I said 'some,' but in reality there are very few 1 who never enter this mansion: some more and some less, but most of them may be said at least Send me, O my Lord, light from heaven that I may give some to these Thy servants, some of whom by Thy good will often enjoy these delights, lest the devil in the guise of an angel of light should deceive those whose only desire is to please Thee.Ģ.

OH, my sisters, how shall I describe the riches, treasures, and joys contained in the fifth mansions! Would it not be better to say nothing about them? They are impossible to depict, nor can the mind conceive, nor any comparisons portray them, all earthly things being too vile to serve the purpose. Divine union beyond our Power to obtain.ġ. The Prayer of union and of quiet contrasted. HOW TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DECEIVED IN THIS MATTER.ġ. Teresa of Avila,, at īEGINS TO TREAT OF THE UNION OF THE SOUL WITH GOD IN PRAYER. Sacred Texts Christianity Index Previous Next Comprehensive indexes of key themes and figures, castle imagery, and biblical references make this volume an indispensable reference resource.The Interior Castle: The Fifth Mansions: Chapter I.A glossary of terms offers definitions as well as their specific and sometimes unique meaning in Teresa’s writings.Expanded questions for reflection and/or discussion conclude each chapter.Interpretive notes after each chapter cover doctrine, history, and sociology.The book presents a chapter of The Interior Castle itself, followed by a review of the development of her thought and the principal ideas in each chapter.This second, revised study edition has been completely redesigned as a springboard to reading and understanding Teresa’s text. Reading the works of Teresa herself is indispensable. Using the image of a castle, Teresa describes the soul’s progressive inner journey through seven dwelling places, until finally reaching the center where, now transformed, it is united with God. It is, in a very real sense, Teresa’s soul. More than a book, The Interior Castle is a powerful image of the mystery of the human person. At this point in her life she had been granted the highest mystical graces this book is the fruit of her lived experience and a deep-felt praise of God for it. She wrote this last work in just a few months in 1577, five years before her death.

St teresa of avila interior castle