Hail Mary Guided Meditation

The Hail Mary, a beloved prayer for Roman Catholics as well as some Orthodox and Protestants, invites the believer to join Mary, Mother of God in praying for the whole world. Though this prayer is mostly used by Roman Catholics with the Rosary as a communal or private devotion, it can become a part of one's day without a Rosary handy.

The following meditation on the Hail Mary is designed for someone sitting in a quiet place with 10 to 15 minutes to spare, though it can be adapted to any setting or as the basis for a daily devotional.

Meditation Preparation

If you do not already know the words to the Hail Mary, copy down the following prayer on a small sheet of paper for use during the meditation.

Hail Mary, full of grace (inhale)

The Lord is with thee (exhale)

Blessed art thou among women (inhale)

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus (exhale)

Holy Mary, Mother of God (inhale)

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. (inhale)

(Intercessions) Amen.

Step 1: Get Comfortable

Find a comfortable chair or patch of floor. Designating a certain space or corner of one's house as a prayer space makes any prayer exercise, including this one, easier as it helps to make praying a routine part of your life. Wriggle around to make certain your body is comfortable before you begin. Arrange the pillows, grab a pair of socks, light a candle in front of you- do whatever you need to do to promote relaxation and openness to God.

Step 2: Catch Your Breath

Next, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Imagine your breath traveling up and down your body. Inhale your breath up to your head, then exhale all the way down to your toes. Breathe deeply several times until you find a rhythm with your breath and are breathing as deeply and comfortably as you can. If your chest begins to feel strained or your body hurts in any way, adust your breathing rate or physical position until you are comfortable again.

Step 3: Breathe the Prayer

When your deep breaths feel right for you, inhale the first line of the prayer:

Hail Mary, full of grace...

Let the words float up with your breath towards your head. As you exhale, say the second line of the prayer:

The Lord is with Thee...

Let the words float down with your breath towards your toes. Repeat the rest of the prayer in rhythm with your deep breathing.

Blessed art thou among women (inhale).

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus (exhale).

Holy Mary, Mother of God (inhale).

Exhale the last line:

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death....

Step 4: Add Your Own Intercessions

As you inhale again, add your own intercessions, people or situations in need of prayer in your life, or even people that may come up during this exercise. You can prepare a list before hand, if that is easier for you.

Let your prayers for others float as gently on your breath as the previous words of the Hail Mary.

When you are finished, exhale with "Amen." Take your time getting up if your body feels extremely relaxed, or include a few more prayers into your prayer session.

For another prayer exercise, try the Lectio Divina Devotion.

Source: "Hail Mary." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008.

Blessed Virgin Mary: Mary and Jesus

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