Inner castle teresa of avila biography

Roman Catholic saint (1515–1582)

For treat people with a similar name, watch List of saints named Teresa.

Teresa of Ávila^[b]OCD (born Teresa Sánchez nationalized Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada;^[c] 28 March 1515 – 4 or 15 October 1582),^[a] also called Saint Nun of Jesus, was a Carmelite priest and prominent Spanish mystic and pious reformer.

Active during the Counter-Reformation, Missioner became the central figure of fastidious movement of spiritual and monastic recovery, reforming the Carmelite Orders of both women and men. The movement was later joined by the younger Mendicant friar and mystic Saint John salary the Cross, with whom she planted the Discalced Carmelites. A formal pontifical decree adopting the split from illustriousness old order was issued in 1580.^{[web 3]}

Her autobiography, The Life of Missioner of Jesus, and her books The Interior Castle and The Way take in Perfection are prominent works on Christly mysticism and Christian meditation practice. Stop off her autobiography, written as a provide for of her ecstatic mystical experiences, she discerns four stages in the climb of the soul to God: drastic prayer and meditation; the prayer faux quiet; absorption-in-God; ecstatic consciousness. The Emotions Castle, written as a spiritual manage for her Carmelite sisters, uses magnanimity illustration of seven mansions within ethics castle of the soul to recount the different states one's soul bottle be in during life.

Forty grow older after her death, in 1622, Nun was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. On 27 September 1970 Pope Missioner VI proclaimed Teresa the first ladylike Doctor of the Church in detection of her centuries-long spiritual legacy restrict Catholicism.^{[web 4]}

Biography

Early life

Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada was born come out 28 March 1515.^[4] Her birthplace was either Ávila or Gotarrendura.^[5] Her fatherly grandfather, Juan Sánchez de Toledo, was a marrano or converso, a Someone forced to convert to Christianity put away emigrate. When Teresa's father was span child, Juan was condemned by influence Spanish Inquisition for allegedly returning relate to Judaism, but he was later justification to assume a Catholic identity. Torment father, Alonso Sánchez de Cepeda, was a successful wool merchant and horn of the wealthiest men in Ávila. He bought a knighthood and assimilated successfully into Christian society.

Previously wed to Catalina del Peso y Henao, with whom he had three breed, in 1509, Sánchez de Cepeda wed Teresa's mother, Beatriz de Ahumada distorted Cuevas, in Gotarrendura. A brother, Lorenzo de Cepeda y Ahumada, was excellence father of Teresa de Ahumada.^[8]

Teresa's indolence brought her up as a fervent Christian. Fascinated by accounts of description lives of the saints, she ran away from home at age cardinal, with her brother Rodrigo, to search for aim martyrdom in the fight against high-mindedness Moors. Her uncle brought them house, when he spotted them just case the town walls.

When Teresa was cardinal years old, her mother died, disappearance her grief-stricken. This prompted her top embrace a deeper devotion to rank Virgin Mary as her spiritual popular. Teresa was also enamored of well-liked fiction, which at the time consisted primarily of medieval tales of knighthood and works about fashion, gardens good turn flowers.^{[web 5]} Teresa was sent clobber the Augustinian nuns' school in Ávila.

Religious life

Ascetic and mystical practice

After completing respite education, she initially resisted the conception of a religious vocation, but provision a stay with her uncle ray other relatives, she relented. In 1534, aged 20, much to the unsatisfaction of her pious and austere churchman, she decided to enter the stop trading easy-going Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation, significantly built on top of domain that had been used previously makeover a burial ground for Jews. She took up religious reading on forlorn prayer, especially Osuna's Abecedario espiritual ("Third Spiritual Alphabet," 1527), a guide steadfastness examination of conscience and "spiritual self-concentration and inner contemplation, known in esoteric nomenclature as oratio recollectionis". She additionally dipped into other mystical ascetical deeds such as the Tractatus de oratione et meditatione of Peter of Alcantara.

Her zeal for mortification caused her hug become ill again and she all in almost a year in bed, behind huge worry to her community famous family. She nearly died but she recovered, attributing her recovery to honesty miraculous intercession of Saint Joseph. She began to experience bouts of unworldly ecstasy. She reported that, during an added illness, she had progressed from picture lowest stage of "recollection", to goodness "devotions of silence" and even exchange the "devotions of ecstasy", in which was one of perceived in "perfect union with God" (see § Mysticism). She said she frequently experienced the opulent "blessing of tears" during this last stage. As the Catholic distinction amidst mortal and venial sin became plain to her, she came to fathom the awful horror of sin bear the inherent nature of original wound.

Around the same time, she agreed a copy of the full Romance translation of Augustine of Hippo's biographer work Confessions, which helped her achieve and to tend to her mix bouts of religious scruples. The paragraph helped her realize that holiness was indeed possible and she found relief in the idea that such swell great saint was once an hair sinner. In her autobiography, she wrote that she "was very fond hostilities St. Augustine [...] for he was clever sinner too".

Transverberation

Around 1556, friends suggested delay her newfound knowledge could be be advantageous to diabolical rather than divine origin. She had begun to inflict mortifications quite a lot of the flesh upon herself. But back up confessor, the JesuitFrancis Borgia, reassured break down of the divine inspiration of back up thoughts. On St. Peter's Day injure 1559, Teresa became firmly convinced divagate Jesus Christ had presented himself keep from her in bodily form, though undetectable. These visions lasted almost uninterruptedly reserve more than two years. In on the subject of vision, the famous transverberation, a angel drove the fiery point of uncut golden lance repeatedly through her thing, causing her an ineffable spiritual add-on bodily pain:

I saw in realm hand a long spear of metallic, and at the point there seemed to be a little fire. Put your feet up appeared to me to be thrust it at times into my spirit, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, sharptasting seemed to draw them out as well, and to leave me all blame fire with a great love position God. The pain was so brilliant, that it made me moan; become calm yet so surpassing was the harmony of this excessive pain, that Farcical could not wish to be deliver of it ...^[d]

The account of this attitude was the inspiration for one follow Bernini's most famous works, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa at Santa Tree della Vittoria in Rome. Although family circle in part on Teresa's description read her mystical transverberation in her experiences, Bernini's depiction of the event practical considered by some to be eminently eroticized, especially when compared to class entire preceding artistic Teresian tradition.^[e]

The recollection of this episode served as spoil inspiration throughout the rest of gibe life, and motivated her lifelong design of the life and suffering symbolize Jesus, epitomized in the adage usually associated with her: "Lord, either spurt me suffer or let me die"^{[15][page needed]}

Teresa, who became a celebrity in on his town dispensing wisdom from behind nobility convent grille, was known for turn one\'s back on raptures, which sometimes involved levitation. Soak up was a source of embarrassment persevere with her and she bade her sisters hold her down when this occurred. Subsequently, historians, neurologists and psychiatrists near Peter Fenwick and Javier Álvarez-Rodríguez, amidst others, have taken an interest crate her symptomatology. The fact that she wrote down virtually everything that case in point to her during her religious assured means that an invaluable and awfully rare medical record from the Sixteenth century has been preserved. Examination forget about this record has led to depiction speculative conclusion that she may be endowed with suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy.

Monastic reformer

Over time, Teresa found herself increasingly disapproval odds with the spiritual malaise predominant in her convent of the Epithet. Among the 150 nuns living more, the observance of cloister, designed tolerate protect and strengthen spiritual practice cranium prayer, became so lax that bid appeared to lose its purpose. Goodness daily invasion of visitors, many neat as a new pin high social and political rank, distressed the atmosphere with frivolous concerns skull vacuous conversation. Such intrusions in justness solitude essential to develop and maintain contemplative prayer so grieved Teresa cruise she longed to intervene.^{[web 6]}

The revolutionize to take the practical steps ecstatic by her inward motivation was slim by the Franciscan priest, Peter take off Alcantara, who met her early impede 1560 and became her spiritual counsellor. She resolved to found a "reformed" Carmelite convent, correcting the laxity which she had found at the Height convent and elsewhere besides. Doña Guiomar of Ulloa, a friend, was acknowledged permission for the project.^[18]

The abject want of the new convent, established interior 1562 and named St. Joseph's (San José), at first caused a disgrace among the citizens and authorities penalty Ávila, and the small house meet its chapel was in peril a choice of suppression. However, powerful patrons, including integrity local bishop, coupled with the feeling of well ordered subsistence and ambition, turned animosity into approval.^[18]

In March 1563, after Teresa had moved to decency new convent house, she received priestly sanction for her primary principles sharing absolute poverty and renunciation of custody of property, which she proceeded coalesce formulate into a "constitution". Her system was the revival of the early, stricter monastic rules, supplemented by in mint condition regulations including the three disciplines go ceremonial flagellation prescribed for the Seraphic Office every week, and the discalceation of the religious. For the cardinal five years, Teresa remained in secrecy, mostly engaged in prayer and writing.^{[citation needed]}

Extended travels

In 1567, Teresa received straighten up patent from the Carmelite General, Rubeo de Ravenna, to establish further shield of the new order. This occasion required many visitations and long fraternize across nearly all the provinces light Spain. She left a record be a witness the arduous project in her Libro de las Fundaciones. Between 1567 submit 1571, reformed convents were established irate Medina del Campo, Malagón, Valladolid, City, Pastrana, Salamanca, and Alba de Tormes.

As part of the original conspicuous, Teresa was given permission to like a cat on a hot tin roof up two houses for men who wished to adopt the reforms. She convinced two Carmelite friars, John clench the Cross and Anthony of Peer to help with this. They supported the first monastery of Discalced Mendicant brothers in November 1568 at Duruelo. Another friend of Teresa, Jerónimo Gracián, the Carmelite visitator of the sr. observance of Andalusia and apostolic delegate, and later provincial of the Teresian order, gave her powerful support direction founding monasteries at Segovia (1571), Beas de Segura (1574), Seville (1575), streak Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia, 1576). Meanwhile, John of the Cross promoted the inner life of the slope through his power as a tutor and preacher.

Opposition to reforms

In 1576, unrepentant members of the Carmelite order began to persecute Teresa, her supporters dominant her reforms. Following a number slate resolutions adopted at the general episode at Piacenza, the governing body entity the order forbade all further institution of reformed convents. The general sheet instructed her to go into "voluntary" retirement at one of her institutions. She obeyed and chose St. Joseph's at Toledo. Meanwhile, her friends humbling associates were subjected to further attacks.

Several years later, her appeals by communication to King Philip II of Espana secured relief. As a result, stem 1579, the cases before the judicature against her, Gracián and others, were dropped. This allowed the reform amplify resume. An edict from Pope Pope XIII allowed the appointment of organized special provincial for the newer offshoot of the Carmelite religious, and neat as a pin royal decree created a "protective" mark of four assessors for the reform.

During the last three years of eliminate life, Teresa founded convents at Villanueva de la Jara in northern Andalucia (1580), Palencia (1580), Soria (1581), Burgos, and Granada (1582). In total, cardinal convents, all but one founded wishywashy her, and as many men's monasteries, were owed to her reforms what's more twenty years.

Last days

Her final scream overtook her on one of turn a deaf ear to journeys from Burgos to Alba comfy Tormes. She died in 1582, tetchy as Catholic Europe was making position switch from the Julian to position Gregorian calendar, which required the eradication of the dates of 5–14 Oct from the calendar. She died either before midnight of 4 October defeat early in the morning of 15 October, which is celebrated as quota feast day. According to the solemn calendar then in use, she convulsion on the 15th. Her last fabricate were: "My Lord, it is heart to move on. Well then, may well your will be done. O free Lord and my Spouse, the time that I have longed for has come. It is time to unite one another."

After death

Holy relics

She was inhumed at the Convento de la Anunciación in Alba de Tormes. Nine months after her death the coffin was opened and her body was basement to be intact but the dress had rotted. Before the body was re-interred one of her hands was cut off, wrapped in a duster and sent to Ávila. Gracián topple the little finger off the advantage and – according to his reduce speed account – kept it with him until it was taken by goodness occupying Ottoman Turks, from whom flair had to redeem it with clean few rings and 20 reales. Rank body was exhumed again on 25 November 1585 to be moved analysis Ávila and found to be innocent. An arm was removed and not completed in Alba de Tormes at magnanimity nuns' request, to compensate for disappearance the main relic of Teresa, nevertheless the rest of the body was reburied in the Discalced Carmelite buttress house in Ávila. The removal was done without the approval of loftiness Duke of Alba de Tormes shaft he brought the body back conduct yourself 1586, with Pope Sixtus V arrangement that it remain in Alba contented Tormes on pain of excommunication. Skilful grander tomb on the original plot was raised in 1598 and glory body was moved to a newfound chapel in 1616.

The body unrelenting remains there, except for the later parts:

On August 28, 2024, go well was made the canonical recognition show consideration for Teresa's body. The postulator general pattern the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Pa Marco Chiesa, announced that those be included at the scene were able fall upon see that "it is in blue blood the gentry same condition as when it was last opened in 1914."^[22][23]

Canonization

In 1622, 40 years after her death, she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. Loftiness Cortes exalted her to patroness get a hold Spain in 1627. The University disturb Salamanca had granted her the caption Doctor ecclesiae (Latin for "Doctor close the Church") with a diploma bank her lifetime,^{[dubious – discuss]} but that fame is distinct from the papal label of Doctor of the Church, which is always conferred posthumously. The course was finally bestowed upon her jam Pope Paul VI on 27 Sep 1970, along with Catherine of Siena, making them the first women fifty pence piece be awarded the distinction. Teresa stick to revered as the Doctor of Appeal. The mysticism in her works exerted a formative influence upon many theologians of the following centuries, such thanks to Francis of Sales, Fénelon, and excellence Port-Royalists. In 1670, her coffin was plated in silver.

Teresa of Avila is honored in the Church countless England and in the Episcopal Religion on 15 October.^{[web 7][1]}

Patron saint

In 1626, at the request of Philip IV of Spain, the Castilian parliament^[f] choose Teresa "without lacking one vote" primate copatron saint of Castile. This prestige was affirmed by Pope Urban Eighter in a brief issued on 21 July 1627 in which he stated:

For these reasons [the king's tube Cortes's elections] and for the resolved devotion which they have for Nun, they elected her for patron coupled with advocate of these kingdoms in justness last Cortes of the aforementioned kingdoms ... And because ... the representatives in loftiness Cortes desired it so greatly focus their vote be firm and infinite, we grant it our patronage spell the approval of the Holy Disciple See.

— Rowe 2011, pp. 77–78

More broadly, the 1620s, the entirety of Spain (Castile see beyond) debated who should be influence country's patron saint; the choices were either the current patron, James City, or a pairing of him delighted the newly canonised Saint Teresa observe Ávila. Teresa's promoters said Spain manifest newer challenges, especially the threat unbutton Protestantism and societal decline at trace, thus needing a more contemporary supporter who understood those issues and could guide the Spanish nation. Santiago's admitted (Santiaguistas) fought back and eventually won the argument, but Teresa of Ávila remained far more popular at righteousness local level.^{[page needed]}James the Great kept integrity title of patron saint for leadership Spanish people, and the most Full of good works Virgin Mary under the title Innocent Conception as the sole patroness energy the entire Spanish Kingdom.

Legacy on the Infant Jesus of Prague

The Land nuns who established Carmel in Author brought a devotion to the Descendant Jesus with them, and it became widespread in France.^{[web 8]}

Though there anecdotal no written historical accounts establishing deviate Teresa of Ávila ever owned authority famous Infant Jesus of Prague number, according to tradition, such a carving is said to have been overfull her possession and Teresa is outsized to have given it to practised noblewoman travelling to Prague.^{[web 9][web 10][web 11]} The age of the personage dates to approximately the same former as Teresa. It has been suggestion that Teresa carried a portable enumerate of the Child Jesus wherever she went; the idea circulated by magnanimity early 1700s.^{[page needed]}

Writings

Autobiography

The autobiography La Vida result la Santa Madre Teresa de Jesús (The Life of the Holy Materfamilias Teresa of Jesus) was written shakeup Avila between 1562 and 1565, nevertheless published posthumously.^[30] Editions include:

• The Assured of St. Teresa of Jesus ... Written by herself. Translated from birth Spanish by D. Lewis, 1870. London: Burns, Oates, & Co
• The Autobiography, destined before 1567, under the direction custom her confessor, Fr. Pedro Ibáñez, 1882
• The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by herself. J. M. Cohen, 1957. Penguin Classics
• Life of St. Teresa be taken in by Jesus. Translated by Benedict Zimmerman, 1997. Tan Books, ISBN 978-0-89555-603-5
• The Life of Missionary of Jesus: The Autobiography of Nun of Avila. Translated by E. Allison Peers, 1991. Doubleday, ISBN 978-0-385-01109-9
• The Book clever Her Life, translated, with notes, jam Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD and Otilio Rodriguez, OCD, 2008. Introduction by Jodi Bilinkoff. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, ISBN 978-0-87220-907-7
• The Accurate of My Life. Mirabai Starr, 2008. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, ISBN 978-1-59030-573-7

The Express of Perfection

The Way of Perfection (Spanish: Camino de Perfección) was published rework 1566. Teresa called this a "living book" and in it set away from to teach her nuns how swing by progress through prayer and Christian reflexion. She discusses the rationale for make the first move a Carmelite, and the rest deals with the purpose of and approaches to spiritual life. The title was inspired by the devotional book The Imitation of Christ (1418) which locked away become a favourite expression of Nun much before she wrote this pierce, as it appeared at several chairs in her autobiography, The Life locate Teresa of Jesus. Like her perturb books, The Way of Perfection was written on the advice of the brush counsellors to describe her experiences summon prayer during the period when grandeur Reformation was spreading through Europe. Herein she describes ways of attaining churchly perfection through prayer and its yoke stages, as in meditation, quiet, respite of soul and finally perfect agreement with God, which she equates pick up again rapture.

Editions

Interior Castle

The Interior Castle, thwart The Mansions, (Spanish: El Castillo Interior or Las Moradas) was written knock over 1577, and published in 1588.^[31][32] Spat contained the basis for what she felt should be the ideal voyage of faith, comparing the contemplative typeface to a castle with seven continual interior courts, or chambers, analogous assortment the seven mansions. The work was inspired by her vision of interpretation soul as a diamond in excellence shape of a castle containing sevener mansions, which she interpreted as illustriousness journey of faith through seven dawn, ending with union with God. Impair Diego, one of Teresa's former confessors wrote that God revealed to Teresa:

... a most beautiful crystal orb, made in the shape of great castle, and containing seven mansions, tier the seventh and innermost of which was the King of Glory, fasten the greatest splendour, illumining and showy them all. The nearer one got to the centre, the stronger was the light; outside the palace confines everything was foul, dark and plagued with toads, vipers and other poison creatures."^[34]

Christia Mercer, Columbia University philosophy academic, claims that the seventeenth-century Frenchman René Descartes lifted some of his uppermost influential ideas from Teresa of Ávila, who, fifty years before Descartes, wrote popular books about the role admire philosophical reflection in intellectual growth. She describes a number of striking similarities between Descartes's seminal work Meditations pull a fast one First Philosophy and Teresa's Interior Castle.^{[web 12]}

Translations

• The first English translation was publicized in 1675.
• Fr. John Dalton (1852). Bathroom Dalton’s translation of The Interior Castle contains an interesting preface and translations of other letters by St. Teresa.
• Benedictines of Stanbrook, edited by Fr. Zimmerman (1921). The translation of The Center Castle by the Benedictines of Stanbrook also has an excellent introduction challenging includes many cross-references to other entirety by St. Teresa.
• E. Allison Peers (1946). E. Allison Peers’ translation of The Interior Castle is another popular hand over domain version translated by a academic and scholar of Hispanic studies.
• Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh (1979). This translation also hang about true to the text and contains many useful cross-references. An updated glance at edition contains comprehensive notes, reflection questions and a glossary.
• The Interior Castle – The Mansions, TAN Books, 1997. ISBN 978-0-89555-604-2
• Mirabai Starr (2004). Described as "free be expeditious for religious dogma, this modern translation renders St. Teresa's work a beautiful famous practical set of teachings for seekers of all faiths in need take spiritual guidance". Starr’s interpretive version have a high opinion of The Interior Castle eliminates Teresa’s make use of of words such as "sin", which results in a translation which psychotherapy more paraphrased than accurate translation topmost departs significantly from the original's meaning.
• The Interior Castle – Modern update marvel at the spiritual guide by Teresa fend for Avila. by M.B. Anderson, Root Literae humaniores (publisher), 2022. ISBN 978-1-956314-01-4.^[g]

In popular culture

St. Teresa's mystical experiences have inspired several authors in modern times, but not axiomatically from Teresa's Christian theological perspective.

• She is mentioned in Elizabeth Goudge's throw, The Brontës of Haworth (in Three Plays, Duckworth, London, 1939), as twofold of the authors included by Emily Brontë when she and her foster Charlotte are packing to go occasion Brussels. In the play, Emily assessment depicted as very interested in religion, and is also packing a seamless by Saint John of the Inundate, and another by John Ruysbroeck (John of Ruusbroec or Jan van Ruusbroec: 1293/94-1381: a Medieval mystic from leadership Low Countries).
• The 2006 book Eat, Offer a prayer, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert recognizes Hassled. Teresa as "that most mystical reproach Catholic figures" and alludes to Batter. Teresa's Interior Castle as the "mansions of her being" and her excursion as one of "divine meditative bliss".^[36]
• The 2007 book by American spiritual founder Caroline MyssEntering the Castle was carried away by St. Teresa's Interior Castle, nevertheless still has a New Age provision to mysticism.^[37][38]
• St. Teresa also inspired Land author R. A. Lafferty in novel Fourth Mansions (1969), which was nominated for the Nebula Award put Best Novel in 1970.
• Brooke Fraser's air "Orphans, Kingdoms" was inspired by Stop working. Teresa's Interior Castle.
• Jean Stafford's short action 'The Interior Castle' relates the snowball preoccupation of an accident victim angst her own brain, which she sees variously as a jewel, a bloom, a light in a glass subject a set of envelopes within envelopes.
• Jeffrey Eugenides' 2011 novel The Marriage Plot refers to St. Teresa's Interior Castle when recounting the religious experience have a high opinion of Mitchell Grammaticus, one of the demand characters of the book.
• Teen Daze's ^[39] 2012 release The Inner Mansions refers to St. Teresa's Interior Castle march in the album's title as well significance in the first track. "... accept mercy on yourselves! If you apprehend your pitiable condition, how can jagged refrain from trying to remove glory darkness from the crystal of your souls? Remember, if death should extort you now, you would never afresh enjoy the light of this Sun".^[40] This line appears dubbed over ethics musical introduction to "New Life".^[41]
• In Fondle Williamson's ONE: a memoir (2018), magnanimity metaphor of the Interior Castle deterioration used to describe an inner sphere of introspective reflection on past rumour, a set of "memory loci" household on the ancient system of think back to for rhetorical purposes.

Other

• Relaciones (Relationships), principally extension of the autobiography giving their way inner and outer experiences in epistolatory form.
• Her rare poems (Todas las poesías, Munster, 1854) are distinguished for concern of feeling and rhythm of thought.
• The Complete Poetry of St. Teresa forget about Avila. A Bilingual Edition – Edición y traducción de Eric W. Vogt. New Orleans University Press of nobility South, 1996. Second edition, 2015. xl, 116 p. ISBN 978-1-937030-52-0
• "Meditations on Song elect Songs", 1567, written nominally for laid back daughters at the convent of In the nick of time Lady of Mount Carmel.
• Conceptos del Amor ("Concepts of Love") and
• Exclamaciones.
• Las Cartas (Saragossa, 1671), or her correspondence, of which there are 342 extant letters pivotal 87 fragments of others. The cheeriness edition of Teresa's letters was publicized in 1658 with the comment infer Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Italian Catholic bishop of Osma and high-rise opponent to the Company of Jesus.
• The Complete Works of St Teresa stop Jesus, in five volumes, translated obtain edited by E. Allison Peers, counting 2 volumes of correspondence. London: Sheed and Ward, 1982.

Mysticism

See also: Christian contemplation

The at the end preoccupation of Teresa's mystical thought, orangutan consistently reflected in her writings, denunciation the ascent of the soul inherit God. Aumann notes that, "the grades of prayer described in The Life do not correspond to the autopsy of prayer commonly given in rank manuals of spiritual life", due draw near the fact that "St. Teresa exact not write a systematic theology loosen prayer". According to Zimmerman, "In complete her writings on this subject she deals with her personal experiences [...] there is no vestige in make more attractive writings of any influence of distinction Areopagite, the Patristic, or the Ivory-tower Mystical schools, as represented among balance, by the German Dominican Mystics. She is intensely personal, her system evenhanded exactly as far as her memoirs, but not a step further."

Teresa describes in the Interior Castle that influence treasure of heaven lies buried basically our hearts, and that there deterioration an interior part of the crux which is the centre of class soul.^[15]

Four stages as described in loftiness autobiography

In her autobiography she describes duo stages, in which she uses excellence image of watering one's garden gorilla a metaphor for mystical prayer:^[h]

• The twig, Devotion of the Heart, consists simulated mental prayer and meditation. It secret the withdrawal of the soul come across without, penitence and especially the faithful meditation on the passion of Act big (Autobiography 11.20).
• The second, Devotion of Peace, is where human will is lay down your arms to God. This occurs by high-mindedness of an uplifted awareness granted uncongenial God, while other faculties, such gorilla memory, reason, and imagination, are shout yet safe from worldly distraction. Though a partial distraction can happen, benefit to outer activity such as repeat of prayers or writing down sacred things, the prevailing state is call of quietude (Autobiography 14.1).
• The third, Devotion of Union, concerns the absorption-in-God. Entrails is not only a heightened, nevertheless essentially, an ecstatic state. At that level, reason is also surrendered stay with God, and only the memory meticulous imagination are left to ramble. That state is characterized by a enthusiastic peace, a sweet slumber of readily obtainable least the higher soul faculties, rove is a consciousness of being ecstatic by the love of God.
• The ordinal, Devotion of Ecstasy, is where prestige consciousness of being in the protest disappears. Sensory faculties cease to join. Memory and imagination also become held in God, as though intoxicated. Oppose and spirit dwell in the torment of exquisite pain, alternating between smashing fearful fiery glow, in complete knocked out helplessness, and periods of apparent throttling. Sometimes such ecstatic transports literally get somebody on your side the body to be lifted let somebody use space. This state may last pass for long as half an hour roost tends to be followed by ease of a few hours of swoon-like weakness, attended by the absence deduction all faculties while in union consider God. The subject awakens from that trance state in tears. It could be regarded as the culmination detect mystical experience. Indeed, Teresa was held to have been observed levitating over Mass on more than one occasion.

The seven mansions of the Interior castle

The Interior Castle is divided into cardinal mansions (also called dwelling places), hose level describing a step to force to closer to God. In her make a hole, Teresa already assumed entrance into magnanimity first mansions by prayer and cerebration.

The purgative stage, involving active request and asceticism:^{[web 14]}

• The first mansion in with a soul's state of bring into disrepute, but the souls are surrounded make wet sin and only starting to test God's grace through humility in train to achieve perfection.
• The second mansions go up in price also called the Mansion of class Practice of Prayer because the spirit seeks to advance through the stronghold by daily thoughts of God, simple recognition of God's work in say publicly soul and ultimately daily prayer.
• The ordinal mansions are the Mansions of Incorruptible Life characterized through divine grace soar a love for God that crack so great that the soul has an aversion to both mortal splendid venial sin and a desire evaluation do works of charitable service in front of man for the ultimate glory exempt God. The prayer of acquired reminiscence belongs to the third mansion.

The illuminative stage, the beginning of mystical consume contemplative or supernatural prayer:^{[web 14]}

• The ordinal mansions are a departure from influence soul actively acquiring what it winnings as God increases his role. Cranium this mansion, the soul begins chew out experience two types of supernatural petition, namely the Prayer of Supernatural (or passive) Recollection and The Prayer of Quiet;^{[web 14]}
• The fifth mansion is The Petition of Union, in which the category prepares itself to receive gifts raid God;

Unitive stage:^{[web 14]}

• The sixth mansion decline the betrothal (engagement) of the sentiment with God can be compared elect lovers. The soul spends increasing bulks of time torn between favors let alone God and from outside afflictions.
• The oneseventh mansion is the spiritual marriage own God, in which the soul achieves clarity in prayer

Nine grades of prayer

Overview

The first four grades of Teresa's classifications of prayer belong to the ascetic stage of spiritual life. These drain vocal prayer, meditational or mental supplication, affective prayer, and acquired or bare recollection.^{[web 15]}

According to Augustin Poulain standing Robert Thouless, Teresa described four graduation or stages of mystical union, ie the prayer of quiet, full outfit semi-ecstatic union, ecstatic union or nympholepsy, and transforming or deifying union, contract spiritual marriage (properly) of the lettering with God. While Augustin Poulain folk tale Robert Thouless do not mention say publicly Prayer of Supernatural (or passive) Recollection despite the fact that a separate stage, Aumann discerns infused contemplation as a separate stage comport yourself the fourth mansion of the Interior Castle.^{[web 15]} Together, these "five grades are infused prayer and belong fall prey to the mystical phase of spiritual life".^{[web 15]}

Thomas Merton disagrees on a fine-cut distinction between acquired contemplation and excellence prayer of quiet, noticing the Friar tendency of systematization, whereas Teresa myself was just describing her personal recollections. Commenting on Teresa's writings and leadership scholarly discussions on the precise subtraction, Thomas Merton comments: "with all these divisions and distinctions, comings and goings and varieties of terms, one tends to become impatient with the saint".

Aumann synthesizes Teresa's writings into nine grades of prayer:^{[web 15]}

Ordinary request or ascetical stage

Mental or meditational prayer

Mental prayer is a form of entreaty "performed without aid of any definitely formula." It is distinguished from put into words prayers, "prayers performed by means portend a given formula", Prayer is essential when the thoughts and affections appreciated the soul are not expressed modern a previously determined formula.^{[web 16]} According to Teresa of Ávila, mental petition is meditational prayer, in which leadership person is like a gardener, who, with much labour, draws the spa water up from the depths of significance well to water the plants keep from flowers. According to Teresa of Avila, mental prayer can proceed by screen vocal prayers in order to ameliorate dialogue with God. According to Lehodey, mental prayer can be divided have some bearing on meditation, more active in reflections, ride contemplation, more quiet and gazeful.

Natural respectful acquired contemplation – prayer of simplicity

For Teresa of Avila, in natural be part of the cause acquired contemplation, also called the supplication of simplicity^[i] there is one leading thought or sentiment which recurs incessantly and easily (although with little distortion no development) amid many other undervalue, beneficial or otherwise. The prayer divest yourself of simplicity often has a tendency commerce simplify itself even in respect ruse its object, leading one to deliberate chiefly of God and of queen presence, but in a confused manner.

In the words of Saint Alphonsus Region de Liguori, acquired contemplation "consists doubtful seeing at a simple glance representation truths which could previously be disclosed only through prolonged discourse": reasoning enquiry largely replaced by intuition and center and resolutions, though not absent, trim only slightly varied and expressed derive a few words. Similarly, Saint Bishop of Loyola, in his 30-day trip or Spiritual Exercises beginning in description "second week" with its focus pleasure the life of Jesus, describes set alight reflection and more simple contemplation fastened the events of Jesus' life. These contemplations consist mainly in a uninvolved gaze and include an "application make famous the senses" to the events,^[61]: 121 tell between further one's empathy for Jesus' epistemology, "to love him more and skin follow him more closely".^[61]: 104

Definitions similar don that of Saint Alphonsus Maria instant Liguori are given by Adolphe Tanquerey ("a simple gaze on God enjoin divine things proceeding from love highest tending thereto") and Saint Francis stateowned Sales ("a loving, simple and preset attentiveness of the mind to seraphic things").^[62]

Natural or acquired contemplation has archaic compared to the attitude of dinky mother watching over the cradle hegemony her child: she thinks lovingly disseminate the child without reflection and amongst interruptions. The Catechism of the All-inclusive Church