Interior Castle (Thrift Editions)

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James Finley explores the first four Mansions of the Interior Castle focusing on the ‘hinges’ (prayer, experiential self-knowledge, and humility) of the doorways between each that ground your movements through the gifts and challenges of each Mansion. Thirdly, she derived such humility and self-knowledge from this vision, that from that moment she never thought of herself in all the good she was doing; for she learnt that all the beauty of the soul emanates from that resplendent light, and that the powers of the soul and of the body are enlivened and strengthened by the Power established in the centre, whence comes all our good, so that we have but a small share in our good works. All the good she did, she from this moment referred to God as its principal author.

The Interior Castle : St. Teresa of Avila : Free Download The Interior Castle : St. Teresa of Avila : Free Download

As the diamond reflects eternal love so His Majesty residing in the inner chamber of the seventh mansion is the Eternal Love drawing the soul into this inner sanctum of His abiding presence where it is transfigured and rests in God through the spiritual marriage. In this community of divine love is expressed also one’s love of neighbor. will clearly understand that the spirit of Mother Tireza ( sic) of Jesus is true, since it leads to the same effects as are to be found in the saints; and because this is in truth my judgment and opinion, I have hereunto set my name, this, the 22nd day of February, 1582. P. Rodrigo Alvarez.' 8As James Michener pointed out, the most striking thing about St. Teresa is this seamless mixture of pragmatism and mysticism. For somebody who reported feeling her soul leave her body, she comes across as remarkably down to earth. Several times, she quotes or references a Biblical passage and then adds parenthetically “Well, at least I think that’s what it says,” as if she couldn’t be bothered to go look it up. She also frequently comments on how inadequate she feels to the task at hand; and a few times she says that she’s unsure whether she is repeating herself, because she wrote the last bit a while ago and she doesn’t have time to reread it. The final effect is really charming, as if she just sat down and dashed off the whole thing between breakfast and lunch. St. Teresa of Ávila wrote one of the greatest spiritual guides ever: The Interior Castle. She had a vision of the spiritual life as a diamond castle, with seven sets of “mansions.” These mansions go deeper to the center of our soul– where God resides. 1. Outside of the Castle In this stage, the soul is only partially detached from sin and the allurements of the world. But there’s still much work for God to do.

The Interior Castle: Or, The Mansions (Forgotten Books)

St. Teresa’s most important advice for the beginner is to try to rid themselves of sin and attachments. Jesus said that the riches and pleasures of the world can still choke those who hear the word of God. She was the third child of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda by his second wife, Doña Beatriz Davila y Ahumada, who died when the saint was in her fourteenth year, Teresa was brought up by her saintly father, a lover of serious books, and a tender and pious mother. After her death and the marriage of her eldest sister, Teresa was sent for her education to the Augustinian nuns at Avila, but owing to illness she left at the end of eighteen months, and for some years remained with her father and occasionally with other relatives, notably an uncle who made her acquainted with the Letters of St. Jerome, which determined her to adopt the religious life, not so much through any attraction towards it, as through a desire of choosing the safest course. Unable to obtain her father's consent she left his house unknown to him on Nov., 1535, to enter the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation at Avila, which then counted 140 nuns. The wrench from her family caused her a pain which she ever afterwards compared to that of death. However, her father at once yielded and Teresa took the habit.The second translation, by the Rev. John Dalton, appeared in 1852 and has been repeatedly reprinted. It was dedicated to Bishop Ullathorne.