Reception Of Habit

[Butterfly]

Hi! I amnew here but I have already read the posts many times. I am thinking right nowabout the reception of habit and about changing the perception of viewingmyself and my body. I have read one book about postulancy and novitiate with interviewsfrom novices (jesus in our wombs) after be clothed and they said, that for them it was a hugedifferent in moving because of the habit. Any suggestion and thought?

[InPersonaChriste]

One saint said it was the day of her true conversion of heart. Basically when she opened herself up to God with her whole heart, no reserve.

[AccountDeleted]

I don't think I completely understand your symbolism here. Jesus in the womb? When I received the habit, it certainly had a profound inpact on me, and in addition to the physical differences, there were many spiritual and emotional changes as well. I think I was on a bit of a cloud for awhile, as the clothing day is much like a wedding day in that there is a change of clothes and attitude. This is the day, after all, when one officially becomes a member of the community, so there is also a feeling of 'acceptance' from the group on top of all of the spiritual and physical changes.

I wore a traditional Carmelite habit, so it was very heavy (wool) and there were many layers. For the first week, one of the other sisters came to our cell to help me dress in the habit because it took a little getting used to, especially pinning on the veil without the help of a mirror! It took longer each morning to get dressed, and when we had our afternoon rest period, it felt strange to lie down in the habit (I always took off the outer veil so it wouldn't get crushed but then I had to pin it back on again without a mirror on my own!

For the first week, the sister also came to our cell in the evening to help with the undressing because there is a special way to fold everything and lay it out ready for the next day, and little prayers to say. And then there is the night scapular and toque to put on as well... so it was nice having help at first. I found the heaviness made me tired by the end of the day - carrying all that extra weight of course, but I also felt this sense of 'being hugged' by wearing the habit - hard to explain, and it was the hardest thing in the world for me to take it off that last time.

I think the clothing day is an incredibly special event, just as Profession is, and it's meant to be that way. It is definitely a grace.

[carmenchristi]

I think we tend to have a romantic idea of a habit when we are discerning/new religious. Indeed it is a big change, and it does entail some change of feeling and acting, but the initial changes and feelings are temporary. The real work is on the inside and is reached through a lifetime of seeking God... something that is not necessarily easier because someone wears a habit. A habit can be both a help and a hinderance. For one, it is a help because it reminds me constantly that all the world holds me accountable to be an example of holiness. On the other hand, it can also be a screen behind which I hide my not-so-obvious (or try to hide my very obvious) defects. It can be a reminder for me of what I have chosen to live and an ulterior incentive to move forward striving to live for Christ and show his love to all, but it can also be an occasion to feel that I am "in order", that everything is going well, that I'm doing what I need to be doing. For someone who isn't careful, it can be an occasion to judge others, or consider oneself superior. A habit will not change you, but if it is embraced in humility and openness to the Spirit it will be a reminder that you must be continuously open to the work of God that He might change you.

I personally think that it was a misunderstanding on one extreme (the habit doesn't make the nun) which led to the other extreme (the habit doesn't make the nun, so lets get rid of it). It needs to be understood for what it is - a sign of an interior calling. The more one lives that interior calling to union with Christ, the more the habit will truly be an exterior sign... otherwise it's nothing but a contradiction. Ultimately, it is important to remember that we all have the same calling as baptized Christians, we realize it in different ways. So whether or not I wear a habit certainly doesn't determine how well I'm living out my calling. Only the work of God in me and my openness to that work can determine how well I live out my calling first as a Christian then as a religious.

Hope this helps.

[FutureSister2009]

I cannot wait until the day I receive my Habit. Then I can truly absorb the feeling of conversion of my heart and the joy I will feel.

[AccountDeleted]

To me the habit has always been a romantic notion, but I think that's okay too. The wedding dress is a romantic ideal for many women so naturally the habit will have romantic overtones as it represents the 'wedding dress' for the nun - one she continues to wear throughout her life. And as the priest who celebrated my clothing told me the night before the ceremony - it is also a shroud for the religious - so it is a significant sacramental.

I am not afraid of the term 'romantic' since I believe that God is a romantic ideal as well as a reality. He created us with out romantic hearts and knows that so much of our dreams are somehow connected to romantic imagery. Many of the saints describe their love for God and His love for us in romantic terms.

That being said, carmenchristi is quite right in saying that the habit doesn't make the nun any more than 'clothes make the man'. That doesn't mean we need to discount its importance either. It is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual commitment, just as a wedding ring is. Some communities do not use a wedding ring at Profession (such as most Carmelites) but their habit (especially the black veil for Carms) represents their 'wedding ring'.

For those communities who choose not to wear their habit as clothing, many of them consider their lapel pin or crucifix to be a symbol of their habit and many of these ones wear a ring as well. Some Diocesan priests choose not to wear their collars when they are not celebrating the Mass or acting in an 'offical' capacity whereas others wear the soutane in public (more in Europe than in Western countries but our Latin Mass priests here do wear the soutane and biretta). We aren't all romantics, but that doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with either point of view.

But for those who do choose to wear the habit - it is not an insignificant event on that day.... it is much like a wedding day - or perhaps one should say a betrothal day since the actual wedding takes place at Profession. But it is just as important in the heart and mind of someone who is experiencing it - believe me.

[TeresaBenedicta]

You know, this is something I haven't thought too much about. I love the habit and I can't wait to be clothed in one... but I can't visually picture myself in one. So I don't think about it too much. God willing, when I am clothed, I will then know!

[Ephrem Augustine]

When I put on the habit I am no longer an individual, but an Augustinian, like all 3000 in the world, and all those gone before us. When I put on the habit I am no longer an individual, but a representative of God before the nations. When I put on the habit I am no longer left astray, for God is my shepherd. When I put on the habit I am no longer left to my own device, but I belong entirely to Jesus.

[faithcecelia]

I had and have no romantic feelings towards the habit, to me it was just 'right'. I longed to be clothed from the day I entered and was overjoyed when the day came, but it wasn't a romantic feeling. I took it off almost immediately I was told I had to leave (much to the horror of my NM and prioress as it meant the had to get the community together quickly to tell them I was going) as I felt keeping in on, even for few more hours, would be living a lie.

Nunsense, I smiled at you telling how you were helped to dress and undress, I could really have done with that for the first few days - most particularly when I was dashing to be back in it before sext after being in a smock in the kitchen, I was late about 2 days running! I actually got used to wearing it very quickly though, and again taking it off was so hard. i don't think anyone else notices, but in Lauds my last morning I automatically went to move my scapular to the side as I sat dowm, even though I was in jeans!


I long to be back in the Carmelite habit, but at the same time I am not in a hurry. My return to Carmel is the important bit now. Notting Hill tend to go for a year postulancy rather than 6mths, but then make more of it than Quidenham do (my ceremony was short and sweet with little fuss) but if I have to wait 2yrs then so be it. The ceremony itself will aslo be bittersweet as I will be making requests that I have never retracted since I made them first time round. Again, so be it.

If anyone is interested, this was my Clothing!!

[img]http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/ruthbale/Ruths_Clothing_004.jpg[/img]



Actually, pic was the next day as I was clothed late afternoon in November and it was too dark!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1308137009' post='2253960']
I had and have no romantic feelings towards the habit, to me it was just 'right'. I longed to be clothed from the day I entered and was overjoyed when the day came, but it wasn't a romantic feeling. I took it off almost immediately I was told I had to leave (much to the horror of my NM and prioress as it meant the had to get the community together quickly to tell them I was going) as I felt keeping in on, even for few more hours, would be living a lie.

Nunsense, I smiled at you telling how you were helped to dress and undress, I could really have done with that for the first few days - most particularly when I was dashing to be back in it before sext after being in a smock in the kitchen, I was late about 2 days running! I actually got used to wearing it very quickly though, and again taking it off was so hard. i don't think anyone else notices, but in Lauds my last morning I automatically went to move my scapular to the side as I sat dowm, even though I was in jeans!

[/quote]


Ah - you wore the modified veil and no tocque! The real difficulty for me was pinning on the two veils to the tocque and keeping them lined up without using a mirror. And there were so many layers that it took a little time to get everything on in the morning. I don't think we could have changed from a habit into a smock and back again in time for the Office, so it's a good thing that we wore aprons over our habits!

You made me laugh about the scapular - it takes some getting used to and then it's hard to remember you aren't wearing one! lol

Here is the habit we wore...

[img]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab166/nunsense/habits/anniehabit.jpg[/img]

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1308140741' post='2253971']
Ah - you wore the modified veil and no tocque! The real difficulty for me was pinning on the two veils to the tocque and keeping them lined up without using a mirror. And there were so many layers that it took a little time to get everything on in the morning. I don't think we could have changed from a habit into a smock and back again in time for the Office, so it's a good thing that we wore aprons over our habits!

You made me laugh about the scapular - it takes some getting used to and then it's hard to remember you aren't wearing one! lol

[/quote]


We didn't have tocques, no, but did have the old style, pinned veil (NH have a modified veil, and that will be one of my little crosses, I think the old style is far prettier!). I frequesntly ended up with it off centre at first, or sticking up like a pixie! My NM soon showed me how to use an extra pin to reduce that, the white veils were such a light fabric they never hung as nicely as the black ones.

I think I would have stunk to high heavens if I had cooked in my habit! We used garlic in almost everything and I was on occasion in the kitchen 13 mornings running, my habit would have walked to the wash on its own!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1308141296' post='2253974']
We didn't have tocques, no, but did have the old style, pinned veil (NH have a modified veil, and that will be one of my little crosses, I think the old style is far prettier!). I frequesntly ended up with it off centre at first, or sticking up like a pixie! My NM soon showed me how to use an extra pin to reduce that, the white veils were such a light fabric they never hung as nicely as the black ones.

I think I would have stunk to high heavens if I had cooked in my habit! We used garlic in almost everything and I was on occasion in the kitchen 13 mornings running, my habit would have walked to the wash on its own!
[/quote]

I wore a modified veil as a postulant at the last Carmel, and it was much cooler and easier to put on and take off, so perhaps you will find that it isn't as much of a Cross as you imagine!

As for wearing the habit all the time, ours was only washed twice a year because it was wool and very heavy and just wouldn't have dried quickly. We changed our tunics though every week, so that was okay. I think your habits must have been a much lighter fabric? The habits at the last Carmel were synthetic and cotton and very lightweight but then in Australia's climate, they had to be!

[carmenchristi]

I never meant to sound like romantic ideas about a habit are wrong. I guess the thought never crossed my mind that it might seem like that to someone because I am a hopeless romantic. I simply meant what I later explained, that yes, habits are beautiful and important but not the main focus.

[quote name='Ephrem Augustine' timestamp='1308114848' post='2253936']
When I put on the habit I am no longer an individual, but an Augustinian, like all 3000 in the world, and all those gone before us. When I put on the habit I am no longer an individual, but a representative of God before the nations. When I put on the habit I am no longer left astray, for God is my shepherd. When I put on the habit I am no longer left to my own device, but I belong entirely to Jesus.
[/quote]


PLEASE BE CAREFUL with this kind of reasoning! God won't and doesn't want to take away your individuality!!!!! True, you have to give up some aspects of it, but only in order to refine others. You are created as a unique INDIVIDUAL, even if you live according to a common spirit... even if you must sacrifice some of your desires and must conform to a certain rule, it doesn't change that you are YOU!

[Butterfly]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"]Hi to all of you![/size][/font]

[size="3"][font="Calibri"]Thank you so much for your answers. I wasn’t able to answer earlier because I am pretty much stressed with my study and typing and thinking about this takes time, so thank you for your patience [/font]J[/size]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"]Nunsense, thank you so much for sharing with us your experiences with the habit and your thoughts. You was confused about “Jesus in our wombs”.. It was only the title of a book, which I have read. [/size][/font]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"]I agree that we have an idealistic view of the habit before entering and before being clothed, but I think also that this is normal. The paragon with the wedding dress is a good example and I think this romantic view aren’t totally unrealistic but only half and they had to be adjusted with the reality, but I think it is good and normal that we have some ideals. Wouldn’t we otherwise have the power and the courage to enter and to try this way of life?[/size][/font]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"] [/size][/font]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"]So thank you so much again for your posts and I will write more when I have more time[/size][/font]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"]Butterfly[/size][/font]

[AccountDeleted]

For every person there is going to be a different approach to this whole thing. I understand why Ephrem Augustine talks about becoming just one more of the Augustines but I also understand why carmenchristi says not to lose one's individuality. Each point of view is valid depending upon where one is standing at the time they say it!

So I also understand why some people have problems with the bridal imagery or the romanticism of it all. But even the Bible talks about God's relationship with His people as being a spousal one, and that is why He is so hurt (from a human perspective) when Isreal keeps 'cheating' on Him! Some of Ekeziel is really harsh about this aspect!

I have read articles by religious sisters in the US who simply hate the bridal imagery and the whole 'Bride of Christ' mentality, but I have to say that I, for one, love it. I can't think of any relationship that is closer than that of a husband and wife (even the mother/child one, which starts off as one flesh evolves into one of two separate individuals, whereas the spousal relationship is about two becoming one.

Perhaps what Ephrem meant (not to put words into your mouth here EA) was that although one always remains an individual (as they do in a marriage), one also becomes 'like one' with one's spouse. And a religious community is a kind of exterior manifestation of that relationship - lived out between the members of the community. Sort of a miniature 'body of Christ' with each member contributing to the whole of the body.

Anyway, we can all see it differently, and God accepts it all. We aren't all attracted by the same imagery, but God uses our affinities to call us and guide us. For me, that is definitely the bridal/spousal one.