Posts by lauralee
The Hour of Sext: The sun is overhead. The traveler reaches a crossroad.
This is the fifth in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Sext, the Hour in the middle of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so…
Read MoreThe Hour of Terce: The light climbs. The worker pauses.
This is the fourth in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Terce, the mid-morning Hour. This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her sonic imagination of the sleepy joy…
Read MoreThe Hour of Prime: The day is lit. Choose your course.
This is the third in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Prime, the start of work (for many around 8 a.m.). This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her…
Read MoreThe Hour of Lauds: The sun returns. The sleeper awakes.
This is the second in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Lauds, the break of day. This series is to celebrate the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her sonic imagination of…
Read MoreThe Hour of Vigils: The Long Dark
Today begins a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, starting with Vigils, the time deep in the night known as “the long dark.” This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the Vigils album of the soundtrack starts the post so that you…
Read MoreThe Greek Chorus and the Cry of Oyez
The first and the last words you will hear in the film Praying the Hours are sung by a Greek Chorus—all of whom are played by one woman: Lolo Meares. The chorus helps the audience transition from one Hour to the next, urging them to pay attention. This is the purpose of praying the Hours,…
Read MoreSuccess Is What We Say It Is
“Woah,” he said, tears filling his eyes, “that’s it right there. That’s everything.” I was in conversation with a young artist at the end of his strength in that strange dance marathon of making a living while also making his own art. He started our conversation declaring that he is “through”—done with spending all his…
Read MoreHow An Idea Turned Itself Into a Movie
We called the completion of Praying the Hours a little over two months ago—on Mayday, 2021, so it would be easy to remember. Within the time since then, while I have been working on finding its audiences, I picked up one of my journals from over two decades ago. There I found the slip of…
Read MoreIt Did Not Entertain Me.
Two of my dear friends released huge film projects last week. Each of them were in the news, each watching the numbers with their respective studios and each heaving a sigh of relief—then joy!—that something they’ve worked on for years has solidly hit its mark. I lived with each of them through those projects and…
Read MoreA Divine Cycle of Art and Prayer
Now that you’ve been given access to the movie Praying the Hours, one of these days—when you’re in the right mood—you’re going to watch it. And when you finally come to the end, several things will happen, among them, you’ll want to hear the music again. Lauren Meares’ achingly beautiful score was inspired by the…
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