maps beautifully onto contemplative prayer. The specific ratio — a 4-count inhale, a 2-count hold, and a 6-count exhale — directly stimulates the vagus nerve. The exhale is intentionally the longest beat, because it’s the exhale that tells your whole body, it’s safe to rest.

1. Sit comfortably, upright but not rigid. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Set your intention: “I’m breathing in awareness and breathing out all tension.”
2. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts. Feel your belly expand and your chest open — imagine breathing in peace, presence, divine light.
3. Hold gently for 2 counts. No straining.
4. Exhale through your mouth for 6 counts, extending it fully. Imagine releasing all tension, worry, and holding as you go. A sigh-like quality here is perfect.
5. Repeat for 10–15 cycles — about 10 minutes for beginners. If 4-2-6 feels too long at first, start with 3-2-5 and extend gradually. If you feel lightheaded, simply stop or return to normal breathing.

After a few sessions, most people notice a shift in mood within minutes of practicing. Over weeks, it becomes one of the most effective, non-pharmaceutical tools available for anxious moments — and a lovely way to close the day before sleep.

3. Shalom Mantra Meditation

Duration: 15–25 minutes  |  Difficulty: Intermediate  |  Best time: Whenever you need to shift consciousness or access deep peace

This one is close to my heart. It combines breath with the word Shalom — one of God’s own names and natures in Scripture, meaning far more than the absence of conflict: wholeness, wellbeing, right relationship. In Scripture, words carry creative power — God speaks reality into being (Genesis 1). When you repeat Shalom with your breath, you’re not just thinking a word. You’re speaking peace into your being, aligning yourself with God’s own creative word.

1. Sit comfortably in a quiet space. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Set your intention: “I open myself to Shalom — God’s peace and wholeness.”
2. Begin with natural, easy breathing. On your inhale, silently think or whisper “Sha” (“shah”) — feel it activate your center, resonating in your chest.
3. On your exhale, silently think or whisper “Lom” (“loam”) — feel it releasing and grounding, moving down through your belly and feet.
4. Continue: Sha-lom… Sha-lom… Sha-lom… one full word per breath cycle. Let it emerge naturally; don’t force it. When your mind wanders, simply notice without judgment and return to the word.
5. Continue for 15–25 minutes. Afterward, let the mantra fade and sit in silence for 2–3 minutes before gently opening your eyes.

After weeks of practice, you may find the word itself drops away, and you’re simply resting in what the book calls “Shalom consciousness” — a deep peace that no longer needs words.

Where to Go From Here

These three practices are the foundation — the two breath practices are meant to be lived with for weeks before you add anything else. There’s no rush. Depth and consistency matter far more than accumulating techniques.

If these exercises met you somewhere, Storing Up Oil: The Lost Art of Biblical Meditation has a great deal more waiting — foundation through advanced practices, the neuroscience behind why they work, guides for leading a small group or prayer meeting through them, an 8-week Bible study, and honest guidance for the seasons when none of it feels like it’s working.

Get your copy of Storing Up Oil on Amazon →

Come read, breathe, and be still. He’s already here.