Sister Laurel O'Neal:
CLASS OF 1967
Phineas Banning High SchoolClass of 1967
Wilmington, CA
Graduate Theological UnionClass of 1982
Berkeley, CA
Dominican School of Philosophy & TheologyClass of 1982
Berkeley, CA
Saint Mary's CollegeClass of 1974
Moraga, CA
Sister Laurel's Story
Life
Contact me: Since I don't belong to the "gold membership" version of this service, if you want to reach me you will have to email me. You will also need to piece together the address since this service prevents us sharing those with one another. Write SRLAUREL add the sign for "AT" and send it on to AOL (plus the dot COM). I would love to hear from you. If you want to see my blog, go to notesfromstillsong (DOT) blogspot (DOT) com.
My Pets
My cat's name is Merton (after Thomas Merton, Cistercian Monk and Hermit). Not much to tell. He loves to sleep, eat, and sit on or near me as I read, pray, study, write, etc. Seems to endure my violin practices in a less than stoic manner. Not so happy now that I no longer take him outside for outings (not even on a leash), but has a windowsill which is wide, and from which he can view the world outside.
Violin:
Recently the orchestra I play with put out a couple of CD's. It is amazing what an amateur orchestra can do! When I was at Banning I learned from a music teacher there that if one had not become an accomplished violinist by 18 or so, one might as well forget it (that's the impression he gave, if not his exact words). Well, I almost did that, but came back to it about ten years ago, and now play with a number of Bay area orchestras. One recently accompanied the SF Gay Men's chorus at Davies symphony hall. Was THAT an experience!!! Wonderful! There will be a CD of that performance too. So, music, both classical, liturgical and celtic (fiddling) has remained a large part of my life. I have even begun to compose some and recently hooked up a MIDI keyboard to my laptop.
Spiritual Direction: As a hermit (...Expand for more
Yes, really and truly, you heard that right!), my life is essentially one of prayer, silence, solitude, and penance (not so DREAD a word as it sounds, really!). As in the earliest days of eremitism (3rd-4th C) where some monks (hermits) were called to accompany others in their own prayer, I also work as a spiritual director, which means I accompany others on their journeys with God. Sometimes there are straightforward counselling issues, but always the focus is the person's relationship with God and how that is going and growing. I can assist with forms and stages of prayer, issues of personal growth and discernment, etc. Spiritual Direction is essentially a very positive form of pastoral counselling, and working with others who are searching for ultimate meaning is VERY rewarding and lifegiving.
Being a Hermit: I will need to come back and explain this and how it came to be. For now, let me say that eremitism is NOT reclusion (at least not for most hermits), it is NOT rooted in misanthropy or disatisfaction with life, or in emotional instability! It is a (new and very old) form of consecrated, monastic life in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such, a life of wholeness and love. For me, it is the very best context to be, become, and do all I am called to do to love others, myself, and God. While it is characterized by silence, solitude, prayer and penance, and involves "stricter separation from the world" (gotta know what "world" actually means here!), it is a context which allows me to be open to people and love in ways other contexts did not. If this sounds interesting, intriguing, or just strange, please contact me with questions and comments.
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