Praying the Rosary for Inner Healing

This is a strange little book, but it does have good food for thought and new and different, albeit unusual, ways to meditate on the mysteries. As I read, I do find the text interesting, but I find myself constantly thinking "huh!?!?" One of the many examples of this is the concept that if we were conceived in stress, that stress becomes part of our personality. Or that if our mother was stressed while pregnant with us, that stress that too is part of our personality (the point being that we can release this while meditating on Mary's conception and pregnancy, which is a nice thought). It seems very oversimplified and not that relevant or believable. I suppose this notion is mostly because of the very Pollyana-esque and frankly not-believable "true stories" at the end of each section where the author gives a first-hand account of one of his counseling patients who was healed with the concept just covered in that chapter. While perhaps these are true (I hope they are because they would indeed be miracles), they are, at worst, flat-out unbelievable, and at best very cleaned-up and sanitized based-in-reality narratives (and I say this as someone who has great faith in miracles and in the mysteries of Catholicism). But these stories are of people with great struggles who were healed in a Disney-ending type of "all better!" simplified wrap-up. That doesn't really happen - even in miraculous situations there is still depth and twists and turns and continued struggle. These sanitized stories frankly have me thinking the author is making them up, or that he only saw the top 10% of the problem and when that was solved, he moved on thinking everything was fixed. Nevertheless, I like the book and it does give me new areas of thought while meditating on the mysteries. Its just has some strange content that is kind of distracting.

I am part of a group of 20+ people who do a “Living Rosary.” We each pray one decade of the Rosary each day for a month and then a new mystery the following month, thus offering our Mother Mary a full 20 decade Rosary each day. I just discovered a very enriching way to pray my decade. Fr. Longenecker’s chapters for each mystery are often 10 paragraphs long, so I read one paragraph and then say a Hail Mary. Another paragraph, another Hail Mary. I read the Scripture passage describing the mystery right before the Our Father and read his beautiful prayer right after the 10th Hail Mary. This has lifted the mystery into a fullness that surprises me in terms of bringing light to all the facets of the Transfiguration (my current mystery) and to meaningfully applying the truth of the mystery in my own life. Our group has been together for 2 years now and I wish I had discovered this method then. Well, I have it now, and will continue to add it to my decade on a very regular basis, and more than just once per month. I’ve incorporated this the last 3 mornings and have seen more truth in Fr. L’s words each time. Try it!

I went through this book with my spiritual director and a counselor. It is masterfully done and addressed areas where I was in need of deep healing emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Very gentle, yet revealing and healing as well. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a place in their life that's in need of God's healing touch. Don't let the rosary part put you off if you're not Catholic. The book is not Mary-focused, but God focused.

I bought this after seeing it recommended somewhere (can't recall now). The recommendation came at a time when I was feeling the need for some emotional healing in my life.Fr. Longenecker's insights and counsel here are - truly - wonderful. He clearly is writing out of his own life experience, but also reflecting so many years of counseling and helping many, many souls grow towards the Lord. He knows the human soul. And he knows how the Lord can heal all of our pain and sorrows.Are you in pain? Give it a try. Not a Catholic? Still give it a try. The Lord loves you and so does His Blessed Mother.

a treasure to behold! This book is a perfect guide to praying the Rosary and gaining a deep Spiritual growth. Father Longenecker's insights and wisdom is amazing and truly beautiful. Anyone looking for a true guide to praying the Rosary and developing a deeper relationship with the Lord as well as benefitting from the healing of Christ in this meditation will not be disappointed. A book for both beginner and dedicated devotees of praying the Rosary alike! Enjoy this treasure!

I started with the sorrowful mystery Agony in Gethsemane. I got so drawn in I couldn't get beyond it. It really deeply spoke to my current situation and let me see God and myself in a new light.

This book is one of the most beautiful rosary meditation books I have ever found. It takes a very difficult but necessary aspect of life: the need for inner healing, and it gives amazing yet profoundly simple ways to pray about it in your own life. I think that anyone will find this book an amazing way to deepen their experience of the rosary and find inner healing even if you don't think you need it.

Beautifully written. It was inspiring and gave me great encouragement to know Mary is always watching over us. One I will read over and over and learn more about God's love each time.

this book is a great purchase for those who would like to delve into the rosary on a more intimate level, as the title suggests, for inner healing. Its a personal journey with Mary and her son Jesus. It will help you to look deeply into your pain and hand it over in a way that perhaps you might not have been able to find the words for yourself. Deeply satisfying prayerful way to deal with past hurts. Our Lady Queen of Peace, Pray for us! Actually, let me add too, the black and white pictures inside are really good..., thought provoking. AND TO those of you reading this who have no faith whatsoever, but struggling with the past hurt, the meditations that accompany each chapter are really good and would help anyone to unravel the layer upon layer of pain that lies within the depth of our being !

This is an excellent book for a Rosary Group. Each series of Mysteries has a Bible reading matched with a stage in our lives and an illustration of the event to visualize. Next follows a short meditation and a real life illustration of healing. This is followed by a short prayer with time for personal reflection. It is a very personal approach to praying the rosary but very contemplative

An amazing book that is very comprehensive in terms of the healing process and it is written very well. Highly recommend!

Not what I wanted wanted how to pray the rosary