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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Dizziness and Sleepiness during prayer	Crystal	Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Question: Dear Brother, Recently I wrote you about praying with candles involving intercession with Saints and Our Blessed Mother and the effect it has on me. I said a prayer to Our Lady of Grace on her feast day, as well as Saint Agnes; as both are honored on the same day. In saying a prayer to Saint Agnes, I felt fine. However when I said a prayer to Our Lady of Grace, later on I felt very lightheaded and began to get dizzy whereas I had to lay down and I fell asleep. When I woke up I felt normal again, but this is not the first time this happened; as it has occurred several times before with intercessory prayer to certain Saints and numerous times to Our Lady. I have also felt like I was growing and elevating at times when I pray and this is in regards to praying to Our Lord and Savior, but never felt dizzy, but more so peaceful. Because this was such a strange feeling, I began searching on the internet about this and came across this site whereas others experienced the same feeling in becoming dizzy after praying. Someone on this site had stated that the feeling could be do to Contemplative Prayer, however I said my prayers aloud and not silent. I'm concerned about this because even though I have not been baptized Catholic, but have grown up in a Catholic and Lutheran household and have prayed to Saints; do you think I should no longer pray to a Saint because I am not Catholic? Also could you explain in more detail what Contemplative Prayer is; as I would really appreciate it. Thank you, God Bless, Crystal
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Crystal: There can be many reasons for your experience of dizziness and sleepiness. These reasons range from medical possibilities such as blood pressure, blood sugar, etc., to physical circumstances such as the position of the body as in lying down, on knees, in bed, prostrate on the floor, etc., to psychological possibilities such as psychosomatic effects (physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes), to spiritual issues such as demons trying to interfere with your prayers. It is not unusual for demons to try to make one sleepy, for example, during prayer. When you begin to pray, start with a protection prayer such as: I will give thanks to You with all my heart, O Lord; (Ps. 138:1) in the sight of the angels I will sing Your praises. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, That we may not perish in the dreadful judgment. Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. I ask you Blessed Mother to watch over me with your motherly protection. I also ask you, St. Michael the Archangel, and also my Guardian Angel, to protect me while I pray, that no evil spirit may interfere or intrude in any way with me physically, psychologically, mentally, or spiritually during my time of prayer. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, † and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Yes, you may pray to the Saints even though you are not Catholic. The Saints in heaven are there to help and intercede for us, for all of us, regardless of denomination or faith. It is part of God's economy that family helps family, and the Saints in heaven are our older brothers and sisters who have gone on to heaven before us. God is pleased when family members help each other. Thus, anyone can petition the Saints for help and intercession—even if not Catholic. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Dizziness and Sleepiness during prayer

Crystal

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Question:

Dear Brother,

Recently I wrote you about praying with candles involving intercession with Saints and Our Blessed Mother and the effect it has on me.

I said a prayer to Our Lady of Grace on her feast day, as well as Saint Agnes; as both are honored on the same day. In saying a prayer to Saint Agnes, I felt fine. However when I said a prayer to Our Lady of Grace, later on I felt very lightheaded and began to get dizzy whereas I had to lay down and I fell asleep.

When I woke up I felt normal again, but this is not the first time this happened; as it has occurred several times before with intercessory prayer to certain Saints and numerous times to Our Lady. I have also felt like I was growing and elevating at times when I pray and this is in regards to praying to Our Lord and Savior, but never felt dizzy, but more so peaceful.

Because this was such a strange feeling, I began searching on the internet about this and came across this site whereas others experienced the same feeling in becoming dizzy after praying.

Someone on this site had stated that the feeling could be do to Contemplative Prayer, however I said my prayers aloud and not silent.

I'm concerned about this because even though I have not been baptized Catholic, but have grown up in a Catholic and Lutheran household and have prayed to Saints; do you think I should no longer pray to a Saint because I am not Catholic? Also could you explain in more detail what Contemplative Prayer is; as I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,
God Bless,
Crystal

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Crystal:

There can be many reasons for your experience of dizziness and sleepiness. These reasons range from medical possibilities such as blood pressure, blood sugar, etc., to physical circumstances such as the position of the body as in lying down, on knees, in bed, prostrate on the floor, etc., to psychological possibilities such as psychosomatic effects (physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes), to spiritual issues such as demons trying to interfere with your prayers. It is not unusual for demons to try to make one sleepy, for example, during prayer.

When you begin to pray, start with a protection prayer such as:

I will give thanks to You with all my heart, O Lord; (Ps. 138:1) in the sight of the angels I will sing Your praises.

Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, That we may not perish in the dreadful judgment.

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

I ask you Blessed Mother to watch over me with your motherly protection. I also ask you, St. Michael the Archangel, and also my Guardian Angel, to protect me while I pray, that no evil spirit may interfere or intrude in any way with me physically, psychologically, mentally, or spiritually during my time of prayer.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, † and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Yes, you may pray to the Saints even though you are not Catholic. The Saints in heaven are there to help and intercede for us, for all of us, regardless of denomination or faith. It is part of God's economy that family helps family, and the Saints in heaven are our older brothers and sisters who have gone on to heaven before us. God is pleased when family members help each other. Thus, anyone can petition the Saints for help and intercession—even if not Catholic.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum