Distracted during the rosary?

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Dulcissima,

Thanks for your post and the Fr John Hardon reference. It was helpful. I’m not “there” yet (it may take a while), but it helped.
 
Hey Guys!
I guess you forgot about the OP. From some of your responses – I am not sure I am saying the Rosary correctly. My biggest problem is the word “meditation” – so what exactly do you do when you recite the “Hail Marys”.

Thanks to all for sharing,
O.O.
 
o_o_82 said:
Hey Guys!
I guess you forgot about the OP. From some of your responses – I am not sure I am saying the Rosary correctly. My biggest problem is the word “meditation” – so what exactly do you do when you recite the “Hail Marys”.

Thanks to all for sharing,
O.O.
Click to expand...
Each day celebrates different mysteries from the life of Christ. For example, on Wednesdays and Fridays we remember the death and resurrection. The first mystery is the Agony in the Garden, the second is the Scourging at the Pillar, the third is the Crowning with Thorns, fourth is the Carrying of the Cross, and fifth is the Crucifixion. For each of these, you say the Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and a Oh my Jesus, all while trying to meditate on that particular mystery. Meditation means simply trying to think about the mystery. For the Agony in the Garden, I see Jesus praying fervently, knowing what he was about to have to endure.
 
o_o_82 said:
Hey Guys!
I guess you forgot about the OP. From some of your responses – I am not sure I am saying the Rosary correctly. My biggest problem is the word “meditation” – so what exactly do you do when you recite the “Hail Marys”.

Thanks to all for sharing,
O.O.
Click to expand...
For me meditating on the mysteries means picturing them in my mind, imagining how Jesus must have felt, and a lot of of the times I will see parallels between the mysteries and things that I am experiencing in my own life.
 
Larry1700 said:
Each day celebrates different mysteries from the life of Christ. For example, on Wednesdays and Fridays we remember the death and resurrection. The first mystery is the Agony in the Garden, the second is the Scourging at the Pillar, the third is the Crowning with Thorns, fourth is the Carrying of the Cross, and fifth is the Crucifixion. For each of these, you say the Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and a Oh my Jesus, all while trying to meditate on that particular mystery. Meditation means simply trying to think about the mystery. For the Agony in the Garden, I see Jesus praying fervently, knowing what he was about to have to endure.
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Sorry, I made a mistake (it was late last night, and someone was rushing me to get off the computer). TUESDAYS and Fridays are the Sorrowful mysteries. Also, I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it or if you’ve already read it, but John Paul II’s apostolic letter (Rosarium Virginis Mariae) on the Rosary when he introduced the Luminous mysteries is, uh, well, “illuminating.” (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)😃

It can be found at ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2ROSAR.HTM
 
If you don’t believe that the rosary is poweful remember this:

catholicculture.org/lit/calendar/day.cfm?id=281

Our Lady of the Rosary
****http://www.catholicculture.org/Lit/pictures/10_7_mary_rosary5.jpgThis feast was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the great naval victory over the Turks at the battle of Lepanto on this day in the year 1570, a favor due to the recitation of the Rosary. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam.
Lepanto, perhaps the most complete victory ever gained over the Ottoman Empire, on October 7, 1571, is commemorated by the invocation “Help of Christians,” inserted in the Litany of Loretto. At Belgrade the Turks were defeated on the Feast of Our Lady ad Nives in 1716. A second victory gained that year on the Octave of the Assumption determined Pope Clement XI to command the Feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. Leo XIII added the invocation “Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us,” to the Litany of Loretto. The Feast is in reality a great festival of thanksgiving for the signal and countless benefits bestowed on Christendom through the Rosary of our blessed Queen
 
If you know languages, you can try alternating. I once knew a missionary who did that to avoid falling asleep when tired and praying.
 
I usually keep a little pamphlet in front of me with little pictures of each mystery. The pictures come alive in my mind as I meditate on each mystery, and even then my mind may drift off that particular mystery into something that at first seems not relevant to my action. But it may have a connection somehow. The pamphlet is called Praying the Rosary Daily, and it was my introduction on how to pray the Rosary, and I still use it. The pictures help a lot. I love the quote on the backside of it too from JP II - “After the Eucharist, the Rosary is my favorite prayer” And to me it is a perfect prayer for us that are imperfect.

emp
 
Certainly, distractions are a problem. For at least one of the Rosaries each day, it is a good idea to pray in a setting and in a place where nothing else is going on.

Lately, for me I am starting to pray the Rosary more regularly in the bathtub. I use bubble-bath so the water doesn’t dry my skin out so much from the longer bath. And there I have more privacy than elsewhere.

Praying the Rosary while commuting to work is much more typical for me. But that time is a time where I am doing other things. And it is easier to be distracted.

“Is it OK to pray the Rosary while you are driving?” was a question asked a nun at a meeting a bit over a year ago. “Yes.” was her answer, “But try to pray a Rosary at least once a day where there is nothing else going on.” (Quiet, alone, and with the only purpose of praying the Rosary.) I am only now considering that this is good advice – and something that I need to do myself daily.

jmm08
 
jmm08 said:
“But try to pray a Rosary at least once a day where there is nothing else going on.” (Quiet, alone, and with the only purpose of praying the Rosary.) I am only now considering that this is good advice – and something that I need to do myself daily.

jmm08
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Adoration is a great place to pray the rosary since there is no distractions.
 
I am glad to have found this topic. I get distracted, too.
I like using a rosary leaflet to help myself visualize the mystery, while imagining to include each member of my family to meditate as well (i.e.one member for each mystery).
I try to imagine a real situation, for instance: the weather/how dark it was/was there a bit of moonlight during “the agony in the garden”; was there noise/any blood smell during “the scourging at the pillar”; was there any wood-dragging noise during “the carrying of the cross”,etc.
But whenever I join a home rosary, I can’t consentrate. I would keep tracking who is having the turn, I do not visualize any mystery. To me, it is useless, except for socialising with friends…
It is also comforting to say a decade or two at bed time, without meditating on the mystery. I feel peaceful ,drifting to sleep, leaving every concern into His hands…
 
jmm08 said:
Certainly, distractions are a problem. For at least one of the Rosaries each day, it is a good idea to pray in a setting and in a place where nothing else is going on.

Lately, for me I am starting to pray the Rosary more regularly in the bathtub. I use bubble-bath so the water doesn’t dry my skin out so much from the longer bath. And there I have more privacy than elsewhere.

Praying the Rosary while commuting to work is much more typical for me. But that time is a time where I am doing other things. And it is easier to be distracted.

“Is it OK to pray the Rosary while you are driving?” was a question asked a nun at a meeting a bit over a year ago. “Yes.” was her answer, “But try to pray a Rosary at least once a day where there is nothing else going on.” (Quiet, alone, and with the only purpose of praying the Rosary.) I am only now considering that this is good advice – and something that I need to do myself daily.

jmm08
Click to expand...
My goal this Lent is to be a better listener.

When my wife interrupts me watching ESPN college basketball game, I turn my attention to her, don’t say wait until a time-out, and don’t consider her a distraction.

When my daughter calls from college while I’m at work and rambles on about nothing (I really have a hard time describing it as more than nothing), I stop what I’m doing and just listen and don’t consider her a distraction.

And, when I’m praying, I don’t push out my rambling thoughts like I used to. For example, maybe my work related “distraction” this morning at Adoration was just the Holy Spirit telling me He wants to weigh in on the matter. So I let it consume my much of my thoughts and prayers this morning. When I got here to work, I don’t yet have a resolution to the matter but you know what it doesn’t seem to be the issue I thought it was last night.

Maybe these distractions you experience isn’t Satan trying to turn you away from God but God trying to weigh in on the matter? Food for thought?
 
I too first started praying the Rosary at Adoration. I don’t get the oppurtunity to spend in the Lord’s Presence anymore, but I do still remember to say a round on the beads. I too pray intentions for people on each decade on the mysteries. Although I’m probably more greedy as I squeeze 3 people in oin each decade. Usually the first decade is always for the Holy Father, the bishop of my diocese and the preist or deacon or novice i may have met recently. Next 3 on the next decade for family, next 3 firends, next 3 dead people, next 3 enemies/ or someone who caused me harm. Not sure if this is correct but it keeps a 3 theme going in it throughout, and makes more sense when I ask Jesus “especially those who are in most need of thy mercy.”

emp
 
empacae said:
I too first started praying the Rosary at Adoration. I don’t get the oppurtunity to spend in the Lord’s Presence anymore, but I do still remember to say a round on the beads. I too pray intentions for people on each decade on the mysteries. Although I’m probably more greedy as I squeeze 3 people in oin each decade. Usually the first decade is always for the Holy Father, the bishop of my diocese and the preist or deacon or novice i may have met recently. Next 3 on the next decade for family, next 3 firends, next 3 dead people, next 3 enemies/ or someone who caused me harm. Not sure if this is correct but it keeps a 3 theme going in it throughout, and makes more sense when I ask Jesus “especially those who are in most need of thy mercy.”

emp
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I think that this is very nice!
 
Hi,
I was busy over the past two weeks, so I am catching up with this thread again. Thanks to you guys for posting.
dulcissima said:
For me meditating on the mysteries means picturing them in my mind, imagining how Jesus must have felt, and a lot of of the times I will see parallels between the mysteries and things that I am experiencing in my own life.
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Thanks dulcissima. This is exactly what I do – so I guess what I am doing is correct. I wanted to know this, because I find doing two things at the same time very difficult. My concentration is very bad so this makes it worse. Anyway after your post, I at least have the consolation of doing this correctly (in principle at least.🙂 )
O.O.
 
Larry1700 said:
ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2ROSAR.HTM
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Thanks Larry for that link – I would read it when I find sometime.

Being born a Catholic, I know how to say the Rosary. However as you, I have not read much of theological background. (I think I would get around to doing that at some point of time.)
Code: 
Here my question was more practical i.e. how to say it. I have said it with my family since I was small – but then I feel we guys are mostly mouthing out the words, without really concentrating on what they mean – and more importantly not meditating on anything at all. This meditation is what I find a bit tough.
O.O.
 
Hey I remember St Therese saying that the Nuns behind her would rattle their beads and so on and instead of mentioning it she gave it up to Jesus and told Jesus that He went through more than that for her so …I do that to but, when the distraction is internal then I invite the spirits to join me and give praise to Jesus Christ they hate it and soon leave.

Godbless
littleone
 
chevalier said:
If you know languages, you can try alternating. I once knew a missionary who did that to avoid falling asleep when tired and praying.
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Thanks chevalier. I do know a bit of German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese – but none enough to pray. In fact I am living in Germany right now, and am forced to attend Mass in German. I can understand what is in the Missal (because it is similar to English) but nothing from the Homily.
So, I cannot pray in any other language other than English, because actually internally (in my mind) I think in English. I guess I am wired up that way.
O.O.
 
If you can, i would get a picture of each mystery, so that way, if you start to drift off, the picture is there to remind you.
 
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