Mental distractions at Mass and personal prayer

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atassina

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My mind wanders too much during Mass and at personal prayer. What to do?
I almost feel as if i have a personal demon keeping me distracted from prayer. Just like those demons in “The Screwtape Letters” my (supposed) demon only has to keep me distracted and unfocused. Soon problems in my life start flooding in and from those problems i start thinking about related issues and before you know it i’m thinking about something that happened thirty years ago that is only vaguely related to the original thought. it gets even worse when a lady is wearing an outfit that is barely the size of a scarf and things are busting out all over; sometimes i have to move to another part of the church. what do you suggest to stay on task and in focus :o
 
atassina said:
My mind wanders too much during Mass and at personal prayer. What to do?
I almost feel as if i have a personal demon keeping me distracted from prayer. Just like those demons in “The Screwtape Letters” my (supposed) demon only has to keep me distracted and unfocused. Soon problems in my life start flooding in and from those problems i start thinking about related issues and before you know it i’m thinking about something that happened thirty years ago that is only vaguely related to the original thought. it gets even worse when a lady is wearing an outfit that is barely the size of a scarf and things are busting out all over; sometimes i have to move to another part of the church. what do you suggest to stay on task and in focus :o
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Maybe bringing a small prayer book with you before Mass starts, and use it? I have experienced that using the printed word helps keep me from distractions. We all have them in different ways, but we can work at letting them go and returning to focus on the Lord. The better we become at it, the easier it gets. Just don’t let distractions discourage you.
 
thanks, this is a good suggestion. i have noticed that if i read the scripture readings from the missalette, i am able to pay more attention to the readings. how do i pay more attention to the eucharistic prayers? and yes, i still get distracted by the ladies with very tight clothing and distracted by the ladies with more skin exposed than covered; alas, where is modesty
 
atassina said:
My mind wanders too much during Mass and at personal prayer. What to do?
I almost feel as if i have a personal demon keeping me distracted from prayer. Just like those demons in “The Screwtape Letters” my (supposed) demon only has to keep me distracted and unfocused. Soon problems in my life start flooding in and from those problems i start thinking about related issues and before you know it i’m thinking about something that happened thirty years ago that is only vaguely related to the original thought. it gets even worse when a lady is wearing an outfit that is barely the size of a scarf and things are busting out all over; sometimes i have to move to another part of the church. what do you suggest to stay on task and in focus :o
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You may actually want your mind to wander while praying. You may try praying by listening and pondering!. Many great Saint had similar problems.
 
I discussed this with my pastor this morning. I get very evil thoughts during Mass, sometimes when I’m playing piano.

Father said he also gets evil thoughts, and sometimes even just when he’s about to consecrate the gifts, he just has to pause for a second and say to himself, “Come, Holy Spirit” and that helps him focus.

He and I agreed that fighting or trying to ignore the thoughts just makes them stronger, so it isn’t a matter of “bullying” the thoughts away.

Alan
 
atassina said:
thanks, this is a good suggestion. i have noticed that if i read the scripture readings from the missalette, i am able to pay more attention to the readings. how do i pay more attention to the eucharistic prayers? and yes, i still get distracted by the ladies with very tight clothing and distracted by the ladies with more skin exposed than covered; alas, where is modesty
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Sitting in the first row can help a lot! 🙂
 
  • Beat the “devil” at its game and pray more. Ask God for the grace to overcome it and keep attacking. Spiritual combat is a very fruitful battle when won or lost.
  • Ask your guardian angel to protect you while you pray :]
  • Find a set of prayers (Rosary), devotions (novenas), or a book to keep your mind focused. St. Teresa of Avila said she had to bring books to prayer or her mind wanders too much.
Keep at it 😃 The more one prays, the easier praying gets.
 
I think we’re all getting prayer demons that are manifesting from lack of contact with what is Good and Holy, or at least I am.
 
I struggle a lot with this myself. Not so much at mass because I try to follow in the book, and this does seem to help, but in my personal prayers. I start praying the rosary and the next thing I know I’m done and I don’t remember even praying it. My mind will have gone to all kinds of other places, not necessarily evil things, but maybe things I’m struggling with such as trying to forgive someone or maybe just thinking about things I need to do better and sometimes just about everyday conversations I’ve had with people. I’m beginning to think I have ADD. Lol I’ve thought about asking my priest for some suggestions but maybe I could get some on here. Also, if I say new prayers I seem to stay more focused, but once I’ve said them a few times my mind is back to wandering.
 
I don’t think anybody can get rid of the mental ‘noise’ when trying to focus. It’s only human. Monks develop many types of focus techniques just to drown out the distractions.

It helps when you get distracted is to be aware of the distraction and acknowledge it for a moment and focus back on your prayer again, without getting wound up about it. If it comes, just let it go.

I find it if I’m particularly bothered about something and no amount of focus will work, then I offer it as a prayer to God - as a concern, worry, hope etc.
 
I have found that closing my eyes and really listening or make an effort to visualize the
Prayer really helps to block out many things.

I found that during the stations of the cross on Friday afternoons during Lent, my mind was everywhere. Closing my eyes helped so much.

Also, my priest has told me that sometimes when the distractions are really bad - in Mass and during prayer - you just have to offer them to God. I have found that distractions come in waves…it will be bad for a period of time…a month or more…and then get better for a time.
 
+JMJ+

Actually you can make your distraction friends in prayer and Holy Mass.

First and foremost, make yourself less prone to distractions. As someone here said, go to the front pew. Make sure you are not heavily sated with food, and give your best time to prayer so that you don’t feel sleepy.

In spite of all of that, when a distraction comes into my mind during prayer, I sorta “look” into it and determine in a short moment whether the thoughts are related or not to the prayer.

If the thoughts are not related, then I do not mind them but go back gently to prayer. You see, by “forcefully ejecting” those thoughts from your consciousness, you are actually giving more power to them, because you are throwing more of your mental processing powers (so to speak) at those thoughts in your efforts to forget them. What I try to do is let them buzz around like annoying flies but not letting them go in between me and my Lord, and eventually they die down.

However, if the thoughts ARE related, then with a smile I offer them to the Lord. Many times when I pray, thoughts of people that I know come to my attention, and I gently and with a smile offer them to the Lord in my prayers. Or if it is a problem I have been thinking of that pops out because of my prayers, I specifically meditate on the prayer I am praying and how can I solve them, and when I receive a thought I thank God, because I believe that it was Him who helped me there.

And all of that. Remember that prayer is a two-way communication between you and God, and I sincerely believe that some of those distractions are not distractions in themselves but are actually God trying to have a conversation with you 🙂
 
roundcheese said:
  • Beat the “devil” at its game and pray more. Ask God for the grace to overcome it and keep attacking. Spiritual combat is a very fruitful battle when won or lost.
  • Ask your guardian angel to protect you while you pray :]
  • Find a set of prayers (Rosary), devotions (novenas), or a book to keep your mind focused. St. Teresa of Avila said she had to bring books to prayer or her mind wanders too much.
Keep at it 😃 The more one prays, the easier praying gets.
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roundcheese:
the more you read about what st. teresa did to combat distractions or evil thoughts, please repost her (or other saints) suggestions:ehh: i too am hoping to enter religious life as a priest. God bless on you journey into the cloister.
 
what you’re writing has the ring of truth in it. i like the image of letting the flies buzz around and simply staying focused on prayer. thanks
nuntym said:
+JMJ+

Actually you can make your distraction friends in prayer and Holy Mass.

First and foremost, make yourself less prone to distractions. As someone here said, go to the front pew. Make sure you are not heavily sated with food, and give your best time to prayer so that you don’t feel sleepy.

In spite of all of that, when a distraction comes into my mind during prayer, I sorta “look” into it and determine in a short moment whether the thoughts are related or not to the prayer.

If the thoughts are not related, then I do not mind them but go back gently to prayer. You see, by “forcefully ejecting” those thoughts from your consciousness, you are actually giving more power to them, because you are throwing more of your mental processing powers (so to speak) at those thoughts in your efforts to forget them. What I try to do is let them buzz around like annoying flies but not letting them go in between me and my Lord, and eventually they die down.

However, if the thoughts ARE related, then with a smile I offer them to the Lord. Many times when I pray, thoughts of people that I know come to my attention, and I gently and with a smile offer them to the Lord in my prayers. Or if it is a problem I have been thinking of that pops out because of my prayers, I specifically meditate on the prayer I am praying and how can I solve them, and when I receive a thought I thank God, because I believe that it was Him who helped me there.

And all of that. Remember that prayer is a two-way communication between you and God, and I sincerely believe that some of those distractions are not distractions in themselves but are actually God trying to have a conversation with you 🙂
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atassina said:
My mind wanders too much during Mass and at personal prayer. What to do?
I almost feel as if i have a personal demon keeping me distracted from prayer. Just like those demons in “The Screwtape Letters” my (supposed) demon only has to keep me distracted and unfocused. Soon problems in my life start flooding in and from those problems i start thinking about related issues and before you know it i’m thinking about something that happened thirty years ago that is only vaguely related to the original thought. it gets even worse when a lady is wearing an outfit that is barely the size of a scarf and things are busting out all over; sometimes i have to move to another part of the church. what do you suggest to stay on task and in focus :o
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This is something I have dealt with. When I was in college, my Catholic center was across the street from the fraternities. I remember being in adoration listening to “I’m on a highway to hell” being played outside. But distraction in prayer is a common problem, and indeed I suspect that even the monks struggle with it. What helped me was this line from the Catechism
The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. It can affect words and their meaning in vocal prayer; it can concern, more profoundly, him to whom we are praying, in vocal prayer (liturgical or personal), meditation, and contemplative prayer. To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve.
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+JMJ+
atassina said:
what you’re writing has the ring of truth in it. i like the image of letting the flies buzz around and simply staying focused on prayer. thanks
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👍

God bless you on your vocation discernment towards priesthood!

And oh yeah, I like cake too.
 
St. Theresa wrote in The Interior Castle that one should not believe they are away from God if their imaginations can’t stay still. She said it is still possible to be with God even though imagination does not comply with will, and we should just catch our focus again and persevere with prayer and not believe that it was all for naught.
 
InJesusItrust said:
St. Theresa wrote in The Interior Castle that one should not believe they are away from God if their imaginations can’t stay still. She said it is still possible to be with God even though imagination does not comply with will, and we should just catch our focus again and persevere with prayer and not believe that it was all for naught.
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Woah!

Dude. That’s is awesome! :bowdown:

Alan
 
thanks, I’ve been thinking about my (hopeful) vocation all morning. I’m headed over to church to do some praying. let’s hope i don’t have too many distractions. i’ll pray for purity of heart
 
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