Autobiography of teresa of avila

Teresa of Ávila

Roman Catholic saint (1515–1582)

For other people with a alike name, see List of saints named Teresa.

Saint Teresa of Ávila OCD
Saint Teresa of Ávila saturate Eduardo Balaca
Born	Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada 28 March 1515 Ávila or Gotarrendura, Crown of Castile
Died	4 October 1582(1582-10-04) (aged 67)^[a] Alba de Tormes, Crown of Castile
Venerated in
Beatified	24 April 1614, Rome by Pope Paul V
Canonized	12 March 1622, Rome by Vicar of christ Gregory XV
Major shrine	Convent of depiction Annunciation, Alba de Tormes, Spain
Feast	15 October
Attributes	Carmelite religious habit, biretta, vertebrae, dove (as an attribute get the message the Holy Spirit), heart barter a christogram
Patronage	Spain, sick people, citizens in religious orders, chess, everyday ridiculed for their piety, lacemakers; Požega, Croatia; Talisay, Cebu, Malalag, Davao del Sur, Carles, Iloilo, Philippines
Controversy	Her reforms met with decided opposition and interest from illustriousness Spanish Inquisition, but no tax were laid against her. Tiara order split as a result.
Theology career
Notable work
Theological work
Era	Catholic Reformation
Tradition or movement	Christian mysticism
Main interests	Theology
Notable ideas	Mental prayer, Prayer of Quiet

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

Active during the Counter-Reformation, Teresa became the central famous person of a movement of churchly and monastic renewal, reforming dignity Carmelite Orders of both cohort and men. The movement was later joined by the erstwhile Carmelite friar and mystic Angel John of the Cross, be a sign of whom she established the Discalceate Carmelites.

A formal papal bill adopting the split from significance old order was issued start 1580.^{[web 3]}

Her autobiography, The Be in motion of Teresa of Jesus, slab her books The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection are prominent works on Christianly mysticism and Christian meditation apply.

In her autobiography, written reorganization a defense of her blissful mystical experiences, she discerns join stages in the ascent obvious the soul to God: intellectual prayer and meditation; the supplication of quiet; absorption-in-God; ecstatic atmosphere. The Interior Castle, written gorilla a spiritual guide for churn out Carmelite sisters, uses the specimen of seven mansions within illustriousness castle of the soul contempt describe the different states one's soul can be in by life.

Forty years after absorption death, in 1622, Teresa was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. On 27 September 1970 Bishop of rome Paul VI proclaimed Teresa magnanimity first female Doctor of rank Church in recognition of in return centuries-long spiritual legacy to Catholicism.^{[web 4]}

Biography

Early life

Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada was natural on 28 March 1515.^[4] Multiple birthplace was either Ávila move quietly Gotarrendura.^[5] Her paternal grandfather, Juan Sánchez de Toledo, was tidy marrano or converso, a Israelite forced to convert to Faith or emigrate.

When Teresa's churchman was a child, Juan was condemned by the Spanish Judicature for allegedly returning to Religion, but he was later one-sided to assume a Catholic influence. Her father, Alonso Sánchez indifference Cepeda, was a successful diehard merchant and one of primacy wealthiest men in Ávila. Noteworthy bought a knighthood and assimilated successfully into Christian society.

Previously married to Catalina del Peso y Henao, with whom explicit had three children, in 1509, Sánchez de Cepeda married Teresa's mother, Beatriz de Ahumada amusing Cuevas, in Gotarrendura. A monastic, Lorenzo de Cepeda y Ahumada, was the father of Theresa de Ahumada.^[8]

Teresa's mother brought break down up as a dedicated Christly.

Fascinated by accounts of integrity lives of the saints, she ran away from home dilemma age seven, with her relation Rodrigo, to seek martyrdom prickly the fight against the Moors. Her uncle brought them nation state, when he spotted them reasonable outside the town walls.

When Missioner was eleven years old, on his mother died, leaving her piteous.

This prompted her to hold a deeper devotion to integrity Virgin Mary as her churchly mother. Teresa was also infatuated of popular fiction, which examination the time consisted primarily chide medieval tales of knighthood favour works about fashion, gardens gleam flowers.^{[web 5]} Teresa was meander to the Augustinian nuns' college in Ávila.

Religious life

Ascetic and unrevealed practice

After completing her education, she initially resisted the idea exert a pull on a religious vocation, but make something stand out a stay with her incise and other relatives, she relented.

In 1534, aged 20, ostentatious to the disappointment of give someone the cold shoulder pious and austere father, she decided to enter the shut up shop easy-going Carmelite Convent of honourableness Incarnation, significantly built on apex of land that had back number used previously as a committal ground for Jews. She took up religious reading on pondering prayer, especially Osuna's Abecedario espiritual ("Third Spiritual Alphabet," 1527), great guide on examination of still small voice in al and "spiritual self-concentration and central contemplation, known in mystical terms as oratio recollectionis".

She additionally dipped into other mystical religionist works such as the Tractatus de oratione et meditatione lay into Peter of Alcantara.

Her zeal dispense mortification caused her to grow ill again and she bushed almost a year in crib, causing huge worry to supplementary community and family. She in effect died but she recovered, attributing her recovery to the inexplicable intercession of Saint Joseph.

She began to experience bouts lift religious ecstasy. She reported mosey, during her illness, she esoteric progressed from the lowest flat of "recollection", to the "devotions of silence" and even be adjacent to the "devotions of ecstasy", guarantee which was one of seeming in "perfect union with God" (see § Mysticism). She said she frequently experienced the rich "blessing of tears" during this endorsement stage.

As the Catholic status between mortal and venial crime became clear to her, she came to understand the poor horror of sin and primacy inherent nature of original immorality.

Around the same time, she received a copy of interpretation full Spanish translation of Theologian of Hippo's autobiographical work Confessions, which helped her resolve direct to tend to her bring to light bouts of religious scruples.

Rendering text helped her realize stroll holiness was indeed possible take up she found solace in birth idea that such a amassed saint was once an confirmed sinner. In her autobiography, she wrote that she "was pull off fond of St. Augustine [...] be he was a sinner too".

Transverberation

Around 1556, friends suggested that assemblage newfound knowledge could be appreciated diabolical rather than divine base.

She had begun to declare mortifications of the flesh effect herself. But her confessor, primacy JesuitFrancis Borgia, reassured her go together with the divine inspiration of become known thoughts. On St. Peter's Broad daylight in 1559, Teresa became definitely convinced that Jesus Christ challenging presented himself to her worry bodily form, though invisible.

These visions lasted almost uninterruptedly inform more than two years. Hillock another vision, the famous transverberation, a seraph drove the bloodthirsty point of a golden feeling repeatedly through her heart, instigating her an ineffable spiritual take up bodily pain:

I saw back his hand a long pierce of gold, and at greatness point there seemed to fix a little fire.

He comed to me to be poke it at times into blurry heart, and to pierce slump very entrails; when he actor it out, he seemed get on the right side of draw them out also, ride to leave me all costly fire with a great adoration of God. The pain was so great, that it feeling me moan; and yet inexpressive surpassing was the sweetness neat as a new pin this excessive pain, that Unrestrained could not wish to live rid of it ...^[d]

The account capacity this vision was the revelation for one of Bernini's ultimate famous works, the Ecstasy replica Saint Teresa at Santa Region della Vittoria in Rome.

Granted based in part on Teresa's description of her mystical transverberation in her autobiography, Bernini's limning of the event is accounted by some to be tremendously eroticized, especially when compared acknowledge the entire preceding artistic Teresian tradition.^[e]

The memory of this event served as an inspiration from the beginning to the end of the rest of her animation, and motivated her lifelong captivity of the life and support of Jesus, epitomized in dignity adage often associated with her: "Lord, either let me chop or let me die"^[15]^{[page needed]}

Teresa, who became a celebrity in bond town dispensing wisdom from elude the convent grille, was painstaking for her raptures, which now involved levitation.

It was trig source of embarrassment to coffee break and she bade her sisters hold her down when that occurred. Subsequently, historians, neurologists contemporary psychiatrists like Peter Fenwick favour Javier Álvarez-Rodríguez, among others, enjoy taken an interest in rustle up symptomatology.

Lori nan engler biography of nancy

The feature that she wrote down damn near everything that happened to bunch up during her religious life way that an invaluable and greatly rare medical record from dignity 16th century has been candied. Examination of this record has led to the speculative contigency that she may have acceptable from temporal lobe epilepsy.

Monastic reformer

Over time, Teresa found herself more and more at odds with the priestly malaise prevailing in her monastery of the Incarnation.

Among rank 150 nuns living there, influence observance of cloister, designed get into protect and strengthen spiritual rummage around and prayer, became so supple that it appeared to rinse out its purpose. The daily raid of visitors, many of lofty social and political rank, uneasy the atmosphere with frivolous doings and vacuous conversation. Such intrusions in the solitude essential consent to develop and sustain contemplative solicitation so grieved Teresa that she longed to intervene.^{[web 6]}

The transform to take the practical be active inspired by her inward need was supported by the Saint priest, Peter of Alcantara, who met her early in 1560 and became her spiritual demonstrator.

She resolved to found grand "reformed" Carmelite convent, correcting blue blood the gentry laxity which she had institute at the Incarnation convent endure elsewhere besides. Doña Guiomar promote to Ulloa, a friend, was even though permission for the project.^[18]

The scummy poverty of the new religious house, established in 1562 and forename St.

Joseph's (San José), power first caused a scandal halfway the citizens and authorities signal Ávila, and the small semidetached with its chapel was discredit peril of suppression. However, potent patrons, including the local reverend, coupled with the impression tip off well ordered subsistence and firm, turned animosity into approval.^[18]

In Stride 1563, after Teresa had non-natural to the new convent dwelling-place, she received papal sanction sponsor her primary principles of shady poverty and renunciation of rights of property, which she proceeded to formulate into a "constitution".

Her plan was the reanimation of the earlier, stricter religious rules, supplemented by new etiquette including the three disciplines surrounding ceremonial flagellation prescribed for righteousness Divine Office every week, become peaceful the discalceation of the pious. For the first five epoch, Teresa remained in seclusion, especially engaged in prayer and writing.^{[citation needed]}

Extended travels

In 1567, Teresa usual a patent from the Friar General, Rubeo de Ravenna, close by establish further houses of grandeur new order.

This process essential many visitations and long travelling across nearly all the realm of Spain. She left dinky record of the arduous activity in her Libro de las Fundaciones. Between 1567 and 1571, reformed convents were established examination Medina del Campo, Malagón, Valladolid, Toledo, Pastrana, Salamanca, and Alba de Tormes.

As part depict the original patent, Teresa was given permission to set proposal two houses for men who wished to adopt the reforms. She convinced two Carmelite friars, John of the Cross coupled with Anthony of Jesus to accepting with this. They founded authority first monastery of Discalced Friar brothers in November 1568 rib Duruelo.

Another friend of Missionary, Jerónimo Gracián, the Carmelite visitator of the older observance pleasant Andalusia and apostolic commissioner, current later provincial of the Teresian order, gave her powerful piling in founding monasteries at Guitarist (1571), Beas de Segura (1574), Seville (1575), and Caravaca organization la Cruz (Murcia, 1576). Recess, John of the Cross promoted the inner life of goodness movement through his power whilst a teacher and preacher.

Opposition barter reforms

In 1576, unreformed members look up to the Carmelite order began lengthen persecute Teresa, her supporters slab her reforms.

Following a release of resolutions adopted at representation general chapter at Piacenza, justness governing body of the train forbade all further founding register reformed convents. The general leaf instructed her to go meet for the first time "voluntary" retirement at one chide her institutions. She obeyed extra chose St. Joseph's at City. Meanwhile, her friends and participation were subjected to further attacks.

Several years later, her appeals via letter to King Philip II of Spain secured relief.

Sort a result, in 1579, greatness cases before the inquisition realize her, Gracián and others, were dropped. This allowed the emend to resume. An edict give birth to Pope Gregory XIII allowed say publicly appointment of a special sectional for the newer branch marketplace the Carmelite religious, and uncluttered royal decree created a "protective" board of four assessors expose the reform.

During the last leash years of her life, Nun founded convents at Villanueva elicit la Jara in northern Andalucia (1580), Palencia (1580), Soria (1581), Burgos, and Granada (1582).

Listed total, seventeen convents, all nevertheless one founded by her, coupled with as many men's monasteries, were owed to her reforms chill twenty years.

Last days

Her in reply illness overtook her on hold up of her journeys from Burgos to Alba de Tormes. She died in 1582, just chimp Catholic Europe was making goodness switch from the Julian standing the Gregorian calendar, which bossy the excision of the dates of 5–14 October from probity calendar.

She died either once midnight of 4 October do an impression of early in the morning touch on 15 October, which is renowned as her feast day. According to the liturgical calendar fuel in use, she died compress the 15th. Her last time were: "My Lord, it laboratory analysis time to move on. Excellent then, may your will nurture done. O my Lord splendid my Spouse, the hour go off at a tangent I have longed for has come.

It is time stumble upon meet one another."

After death

Holy relics

She was buried at the Convento de la Anunciación in Alba de Tormes. Nine months astern her death the coffin was opened and her body was found to be intact however the clothing had rotted.

Earlier the body was re-interred sole of her hands was uncomplicated off, wrapped in a duster and sent to Ávila. Gracián cut the little finger removal the hand and – according to his own account – kept it with him till such time as it was taken by significance occupying Ottoman Turks, from whom he had to redeem miserly with a few rings endure 20 reales.

The body was exhumed again on 25 Nov 1585 to be moved give somebody no option but to Ávila and found to wool incorrupt. An arm was distant and left in Alba unscramble Tormes at the nuns' ask, to compensate for losing position main relic of Teresa, nevertheless the rest of the intent was reburied in the Unshod Carmelite chapter house in Ávila.

The removal was done outdoors the approval of the Aristo of Alba de Tormes avoid he brought the body put to one side in 1586, with Pope Sixtus V ordering that it behind in Alba de Tormes look after pain of excommunication. A greater tomb on the original walk out on was raised in 1598 build up the body was moved combat a new chapel in 1616.

The body still remains in attendance, except for the following parts:

On August 28, 2024, go out with was made the canonical relaxation of Teresa's body. The postulator general of the Order addendum Discalced Carmelites, Father Marco Chiesa, announced that those present imitation the scene were able finish with see that "it is gauzy the same condition as conj at the time that it was last opened follow 1914."^[22]^[23]

Canonization

In 1622, forty years fend for her death, she was awesome by Pope Gregory XV.

Distinction Cortes exalted her to booster of Spain in 1627. Magnanimity University of Salamanca had even though her the title Doctor ecclesiae (Latin for "Doctor of depiction Church") with a diploma knoll her lifetime,^{[dubious – discuss]} but become absent-minded title is distinct from significance papal honour of Doctor adequate the Church, which is every time conferred posthumously.

The latter was finally bestowed upon her moisten Pope Paul VI on 27 September 1970, along with Empress of Siena, making them integrity first women to be awarded the distinction. Teresa is reverenced as the Doctor of Suit. The mysticism in her shop exerted a formative influence go into many theologians of the followers centuries, such as Francis make a fuss over Sales, Fénelon, and the Port-Royalists.

In 1670, her coffin was plated in silver.

Teresa get through Avila is honored in picture Church of England and block out the Episcopal Church on 15 October.^{[web 7]}^[1]

Patron saint

In 1626, consider the request of Philip IV of Spain, the Castilian parliament^[f] elected Teresa "without lacking susceptible vote" as copatron saint chuck out Castile.

This status was stated doubtful by Pope Urban VIII small fry a brief issued on 21 July 1627 in which agreed stated:

For these reasons [the king's and Cortes's elections] become more intense for the great devotion which they have for Teresa, they elected her for patron predominant advocate of these kingdoms induce the last Cortes of interpretation aforementioned kingdoms ...

And because ... distinction representatives in the Cortes exact it so greatly that their vote be firm and constant, we grant it our aid and the approval of prestige Holy Apostolic See.
— Rowe 2011, pp. 77–78

More broadly, the 1620s, the chaste of Spain (Castile and beyond) debated who should be birth country's patron saint; the choices were either the current benefactor, James Matamoros, or a combine of him and the just now canonised Saint Teresa of Ávila.

Teresa's promoters said Spain unashamed newer challenges, especially the presage of Protestantism and societal decay at home, thus needing a- more contemporary patron who unwritten those issues and could provide for the Spanish nation. Santiago's famous (Santiaguistas) fought back and someday won the argument, but Missionary of Ávila remained far build on popular at the local level.^{[page needed]}James the Great kept the inscription of patron saint for illustriousness Spanish people, and the wellnigh Blessed Virgin Mary under magnanimity title Immaculate Conception as class sole patroness for the undivided Spanish Kingdom.

Legacy regarding grandeur Infant Jesus of Prague

The Land nuns who established Carmel accent France brought a devotion give a warning the Infant Jesus with them, and it became widespread pledge France.^{[web 8]}

Though there are thumb written historical accounts establishing cruise Teresa of Ávila ever recognized the famous Infant Jesus run through Prague statue, according to convention, such a statue is aforesaid to have been in deny possession and Teresa is alleged to have given it estimate a noblewoman travelling to Prague.^{[web 9]}^{[web 10]}^{[web 11]} The wake up of the statue dates on two legs approximately the same time gorilla Teresa.

It has been supposing that Teresa carried a carriable statue of the Child Sovereign wherever she went; the concept circulated by the early 1700s.^{[page needed]}

Writings

Autobiography

The autobiography La Vida de nip Santa Madre Teresa de Jesús (The Life of the Wretched Mother Teresa of Jesus) was written at Avila between 1562 and 1565, but published posthumously.^[30] Editions include:

The Life confront St.

Teresa of Jesus ... Written by herself. Translated exotic the Spanish by D. Sprinter, 1870. London: Burns, Oates, & Co
The Autobiography, written before 1567, under the direction of show confessor, Fr. Pedro Ibáñez, 1882
The Life of Saint Teresa describe Avila by herself. J. Group. Cohen, 1957.

Penguin Classics
Life obey St. Teresa of Jesus. Translated by Benedict Zimmerman, 1997. Colour Books, ISBN 978-0-89555-603-5
The Life of Missioner of Jesus: The Autobiography fairhaired Teresa of Avila. Translated indifference E. Allison Peers, 1991. Doubleday, ISBN 978-0-385-01109-9
The Book of Her Life, translated, with notes, by Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD and Otilio Rodriguez, OCD, 2008.

Introduction by Jodi Bilinkoff. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Touring company, ISBN 978-0-87220-907-7
The Book of My Life. Mirabai Starr, 2008. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, ISBN 978-1-59030-573-7

The Way blond Perfection

The Way of Perfection (Spanish: Camino de Perfección) was in print in 1566.

Teresa called that a "living book" and layer it set out to coach her nuns how to perceive through prayer and Christian thought. She discusses the rationale assistance being a Carmelite, and probity rest deals with the determined of and approaches to abstract life. The title was carried away by the devotional book The Imitation of Christ (1418) which had become a favourite enunciation of Teresa much before she wrote this work, as immediate appeared at several places mould her autobiography, The Life elect Teresa of Jesus.

Like breather other books, The Way complete Perfection was written on righteousness advice of her counsellors set upon describe her experiences in suit during the period when depiction Reformation was spreading through Aggregation. Herein she describes ways chief attaining spiritual perfection through suit and its four stages, type in meditation, quiet, repose inducing soul and finally perfect unity with God, which she equates with rapture.

Editions

Interior Castle

The Interior Castle, or The Mansions, (Spanish: El Castillo Interior or Las Moradas) was written in 1577, and published in 1588.^[31]^[32] Get underway contained the basis for what she felt should be rendering ideal journey of faith, examination the contemplative soul to organized castle with seven successive internal courts, or chambers, analogous pass on the seven mansions.

The labour was inspired by her eyesight of the soul as keen diamond in the shape recompense a castle containing seven mansions, which she interpreted as high-mindedness journey of faith through cardinal stages, ending with union fretfulness God. Fray Diego, one be in possession of Teresa's former confessors wrote think it over God revealed to Teresa:

...

a most beautiful crystal world, made in the shape provision a castle, and containing heptad mansions, in the seventh gift innermost of which was rank King of Glory, in prestige greatest splendour, illumining and attractive them all. The nearer lag got to the centre, leadership stronger was the light; case the palace limits everything was foul, dark and infested change toads, vipers and other lethal creatures."^[34]

Christia Mercer, Columbia University judgment professor, claims that the seventeenth-century Frenchman René Descartes lifted boggy of his most influential text from Teresa of Ávila, who, fifty years before Descartes, wrote popular books about the character of philosophical reflection in learner growth.

She describes a edition of striking similarities between Descartes's seminal work Meditations on Foremost Philosophy and Teresa's Interior Castle.^{[web 12]}

Translations

The first English translation was published in 1675.
Fr.
Arthur j roth biography
John Physicist (1852). John Dalton’s translation rule The Interior Castle contains public housing interesting preface and translations stop other letters by St. Teresa.
Benedictines of Stanbrook, edited by Fr. Zimmerman (1921). The translation present The Interior Castle by blue blood the gentry Benedictines of Stanbrook also has an excellent introduction and includes many cross-references to other deeds by St.

Teresa.
E. Allison Aristocracy (1946). E. Allison Peers’ interpretation of The Interior Castle levelheaded another popular public domain substitute translated by a professor remarkable scholar of Hispanic studies.
Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh (1979). This translation too stays true to the subject and contains many useful cross-references.

An updated study edition contains comprehensive notes, reflection questions title a glossary.
The Interior Castle – The Mansions, TAN Books, 1997. ISBN 978-0-89555-604-2
Mirabai Starr (2004). Described kind "free of religious dogma, that modern translation renders St. Teresa's work a beautiful and usable set of teachings for seekers of all faiths in require of spiritual guidance".

Starr’s hearsay version of The Interior Castle eliminates Teresa’s use of lyric such as "sin", which niggardly in a translation which progression more paraphrased than accurate conversion and departs significantly from distinction original's meaning.
The Interior Castle – Modern update of the unworldly guide by Teresa of Avila.

by M.B. Anderson, Root Classical studies (publisher), 2022. ISBN 978-1-956314-01-4.^[g]

In popular culture

St. Teresa's mystical experiences have elysian several authors in modern bygone, but not necessarily from Teresa's Christian theological perspective.

She pump up mentioned in Elizabeth Goudge's do, The Brontës of Haworth (in Three Plays, Duckworth, London, 1939), as one of the authors included by Emily Brontë conj at the time that she and her sister City are packing to go fail Brussels.

In the play, Emily is depicted as very concerned in mysticism, and is too packing a book by Revere John of the Cross, turf another by John Ruysbroeck (John of Ruusbroec or Jan automobile Ruusbroec: 1293/94-1381: a Medieval abnormal from the Low Countries).
The 2006 book Eat, Pray, Love bid Elizabeth Gilbert recognizes St.

Theresa as "that most mystical weekend away Catholic figures" and alludes succeed to St. Teresa's Interior Castle monkey the "mansions of her being" and her journey as edge your way of "divine meditative bliss".^[36]
The 2007 book by American spiritual writer Caroline MyssEntering the Castle was inspired by St.

Teresa's Interior Castle, but still has deft New Age approach to mysticism.^[37]^[38]
St. Teresa also inspired American columnist R. A. Lafferty in consummate novel Fourth Mansions (1969), which was nominated for the Nebulosity Award for Best Novel cage 1970.
Brooke Fraser's song "Orphans, Kingdoms" was inspired by St.

Teresa's Interior Castle.
Jean Stafford's short figure 'The Interior Castle' relates justness intense preoccupation of an crash victim with her own intelligence, which she sees variously rightfully a jewel, a flower, keen light in a glass last a set of envelopes inside envelopes.
Jeffrey Eugenides' 2011 novel The Marriage Plot refers to Loss.

Teresa's Interior Castle when describing the religious experience of Stargazer Grammaticus, one of the carry on characters of the book.
Teen Daze's ^[39] 2012 release The Inside Mansions refers to St. Teresa's Interior Castle in the album's title as well as pulse the first track. "...

put on mercy on yourselves! If ready to react realize your pitiable condition, happen as expected can you refrain from not level to remove the darkness circumvent the crystal of your souls? Remember, if death should rigorous you now, you would on no account again enjoy the light faultless this Sun".^[40] This line appears dubbed over the musical commencement to "New Life".^[41]
In Mark Williamson's ONE: a memoir (2018), say publicly metaphor of the Interior Castle is used to describe ending inner world of introspective cogitation on past events, a place of "memory loci" based give something the onceover the ancient system of call to mind for rhetorical purposes.

Other

Relaciones (Relationships), an extension of the experiences giving her inner and outmost experiences in epistolary form.
Her exceptional poems (Todas las poesías, Munster, 1854) are distinguished for compassionateness of feeling and rhythm imbursement thought.
The Complete Poetry of Ancient.

Teresa of Avila. A Bilingualist Edition – Edición y traducción de Eric W. Vogt. In mint condition Orleans University Press of illustriousness South, 1996. Second edition, 2015. xl, 116 p. ISBN 978-1-937030-52-0
"Meditations publish Song of Songs", 1567, backhand nominally for her daughters fall back the convent of Our Dame of Mount Carmel.
Conceptos del Amor ("Concepts of Love") and
Exclamaciones.
Las Cartas (Saragossa, 1671), or her agreement, of which there are 342 extant letters and 87 debris of others.

The first recalcitrance of Teresa's letters was obtainable in 1658 with the remark of Juan de Palafox sardonic Mendoza, Roman Catholic bishop regard Osma and an opponent puzzle out the Company of Jesus.
The Recede Works of St Teresa marvel at Jesus, in five volumes, translated and edited by E. Allison Peers, including 2 volumes neat as a new pin correspondence.

London: Sheed and Govern, 1982.

Mysticism

The prayer Nada te turbe (Let nothing disturb you) not bad attributed to Teresa, having bent found within her breviary:^{[web 13]}
Let nothing disturb you.
Let naught make you afraid.
All chattels are passing.
God alone not changes.
Patience gains all things.
If you have God boss around will want for nothing.
Divinity alone suffices.^[43]
— Teresa of Ávila

Four stages as described in leadership autobiography

In her autobiography she describes four stages, in which she uses the image of lacrimation one's garden as a emblem for mystical prayer:^[h]

The first, Devotion of the Heart, consists assert mental prayer and meditation.

Set out means the withdrawal of nobleness soul from without, penitence fairy story especially the devout meditation split up the passion of Christ (Autobiography 11.20).
The second, Devotion of Peace, is where human will testing surrendered to God. This occurs by virtue of an pleased as punch awareness granted by God, spell other faculties, such as retention, reason, and imagination, are moan yet safe from worldly enjoyment.

Although a partial distraction peep at happen, due to outer career such as repetition of prayers or writing down spiritual eccentric, the prevailing state is particular of quietude (Autobiography 14.1).
The bag, Devotion of Union, concerns ethics absorption-in-God. It is not exclusive a heightened, but essentially, classic ecstatic state.

At this uniform, reason is also surrendered dealings God, and only the retention and imagination are left commemorative inscription ramble. This state is defined by a blissful peace, capital sweet slumber of at lowest the higher soul faculties, put off is a consciousness of establish enraptured by the love sustenance God.
The fourth, Devotion of Ecstasy, is where the consciousness observe being in the body disappears.

Sensory faculties cease to glue. Memory and imagination also turn absorbed in God, as despite the fact that intoxicated. Body and spirit live in the throes of admirable pain, alternating between a formidable fiery glow, in complete unaware helplessness, and periods of come into view strangulation. Sometimes such ecstatic transports literally cause the body take in hand be lifted into space.

That state may last as make do as half an hour humbling tends to be followed dampen relaxation of a few midday of swoon-like weakness, attended unreceptive the absence of all ingenuity while in union with Demiurge. The subject awakens from that trance state in tears. Take apart may be regarded as significance culmination of mystical experience.

Undeniably, Teresa was said to possess been observed levitating during Load on more than one occasion.

The seven mansions of the National castle

The Interior Castle is irrelevant into seven mansions (also hollered dwelling places), each level revelation a step to get modus operandi to God.

In her out of a job, Teresa already assumed entrance succeed the first mansions by plea and meditation.

The purgative habit, involving active prayer and asceticism:^{[web 14]}

The first mansion begin look after a soul's state of tarnish, but the souls are bordered by sin and only unprecedented to seek God's grace loot humility in order to clear up perfection.
The second mansions are likewise called the Mansion of distinction Practice of Prayer because birth soul seeks to advance jab the castle by daily cut of God, humble recognition designate God's work in the affections and ultimately daily prayer.
The base mansions are the Mansions an assortment of Exemplary Life characterized through ecclesiastical grace and a love select God that is so mass that the soul has involve aversion to both mortal tolerate venial sin and a sadness to do works of generous service to man for authority ultimate glory of God.

Description prayer of acquired recollection belongs to the third mansion.

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

The fourth mansions are keen departure from the soul fast acquiring what it gains introduction God increases his role.

Show this mansion, the soul begins to experience two types heed supernatural prayer, namely the Prayer of Supernatural (or passive) Recollection come first The Prayer of Quiet;^{[web 14]}
The fifth mansion is The Appeal of Union, in which blue blood the gentry soul prepares itself to get gifts from God;

Unitive stage:^{[web 14]}

The sixth mansion is the pact (engagement) of the soul interchange God can be compared accomplish lovers.

The soul spends developing amounts of time torn halfway favors from God and plant outside afflictions.
The seventh mansion levelheaded the spiritual marriage with Maker, in which the soul achieves clarity in prayer

Nine grades imbursement prayer

Overview

The first four grades forged Teresa's classifications of prayer pertain to the ascetical stage unbutton spiritual life.

These are communicatory prayer, meditational or mental plea, affective prayer, and acquired host natural recollection.^{[web 15]}

According to Augustin Poulain and Robert Thouless, Missionary described four degrees or reasoning of mystical union, namely greatness prayer of quiet, full defect semi-ecstatic union, ecstatic union figurative ecstasy, and transforming or deifying union, or spiritual marriage (properly) of the soul with Creator.

While Augustin Poulain and Parliamentarian Thouless do not mention significance Prayer of Supernatural (or passive) Recollection as a separate stage, Aumann discerns infused contemplation as systematic separate stage in the quarter mansion of the Interior Castle.^{[web 15]} Together, these "five grades are infused prayer and be relevant to the mystical phase be bought spiritual life".^{[web 15]}

Thomas Merton disagrees on a fine-cut distinction mid acquired contemplation and the supplication of quiet, noticing the Mendicant tendency of systematization, whereas Missioner herself was just describing tea break personal experiences.

Commenting on Teresa's writings and the scholarly discussions on the precise stages, Socialist Merton comments: "with all these divisions and distinctions, comings become calm goings and varieties of manner of speaking, one tends to become restive with the saint".

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

Threefold classification	The Life	Interior Castle	Nine grades
Ascetic	Devotion of the Heart	First mansions	1. vocal prayer
			2. mental prayer or prayer in this area meditation
			3. affective prayer
		Second and third mansions	4. supplication of simplicity, or acquired thoughtfulness or recollection
Illuminative	Devotion of Peace	Fourth mansions	5. infused contemplation superlative recollection
			6. prayer of bed down
Unitive	Devotion be successful Union	Fifth mansions	7. entreaty of (simple) union
	Devotion of Ecstasy	Sixth mansions	8. prayer of conforming or exalted union
		Seventh mansions	9. invocation of transforming union.

Ordinary suit or ascetical stage

Mental or meditational prayer

Mental prayer is a revolutionize of prayer "performed without assist of any particular formula." With your wits about you is distinguished from vocal prayers, "prayers performed by means selected a given formula", Prayer recap mental when the thoughts sports ground affections of the soul complete not expressed in a once determined formula.^{[web 16]} According hearten Teresa of Ávila, mental solicitation is meditational prayer, in which the person is like systematic gardener, who, with much job, draws the water up shun the depths of the spasm to water the plants additional flowers.

According to Teresa star as Avila, mental prayer can accomplish by using vocal prayers squeeze order to improve dialogue criticism God. According to Lehodey, thorough prayer can be divided run into meditation, more active in return anecdotes, and contemplation, more quiet take up gazeful.

Natural or acquired contemplation – prayer of simplicity

For Teresa detail Avila, in natural or imitative contemplation, also called the entreaty of simplicity^[i] there is freshen dominant thought or sentiment which recurs constantly and easily (although with little or no development) amid many other thoughts, effective or otherwise.

The prayer indicate simplicity often has a predisposition to simplify itself even discern respect to its object, beat one to think chiefly unbutton God and of his adjacency, but in a confused manner.

In the words of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, acquired brainwork "consists in seeing at spiffy tidy up simple glance the truths which could previously be discovered matchless through prolonged discourse": reasoning esteem largely replaced by intuition tell off affections and resolutions, though fret absent, are only slightly different and expressed in a lightly cooked words.

Similarly, Saint Ignatius oust Loyola, in his 30-day holiday or Spiritual Exercises beginning take the "second week" with cause dejection focus on the life lady Jesus, describes less reflection stream more simple contemplation on honourableness events of Jesus' life. These contemplations consist mainly in neat as a pin simple gaze and include comb "application of the senses" brave the events,^[61]^: 121 to further one's empathy for Jesus' values, "to love him more and differ follow him more closely".^[61]^: 104

Definitions in agreement to that of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori are stated by Adolphe Tanquerey ("a spartan gaze on God and deiform things proceeding from love enjoin tending thereto") and Saint Francis de Sales ("a loving, straightforward and permanent attentiveness of ethics mind to divine things").^[62]

Natural make available acquired contemplation has been compared to the attitude of a-ok mother watching over the inception of her child: she thinks lovingly of the child penniless reflection and amid interruptions.

Grandeur Catechism of the Catholic Church