Armchair mystic ch11
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Transcript of Armchair mystic ch11
Chapter 11
When Things Go Haywire ArmchairMystic
Chapter 11Dealing with Distractions
Dealing with Distractions
• Distractions might be so nagging that they discourage me; make me feel I’ve failed at the task of prayer
• No one is impervious to distractions
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“If you’ve never had any distractions, you don’t know how to pray.”
Dealing with DistractionsWhat is more detrimental to my prayer?The distractions OR My anxiety over them
This is important to know:
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My anxiety, distress, guilt and anger about the distractions are far more detrimental to
my prayer than the distractions themselves.
Dealing with Distractions
While there is only a little I can do to rid myself of the initial distractions, there is much I can do to free myself from anxiety about them.
This is what actually distinguishes a mystic from a novice.
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Dealing with Distractions
Read the Thibodeaux’s story pg 121 about fishing and the snake
What is the difference between one’s perception and response to a situation?
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Dealing with Distractions
Perception & Response• The initial distraction poses little or no threat to
my prayer unless I perceive it to be a threat. • The way to deal with these little thoughts, then,
is simply to watch them pass by.• The same is true for physical distractions • We must remember that prayer is not an
assignment from God wherein I must accomplish some task.
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Dealing with Distractions
I trust in God and relax –because no matter happens (focused
prayer or watching the distractions pass by), I will do it in God’s presence
- and no time with God is wasted time.
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A Few Tricks
A) Don’t fight distractions; negotiate with them by acknowledging their presence and then letting them leave on their own.
B) If persistent distractions, try using a mantra in prayer as an anchor keeping your boat steady so you don’t drown in the waters of distractions.
C) If distractions still persist – vary your prayer activities (read Bible, pray rosary, pray the Office, use other ready-made prayers) to give your restless mind something to focus on.
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A Few Tricks
D) And if the yet still persist – try going straight through it. It the distractions don’t go away, offer your crazy prayer up to the Lord and let him worry about it!
Review exercises R, S, T U pgs 124-127
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Conclusion
Having distractions in my prayer is not a mark of inadequacy or inability.
It simply means I am human!
Sometimes God may even be the source of them, calling me to refocus my prayer attention on them.
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