Trouble Meditating (Rosary, Etc.) Help. :)

[Sarah147]

Hello,

I meditate well on things going on in my life, like about doctor visits coming up, appointments, what to say, planning trips, etc.

But, when I try to do the Divine Office, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet, etc., I have difficulty MEDITATING and imagining the scenes, virtues, words, etc.

I do have some dyslexia and ADHD and so it makes it hard with imagining when I read books, too.

Any advice on how I can better imagine and meditate when I read, pray, etc. (especially with the Rosary)?

I mentioned to my SD about how I was feeling more drawn to free prayer in Adoration than formal prayers, and they said that it sounds like God is preparing to gift me with meditation. So that makes me wonder, is that also why I find it so hard? I'm just not gifted in it yet? But also, secular people are able to meditate on books they read, and yet that's hard for me.

With the ADHD, I get so focused on the words in the Rosary, just trying to follow it, and it distracts me when I try to visualize the mystery. I just have difficulty imaging more than a frame of a picture, like a moving movie, how they feel, what they may say, etc. I would like to be able to pray the Rosary well and really love it.


God bless you.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

I tend to have the same trouble unless I"m in a truly quiet place. While my dorm is rather quiet (honors college dorm, so it's quiet), it's always noisy around the time to pray Compline. In order not to hear troublesome things, I put on quiet music (usually the music of Hildegard von Bingen) and use that to put me in a quiet space.

It does take practice, and don't beat yourself up if you're having trouble. Just like it is hard to have the accountability to say all one's prayers a day (I tend to slack) without the concreteness of religious life (their schedule and prayer time), it's the same with meditation.

For the rosary, I like to use the scriptural rosary as it forces me to focus on certain mysteries.

Prayers for you!

[i<3franciscans]

I have to say that a scriptural rosary is lovely even though it takes longer. I would highly recommend it.

When it comes to meditating... Since I don't have my license yet and I usually can't get to a church I go out for walks. I pop in my ipod and put on some quiet praise and worship music. It really helps me to lift my mind to God and to just listen to Him.

I hope this helps! Prayers!

[Blessed&Grateful]

I listen to Father Groeschel 's rosary.

I say they rosary while walking ( I get up pretty early) around 5:00 am. If I can't do that I try to read a bit (right now Fr Murray Bodo's Song of Sparrow, is wonderful!) and it usually leads me to a meditative/contemplative time.

[OnlySunshine]

Honestly, I have never been able to do the imagery unless I'm listening to an audio Rosary. Since I have some trouble in quiet prayer, I find it helpful to use other tools like CDs or apps on the iPod Touch to help me.

[Sarah147]

What are some audio rosary cd's that are done well? (Very slow, gently, meditatively.)

The Nuns on EWTN seem to go a little too fast and loud.


It seems it's still hard to visualize even when I listen to EWTN rosaries on TV.

Edited October 27, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

I don't know what to tell you because I have the same problem. Sometimes I can meditate and other times I just can't stay focused on it. My Confirmation sponsor does Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets and almost all of her big prayers like that on youtube. She found a particular video for the Rosary that she loves, and what is good about youtube is that you can find videos with pictures that will help you meditate. I am praying for you, though.

[FutureSister2009]

I do have the same problem but like others said, use some auto ones. I also like to listen to Danielle Rose's CD on the Mysteries. That will help with the Rosary.

[brandelynmarie]

I have many of the same problems with meditation. Soooo...I started praying the rosary like this. I announce the Mystery, such as The Nativity. I bring to my mind an image of it & briefly imagine what I would [i]feel[/i] if I was present there. In this case, awe, wonder...joy. I may even think about what it is like to hold such a miracle as a tiny newborn. And then it is off to the races with the Our Father, Hail Mary's & Glory Be. Then I do the same for the next Mystery. I try to focus on saying the words with love & as much attention as possible, but it is not always easy. I do have some difficulty holding a picture in my mind while saying the prayers. ( I like to think that God & the Blessed Mother understand! )

Edited October 27, 2011 by brandelynmarie

[TheresaThoma]

Take it slowly, meditative prayer takes practice. When I was first learning the rosary all I could really focus on was the actual prayers themselves. I wasn't comfortable enough yet to do the meditations. Over time I became more comfortable with the rhythm of the prayers and that allowed me to start doing the meditations. I still struggle with it some days and I find my mind wandering but I try not to let that discourage me. I pull my mind back to the meditation and keep going. A book you might like is "The Armchair Mystic".
One other piece of advice I have is from St Ignatius of Loyola. He says that you should only stay with something as long as it is fruitful for you. In that he means that we need to be flexible about how we pray, It doesn't mean that we should only do what is easy but if you have been trying something for awhile and it just isn't working for you then you need to move on.

[beatitude]

St Teresa of Avila advised people to pray as they can, not as they can't. There is no magic secret for prayer. All you need is that basic desire to come closer to God. If you have that, then you are praying, no matter how unsatisfactory your prayer might feel.

I pray the rosary with Scripture passages for each mystery, and I dedicate each mystery to a particular intention. The rosary is what I use when I want to pray for other people, and when I think about the mysteries, I hold them and their needs in my mind - they become Christ for me. I try to find inspiration in the Bible verses for how to live my life and treat others. His life becomes manifest in my life through this way of prayer. I don't try to picture any Biblical scenes in my mind.

Sometimes I use the rosary prayers to quiet my mind when it's a little too buzzing and busy. Then I just focus on the words and nothing else. I may end up repeating one phrase or word over and over - "Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" - as I slip into quiet. Sometimes there is no quiet to be found, but I hang on to those beads as a person in danger of drowning clings to the ladder of the ship. There are days when you will be distracted and you won't be able to stop thinking about someone who upset you, what to cook for dinner, where your lost scarf might be, etc. This doesn't mean that the prayer is wasted. If I'm like that during my prayer, I complete it in spite of all the thoughts flying about and I finish simply with, "This is the best I've got today, God. Thank you." I know that prayer is a time for God to give Himself to me, and He won't hold back just because my prayer isn't as still and devout as I want it to be.

On a practical level, it might help to set aside a little corner for prayer, with just a few devotional images. (Don't overdo it.) Then you will be able to look at those as you pray, if you want a visual focus. Another good idea would be to set a timer for your prayer: half an hour here (no more, no less) and half an hour there (no more, no less). Stick with it even when you're fidgety and you want to get up. If prayer feels satisfying and you think you could go on forever, still get up when the time is done. Gentle discipline like this is a good help.

[brandelynmarie]

[quote name='beatitude' timestamp='1319750096' post='2327898']
St Teresa of Avila advised people to pray as they can, not as they can't. There is no magic secret for prayer. All you need is that basic desire to come closer to God. If you have that, then you are praying, no matter how unsatisfactory your prayer might feel.


Sometimes there is no quiet to be found, but I hang on to those beads as a person in danger of drowning clings to the ladder of the ship. There are days when you will be distracted and you won't be able to stop thinking about someone who upset you, what to cook for dinner, where your lost scarf might be, etc. This doesn't mean that the prayer is wasted. If I'm like that during my prayer, I complete it in spite of all the thoughts flying about and I finish simply with, "This is the best I've got today, God. Thank you." I know that prayer is a time for God to give Himself to me, and He won't hold back just because my prayer isn't as still and devout as I want it to be.
[/quote]

"This is the best I've got today, God. Thank you." Yes, so many times it is like that.

[somethingfishy]

I love using icons to pray. I have a beautiful one of the Holy Family which I like to use when praying the rosary. A good icon can draw you into the mystery of God... it's especially helpful when I'm tired or having a rough day, that I can just gaze at the icon, "notice what I notice" and be at peace.

Lots of good advice on this thread

[Chiara Francesco]

Not sure if this was mentioned but St. Therese didn't like the rosary and couldn't meditate and can't remember if she didn't say it or only said it when and if the community did. So you are in good company with the rosary problem!

I am wracking my brains trying to remember a book I was recently reading that was excellent on people having problems concentrating, meditation, run-away thoughts, mind wandering, etc. and I can't remember what it was! I've read St. Teresa of Avila and this book by the Franciscan, Francisco de Osuna - who wrote a favorite book that St. Teresa loved and accredited to her "recollection and prayer life", The Third Spiritual Alphabet - recollection having to do with the presence of God, your thoughts, mind, etc. It helped me and it's a great book.

At Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Francisco-Osuna-Spiritual-Alphabet-Spirituality/dp/080912145X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319753860&sr=1-1

If I remember that other book, I'll post it but right now I'm drawing a blank.

[Lilllabettt]

I knew an old lady who was very faithful to the Rosary. One time she unknowingly revealed the fact that she had no idea that a person was "supposed" to meditate while saying the decades. She thought you just announce the mystery and say the Hail Marys in honor of that mystery. I did not tell her she was doing it "wrong" or that there was more to it. I felt there was no need to upset her good and holy customs. I think that God was pleased with her.