I tried praying the rosary and fell promptly asleep

[TrueLight]

Thanks everyone for your tips/words of encouragement.

I’ve had these Rosary beads for about three weeks. I couldn’t bring myself to say it though because of the numerous Hail Marys.

However, I decided to open my heart and see what God would do. I must say that I didn’t hear any voice saying “blasphemy, blasphemy” at the Hail Mary’s, nor did I get hit by lightning, LOL.

It was… comforting.

Unfortunately, I set myself up to fall asleep (horizontal praying, LOL). It’s good to know that the faithful sometimes fall asleep as well.

Maryj, What a beautiful memory of your father falling asleep with his Rosary!

 

[Stavros]

I have an iPhone app called “Rosary” that is the audio of the Rosary prayers, prayed by the Daughters of St. Paul. It takes about 30 minutes total, and I listen to it every day as I drive into work. The audio helps keep my little ADD brain focused. (I also have an audio Divine Mercy app and an audio Divine Office app, as well as the freee iCATHOLICfm ETWN Catholic radio app).

Another option, if you have a little more time, is to buy “The Rosary is a Place”, and “The Rosary is a Luminous Place” by Fr. Groeschel. If you’re not ready to spring that much, it also plays almost every night on the iCATHOLICfm app, which is free.

 

[jmcrae]

I have heard many people talk about how powerful praying the rosary is. And you all know of my struggles with Mary. So tonight I tried praying the rosary. I have a rosary guide App on my iPhone with all the words as well as a picture guide.

I fell asleep.

What am I missing? Is it faith?

Maybe, enough sleep?

You must have needed the nap - try the Rosary again later, when you aren’t feeling so tired.

Any tips for beginners?

Take it one step at a time. Maybe start with one Mystery and spend an hour or so on that one Mystery.

How has praying the rosary changed your life?

It has helped me learn to see the world from other points of view, and to realize that not everything has to happen my way or on my schedule - even Jesus had to submit to the Father’s schedule, and do things in ways that from His point of view were not “the right” way, or the most efficient way. It has helped me learn to be patient with other people, and to live in God’s time.

 

[Edward_H]

Thanks everyone for your tips/words of encouragement.

I’ve had these Rosary beads for about three weeks. I couldn’t bring myself to say it though because of the numerous Hail Marys.

However, I decided to open my heart and see what God would do. I must say that I didn’t hear any voice saying “blasphemy, blasphemy” at the Hail Mary’s, nor did I get hit by lightning, LOL.

It was… comforting.

Unfortunately, I set myself up to fall asleep (horizontal praying, LOL). It’s good to know that the faithful sometimes fall asleep as well.

Maryj, What a beautiful memory of your father falling asleep with his Rosary!

No son will get mad at you if you treat his mother with affection and loving care. “Behold, your mother” If we could travel back in time to Nazareth, and we had a chance to greet Mary and to visit with her, we certainly would do it with great joy and abandonment, knowing that we were acting as children of the Father. We wouldn’t hesitate.

And if we had worked hard, and loved much, and we fell asleep in her presence, Jesus and Mary would simply smile at our wonderful littleness!

 

[TrueLight]

I have an iPhone app called “Rosary” that is the audio of the Rosary prayers, prayed by the Daughters of St. Paul. It takes about 30 minutes total, and I listen to it every day as I drive into work. The audio helps keep my little ADD brain focused. (I also have an audio Divine Mercy app and an audio Divine Office app, as well as the freee iCATHOLICfm ETWN Catholic radio app).

I didn’t know there was an audio of the Rosary. I’m going to check that out.
I have the Divine Office Liturgy of the Hours app. How does the EWTN app work? Is it live?

 

[Stavros]

I didn’t know there was an audio of the Rosary. I’m going to check that out.
I have the Divine Office Liturgy of the Hours app. How does the EWTN app work? Is it live?

Yes, EWTN radio is live, which is very nice.

 

[asia53]

EWTN TV has Mother Angelica, and the nuns praying the Rosary. I’m in the Mountain Daylight Time Zone, it comes on at 7:30 P.M. for me.

It’s how I started praying the Rosary. Here’s where I learned, how to hold the rosary, how to use the crucifix to make the Sign of the Cross, etc. In other words, “All you wanted to know about praying the Rosary, but were afraid to ask”. It’s slow, but you’re in good company. I, also, sit on the edge of my bed. If I lay down, in no time flat, I’m asleep. I have to close my eyes, because, I get distracted watching the nuns. It seems, at least for me, when you pray in company, it’s better.

I use a single word for the Mysteries, i.e. The Annunciation–Humility. I try keeping that word in my mind, along with a picture for the Mystery from my Rosary book. It helps me focus, and the tendency to get distracted is diminished. Mind you, not completely gone. I’ll think of the single word, and it brings me back to where I should be. My Rosary book provides the focus words. I’m sure you could do a Search, and find them.

God bless you on your journey, TrueLight! May I be the first to say----Welcome Home!!!

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I still struggle with the rosary after years and years of trying to pray it; my wife grew up in the Philippines but she isn’t really much into the devotion. I love Mary, think everything in the Rosary is powerful, but I think my attention span sometimes drifts and the repetition gets to me. I admire people that can pray it daily or even several times daily and draw so much spiritual benefit from it. It’s a blessing. I’m muddling along with it. Lately with Lent I’ve tried to pray shorter prayers and I do pray most of the Rosary prayers just not over and over.

With my children, when we put them to bed, I pray with them the Our Father, Lamb of God, Glory Be, often the Hail Holy Queen, Fatima Prayer, Hail Mary, etc. We do a lot. So I’m praying pieces of the Rosary…I figure at this point some with great attention is better that all with little to no attention.

I find it’s effective, if I do pray the rosary, to focus on ONE aspect of the Hail Mary prayer each time. For example, on the first H.M. I think the “blessed art thou among women” is key—no one has had the unique blessing to be in Mary’s shoes carrying the Son of Man…then on the next H.M. I think “blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus” this is unimaginable, bringing Christ into the world and sharing this gift with all humanity. I love my babies so much, imagine how Mary must’ve been filled with love for a baby that is divine and that God chose HER to have it! Then on the next H.M. I might think, “pray for us sinners now…” Boy do I need Mary’s help right now at work with…" and then “at the hour of our death, Amen,” I think of how I’ll need all the help I can get to be saved in the end, Mary pray for me! I just try to alternate thoughts about parts of the prayer. Same with the Our Father.

I’m still not a great rosary master. I lose my attention and often just don’t want to pray that whole thing, pure laziness. I’m not proud of that.

 

[The_Reginator]

Take your time also, its not a prayer to just run through. Say the prayers slow, and get emerged into the fullness of it.

Ah, there’s my problem. As much as I know I should meditate and pray slowly, I still find myself counting down to the end of each decade and to the end of the Rosary.

Personally, I think that maybe a bit of determination on my part would help. I’ll pray for that.

 

[The_Reginator]

I didn’t know there was an audio of the Rosary. I’m going to check that out.
I have the Divine Office Liturgy of the Hours app. How does the EWTN app work? Is it live?

For your computer you can also try: Come, Pray the Rosary. Here you have the option of joining the live Rosary in progress or praying individually from the start. Even if you choose the individual option you are joining with others around the world who are praying at the same time.

Reg.

 

[Alfonsus]

If praying 5 decade a bit too long, then break it into smaller pieces.
I read in the book “God and the World” that Cardinal Ratzinger love to pray the rosary, but even praying 5 decades at a go can be hard for him, so from time to time he pray 2-3 decades between his busy tasks.

Try to pray it 1 decade or 2 decades with good pace. If you are the type that easily distracted, don’t worry, try praying it as many decade as you can handle.

 

[RSD]

Maybe, enough sleep?

You must have needed the nap - try the Rosary again later, when you aren’t feeling so tired.

Take it one step at a time. Maybe start with one Mystery and spend an hour or so on that one Mystery.

There have been several good suggestions here about praying the Rosary. I want to agree with this poster that if you promptly fell asleep than you probably needed it. Sleep more, rejoicing in sleep as God’s gift to you.

Sleep debt will (definitely!) be paid. Better you fall asleep praying in bed than driving.

Then, when you wake up, pray the Rosary.

I am going to disagree with the above poster about the suggestion that meditating on one Mystery for an hour is how to start. I would suggest meditating on one Mystery for about 10 minutes.

So, to sum up- get enough sleep first, then keep on trying to pray the Rosary.

 

[TrueLight]

For your computer you can also try: Come, Pray the Rosary.
Reg.

I found this last night and I joined them somewhere in the middle of the second decade. Last night my experience felt pretty rote. I’m afraid I didn’t feel anything at all.

I

I find it’s effective, if I do pray the rosary, to focus on ONE aspect of the Hail Mary prayer each time. For example, on the first H.M. I think the “blessed art thou among women” is key—no one has had the unique blessing to be in Mary’s shoes carrying the Son of Man…then on the next H.M. I think “blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus” this is (

So by reading your post, I realize I am missing something. Is the rosary pretty much done in devotion to Mary? If so, therein lies my problem. I try to focus on the mysteries about Christ and sort of say the Hail Marys by rote. What do I do if I struggle with Marian doctrine? Should I put the rosary aside for now?

When I got to the assumption mystery, I kind of just went blank because I don’t know how I feel about that.

Please, this is not a cue to discuss why I should believe or not believe. There are enough threads for that and trust me, I read them over and over.

But should I persevere with the rosary in hopes I will get a revelation or come back to it later in my journey?

EWTN TV has Mother Angelica, and the nuns praying the Rosary. I’m in the Mountain Daylight Time Zone, it comes on at 7:30 P.M. for me.

Yes, I actually have that on in the morning as I get dressed. It’s really beautiful. I like the Chaplet of St Michael (I think it’s called). The one that goes “through the intercession of St. Michael.”

God bless you on your journey, TrueLight! May I be the first to say----Welcome Home!!!

Thank you Asia. Please pray for me.

 

[Silver_Thread]

Kneeling or sitting upright or standing. Kneeling is preferred. You can say it anywhere and you don’t have to say it all at once. You can say one decade at a time and pick out 5 different spots during the day and give it just a few minutes each. You might find someone to say it with can help.

First get some sleep! Then pray! We all seem to be so busy! I drive a delivery vehicle, so I pray while going to and coming from a delivery. Helps with road rage! Manage at least 15 to 20 decades each day. Good luck!!

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Don’t worry, when you fall asleep praying the Holy Rosary, your Guardian Angel will finish it for you

Oh, but you are good!

Alex

 

[Alexander_Roman]

I found this last night and I joined them somewhere in the middle of the second decade. Last night my experience felt pretty rote. I’m afraid I didn’t feel anything at all.

So by reading your post, I realize I am missing something. Is the rosary pretty much done in devotion to Mary? If so, therein lies my problem. I try to focus on the mysteries about Christ and sort of say the Hail Marys by rote. What do I do if I struggle with Marian doctrine? Should I put the rosary aside for now?

When I got to the assumption mystery, I kind of just went blank because I don’t know how I feel about that.

Please, this is not a cue to discuss why I should believe or not believe. There are enough threads for that and trust me, I read them over and over.

But should I persevere with the rosary in hopes I will get a revelation or come back to it later in my journey?

Hello Servant of Christ!

Keep to the rosary and don’t worry about the Mysteries - you can develop your own. If there is an issue with Marian things - then focus on what you are comfortable with.

Either way, by saying the Hail Mary’s and meditating on the life of Christ - you are offering an amazing prayer and deepening your own commitment to Christ, the Incarnate Divine Son of God.

The Holy Spirit is inspiring you mightily. I know you are admired by not a few Catholics here for your persevering devotion!!

Just don’t let go of those beads!

Cheers,

Alex

Yes, I actually have that on in the morning as I get dressed. It’s really beautiful. I like the Chaplet of St Michael (I think it’s called). The one that goes “through the intercession of St. Michael.”

Thank you Asia. Please pray for me.

 

[Marian_Devotee]

Hi, TrueLight!

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but I recommend praying the scriptural Rosary here:
scripturalrosary.org/BeginningPrayers.html

Scroll down to the bottom and click on the Mystery (or Mysteries) that you want to pray. Read the grace/virtue associated with each decade, and ask that Our Blessed Mother may help you to obtain them.

Meditate upon each scripture verse that is listed - it will really help you.

Trust me, if you persevere, you will find the Rosary to be abundantly rich and fruitful in your life.

And welcome home, by the way!

 

[thirddec]

Wonderfull to find another Rosary sayer; but I suggest saying it earlier when you are not tired in a position or place where you wont sleep. Or in smaller parts throughout the day.

Then if you do find it a comfortable way to fall asleep start another in bed.

BUT ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE KEEP SAYING IT

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Hi TrueLight,

If Marian devotion is giving you issues right now I’d say putting the rosary to the side a little might be beneficial for you at this point. I wouldn’t pray the rosary until I’m spiritually disposed to do so. If you’re struggling with those issues, the devil will use this as an obsession something to sidetrack you from the Passion, the heart of Lent.

I would say that the Rosary is devotion to Mary and Christ. The Hail Mary’s also have the Glory Be’s, the Our Father, the Fatima Prayer, and most mysteries are about Christ, especially the Sorrowful Mysteries, which are very relevent during Lent…

Mary is tied up in Jesus’s life and passion and really when one thinks about how Mary and Jesus share the same blood in their veins, mother and child, the rosary appropriately ties them together. Mary is not to be worshipped, but given hyperdulia. I would look into that and I would pray directly to the Lord until you can sort out your feelings about Marian dogmas.

At this point stay focused on Our Saviour this Lent and don’t let the devil take your eye off the prize, brother! He’s been trying to divert me, too!

PM me if you want to talk also! Anyone here knows I’ve actually struggled with Catholicism for a long time having left for Anglicanism more than once!

Lenten blessings to you!

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I will probably get flamed for this, but…

maybe the Rosary is not for you.

The best advice I ever received was from a priest who was my spiritual director.
I was having a really hard time with the Rosary, and had a lot of people telling me that I was a “bad Catholic” because it was not one of my favorite devotions. He told me that prayer is a very private thing and that nothing is a “one size fits all” solution.
Pray as you can, not as you can’t, was his mantra and it became mine.

The traditional rosary is still not one of my favorite methods of prayer, but I do say it occaisonally. My spirituality is very Ignatian, and I find that the triple collequy from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius is a wonderful way to foster a devotion to the Blessed Mother.

THIRD EXERCISE

IT IS A REPETITION OF THE FIRST AND SECOND EXERCISE, MAKING THREE COLLOQUIES

After the Preparatory Prayer and two Preludes, it will be to repeat the First and Second Exercise, marking and dwelling on the Points in which I have felt greater consolation or desolation, or greater spiritual feeling.

After this I will make three Colloquies in the following manner:

***First Colloquy. The first Colloquy to Our Lady, that she may get me grace from Her Son and Lord for three things: first, that I may feel an interior knowledge of my sins, and hatred of them; second, that I may feel the disorder of my actions, so that, hating them, I may correct myself and put myself in order; third, to ask knowledge of the world, in order that, hating it, I may put away from me worldly and vain things.***And with that a Hail Mary.

Second Colloquy. The second: The same to the Son, begging Him to get it for me from the Father.

And with that the Soul of Christ.

Third Colloquy. The third: The same to the Father, that the Eternal Lord Himself may grant it to me.

And with that an Our Father.

Peace be with you on your journey!