Prayer regimes for "distracted" people

[Guitar]

Any distracted people with long hours and irregular schedules (including travel) here? How do you include regular prayer in your day and what forms of prayer do you use?

I’m looking for ideas that may help me, as this is something I “struggle” with most of the time, especially as concentration is difficult at this period in life.

One thing I can’t do is use audio tapes or CDs to pray whilst driving, which is a shame. A Rosary CD on the bus “locked” me in to at least 5 Rosaries a week, but I now drive to recover 10 hours a week of my life and preserve my sanity.

A copy of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is on its way (easy to carry in the laptop backpack or carry bag, and words on a page help me to stay focussed). I also make a habit of including a number of daily prayers at breakfast grace, which is about the only regular occurence in life right now and the time I’m least distracted. Plus a few other things … but I’m interested in hearing what other people do.

Thank you in advance.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I live alone and am a student - hence my time is probably far easier to include prayer times than people who are working and/or with families. Even thus, I am very flexible.

My previous director, a nun, had a saying “pray as you can, not as you can’t” and I thought this sound and down to earth reasoning. My prayer times are not by the clock as that is not practical for me…rather before I commence some task or duty and inbetween same, and roughly morning, afternoon prayer with private prayer and The Angelus, late afternoon, before settling down to relax at night and then before bed with an examination of conscience. Schooldays I pray in the morning, evening and night prayer. I carry around in my bag the Little Office of Our Lady (and my rosary) as it is small and compact and since I travel by bus, very handy and practical.

I fit in Chaplet of Mercy Fridays, Rosary Saturdays and Lectio Divina on Sundays. Spiritual Reading is whenever I am inspired…I find a fixed ‘diet’ of spiritual reading is too much for me - far too heavy going for me. I may read a novel or biography or I may watch TV if something appeals or if I really need just to switch off for a while.

I think each person needs to work out what will work for them and follow that whatever it may be and vary it if necessary. Most of us are not monastics with a lifestyle that is set up to include Prayer Times. Another habit of mine is that if the phone or doorbell interrputs prayer than attention to my caller becomes my prayer time. I am not rigorous and fixed in my times for prayer.

Blessings…Barb

 

[Guitar]

My previous director, a nun, had a saying “pray as you can, not as you can’t” and I thought this sound and down to earth reasoning. My prayer times are not by the clock as that is not practical for me…rather before I commence some task or duty and inbetween same, and roughly morning, afternoon prayer with private prayer and The Angelus, late afternoon, before settling down to relax at night and then before bed with an examination of conscience.

Thank you, Barb. This is “ringing bells” with me. Lots of other people who are probably way busier than I are still locked into time schedules with school and this and that which may in it sown way give some stability to life … I need to lock things into tasks that must happen anyway, as you say. (At least till I build up a bit from where I currently am.)

And it’s interesting that you mention the Little Office… and “pray as you can, not as you can’t” … my dad was a Carmelite Tertiary and prayed the Little Office everyday (till we bought him the complete Divine Office for his 70th birthday) and I still have his falling-to-bits Little Office that I remember from earliest childhood, which is why I thought of adopting it myself … on the other hand Marian devotions have never been easy because the image of a mother that we fly to for protection and succour is one that I don’t “relate” to at all. My mother was absolutely the best mother she knew how to be and its a long story, but a place of safety she was not. Yet my dad, whose mother bordered on vicious and with whom he had NO emotional relationship, had no such troubles and was completely at ease with devotions to Our Lady and the language they are expressed in.

I too need “switch off” times more than I ever have done in the past, and I wonder sometimes where the borderline is between justifiable “switch off time” and discretionary time I should be devoting to prayer and spiritual reading.

Thank you for your kind reply.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thank you, Barb. This is “ringing bells” with me. Lots of other people who are probably way busier than I are still locked into time schedules with school and this and that which may in it sown way give some stability to life … I need to lock things into tasks that must happen anyway, as you say. (At least till I build up a bit from where I currently am.)

And it’s interesting that you mention the Little Office… and “pray as you can, not as you can’t” … my dad was a Carmelite Tertiary and prayed the Little Office everyday (till we bought him the complete Divine Office for his 70th birthday) and I still have his falling-to-bits Little Office that I remember from earliest childhood, which is why I thought of adopting it myself … on the other hand Marian devotions have never been easy because the image of a mother that we fly to for protection and succour is one that I don’t “relate” to at all. My mother was absolutely the best mother she knew how to be and its a long story, but a place of safety she was not. Yet my dad, whose mother bordered on vicious and with whom he had NO emotional relationship, had no such troubles and was completely at ease with devotions to Our Lady and the language they are expressed in.

I too need “switch off” times more than I ever have done in the past, and I wonder sometimes where the borderline is between justifiable “switch off time” and discretionary time I should be devoting to prayer and spiritual reading.

Thank you for your kind reply.

Hello again Guitar:

I too need “switch off” times more than I ever have done in the past, and I wonder sometimes where the borderline is between justifiable “switch off time” and discretionary time I should be devoting to prayer and spiritual reading.

I think “switch off time” and prayer and spiritual reading time varies with individuals - this is one of the reasons it can be such a blessing to have a spiritual director. I have had three now in my 62yrs. and each has been not only holy but down to earth and practical which helps to keep me grounded.

The other thing I have learnt from failures of my own is to set aside too much time to prayer and spiritual reading and after a while the stress of it all caused me to abandon both altogether. When I resumed I was more practical and honest about myself and did not ask much of myself at all…over time I found that I was able to increase these times, albeit slowly. Nowadays my prayer times are habitual and routine - and by this I dont mean I do not apply myself, rather that prayer time has become an intrinsic part of my day.

I pray “Daily Prayer from The Divine Office” which is much shorter than the actual Divine Office and hence more feasible for my lifestyle. I have a separate book for The Office of Readings which I purchased from Pauline Media. The Little Office of Our Lady is only for if I am out and about waiting on bus stops or on a bus.

With prayer and spiritual reading, it is not the time given to them I dont think, rather that while we are at prayer our effort is to be there and to apply oneself. Sometimes it is very hard due to distractions or some bodily indisposition and The Lord knows this and that we are not willing them and sees the efforts we make to re apply ourselves. That struggle in itself is a prayer and we can offer it to The Lord.

God bless…and may The Holy Spirit guide you with wisdom and insight…Barb

 

[Andruschak]

Any distracted people with long hours and irregular schedules (including travel) here? How do you include regular prayer in your day and what forms of prayer do you use?

Thank you in advance.

Sometimes short is best. For when I am driving, or other times, there is alwaays the Green Scapular prayer. “Immaculate Heart of Mary; pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.” No “amen” as this is intended as an ongoing prayer.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Any distracted people with long hours and irregular schedules (including travel) here? How do you include regular prayer in your day and what forms of prayer do you use?

I’m looking for ideas that may help me, as this is something I “struggle” with most of the time, especially as concentration is difficult at this period in life.

One thing I can’t do is use audio tapes or CDs to pray whilst driving, which is a shame. A Rosary CD on the bus “locked” me in to at least 5 Rosaries a week, but I now drive to recover 10 hours a week of my life and preserve my sanity.

A copy of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is on its way (easy to carry in the laptop backpack or carry bag, and words on a page help me to stay focussed). I also make a habit of including a number of daily prayers at breakfast grace, which is about the only regular occurence in life right now and the time I’m least distracted. Plus a few other things … but I’m interested in hearing what other people do.

Thank you in advance.

I ordered Magnificat, a booklet that comes every month, and has the Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer for every day of the month (the Night prayer is the same). It also has the Mass of the day with the readings, and a meditation upon the readings, so I get to read the Scriptures of the day. There are also lives of various Saints, and other devotions. I love the simplicity of it, I don’t have to flip many pages back and forth to find where we are in the Liturgical year and get all confused. It is about the size of the Reader’s Digest, but thicker, and fits in my purse. I work all kinds of hours, and I find I can easily work prayer into my schedule. The price of a subscription is about $40.00 for 14 issues (they publish a special Holy Week issue and one for Advent.) Their website is www.Magnificat.com.

The rest of the day I just talk to God, sometimes I say a Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet or some other devotion.

 

[Andruschak]

I ordered Magnificat, a booklet that comes every month, and has the Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer for every day of the month (the Night prayer is the same). It also has the Mass of the day with the readings, and a meditation upon the readings, so I get to read the Scriptures of the day. There are also lives of various Saints, and other devotions. I love the simplicity of it, I don’t have to flip many pages back and forth to find where we are in the Liturgical year and get all confused. It is about the size of the Reader’s Digest, but thicker, and fits in my purse. I work all kinds of hours, and I find I can easily work prayer into my schedule. The price of a subscription is about $40.00 for 14 issues (they publish a special Holy Week issue and one for Advent.) Their website is www.Magnificat.com.

The rest of the day I just talk to God, sometimes I say a Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet or some other devotion.

I my case, I read the entire day’s MAGNIFICAT in one setting, usually 5 PM - 5:15 PM at work, during my coffee break

 

[MarieVeronica]

I care for my elderly mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. During the Rosary, I am frequently distracted, anticipating her next “need”. I have found that beautiful, large, color pictures of each Mystery have helped me greatly. I set them up on a table or chair… and meditate on them as I pray each mystery… while keeping an ear open for my mothers voice. These lovely pictures, have helped me greatly. I have a set for the 14 Stations of the Cross, as well. You can get them from the Leaflet Missal Company… or probably any Catholic supplies catalog.

I know using pictures wouldn’t be possible for anyone driving. But, just thought I’d throw my 2 cents in.:twocents: lol. God bless.

 

[puzzleannie]

my life is on a schedule, but the schedule changes every day, and some times almost every week. I pray LOTH but morming prayer when my morning begins, and evening prayer at the natural pause or end of my evening, which are certainly not monastic hours. If it is around my first meal of the day, it is morning prayer, if it is around my last main meal of the day, it is evening prayer. If it is before bed, whether at 8:30 pm or after midnight, it is night prayer. using Shorter Christian Prayer, it takes 15 min or less, and keeps me honest.

If it is a day I have time for a walk or exercise machine of some kind, I say the rosary, but usually that is included in my duties at church in any case (as is LOTH on some nights, such as CCD times). the rosary or chaplet is also my prayer of choice when forced into a waiting situation in line, doctors office etc.

I can say I will do other kinds of prayer, but won’t whereas LOTH gives me a framework and focus. My holy hour is often only a holy 20 minutes, but I try to do it at other parishes to avoid interruptions, but honestly it does not happen every day. When I miss it several times, I find myself waking in the middle of the night and use that as prayer time, in either case, that is when I try to do lectio divina.

when travelling I take Magnificat which is great because it has everything I need, and takes up little space and weight. that would be my first suggestion for anyone who does a lot of travel.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Great to see that people are fitting prayer times into their own personal day as possible and varying if necessary in any day…even cutting out all together in pressing circumstances or some other reason.
This is what St. Albert spoke about “common sense is the guide of all the virtues”.

Good to see that we are not trying to be monastics in the world insofar as fixed times for prayer come what may are concerned. However, in essence we retain the essence of monastic life and that is a lifestyle in which prayer has an important place. Many years ago, I probably did drive myself crazy trying to be a monastic in the world with fixed times of prayer no matter what…no common sense!!! The bells and fixed times of prayer are necessary in a monastic community for the good of the community…else things would be very chaotic. It is a procedure in common sense.

And of course intrinsic to a life of prayer is that our duties, obligations and other matters pertaining to our lives can be offered to The Lord and this becomes a prayer. This is why I think The Morning Offering prayed with recollection is very important…just in case my day goes so amiss I hardly think of The Lord at all. For The Lord insights what my problem is and in His Absolute Humility and Love accepts for the whole day what I was only able to offer with recollection due to my weakness for a minute or so in The Morning with my Morning Offering.

Blessings all…a very encouraging thread and I do not mean to be patronizing though it is a weakness of mine…Barb

 

[Guitar]

I can say I will do other kinds of prayer, but won’t whereas LOTH gives me a framework and focus.

puzzleannie, yep, same for me, and it’s the framework and the focus I need right now.

MarieVeronica - I know what you mean. I don’t have to deal with anything so serious as you do but I do get very tired, pulled in many directions mentally and constantly interrupted so I can well understand how these pictures can help - thank you for the Leaflet Missal tip.

I will follow up Magnificat as well, and good to hear it is purse-sized. I went to the nearest Catholic bookshop lunchtime yesterday and it is amazing how many “prayers/shorter forms for busy people and travellers” sorts of books are of a size and construction that preclude being carried around in everyday bags, which IMO largely defeats the point.

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Teeliumtrozzle]

I don’t say the rosary any more because I take 2 hours to say 1 decade, and even then its very easy to lose count. I usually just think about God and all he has made, all the time. It helps to think about what day it is. Today is Monday 11th February 2008. It will never be this day again. Someday this day will be a very long time ago. But God has made it just to be today. And tomorrow he will make tomorrow. Some days he makes for adventures, others for work, others for rest. If you think very deeply about that all day, it feels wonderful, like prayer. I do that every day. Also, it helps just to think deeply about the fact that you exist and that God has given you such a great place to live in. That feels very melancholic, but in a good and prayerfull way. I can’t really describe it.

 

[passivesquid]

i usualy pray before i go to bed, daily ourfather hail mary and glorybe and somtimes a rosary or st anonthy chaplet. for lent im also doing daily mass at 7 in the moring except on saturday cuz i work two jobs and the only saturday mass is at 5pm in my parish but anyways… ye tahts how i do it