INTERIOR CASTLE: The Soul's Spiritual Journey to Union with God by Teresa of Avila

"Interior Castle is an enduring classic unveiling, a spiritual vision given to Teresa of Avila.  It's a vision of profound mystical content, full of maxims on such subjects as humility, self-knowledge, detachment  from worldly desires, abandonment to God, and experiencing fires of the Holy Spirit.

 

The central focus of the vision and the style of writing is extremely simple.  Teresa envisions the soul as a ''castle made of a single diamond ... surrounded by seven mansions the soul must traverse on its journey to the center of the castle and union with God."

 

In each of the seven mansions you will experience a deepening desire to know God more intimately by conforming your will to His will.  As you move along your journey to union with God, Teresa offers this encouragement: "If you sometimes fall, do not lose heart or cease striving to make progress, because even out of your fall God will bring good."

 

Throughout her writings she gently guides you along the pathway to your soul's innermost chamber, a place of transfiguration and communion with God."

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 1 - THE FIRST MANSION

CHAPTER 1

                                                   
Explores the beauty and dignity of our souls by comparing them to a spiritual castle formed of transparent crystal surrounded by mansions containing many rooms. It tells us how God grants us favor and gives us knowledge and understanding of how prayer is the gate of the spiritual castle.

 

CHAPTER 2

                                                    
Describes the hideous appearance of a soul in grievous sin as revealed by God. This chapter contains important points on self-knowledge and humility etc. Provides an explanation of the mansions.

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 2 - THE SECOND MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1 

                           
Teaches the importance of perseverance in order to enter the last mansions and of the fierce war the devil wages against us.  How essential it is to take the right path from the very beginning of our journey. Gives a method of action, that by its power, produces the desired result.

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 3 - THE THIRD MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1 

                           
Deals with the souls who have overcome the challenges in the first two mansions. The dangers of looking back on the past life. The characteristics of those in the Third Mansion. Examination of the dry prayer life. Humility. Being lukewarm.  Walking in the fear of the Lord. Giving all to God.

 

CHAPTER 2  

                        
Continues on the subject of dryness in the prayer life and the results of it. How the Lord tests those who are in the mansions.

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 4 - THE FOURTH MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1 

                             
Teaches the difference between sweetness, tenderness, and comfort in prayer. Saint Teresa explains how advantageous it was for her to realize that the imagination and the understanding are not the same thing. This chapter also addresses the problem of wandering thoughts during prayer.

 

CHAPTER 2  

                         
Explanation by comparison of what divine comforts are. How we should prepare ourselves to receive them, as opposed to seeking to obtain them.

 

CHAPTER 3                          

 

A continuation on the gifts of prayer to the soul on its journey to God.

 

THE SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 5 - THE FIFTH MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1 

                           
The union of the soul with God in prayer. How to be sure we are not deceived in this matter.

CHAPTER 2                              

 

Explains the Prayer of Union using a delicate comparison. Speaks of the effects upon the soul. Emphasis on explanations in this chapter require careful attention.

 

CHAPTER 3  

                            
Describes another kind of union that the soul can receive from God. The importance of love of one's neighbor. Deals also with works, feelings, and how they affect our union with God. Defects that hinder

this union. Real and imaginary good qualities.

 

CHAPTER 4

                           
Further explanation of prayer. The importance of being on guard, for the devil eagerly desires to turn back souls from the path to God. Spiritual progress.

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 6 - THE SIXTH MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1  

                                
Explains the reason more severe afflictions are suffered when God bestows greater gifts on the soul. love is kindled by divine gifts. Trials that accompany divine gifts. Some of the afflictions are described and directions on how to bear them for those who have attained this mansion. This chapter is especially directed to those who are suffering from inner trials. Preparation for entering the seventh mansion.

CHAPTER 2  

                              
Teaches several of the ways that our Lord quickens the soul. The effect on the soul. Gifts of an exalted nature. No reason to fear deception.

CHAPTER 3     (Introduction by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman)      

 

Describes how God sometimes speaks to the soul. Discusses what signs to look for regarding deception. Resisting false doctrine.

CHAPTER 4 

                                  
Explains how God suspends the soul in prayer by a trance, a feeling of ecstasy, or rapture. Saint Teresa believes these to be one and the same. Great courage is required to receive extraordinary gifts from God.

CHAPTER 5

 

Describes the flight of the human Spirit.  The loss of self-control. Obligations follow these favors. Humility produced by them.  How the Lord comforts such a soul. Mysteries learned.

CHAPTER 6

The soul longs for death. Saint Teresa bewails her inability to serve God as He deserves. The jubilee of the soul. Fervent praises to God.

CHAPTER 7

Describes the grief felt because of sins by souls on whom God has bestowed these gifts. How this sorrow is felt. Saint Teresa's grief for her past sins. Reasoning and mental prayer. Souls in every state of prayer should think of the passion of Christ.

 

CHAPTER 8

Describes how God communicates with the soul by intellectual visions. Gives advice on this vision and speaks of the effects when the vision is genuine.
                                                                         
CHAPTER 9

 

Discusses the way that God communicates with the soul by visions. Explanation of various effects of this communication. False and true visions.

CHAPTER 10

Deals with supernatural favors.  Intellectual visions. God is compared to a palace in which His creatures dwell. Forgiveness. Why God reveals truth.

CHAPTER 11

Favors increase the soul's desire for God. The dart of love. Spiritual sufferings. Courage needed and given by God.

 

SOUL'S STATE AT LEVEL 7 - THE SEVENTH MANSION

 

CHAPTER 1 

                             
Teaches on the sublime favors God bestows on souls that have entered the seventh mansion. The author shows the difference she believes to exist between Soul and Spirit.

 

CHAPTER 2                                 

 

Describes the difference between Spiritual Union and Spiritual Marriage using some very delicately drawn comparisons.

CHAPTER 3                                 

 

Discussion of great fruits produced. The wonderful difference between these effects and those formerly described carefully studied and remembered.

 

CHAPTER 4

Shows what appears to be the Lord's principal intention in conferring these sublime favors on souls.  It also explains how necessary it is for Mary and Martha to work together.

                                                   

(Above is the Table of Contents from the book, "Interior Castle", by St. Theresa of Avila and revised by Beverlee J. Chadwick, et al.)