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Step 1
Saint Teresa of Avila, St Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, Hallam diocese, EnglandExperience the call toward the life of a religious. This is an area for which you can turn to sites such as Could you have a Vocation to Carmel? For all the valuable guiding information available, you will need to meet other sisters within the walls of a convent. A Carmelite Superior will guide you through a process of discernment before you can begin the official stages of formation.
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Step 2
Avila ( Espana )Study the Discalced Carmelites and The 'Primitive' Rule of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel online. (Included in Additional Resources) Many sites provide the distinguished history of the Discalced Carmelites and the full text of their rule. You are in a discernment process as you learn more about this rare and sacred experience. If you have a true call, you be drawn deeper into discernment and beyond. A pertinent quote from a Carmelite website (in Additional Resources): "The vocation of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns is a gift of the Spirit. Through it, they are called to a 'hidden union with God'."
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Step 3
Acquaint yourself with qualifications for becoming a Carmelite nun and the stages of formation. The formation process begins with postulancy, which can last from six to eighteen months. The next stage is novitiate proper and can last up to two years. The time in temporary vows is at least three years and can last as long as six years.
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Step 4
Contact a Carmelite convent via online email contact information. Discuss your feelings with your parish priest. Read "The Interior Castle" by St. Teresa of Avila and/or "The Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross. Prepare for the most interior experience of your life, one that, if you are called, will last a lifetime.
