Dealing With Distractions In Adoration/meditation?

[NotreDame]

Hi all! 

 

I'm in a new area where I'm running into an issue I haven't dealt with before.  Outside of mass, I'm used to Churches and chapels (such as those that do perpetual adoration) that are either engaged in vocal group prayer or they are silent. 

 

However, now I'm in a new area and all the local chapels are very small and quiet and they always have people "whispering" their prayers, often for great lengths of time in very audible whispers.  Because the chapels are so small and quiet, everyone can hear the whispering.  There are often multiple people going on at once and very rarely a respite from the noise.  It's so loud against the quiet background that even plugging my ears has little effect.  I've gone at all different times and I can get some quiet, but it's very rare.  Maybe 20-30% of the days I go and never 30 minutes before/after mass.

 

I understand that at a basic level there is vocal prayer, mental prayer, and spiritual reading.  It's my understanding that we should strive for mental prayer and this is what I try to do, but I find it impossible with the 'whispering'.  It's like having the TV on in the next room.  At all the religious houses I've been at or prayed at, there is always silence, none of this whispering.  I'm not used to it.  I'm usually have to resort to reading whatever I have with me. 

 

I've recently taken to turning on the fans for background noise to cover the whispers, which helps a little, but I'm not sure what else to do.  I really enjoy going to a chapel and praying in silence, but that seems almost an impossibility here based on my experience.  I'll add that I'm in the southwest and many of the "whisperers" seem hispanic and there is often crying involved (which is actually less distracting), so maybe there is a charismatic element to this.

 

So this has been going on for months and I'm finding it very discouraging.  What should I do?  I'd imagine it's not appropriate for me to ask people to be quiet, is it?  Am I relegated to spiritual reading during these times or have any of you overcome these external distractions in mental prayer?

 

Sorry if this sounds petty, but I really value mental prayer, have trouble doing it in these chapels, and am looking for solutions.  If you often meditate in front of the blessed sacrament (exposed or not) and especially if you who have dealt with and/or overcome these sort of distractions then I'm interested in what you think.

 

[ChristinaTherese]

I don't have any solutions, but St. Therese wrote about a sister who made some noise (maybe clicking rosary beads or something? I'm not sure) that drove her crazy too, and ended up offering the sound to God. (ETA: It's in Story of a Soul somewhere.) I don't know how I'd apply that myself though. I mean, if it was me I'd likely just end up feeling really frayed. Or what about figuring out what times are quiet and going then? Have you tried the middle of the night?

Edited November 24, 2013 by Christina Thérèse

[NotreDame]

Thanks CT.  I hadn't thought of that portion from Story of a Soul, but remember it now.  "Offer it up" is all I've come up with myself: do that, put my head down in the book, and try to get through the time I've promised myself to stay.  Maybe that's the answer, but I really respect so many of the people on this board I thought I'd throw it out there to see if others had ideas or similar experiences. 

 

I'm trying to identify concrete times of quiet, but it's surprisingly difficult.  (Slightly off-topic, I grew up here and never liked the Cardinal, the bishops, or the parishes.  I was blown away by the faith of Roman Catholics when I finally moved away, now I'm remembering why I felt that way in the past.)

 

 

[AnneLine]

Notre Dame, I struggle with this myself.  I have ADD, and noise or movement can be SUPER distracting and irritating to me.   What I have found is helpful is ... earplugs. 

 

yes, it's irritating that they are necessary, and you'll feel silly at first, but it puts you in control.  They make them in flesh colors if you don't want to be too obvious, but the purple/orange/lime green/pink ones are more comfortable and the advantage is that if you drop one you can FIND it (they make them those crazy colors so people working on assembly lines won't drop them into something they are working on!)

 

I do suggest positioning yourself so that if there is an emergency you will know about it.. because you are limiting input from one of your senses.....

 

The most comfortable and practical ones are the ones with fairly high decibel ratings.  You can get them at a drug store (just a small amount until you find the ones you like) or you can order them on line.  Check out a link like this to see what the options are... and then give some a test drive... I use them whenever it just gets TOO noisy at Church (usually when the organist decides he just HAS to improve on the silence... sigh....)

 

http://www.howardleight.com/ear-protection/earplugs

 

 

[NotreDame]

Annline... that's a very... practical suggestion.   :bravo: 

 

I've used the cheap foam kinds with mixed results.  I know they have wax kinds too.  Which ones work best for you?

[AnneLine]

Glad you like my solution.   It is practical, and it at least gets it down to a dull roar.... and helps me to remember that in part the problem is MINE... because this chapel is theirs as well.  But the muttered prayers are a PAIN! 

 

I use either these or the flents or the howard leights..... what I find is key is to find a shape that fits my ears (and everyone is different) AND be sure it has the 33 decibel rating (or close to that)... many of the cheaper ones do NOT block that much noise.

 

If you are using the cheap ones, the trick is to squash them into a narrow, thin bullet, (you kind of roll them), and then quickly insert them into your ears, and then let them expand back out ... and with that expansion, enjoy the silence.  You'll be aware of them at first, and then as they adjust, you'll get more able to concentrate on other things...

 

This is one of the many brands.....

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hearos-Xtreme-Protection-Series-10-Pair/dp/B0068HC0X4/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1385332613&sr=8-14&keywords=hearos+ear+plugs

 

 

Just promise me, NotreDame...

 

 

that you will NOT use cigar stubs...  NO!

 

Edited November 24, 2013 by AnneLine

[Spem in alium]

Totally get this - it can be easy to be distracted when there's noise!

Earplugs are good.  You could also try listening to religious music (or if you're praying the Rosary, maybe a recitation) on an MP3 player or iPod. I find that this really helps me disconnect from background noise and enter into a deeper prayer experience, but it depends what works for you :)

[cmaD2006]

I have a pair of hearos. $ 15 (or so) from a music shop. It really does eliminate a lot of background noise without eliminating everything I usually use them at the super loud spanish Mass but I've also used the at adoration when there's too much noise. They have at least two types of hearos but the ones I use are the more expensive ones.

Hearos will eliminate the soft whispering noise (or at least most of it). But you will hear if something happens (any commotion or louder noise)

[BarbTherese]

I find singing hymns in my head concentrating on words will most times cut out distractions.  If that fails, I borrow from St Therese and offer the distractions as my prayer since I cannot avoid them.  A fulfilling Adoration is a blessing, but nothing like failure to keep me humble and in my place.

[NotreDame]

Wow, thank you all for the replies... 

 

Earplugs - a very simple, practical solution!   I had no idea it was so common either!  I will be trying these out and reporting back.  I will not use Cigar buttts.  I don't smoke.  that picture is of a famous american catholic intellectual.

 

Ipod - I thought of that, but it's actually so quiet in the chapel that I'd be concerned people would hear my earphones.

 

Thanks BT - It's not the failure I'm worried about.  It's that I really need/want that time of silence to engage in mental prayer and talk to God.  It's an outlet for stress at this time and it brings me a lot of peace to go and be able to do that.  I know we aren't supposed to seek consolation, but I hope that's not what I'm doing.  

 

[NotreDame]

And BT - I will also get some hymns at the ready to try your technique.  Salve Regina should do the trick.
 

[cmaD2006]

BTW these are the hearos that I use:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hearos-Fidelity-Series-Comfortable-1-Pair/dp/B0037KM8QY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1385397309&sr=8-5&keywords=hearos

 

[Lilllabettt]

i blast white noise through my headphones. it sounds like a fan but "in" my ear. doesn't distract anyone.

a spendy option is noise canceling headphones. if the praying in whispery chapels looks like a long-term thing, they may be worth your investment.

[arfink]

Annline... that's a very... practical suggestion.   :bravo:

 

I've used the cheap foam kinds with mixed results.  I know they have wax kinds too.  Which ones work best for you?

 

The kind I use are silicone, and look like this:

 

 

They clean up easier so you can reuse them well, and they seal nicely too. I mostly use them when 4yr olds are home are shrieking and I won't want to have headphones on, and also in the workshop. Mine are good enough to protect me from running saws and sanders, so I imagine these would render whispering nearly impossible to hear.

 

Do be aware that if you have tinnitus (as I likely do) you may find sitting in complete silence with ear plugs in to be a very difficult thing to do. My ears make strange non-sounds which I know is neurological, but obnoxious all the same.

[NotreDame]

After giving it a go tonight...  I think you guys might be on to something with this earplug idea... :like3: