Spiritual Meditation

Preparation for Spiritual Meditation

The Rosary is a meditative prayer that helps you reflect on significant events of Jesus and also Mary's life.

These events are the early life of Jesus found in the joyful mysteries.
The Passion and death of Jesus found in the sorrowful mysteries.
The resurrection and the Glory of Heaven can be found in the glorious mysteries.
And Jesus's public ministry can be found in the luminous mysteries
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Tips for Meditation

Find your quiet place where you can meditate without distractions. For me I use the same place in my home and include incense, candles, pictures or statues of my favorite saints, etc. Sometimes I use my headphones when necessary to block out my neighbor's lawn mower or back yard party.

Then as I pray each decade, I can focus my thoughts on the event of the mystery I am praying.

Practice regularly, this will deepen your meditation and understanding of the mysteries. You will start to see them unfolding within your own life.

This is my special place in my room. Each of these items has meaning. There are times when I write down intentions or prayers and place them on this wall.

Three steps for Spiritual Meditation

  1. The Preparation
  2. The Meditation
  3. The Conclusion

There are three acts in The Preparation

  1. An Act of Faith, of the Presence of God and of Adoration
  2. An Act of Humility and of Sorrow for our Sins
  3. A Petition for Light

They may be made in the following manner:

My God, I believe Thee present within me; I adore Thee with my whole soul.
Lord, I should now be in hell in punishment of the offences I have offered to Thee.
I am sorry for them from the bottom of my heart; have mercy on me.
Eternal Father, for the sake of Jesus and Mary, give me light in this meditation, that I may draw fruit from it.

Be careful to make this act with a lively faith, for a lively remembrance of the divine presence contributes greatly to remove distractions.
Cardinal Caracciolo, Bishop of Aversa, used to say that when a person is distracted in meditation there is reason to think that he has not made a lively act of faith.


We must, then, recommend ourselves to the Blessed Virgin by saying a Hail Mary, to St. Joseph, to our guardian angel, and to our holy patron.
These acts, says St. Francis de Sales, ought to be made with fervor, but should be short, that we may pass immediately to the meditation.

On entering into spiritual meditation we must take leave of all extraneous thoughts, saying with St. Bernard, "O my thoughts! wait here;" after prayer we shall speak on other matters. Be careful not to allow the mind to wander where it wishes; but should a distracting thought enter, we must not be disturbed, nor seek to banish it with a violent effort, but let us remove it calmly and return to God. Let us remember that the devil labors hard to disturb us in the time of meditation in order to make us abandon it. Let him, then, who omits mental prayer on account of distractions, be persuaded that he gives delight to the devil. It is impossible, says Cassian, "that our minds should be free from all distractions during prayer." Let us, then, never give up spiritual meditation, however great our distractions may be. St. Francis de Sales says, "that if in mental prayer we should do nothing else than continually banish distractions and temptations, the meditation is well made." And before him St. Thomas taught that involuntary distractions do not take away the fruit of mental prayer. When we perceive that we are deliberately distracted, let us desist from the voluntary defect, and banish the distraction, but let us be careful not to discontinue our meditation.

Spiritual Meditation and the Rosary

My Rosary is part of my Altar as I sit in meditation and contemplation of the mysteries. Just holding the crucifix in my hand as I prepare myself for my time with God helps me drop deeper into a stillness.

I know when I am ready when my mind is clear of any thoughts, and I gently start my prayers to God.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

Sometimes I just sit quietly and very still and contemplate this very first part. God is really there, I can picture Him, suddenly His attention is on me, with a listening ear, maybe even a turn of His head. It seems so childish like calling daddy.

Every time I spoke with my earthly dad, I always had his attention. He always showed interest in whatever I had to say. I know longer have that luxury to turn to my daddy now, but I know somewhere he is still listening. God instilled something in my daddy's heart to listen to me during those years, and now Our Father in Heaven is listening. 

Spiritual Meditation practices are important with the Rosary. Being able to shut out the noise of the world and the surrounding sounds around you are important when praying the Rosary.

Spiritual meditation time helps build self-esteem and allows you at any time throughout your day to go within. Remember the Kingdom of God is Within. Each bead you hold imagine it is a rose that you are giving to the Blessed Mother. As you are on the Our Father bead try to transfer yourself as if you are kneeling at the rock with Jesus.

This is one of my favorite mysteries of the Rosary. "The Agony in the Garden". I find myself sitting for a long time contemplating what I want to share with God in my moments of agony.


Inspirational Thinking

Let's talk about Saint Therese of Lisieux and how she inspires me.

Therese of Lisieux lived to age 24, but she wanted to immediately find a quick way to Jesus. Like a short cut to Heaven.

Therese was thinking just like a child with simplicity of life. I know when I was a child I wasn't thinking or worrying about any worldly things that I may now. My mind was focused on the sun shining and how quick I could go outside and play.

My dad told me one day, holding his hands in the air, and describing the first section was his family. Then moving his hand down to another level, he explained his own current family. At which he tried to do better and tweak a few things different than how his parents did it. And knowing he would pass soon, his advice to me was "I want you to do the same. Take what you liked and tweak it for you and your family". Then he proceeded to tell me how he was just a simple guy navigating this life and doing the best he could.

Searching for God through Spiritual Meditation

Take some time, sit quietly, feel the experience of the presence. Many times, spiritual retreats especially silent ones are so rewarding to our mind, body and soul.

I read somewhere that there is no need to search for God because He is already closer to you than your own hands and feet. Spiritual Meditation is to make contact with God. "Be still and know that I am God". This is a realization of God in consciousness. Maybe you believe that God is to be found or maybe you believe He is far away in Heaven up in the sky. This is what I thought for many years, constantly looking, reading searching. Until I realized I can't find Him. Once I stopped searching and resigned to a belief there is a God and relaxed I had my first experience of God.

Unexplainable happenings that I couldn't put in words to you. But I know like I know the back of my hand that I experience God, not just something, No God. Sitting in the silence is what helped me but I also want to say, that we cannot bring or make God do anything. He chooses us.

As we acquaint ourselves with God, we will find the secret of harmonious existence.

These are words from Joel S Goldsmith in his book The Art of Meditation: The Practice. You also may be interested in another book by Joel called "Practicing the Presence".

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