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First Time at the Monastery...
I'm going to a monastery in Texas with some friends during the summer for the first time, but I don't know what to expect...
What should I bring? Any advice?
What should I bring? Any advice?
Comments
I'm going to a monastery in Texas with some friends during the summer for the first time, but I don't know what to expect...
What should I bring? Any advice?
how long are you gonna be there for?
Also, buy a bag of these for the monastery: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcnrrMCJ5GI/S4tAjXUN1hI/AAAAAAAABpI/8M10aCtHEwQ/s400/slippery+visit+2010feb+073.JPG
It's guava candy.
I would bring my iPod with all of the spiritual songs and Alhan on it, because when your there and alone, you can sit and contemplate on the words or tune. I don't know if they allow iPods over there, though.
But anyway, anything that will help you think deeply. That's just me though, because I'm the type that likes to be quiet, others may want to explore and have an adventure at the monastery.
EDIT: Welcome to Tasbeha, by the way :)
Also, buy a bag of these for the monastery: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcnrrMCJ5GI/S4tAjXUN1hI/AAAAAAAABpI/8M10aCtHEwQ/s400/slippery+visit+2010feb+073.JPG
It's guava candy.
mainly for abouna arsenius.....i got him 2 when i was there 2 weeks ago.
[quote author=CopticStrength link=topic=12825.msg150820#msg150820 date=1327006914]
I would bring my iPod with all of the spiritual songs and Alhan on it, because when your there and alone, you can sit and contemplate on the words or tune. I don't know if they allow iPods over there, though.
the abouna's will not control what you have or don't in your own room but i wouldn't recommend it for that reason. I think it is better to spend your time reading, speaking to the monks and annoying them for spiritual guidance. you can have the ipod anytime outside the monastery but you will not have the monks outside or the peace you get into the monastery.
i'll post a longer response with more details on what to take to the monastery and some small guidelines.
how long are you gonna be there for?
I'm staying for a few weeks or so, but in the summer. (it took me a while to find out how to quote ;))
[quote author=TITL link=topic=12825.msg150819#msg150819 date=1327006278]
Expect not to sleep until you get back home.
Also, buy a bag of these for the monastery: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcnrrMCJ5GI/S4tAjXUN1hI/AAAAAAAABpI/8M10aCtHEwQ/s400/slippery+visit+2010feb+073.JPG
It's guava candy.
I would but I'd probably finish them before I get there. By the way, I'm kind of a mavgouha , is that gona be a problem?
[quote author=Timothym link=topic=12825.msg150824#msg150824 date=1327015987]
Also if you have any prayer ropes (sibha) make sure to bring some because they always need to sell or give away. If you know how to make one, bring extra rope because they'll ask you to teach some of them.
I've never heard of prayer ropes, what are they?
And also I've been trying to download some alhan from this site for 2months but I couldn't figure out. Can someone write me a tutorial?
take a bed sheet and pillow pillow case. it's the summer, it will be very worm there.
you will get less sleep because of the schedule of services there, work and time you'll be spending with monks.
DO NOT miss any of the services...no matter how tired you are. if you can't simply go to the services and pray with everyone, what else would you do.
I recommend you become close to a specific monk for guidance but also be good with other because everything they do or say may have benefits no matter how small.
prayer robes: http://www.stmosesbookstore.org/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ilvm_fly_showroom_mall.tpl&product_id=1995&category_id=58&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2
obedience is a virtue......practice best there.
being mafgou'a might be a problem. food options are limited--after all, you are in a monastery. you eat whatever is there....and you better because if not, there would be no other food for you.
i forgot to ask an important question and you may not answer if you donn't want to...are you a girl or guy??
To download hymns, go to the media tab at the top left of the page. Under it there is an option for liturgies, hymns of feasts etc. So lets try it together. Go to media, then scroll down and click liturgies. The first option on the list is Fr. Anthony Hanna's St. Basil Liturgy. Left click the title. Then you will see Track01 and Track 02 with a "download" button beside it. Simply click the download button and accept it to download. You can download up to 20 selections per day. God bless! Let us know if you're still having trouble.
If I may ask, are you Orthodox? I'm just wondering because of the sacred heart picture you have...just paint over the heart in red to match his clothes and then itll be semi-Coptic :) Anyways, the prayer rope or as it is called in arabic: sibha or masbaha is a rope of 33, 41, 50, or 100 knots. Each knot on the rope is made with a specific sequence of interwoven crosses. Tradition states that it was taught to a monk when the devil kept on untying his knots in order to help him focus on his prayers. The prayer rope then is what can be compared to the Roman Catholic rosary only we do not pray hail mary on it. We usually say the Jesus prayer/arrow prayer: Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me the sinner. You can repeat this in order to keep focused on Christ. You can also say similar short prayers for your family and friends.
To download hymns, go to the media tab at the top left of the page. Under it there is an option for liturgies, hymns of feasts etc. So lets try it together. Go to media, then scroll down and click liturgies. The first option on the list is Fr. Anthony Hanna's St. Basil Liturgy. Left click the title. Then you will see Track01 and Track 02 with a "download" button beside it. Simply click the download button and accept it to download. You can download up to 20 selections per day. God bless! Let us know if you're still having trouble.
Yes, I am coptic orthodox and male. I just like that picture. Also, I'm wondering if I should bring my tonya, toiletries etc..?
I'm curious to know about the story about the monk if you don't mind telling me.
Also, whenever I log on then go to the audio recordings, it logs me out automatically.
Yes, I am coptic orthodox and male. I just like that picture. Also, I'm wondering if I should bring my tonya, toiletries etc..?
if you are a deacon, a tonia is a must. toiletries are also needed....you will be living there for a month soooo.....
that would be a great way to spend a week or two.
is there a monastery where women can work on a farm too?
that would be a great way to spend a week or two.
there are two new convents, one in San Antonio TX and another in Ohio. I am sure after sometime they'll get to that point. But, i have heard that retreats in convents (led my nuns of course) is much stricter in dealing with girls who go there for retreats. ya3ny texas monastery accepts church retreats lead by priests with girls, couples who are married and girls if with their family or brother. but of course, the monks don't spend much time with them. they don't watch over them.
if it means manual work, then i think it's good.
i can't really imagine what it is you describe.
how do u mean 'stricter', stricter than digging the ground?
if it means manual work, then i think it's good.
i can't really imagine what it is you describe.
hmmmmm.....like staying an hour later than 10 pm (a curfew) for example. like not being forced to to be there for every tasbeha, liturgy, matins and vespers. I didn't get much other examples from girls who been there really.
keep this convo going, I'm going during spring break :D I wanna learn too
that's when MUCH people will be there--not gonna be as fun.
I recommend you become close to a specific monk for guidance but also be good with other because everything they do or say may have benefits no matter how small.
I heard that there's and abouna in the Texas monastery that walks around with machettes! Anyway when you said ask for guidance, are you inferring that I shoud discuss stuff that i would tell my father of confession?
[quote author=Timothym link=topic=12825.msg150834#msg150834 date=1327044156]
To download hymns, go to the media tab at the top left of the page. Under it there is an option for liturgies, hymns of feasts etc. So lets try it together. Go to media, then scroll down and click liturgies. The first option on the list is Fr. Anthony Hanna's St. Basil Liturgy. Left click the title. Then you will see Track01 and Track 02 with a "download" button beside it. Simply click the download button and accept it to download. You can download up to 20 selections per day. God bless! Let us know if you're still having trouble.
^^ I tried wat you wrote but it logs me out automatically when I click on anything in the media tab. It says "You must
register or sign in" when I click download.
I heard that there's and abouna in the Texas monastery that walks around with machettes!
No true.
nooo.....but monks have a different perspective of things--they see things much clear concerning that they are farther from the world (actually dead to it).
[quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12825.msg150832#msg150832 date=1327035830]
I recommend you become close to a specific monk for guidance but also be good with other because everything they do or say may have benefits no matter how small.
I heard that there's and abouna in the Texas monastery that walks around with machettes! Anyway when you said ask for guidance, are you inferring that I shoud discuss stuff that i would tell my father of confession?
[quote author=Timothym link=topic=12825.msg150834#msg150834 date=1327044156]
To download hymns, go to the media tab at the top left of the page. Under it there is an option for liturgies, hymns of feasts etc. So lets try it together. Go to media, then scroll down and click liturgies. The first option on the list is Fr. Anthony Hanna's St. Basil Liturgy. Left click the title. Then you will see Track01 and Track 02 with a "download" button beside it. Simply click the download button and accept it to download. You can download up to 20 selections per day. God bless! Let us know if you're still having trouble.
^^ I tried wat you wrote but it logs me out automatically when I click on anything in the media tab. It says "You must
register or sign in" when I click download.
Are you signed in when you try to download hymns??
As for the monk, the story goes that an angel appeared to him and taught him how to tie the prayer rope (out of 7 crosses) so that the devil cannot undo them. No matter how it started, it is still a very powerful prayer since it invokes the name of God.
[quote author=mabsoota link=topic=12825.msg150855#msg150855 date=1327096865]
is there a monastery where women can work on a farm too?
that would be a great way to spend a week or two.
there are two new convents, one in San Antonio TX and another in Ohio. I am sure after sometime they'll get to that point. But, i have heard that retreats in convents (led my nuns of course) is much stricter in dealing with girls who go there for retreats. ya3ny texas monastery accepts church retreats lead by priests with girls, couples who are married and girls if with their family or brother. but of course, the monks don't spend much time with them. they don't watch over them.
What a pity. I understand that for girls there are other rules and that monks don't spend much time with girls, partly to avoid temptation(some monks don't even want to see girls or women), but I find it quite unfortunately. Men can do everything, women can not! :( Altough I don't live in Texas, or any other country where are convents/monasteries, I always wanted to spend a time there.
Once I was in Anba Maqar-monastery (tariek masr-Iskandreya, in Egypt) and there was such a cute monk! He was the one who came to me and talked to me and gave me spiritual advice and he seemed to deal with as well as guys as with girls.
But I really would like to spend a while in such a monastery to experience a great, quite, blessed time there.
Does anyone know if and where there in Egypt there are any monasteries where it is allowed for girls to spend there a couple of days????????
[quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12825.msg150856#msg150856 date=1327097291]
[quote author=mabsoota link=topic=12825.msg150855#msg150855 date=1327096865]
is there a monastery where women can work on a farm too?
that would be a great way to spend a week or two.
there are two new convents, one in San Antonio TX and another in Ohio. I am sure after sometime they'll get to that point. But, i have heard that retreats in convents (led my nuns of course) is much stricter in dealing with girls who go there for retreats. ya3ny texas monastery accepts church retreats lead by priests with girls, couples who are married and girls if with their family or brother. but of course, the monks don't spend much time with them. they don't watch over them.
What a pity. I understand that for girls there are other rules and that monks don't spend much time with girls, partly to avoid temptation(some monks don't even want to see girls or women), but I find it quite unfortunately. Men can do everything, women can not! :( Altough I don't live in Texas, or any other country where are convents/monasteries, I always wanted to spend a time there.
"Men can do everything"...that is not really the case. we are simply governed by different rules. I don't see the problem in this really. giving advice is not a prob. many monks do that even brothers sometimes--depending how social can they be.....each person as he can handle in his way towards monasticism or within it.
I can't say for sure but i really really doubt it.
personally i would like to visit a monastery (maybe one for nuns) and go to all the services and go to do some work as well, as i think that would be a big blessing.
maybe, i would (out of weakness) also ask for an afternoon nap!
;)
[quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12825.msg150858#msg150858 date=1327102249]
keep this convo going, I'm going during spring break :D I wanna learn too
that's when MUCH people will be there--not gonna be as fun.
When do you think then is the best time(s) to go?? :) I heard it's heavenly, even my priests say so :D and I've been dying to go there for years, but school didn't allow it :P
[quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12825.msg150860#msg150860 date=1327102543]
[quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12825.msg150858#msg150858 date=1327102249]
keep this convo going, I'm going during spring break :D I wanna learn too
that's when MUCH people will be there--not gonna be as fun.
When do you think then is the best time(s) to go?? :) I heard it's heavenly, even my priests say so :D and I've been dying to go there for years, but school didn't allow it :P
depends on what "school" your in. this yr i went there from dec 25-jan 5 with my 2 brothers. the reason for that is i finished exams on dec 23. we were with a lot of people till the 31 because no one wants to miss new years outside their church (we sacrifices that). so from jan 1 till we left, the monastery was empty....it was awesome. but we couldn't miss the feast so we had to come back on the 5th.
many people go on spring break because that when most colleges are off. are you goin in a group or by yourself?
I just came back last week.... if u go on the path, and at the end at the dead end, you jump off the side walk and walk on the rocks for a while... you'll find a cave with a blue covering above it..... in there i heard an old monk used to live there... he is now departed... in there there is a machete box, and a crazy amount of tools... but DONT GO ALONE! there are crazy amount of snakes... go in a large group lol
haha.....you know about that to.......
who said it's an old monk who departed?!.... :)
[quote author=+Marmar+ link=topic=12825.msg150879#msg150879 date=1327141537]
[quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12825.msg150856#msg150856 date=1327097291]
[quote author=mabsoota link=topic=12825.msg150855#msg150855 date=1327096865]
is there a monastery where women can work on a farm too?
that would be a great way to spend a week or two.
there are two new convents, one in San Antonio TX and another in Ohio. I am sure after sometime they'll get to that point. But, i have heard that retreats in convents (led my nuns of course) is much stricter in dealing with girls who go there for retreats. ya3ny texas monastery accepts church retreats lead by priests with girls, couples who are married and girls if with their family or brother. but of course, the monks don't spend much time with them. they don't watch over them.
What a pity. I understand that for girls there are other rules and that monks don't spend much time with girls, partly to avoid temptation(some monks don't even want to see girls or women), but I find it quite unfortunately. Men can do everything, women can not! :( Altough I don't live in Texas, or any other country where are convents/monasteries, I always wanted to spend a time there.
"Men can do everything"...that is not really the case. we are simply governed by different rules. I don't see the problem in this really.
Yeah.. I know, that's what I meant. Didn't know how to explain it.
[quote author=mabsoota link=topic=12825.msg150886#msg150886 date=1327154970]
hi marmar, don't know about egypt but i know there is in uk (p.m. for details).
personally i would like to visit a monastery (maybe one for nuns) and go to all the services and go to do some work as well, as i think that would be a big blessing.
maybe, i would (out of weakness) also ask for an afternoon nap!
;)
Thx mabsoota! :) Unfortunately, the Uk is very far from where I life. Maybe.... one time in the future.. I will go there.. with my husband or something.. hmm..
Indeed it would be a big blessing :) I want the same. Why we don't go together? :P
[quote author=avvakaras link=topic=12825.msg150890#msg150890 date=1327160638]
I just came back last week.... if u go on the path, and at the end at the dead end, you jump off the side walk and walk on the rocks for a while... you'll find a cave with a blue covering above it..... in there i heard an old monk used to live there... he is now departed... in there there is a machete box, and a crazy amount of tools... but DONT GO ALONE! there are crazy amount of snakes... go in a large group lol
Haha, that seems that you had a GREAT adventure there :)
Machet box?? You're kidding right? Lol..
[quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12825.msg150887#msg150887 date=1327159193]
[quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12825.msg150860#msg150860 date=1327102543]
[quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12825.msg150858#msg150858 date=1327102249]
keep this convo going, I'm going during spring break :D I wanna learn too
that's when MUCH people will be there--not gonna be as fun.
When do you think then is the best time(s) to go?? :) I heard it's heavenly, even my priests say so :D and I've been dying to go there for years, but school didn't allow it :P
depends on what "school" your in. this yr i went there from dec 25-jan 5 with my 2 brothers. the reason for that is i finished exams on dec 23. we were with a lot of people till the 31 because no one wants to miss new years outside their church (we sacrifices that). so from jan 1 till we left, the monastery was empty....it was awesome. but we couldn't miss the feast so we had to come back on the 5th.
many people go on spring break because that when most colleges are off. are you goin in a group or by yourself?
I'm still in middle school :) I'm planning on leaving with my brother, 2 of my friends from church and our Priest :) But since it seems like there will be so much people I'm stuck on when to actually go ??? Who recommends the summer ???