I tried praying the rosary and fell promptly asleep

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convert999 said:
Hi TrueLight – I also came from a Protestant backround and had many of the same problems with the Rosary at first. The Assumption and Coronation mysteries were hard for me, too. I kept with it, though, and continued to pray for understanding. I found that after I was able to receive the Eucharist, my understanding of and appreciation for the Rosary were greatly increased. I say it daily now (sometimes I miss on Saturdays :() and I have learned that I need to say it in the morning. I get up at 5:00 and usually start my Rosary about 5:30 (after the coffee is brewed) 😉 I don’t always feel touched or moved by it. Feelings are unreliable and can easily be used by satan to mislead us. God honors persistence in prayer (Luke 11) and He has greatly blessed me with the Rosary. I can’t say it at bedtime though. I have a better chance of making it through the Divine Mercy Chaplet so I say that while I am laying in bed! God bless you in your journey!
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Hi Convert,

It’s always good to see someone go through the same struggles and somehow overcome. Yay!

Why do you think being able to receive the Eucharist help you to say the Rosary?

Did you feel more legitimately part of the Catholic Church and therefore felt more of an affinity for its traditions?
 
poor_clare said:
Hi

Try this site. You’ll be praying with other people and will really enjoy it

comepraytherosary.org/

God bless you,
Clare
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Yes, that is a great site.

I remember there was a poll taken on EWTN or another channel where it was asked if technology can help with faith and practising one’s beliefs.

I say a resounding YES!
 
TrueLight said:
Thanks. I will check it out.

So are there different types of Rosary prayers?
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I use this one at beginning: "O God whose only begotten Son, by His life death and resurrection, has gained for us eternal life, grant that through the prayers of this holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary we may learn to imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise through the same Christ our Lord Amen!👍
 
I asked the Almighty to help me focus, in my spirit, I felt I was to think of a person who I loved deeply and had fond memories of , it was my Gran-Gran. It was a powerful sense of peace and clarity, I have not had an event like that prior. She had a sunroom in her Texas home, I used to read there, it was so light and peaceful, it was if I could smell her and her beloved housekeeper (who fought like hens but adored each other) I could smell the polishing of wood and silver, these were the dominant smells, 🙂 I don’t know, at THAT point, the Rosaries felt alive in my hand I felt close to Christ I was so focused. I suppose this is not advice, but your post brought to mind that God can use some amazing things, ask HIM to guide you into that “focus” , I cannot say the means he will use, for me it only happened once as I described, but it did something to bring me into it since. PAX ET BONUM.
 
I cannot say the rosary while lying down or sometimes even sitting because I fall asleep, and I have been saying the rosary for a long time. I don’t even attempt at saying the rosary while in the car because I am afraid I will fall asleep while driving. You are not alone!
 
I do not know if any has mentioned this but I would have a priest bless your rosary
Then every tome you use it you will be tied into the prayers of the church. I would also suggest a book to read. The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Momfort. It is a small book it will explain the rosary to you. The writings of de Momfort had a great effect on many popes include John Paul II.
 
TrueLight said:
Yes, that is a great site.

I remember there was a poll taken on EWTN or another channel where it was asked if technology can help with faith and practising one’s beliefs.

I say a resounding YES!
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It certainly can! I have a smartphone with a full Bible text on it for when I’m out of the house and I know people with virtual rosary and virtual Stations of the Cross apps on their laptops/phones/PDAs too. Also, this forum is proof that technology can be a great thing to the faithful!
 
HouseArrest said:
I cannot say the rosary while lying down or sometimes even sitting because I fall asleep, and I have been saying the rosary for a long time. I don’t even attempt at saying the rosary while in the car because I am afraid I will fall asleep while driving. You are not alone!
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Many years ago I had to commute to work and often prayed the Rosary to or from. I found that after a day’s work my eyelids began to droop while praying.
The odd thing was that if I switched to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy I was able to keep awake. Isn’t the Chaplet even more repetitive than the Rosary ?? :confused:
 
In answer to your question: It’s not just feeling part of the Church that makes it easier to pray the Rosary. It’s that the Eucharist, being Jesus’ body, by its very nature increases our intimacy with Christ and therefore His mother. When I was in RCIA, there were things that I could only accept because I accepted the authority of the Church. I had to say, “Jesus, I don’t understand this, but I believe it because I trust the Church that You founded.” After I was in full communion, I began to understand the things that I had previously accepted on faith. The Rosary mysteries were one of the things that I started to understand. Not that I understand them now but the definite awareness is there now where it wasn’t before. I compare it to the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. The waters weren’t parted until they actually set foot in the water. When Peter walked on water, he had to get out of the boat first. Becoming Catholic was like that for me. Once I reached out in faith and took the first big scary step, Christ supported me all the way. God bless!
 
One day I confessed to a very senior priest, a very savvy guy, high up in the Church, sheepishly, that I had no feeling for the Blessed Mother.

He said, “Pray the Rosary”.

So I did.

After about two weeks of daily Rosaries, one day, “all of a sudden”, there was this “feeling” … that I knew Mary better than I knew my own mom.

Cannot explain it.
 
A couple of hours ago, I found out my sister who is about 13 weeks pregnant had to be rushed to the hospital because she was bleeding. I dont know if she lost the baby or not but you know what I did? I told my kids and told them to pray for their aunt, then I told them not to disturb me cause I was going to pray.

Then I went into my room, closed the door then pulled out the rosary. I figured if there was ever a time to ask for Mary’s help it was for an unborn child right?

I’m not going to say I felt reassured in a big way but I did feel some comfort.
 
TrueLight said:
Thanks. I will check it out.

So are there different types of Rosary prayers?
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There are (traditionally) three mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries, and The Glorious Mysteries. Some do say the Luminous Mysteries as well.

To expound further, the structure is the same (The Our Father, followed by 3 Hail Marys for Faith, Hope, and Charity, then the Fatima prayer ) but the decades of each mystery differ as they correspond to moments in Christ’s life. The key word with the Rosary is “meditating”, and you will find St. Louis de Montfort’s writings to be of immense help in praying the Rosary, not simply saying the Rosary.

Additionally, many people pray the “Hail, Holy Queen”, “Memorarae”, and “Rosary prayers” after the fifth decade, which are very powerful. I also include St. Michael’s prayer as well. If you want, do a search for quotes from saints/popes on the Rosary, and you will see how necessary it is. Padre Pio called it his “weapon”.
 
I wouldn’t worry too much about falling asleep during the Rosary. Obviously, it’s great to get through it, but I have heard that your Guardian Angel will finish it for you. Plus, it must have gotten you to a very peaceful place to be able to fall asleep in the middle of praying. In my opinion falling asleep during a prayer would be a pretty good way to go to bed. You’re falling asleep in the middle of a conversation with those that care very deeply for you and will watch out for you through the night. I have heard of so many people that say they fall asleep while trying to pray the Rosary at night. It’s very common!
 
The_Reginator said:
Many years ago I had to commute to work and often prayed the Rosary to or from. I found that after a day’s work my eyelids began to droop while praying.
The odd thing was that if I switched to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy I was able to keep awake. Isn’t the Chaplet even more repetitive than the Rosary ?? :confused:
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I experienced the sleepy syndrome :eek: however, I discovered that (and there may be others) the problem is the shallow breathing when praying the rosary… I believe it contributes to sleepiness. I try to make sure that I take deep breath every so often. It helps, however when your in traffic, I would stop praying and pay attention! 😃
 
I don’t know if anyone noticed when I posted yesterday that my pregnant sister was rushed to the hospital with bleeding. We were afraid it might be a miscarriage so I chose tonpray the rosary. What better time to pray the rosary when an unborn child us at risk. The Marian mysteries definitely had more meaning.

So the baby is fine!

Praise be to God.

Is there anything else I should do or say?
 
TrueLight said:
I don’t know if anyone noticed when I posted yesterday that my pregnant sister was rushed to the hospital with bleeding. We were afraid it might be a miscarriage so I chose tonpray the rosary. What better time to pray the rosary when an unborn child us at risk. The Marian mysteries definitely had more meaning.

So the baby is fine!

Praise be to God.

Is there anything else I should do or say?
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I am very happy for your sister and the baby and you. I join with you in praising God for this. What else should you say or do? The Glorious Mysteries!
 
RSD said:
I am very happy for your sister and the baby and you. I join with you in praising God for this. What else should you say or do? The Glorious Mysteries!
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No objections there!
 
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