I tried praying the rosary and fell promptly asleep

[pablope]

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?

Hi, TL…yes, I saw your post…and I said a little prayer too. Praise be to God…

What else should be done…say a prayer of thanks. If you can and know how to, call the parish you are attending mass (any of their daily mass) and offer one of the daily mass as a thanksgiving for you sister’s well being as a special intention. The priest will mention this before he starts the mass.

God bless…

 

[Monte_RCMS]

One interesting recent thing: I have started “adopting themes” in my Rosary-praying.

What’s that?

Well, lately, I have become fascinated with the Holy Spirit. [Holy Ghost, to some folks.]

The Holy Spirit is so neglected. There are a lot of prayers and hymns to the Holy Spirit.

But, lately, when praying the Rosary I enjoy focusing on the role of the Holy Spirit.

Like today, for instance … Monday is the Joyful Mysteries. And in the Annunciation, the HOLY SPIRIT comes over Mary and she becomes pregnant with Jesus. WOW!!!

And in the Glorious mysteries on Wednesday, the third mystery is the Descent of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. WOW, again.

Anyway, I LOVE the Holy Spirit and marvel at his works.

And the Holy Spirit is integrated into the Rosary.

 

[TrueLight]

Good idea. You just confirmed to me my thoughts on starting a thread on the holy spirit.

 

[The_Reginator]

Good idea. You just confirmed to me my thoughts on starting a thread on the holy spirit.

You do that and I’ve got a wee little conversion story for you. (If it fits in with the thread, of course.)

 

[ETEXAS]

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.

Oh yes! I have a number of chaplets and full “decade and dangle” as the saying goes but I get 'em Blessed by poor Fr. Kelly, who probably has a sore crossing wrist, but it is a good point! Get your beads blessed!

 

[coco2]

Start by a short prayer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, asking Them to listen to you pray. Acknowledge Their presence, and ask Them for grace to pray the Rosary well.

Pray only 1 decade for a couple of weeks, not the whole Rosary. It’s ok. Pray it with great love and effort, though.

When you start a particular mystery, ponder that mystery, that portion in the life of Christ through the eyes of Mary. And perhaps, after you self-announce the mystery and relive that moment for a couple of seconds…turn each mystery into a slightly self-examing question: Do I bring the joy of Christ to others when I visit them? Do I carry the crosses that God gives me well? Am I ready to die for the love of God? Do I make efforts, with the grace of God, to Transfigure ordinary events into events that have supernatural consequences? Etc.

These few seconds of reflection and self-examination might help you strengthen your focus and resolve.

And remember…the Rosary is actually DESIGNED for the naturally distractible nature of children of God. It’s designed to make us turn again and again back to God, reflecting our own weak nature.

So we turn back to God 50 or so times during a Rosary. This is good practice for us in the rest of our lives, turning hundreds and thousands of ordinary moments in the rest of our day, back to God, in conversation with Him.

Does that help?

Don’t worry…start small, start with the help of God, and realize that the Rosary is designed to get us into the habit of turning back to God. He knows we’re just little children. It’s we who forget.

God bless your efforts.

I’ve never heard it put this way before, that the Rosary is a practice in returning to God. glad to hear I am not the only one who sometimes struggles with my mind wandering off to strange lands while I pray the rosary. I always feel like the devil is trying to pry me away from those beads with all his might. I used to give up and not pray it for long periods of time, but now if I say the rosary and I have struggled through the whole thing, I apologize to Jesus and Mary and tell them I’m not giving up and I’ll see them tomorrow!

Depending on the thoughts I have, I sometimes call on St. Michael to defend me in this battle!

 

[mangy_dog]

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?

Should I be kneeling when I say the rosary? I was actually lying on my side.

Any tips for beginners?

How has praying the rosary changed your life?

Thanks.

I always pray the Rosary on my knees…hard to fall asleep and it is a physical sacrifice on behalf of the souls in Purgatory. Rosarium memento mori.

The Rosary has changed my life in ways that are subtle but effectively lasting. My day doesn’t seem to “fit” until I have prayed the Rosary. And because I have a deep devotion to praying for the Blessed Souls in Purgatory, it lends to my life a sense of mission and unity with the Church Suffering and the Church Triumphant as I work out my salvation in the Church Militant.

 

[Sister_Leocadia]

If I was to lie down on my bed and start to pray the Rosary I think I myself might fall asleep and I’m a religious sister!

If you don’t have beads and just an iPhone or similar device’s “app” then I do think you’re missing out. When you have a Rosary in your hands it really helps you to feel all the prayers as you say them and concentrates the mind. I actually like to carry a small book with all the prayers and mysteries in it and I read it often. It brings me closer to Our Lady and Our Lord when I spend time thinking about them and our faith.

 

[Chenell]

First of all I know this is an old thread but I found it while Googling “falling asleep while praying the rosary.”

I also struggle with falling asleep during the rosary. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of the day or if I am driving or sitting at my desk or kneeling. I get very drowsy and nod off and feel terrible about it. I used to say the rosary in bed with my husband but he would get furious with me when I fall asleep. I told him he waited until it was too late to start one! We have yet to find a good time for both of us to do one together so we are doing them individually for now.

I have come to the realization that it is not necessarily a bad thing to nod off during the rosary because it is a meditative prayer and makes you very relaxed and peaceful. I am going to try to do it while walking or pacing and see if that helps.

I too have to fight my mind from wandering. I have a booklet on how to pray the rosary and it helps me to look at the pictures of the mysteries to keep my mind focused.

I also joined the Rosary Confraternity @ rosary-center.org and that helps me to keep the commitment of saying the rosary every day (or at least every week day). In turn you pray for the members and they pray for you.

I just converted to Catholicism this Easter but I have been saying the rosary maybe 9 months or so before my conversion after my husband (a cradle Catholic) introduced me to it and told me about the promises and everything associated with it. When I started praying it I had no desire to convert to Catholicism. My husband didn’t ask me to convert nor did he push it on me. But somehow between the rosary and wearing a scapular my mind was changed! We have been married 7 years now and it was never an issue. I have only been a Christian for the last 3 years (my parents did not bring me up in the faith at all). My husband wasn’t practicing his faith at the time of our courtship and marriage. We just renewed our vows in the Catholic Church so now we are both full members of the church. I have to say I’ve had communion in protestant churches but it is not even close to the Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

Anyway, I am rambling a bit but thanks for the helpful thread and I will put some of these tips to work.

Blessings to you all!



Chenell

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

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?

Should I be kneeling when I say the rosary? I was actually lying on my side.

Any tips for beginners?

How has praying the rosary changed your life?

Thanks.

First, I would like to compliment you for trying to say the Rosary. Whether you fell asleep or not, you have some misunderstandings about Mary (Through your past church, I’m sure), but you still tried anyway. Rest assured upon the fact you tried means the Holy Spirit is working within you.

It is more proper to be on your knees, because that’s where every begging sinner should be. And I’m sure that the reason you fell asleep is because you were laying on your side. I sometimes sit down and say it if my knees are in immense pain, but usually I kneel, because for the most part I’m begging the Holy Mother to help me with my problems.

As for your last question, the Rosary has done amazing things for me. For three years I struggled with sexual sin. No matter what I did I was never able to stop. But after three years I realized I’d tried everything except praying. I started out with just one decade a day, and eventually I progressed to a full Rosary. I haven’t had problems since.

Concerning your problems with Mary, praying the Rosary is the best way to understand her. Also, Tim Staples has a CD on her. A Protestant told him that she was trying to turn Catholic, but Mary was in the way. So she said she bought the CD and listened to it on a long car trip. She said she walked in the car a Protestant and walked out of it a Catholic. I’m sure that it will help you in the same way.

God bless you. I’ll be praying for you, and I hope you’ll be praying for me as well.

:knight1:

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

First of all I know this is an old thread but I found it while Googling “falling asleep while praying the rosary.”

I also struggle with falling asleep during the rosary. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of the day or if I am driving or sitting at my desk or kneeling. I get very drowsy and nod off and feel terrible about it. I used to say the rosary in bed with my husband but he would get furious with me when I fall asleep. I told him he waited until it was too late to start one! We have yet to find a good time for both of us to do one together so we are doing them individually for now.

I have come to the realization that it is not necessarily a bad thing to nod off during the rosary because it is a meditative prayer and makes you very relaxed and peaceful. I am going to try to do it while walking or pacing and see if that helps.

I too have to fight my mind from wandering. I have a booklet on how to pray the rosary and it helps me to look at the pictures of the mysteries to keep my mind focused.

I also joined the Rosary Confraternity @ rosary-center.org and that helps me to keep the commitment of saying the rosary every day (or at least every week day). In turn you pray for the members and they pray for you.

I just converted to Catholicism this Easter but I have been saying the rosary maybe 9 months or so before my conversion after my husband (a cradle Catholic) introduced me to it and told me about the promises and everything associated with it. When I started praying it I had no desire to convert to Catholicism. My husband didn’t ask me to convert nor did he push it on me. But somehow between the rosary and wearing a scapular my mind was changed! We have been married 7 years now and it was never an issue. I have only been a Christian for the last 3 years (my parents did not bring me up in the faith at all). My husband wasn’t practicing his faith at the time of our courtship and marriage. We just renewed our vows in the Catholic Church so now we are both full members of the church. I have to say I’ve had communion in protestant churches but it is not even close to the Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

Anyway, I am rambling a bit but thanks for the helpful thread and I will put some of these tips to work.

Blessings to you all!



Chenell

Hello Chenell. I think you have a misunderstanding. It is not a bad thing to accidentally fall asleep during the Rosary. I’m not saying it’s particularly good, but it’s not a sin if it’s not on purpose. After all, one of the greatest Saints, Saint Therese of Lisieux, always fell asleep in prayer. Here’s a quote from a Catholic parish website:

“The other nuns noticed that Sr. Therese did her jobs well. Beyond that, many of them did not see much special about the young nun. But that, in itself, was the very thing that was so special about Sr. Therese. She shows us that we do not have to do great or extraordinary things to become a saint. Sr. Therese had a humble and trusting love of God despite her own weaknesses. For instance, when she and the other nuns were gathered in the chapel for prayer, she sometimes fell asleep. While falling asleep during prayer time embarrassed Sr. Therese, she did not think that it mattered much to God. To her, God was a loving Father. Just as parents love their children as much when they are asleep as when they are awake, Sr. Therese was confident that God loved her even when she fell asleep in chapel. About prayer she once wrote, “I do not have the courage to force myself to search out beautiful prayers in books. There are so many of them and it really gives me a headache and each prayer is more beautiful than the others I cannot recite them all and not knowing which to choose I do like children who do not know how to read. I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences, and He always understands me.””

I hope that helped you and the young woman who started the forum.

:knight1: