"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."

Blessed Henry Suso

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"When the devil has failed in making a man fall, he puts forward all his energies to create distrust between the penitent and the confessor, and so by little and little he gains his end at last."

St Philip Neri

* * *

"Those who love God are always happy, because their whole happiness is to fulfill, even in adversity, the will of God."

St Alphonsus de Liguori

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 St Teresa of Avila  (1515- 1582)
Founder of the Discalced Carmelites and Doctor of the Church

 

INTERIOR CASTLE

By St Teresa of Avila

CONTENTS
 

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION (by  E. Allison Peers)
1. General background
2. Origin of the book
3. Description of the Mansions
4. About the manuscripts
5. List of Abbreviations

FIRST MANSIONS
1. The beauty and dignity of our souls
2. The hideousness of a soul in mortal sin

SECOND MANSIONS
1. The great importance of perseverance

THIRD MANSIONS
1. Insecurity in this life of exile
2. Aridities in prayer

FOURTH MANSIONS
1. The difference between sweetness or tenderness in prayer and consolations
2. Explains by a comparison what is meant by consolations
3. Prayer of Recollection

FIFTH MANSIONS
1. Explain how in prayer the soul is united with God
2. The effects of the Prayer of Union
3. Another kind of union
4. Cautions about proceding cautiously

SIXTH MANSIONS
1. With greater favours comes greater trials
2. Several ways in which Our Lord awakens the soul
3. How God speaks to the soul
4. When God suspends the soul in prayer by rapture
5. How God exalts the soul through flights of the spirit
6. How to know when this prayer is genuine
7. Keep in mind the Humanity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
8. About intellectual visions
9. About imaginary visions
10. Other favours which God grants to the soul
11. Desires to enjoy God imperil its life

SEVENTH MANSIONS
1. About the great favours which God bestows here
2. The difference between spiritual union and spiritual marriage
3. The striking effects produced by this prayer
4. Why Our Lord grants such great favours

EPILOGUE