Monthly Archives: April 2013

Seven Sacred Pauses 7: Compline

Posted on April 11, 2013 by

Seventh Hour: Compline We’re back to where we started. Back to darkness again, where we began in the first hour of the day. But not really. One of the great misunderstandings of spiritual life is the tendency to confuse cycles … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 6: Vespers

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Sixth Hour:  Vespers Vespers. Evening. The liminal time when daylight fades into darkness. Those transitional moments—the turning of day to night, the changing of seasons, the thresholds and passages that mark significant shifts in our lives—are often perceived as “thin … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 5: None

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

Fifth Hour:  None The fifth hour of the day, None. It’s mid-afternoon, three to six, the conclusion of the work day and the preparation for winding down in the evening. Metaphorically, this hour serves as a reminder that life continues … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 4: Sext

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

Fourth Hour:  Sext Midday. Noon. The highest point in the sun’s arc as it passes through the sky. The tilting point of the day. Metaphorically, sext is the hour of greatest creativity and productivity, the time when the fire of … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 3: Terce

Posted on April 7, 2013 by

Third Hour:  Terce Terce—the third hour. In our modern terms, the beginning of the working day, nine to noon. These three hours of the day are called the “little hours,” the time when work is planned and begun. Metaphorically, the … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 2: Lauds

Posted on April 6, 2013 by

Second Hour:  Lauds I’ll admit it:  I’m not a morning person. At least most of the time. There come those rare moments, however, when I get up fully awake just as the sun is beginning to rise, and have the … Continue reading →

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Seven Sacred Pauses 1: Vigils

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

First Hour:  Vigils The Ammas and Abbas, the holy mothers and fathers of our faith, made a practice of praying the Liturgy of the Hours—the seven holy pauses during the day which call us to draw together in community and … Continue reading →

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