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Tag Archive for ‘The Interior Castle’

The Interior Castle of St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila

Part 7 of 7 We now arrive at the heart of the Castle, or rather, we are admitted into the inner room, the presence chamber, to the spiritual marriage with Christ. The Lord and the soul are at peace and in profound union. I have visited the huge palace of Escorial outside Madrid and have […]

The Interior Castle of St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila

Part 6 of 7 The Sixth Mansions are the most complex, longest and dense of the seven Mansions! They occupy eleven chapters compared to the three chapters for the Fourth Mansions. A single reading of the text will not suffice — a life time is required! Never is humility needed more to get to grips […]

The Interior Castle of
 St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila

Part 4 of 7 St Teresa begins this treatment by asking “the Holy Spirit to speak for me.” The Fourth Mansion is concerned for the first time with the truly supernatural, beyond the natural. It is not about our work in prayer, which has been the focus in the first three Mansions. Now it is […]

The Interior Castle of
St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila

Part 3 of 7 The Third Mansion  St Teresa wrote two chapters on the Third Mansion, and the first three Mansions take up only 30% of the Interior Castle. This section marks the end of the ascetical effort, our work to change ourselves. From the Fourth Mansion onwards, God will be more prominent. First, it […]