Praying while doing other things, opinions?

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Robert_Caritas

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Hi everyone,
Code: 
For the sake of integrating prayer into my daily life, I often find myself praying while doing other things. For informal prayers I feel totally comfortable in this. For example I might say the Jesus prayer when I am driving, or silently pray for someone or something spontaneously during an activity.

Where I am  unsure is in the case of more "formal" prayers. I sometimes find it impossible to just sit and say the rosary, so I will go for a walk and say it. The quality of the prayer goes down, as does the meditation, and I get distracted a lot -- but I get at least a little bit of good rosary praying done. Another example I was just thinking of is doing saying the liturgy of the hours with an audio recording while stretching. I wouldn't want to make it a habit, but if I did it every now and then (to save time in the morning when I'm late for example), would that be bad? .

I usually want to be as formal as possible when I pray a "formal" prayer, though I feel a bit over-scrupulous sometimes in this. But it's just not possible for me to always give myself the best conditions to pray. Though I couldn't be so informal, I like the idea of praying the rosary to put oneself to sleep once in a while. I admire this sort of comfortable relation with the Virgin Mary. 

 Thoughts anyone?

 Robert
 
You’re doing just great! 🙂

Rather than ask if you can go for a walk while you pray, think of it as praying while you go for a walk. Ultimately, you pray all day while you’re doing things. Jesus prayer, formal prayers, ones you make up, ones that don’t even have any words but you are in a situation and you think of God and it gives you strength. Ultimately some people come to the point of realization that every breath is a prayer, and are in silent awe of God at all times.

Just because the prayer is formal doesn’t mean you have to cease everything and sit erect and kind of frozen, like they used to make kids do in school or get whacked with a ruler. :nope:

Nothing wrong at all. What you’re doing sounds really good!

Alan
 
Look at St. Therese of Liseux… prayer can be a little act as long as it is done for the greater Glory of God. 🙂 And so much the better that you pray while doing other things than less or not at all. One warning… praying the Rosary to help you fall asleep is probably not a good practice. If you fall asleep praying it that is a nuance, but at the same time all the difference in intention. God Bless
 
We’re supposed to “pray always.” So inevitably, that means you are going to be mixing doing stuff with praying stuff.

There’s an old joke about the guy asking one priest if it was okay to smoke while he was praying. Father said no!

Then he went to the other priest, and asked if it was okay to pray while he smoked. Father said yes!

So yes, there are times when you should give yourself completely to prayer. But when you’re doing other stuff, you’re allowed to pray too.

If you’re driving, though, your attentiveness to the road and kindness to other drivers can constitute a prayer! But there’s nothing wrong with also saying prayers.
 
I pray rosaries … well ONE … when I drive. I don’t use beads then as once I broke the chain a bead fell into the gear shift column. Not good.

Little story (might be true)!

Two new seminarians were getting used to their digs and hefty schedule.

It happened that they both smoked.

On one of their short breaks the question came up. Could we have our smoke break
and yet pray some of our daily prayers … multi-tasking to save time.

They agreed it might take a dispensation or at least an OK from their superior to do so.

The first one left, asked, and came back a little down. His friend awaited the word.

“I asked if we could smoke while praying … and he said " … of course not!”

His friend brightened and ran off. Coming back to their room at prayer time he offered his roomie a smoke.

“Did you get permission?” The friend asked incredulously.

“Yeah. I did.” His benefactor said. “I asked him if it was OK to PRAY while I smoked …”

He told me " … of course my son. Anytime is a good time for prayer!"

:hey_bud: - Peace be with ya!
 
The “best conditions to pray” are difficult for everyone to assure. While The Husband was unemployed, it was nearly impossible for me to pray at home.

If I couldn’t pray “formal” prayers and do my work at the same time, I would either never pray or never work or I would do both but never enough of either. I often pray the rosary while I iron altar linens. I pray the Holy Communion Chaplet while vesting my priest for Mass. The Divine Mercy Chaplet accompanies me while folding The Husband’s shirts, the Chaplet of St. Michael while preparing his breakfast.

If your choice is to pray while doing something or not pray, I would think the former is your only real option. God bless!
 
Robert_Caritas said:
Hi everyone,
Code: 
For the sake of integrating prayer into my daily life, I often find myself praying while doing other things. For informal prayers I feel totally comfortable in this. For example I might say the Jesus prayer when I am driving, or silently pray for someone or something spontaneously during an activity.

Where I am  unsure is in the case of more "formal" prayers. I sometimes find it impossible to just sit and say the rosary, so I will go for a walk and say it. The quality of the prayer goes down, as does the meditation, and I get distracted a lot -- but I get at least a little bit of good rosary praying done. Another example I was just thinking of is doing saying the liturgy of the hours with an audio recording while stretching. I wouldn't want to make it a habit, but if I did it every now and then (to save time in the morning when I'm late for example), would that be bad? .

I usually want to be as formal as possible when I pray a "formal" prayer, though I feel a bit over-scrupulous sometimes in this. But it's just not possible for me to always give myself the best conditions to pray. Though I couldn't be so informal, I like the idea of praying the rosary to put oneself to sleep once in a while. I admire this sort of comfortable relation with the Virgin Mary. 

 Thoughts anyone?

 Robert
Click to expand...
All of this is good. Prayer should be comfortable…The prayer life, for all the ideas, the devotions, the formal prayers etc is not a “one size fits all”. You are doing great.
Keep up the excellent work.
 
My 1st thought was one from the Catechism (I’m really noticing the great stuff it has, it’s not as “stuffy” and technical as I once thought!), which is a quote from St. John Damascene.

“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C). (1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church 2590)

If you talk to loved ones while walking, working, etc., talking to Jesus and Mary throughout the day too… 👍
 
I do that too 🙂 (well apart from the Rosary putting one to sleep 😃 )

Speaking of that - do you know the pray-as-you-go webpage?
 
Robert_Caritas said:
Hi everyone,
Code: 
For the sake of integrating prayer into my daily life, I often find myself praying while doing other things. For informal prayers I feel totally comfortable in this. For example I might say the Jesus prayer when I am driving, or silently pray for someone or something spontaneously during an activity.

Where I am  unsure is in the case of more "formal" prayers. I sometimes find it impossible to just sit and say the rosary, so I will go for a walk and say it. The quality of the prayer goes down, as does the meditation, and I get distracted a lot -- but I get at least a little bit of good rosary praying done. Another example I was just thinking of is doing saying the liturgy of the hours with an audio recording while stretching. I wouldn't want to make it a habit, but if I did it every now and then (to save time in the morning when I'm late for example), would that be bad? .

I usually want to be as formal as possible when I pray a "formal" prayer, though I feel a bit over-scrupulous sometimes in this. But it's just not possible for me to always give myself the best conditions to pray. Though I couldn't be so informal, I like the idea of praying the rosary to put oneself to sleep once in a while. I admire this sort of comfortable relation with the Virgin Mary. 

 Thoughts anyone?

 Robert
Click to expand...
I am all for it! Of course, still take quiet time without distractions for prayer and contemplation, but by all means, pray without ceasing!! Even simply calling on the name of Jesus in your heart is a prayer, and it brings him to the forefront of your thoughts. This relationship between us and Christ is a friendship, one that evolves and deepens the more we talk with Him. You’re doing a good thing. Keep it up! 👍
 
I liked the word multi-task that CaptFun used. When I read Padre St. Pio’s biography and learned that he prayed 36 rosaries per day, yet almost lived in the confessional, I could not understand how this was possible. I think I read that he said he had his methods, which most likely was multi-tasking.

Very often when I’m driving, I pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the rosary. Not only that, but during tasks at home, and often during the time I am eating. What a wonderful way to combine necessary work with spiritual benefits for others.

My rosary beads also got stuck in the console while driving, and are still there. 😦 I learned that my fingers are the best way to pray, and I can always tell which decade I’m praying – I start on the left index finger all through to the right hand index finger, then reverse it for the second decade. The third decade starts on the left hand, the fourth on the right, and I end the last decade on the right index finger. As I drive, I just lift one finger from the wheel to know which one I’m praying. 🙂

Keep up the good work!
 
What is a pray-as-you-go webpage?
Click to expand...
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to post links here so google it. It’s been advertised at a guided prayer week that I attended. It’s made by Jesuits, and for each day it’s got an audio file that you can download and pray with. Now, I haven’t tried it myself yet, so I don’t know exactly what’s there. But a nice thing about it is that you can pray with it anywhere, doing anything, so I thought I’d mention it here. Some people may find that this way of praying works for them.
 
Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

I know that prayer is supposed to be a battle, but I also know that trying to reach holiness mainly through our own efforts is a mistake.

In Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton speaks of two opposite types of monks at his monastery. The first are constantly strained, sometimes in a bad mood, and seem to be striving to sainthood on their own, and not letting God do his work. The second are relaxed and seem to be leaving all the work to God.

I feel like I sometimes oscillate between these two. Though I would rather be too hard on myself than not hard enough, though I know that it is almost as bad. I think that it takes a spiritually developed person to reach the high stages of asceticism. St Josemaria Escriva often told his followers to not be as harsh on themselves as he was with himself.

I pray to God for guidance!

I would also like to say that I am amazed at the range of ways one can be an orthodox Catholic. We truly have a wonderful Church.
 
Sirach2 said:
I liked the word multi-task that CaptFun used. When I read Padre St. Pio’s biography and learned that he prayed 36 rosaries per day, yet almost lived in the confessional, I could not understand how this was possible. I think I read that he said he had his methods, which most likely was multi-tasking.

Very often when I’m driving, I pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the rosary. Not only that, but during tasks at home, and often during the time I am eating. What a wonderful way to combine necessary work with spiritual benefits for others.

My rosary beads also got stuck in the console while driving, and are still there. 😦 I learned that my fingers are the best way to pray, and I can always tell which decade I’m praying – I start on the left index finger all through to the right hand index finger, then reverse it for the second decade. The third decade starts on the left hand, the fourth on the right, and I end the last decade on the right index finger. As I drive, I just lift one finger from the wheel to know which one I’m praying. 🙂

Keep up the good work!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the shout out Sirach 2! That was one of our favorite scriptures to read at team meetings when we’d begin planning our young adult retreats.

Sirach 2 … beginning with the part that starts …

“My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials …”

If any of you are about to read the Bible but don’t know what you’ll read tonight, give this Old Testament Chapter a whirl. It’s very insightful.

I use my “built in digital” rosary too … and I find that drumming the finger or thumb I’m on during the prayer to keep a rhythm works well. Although, if one gets lost in the meditation on the mystery … and loses count … THAT could be praying the Rosary at a higher LEVEL! 👍

Quality over Quantity … but strive for both … is a good rule.

In a word … multi-task! :dancing: “Fun” is out! 😉
 
There is a time for formal prayer by ourselves or with others where we should devote as much of our attention to the words of the prayer (this isn’t always possible, either), we also have our spontaneous prayers of praise or petition, and then we have our ongoing prayers throughout the day such as the Jesus Prayer or the Divine Mercy Chaplet, which we can say as we do other things. If this is not possible, we can also dedicate a task to God and let that be our prayer. I would think if you are running a chainsaw or repairing a garbage disposal, or performing brain surgery, let that task be an offering to God. I wouldn’t want my attention diverted! I would want to do the task as well as I could while considering one’s safety.
 
Robert_Caritas said:
Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

I know that prayer is supposed to be a battle, but I also know that trying to reach holiness mainly through our own efforts is a mistake.

In Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton speaks of two opposite types of monks at his monastery. The first are constantly strained, sometimes in a bad mood, and seem to be striving to sainthood on their own, and not letting God do his work. The second are relaxed and seem to be leaving all the work to God.

I feel like I sometimes oscillate between these two. Though I would rather be too hard on myself than not hard enough, though I know that it is almost as bad. I think that it takes a spiritually developed person to reach the high stages of asceticism. St Josemaria Escriva often told his followers to not be as harsh on themselves as he was with himself.

I pray to God for guidance!

I would also like to say that I am amazed at the range of ways one can be an orthodox Catholic. We truly have a wonderful Church.
Click to expand...
Something to keep in mind in this is that it IS work and that like all work, we sometimes need to rest. Likewise we sometimes need to work harder ourselves, and sometimes we need to rely more on another (like a confessor or spiritual director) to help us.
These things - that is the mix - will vary throughout our journey. The important thing is to keep your eye on the goal and to worry less about the particulars of the path. Just seek to stay close to God and He will help to guide you.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
Something to keep in mind in this is that it IS work and that like all work, we sometimes need to rest. Likewise we sometimes need to work harder ourselves, and sometimes we need to rely more on another (like a confessor or spiritual director) to help us.
These things - that is the mix - will vary throughout our journey. The important thing is to keep your eye on the goal and to worry less about the particulars of the path. Just seek to stay close to God and He will help to guide you.

Peace
James
Click to expand...
It’s good to keep an eye firmly on what’s really important… Thanks.

Otherwise, what would you consider a rest from prayer to be like? Not praying for a few days? Or praying less?

A few months ago I would spontaneously not pray at all for a few days, to get some perspective in my prayer practice, but now that it has become a bigger part of my life I find that I can only diminish my practice for few days – or something just feels badly off in my life. Not praying at all for a few days actually sounds a bit scary to me at this point.

I like the idea of reducing my practice for a few days. A rest sounds like a good idea. Maybe just reading a passage of scripture with a bit of meditation and a few petitions could be a break. Or just saying the rosary…

Do you have a perspective on this?
 
How about a little diversity? Variety is the spice of life, I’m told, and that would be true also in the spiritual life. Have you considered doing spiritual reading of a good book by the saints or spending a half hour reading scripture meditatively? That will surely increase the Holy Spirit’s ability to bring His thoughts to your mind when you most need them.

IOW, He needs to have a data base in your memory. 😉
 
Robert_Caritas said:
It’s good to keep an eye firmly on what’s really important… Thanks.

Otherwise, what would you consider a rest from prayer to be like? Not praying for a few days? Or praying less?

A few months ago I would spontaneously not pray at all for a few days, to get some perspective in my prayer practice, but now that it has become a bigger part of my life I find that I can only diminish my practice for few days – or something just feels badly off in my life. Not praying at all for a few days actually sounds a bit scary to me at this point.

I like the idea of reducing my practice for a few days. A rest sounds like a good idea. Maybe just reading a passage of scripture with a bit of meditation and a few petitions could be a break. Or just saying the rosary…

Do you have a perspective on this?
Click to expand...
Well what might constitute rest will probably vary from person to person and time to time. What you describe above sounds pretty good. I would never say to stop all prayer but certainly length and type can be modified. Also, for me, cutting back on formal prayer can actually allow me to relax and increase my extemporaneous, conversational prayer. This makes it easier to just "talk about things with God and just let go of some things. It’s amazing sometimes how quickly one makes progress when one is not trying so hard…

Peace
James
 
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