"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "

St Alphonsus de Liguori

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"The supreme perfection of man in this life is to be so united to God that all his soul with all its faculties and powers are so gathered into the Lord God that he becomes one spirit with him, and remembers nothing except God, is aware of and recognises nothing but God, but with all his desires unified by the joy of love, he rests contentedly in the enjoyment of his Maker alone."

St Albert the Great

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"The greatest glory we can give to God is to do his will in everything."

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