I once dreamed as though I were a real nun. In that dream, I wore a white veil and I had just taken my vows. I just felt so happy and free! Yes, instead of feeling confined, I felt that I was finally set free by being able to surrender my entire life to God.
Beautiful! When I was younger I thought I had to be a nun, though I believe now that I’m called to marriage. In harder moments I still find myself wondering sometimes if I ought to become a Poor Clare or Carmelite, in part because I’m concerned at being alone - I had a thought before Lent started that in this time of waiting, I ought to be as a nun and focus on God. I think this means I should!
You can eat your cake and have it too by joining a Third Order. :) I recently started an Aspirancy with the OCDS (Order of Carmelites Discalced Secular) and am very happy I did. I hope to make it through the initial 12 months and move on to full formation. The total before making final promises is six years. It's challenging because the spiritual requirements can feel like a lot sometimes, especially for someone who still works, but the community feel is wonderful. Highly recommended. :)
I relate to this so much, haha. I discerned religious life as a Poor Clare for a few years and although I made the decision to leave, I’ve always missed it, and sometimes have wondered if I made the right decision. I’m single and don’t feel particularly drawn to marriage but sometimes I feel like I’m *supposed* to. A priest recently reminded me that fundamentally, my vocation is to be in a relationship with God. The external circumstances of life are secondary and don’t even necessarily stay the same for your entire life.
But in any case, I definitely relate to feeling like a half baked nun sometimes, haha. I kind of follow an horarium and have adopted a lot of practices from the monastery for my life now, I’m grateful to God for that experience of monastic life and how that’s formed me into who I am now.
Beautiful! When I was younger I thought I had to be a nun, though I believe now that I’m called to marriage. In harder moments I still find myself wondering sometimes if I ought to become a Poor Clare or Carmelite, in part because I’m concerned at being alone - I had a thought before Lent started that in this time of waiting, I ought to be as a nun and focus on God. I think this means I should!
You can eat your cake and have it too by joining a Third Order. :) I recently started an Aspirancy with the OCDS (Order of Carmelites Discalced Secular) and am very happy I did. I hope to make it through the initial 12 months and move on to full formation. The total before making final promises is six years. It's challenging because the spiritual requirements can feel like a lot sometimes, especially for someone who still works, but the community feel is wonderful. Highly recommended. :)
I relate to this so much, haha. I discerned religious life as a Poor Clare for a few years and although I made the decision to leave, I’ve always missed it, and sometimes have wondered if I made the right decision. I’m single and don’t feel particularly drawn to marriage but sometimes I feel like I’m *supposed* to. A priest recently reminded me that fundamentally, my vocation is to be in a relationship with God. The external circumstances of life are secondary and don’t even necessarily stay the same for your entire life.
But in any case, I definitely relate to feeling like a half baked nun sometimes, haha. I kind of follow an horarium and have adopted a lot of practices from the monastery for my life now, I’m grateful to God for that experience of monastic life and how that’s formed me into who I am now.